15-Minute Free Parking

First 15 minutes are free in both MOB lots

At Mobile Regional (MOB), you get 15 minutes of free parking in either the short-term or long-term lot, both sitting right in front of the Main terminal with about a 2‑minute walk to the doors.

The airport’s own parking board labels this clearly as “FIRST 15 MIN FREE”, and once that window ends, the meter switches to the standard $1 per hour rate that applies in both lots for any stay beyond those first free minutes.

Because the terminal is small and the walk is short, you can usually park, walk the 2 minutes into the Main terminal, meet an arriving passenger at the baggage claim or ticketing counters, and walk back out to the car without crossing the 15‑minute mark.

This setup is especially useful if you’re helping someone who needs extra time, like an elderly relative or an unaccompanied minor; locals on forums specifically call out MOB’s policy that the free 15 minutes apply in both main lots, not just the short‑term side.

Curbside pickup is technically allowed along the Main terminal frontage, but TSA rules mean you can’t leave your car unattended there, so using the 15‑minute free lot is the safer move if you need to lock the car and walk inside.

Pro tip: Set a timer for 12 minutes when you park; that gives you a quick heads‑up to start walking back to the car before the clock rolls over into the paid $1 hourly period.