Short Term (Premium) Parking

Three‑minute curb limit feels tight? This lot is your buffer.

Short Term (Premium) Parking sits directly in front of the Monterey terminal, about a 1‑minute walk from the doors, and tops out at a $32.00 daily maximum per 24 hours. This is the closest car-to-check‑in option at MRY, and the airport itself points you here when a pickup or drop‑off will run longer than the strict 3‑minute curbside rule.

This is a true short‑stay setup: the pricing caps at $32 per day, so it only pencils out if you value the front‑row spot more than saving a few dollars in the regular short‑term lot farther back. The trade: you shave a couple of minutes of walking each way in exchange for a small premium on the rate. For anyone juggling luggage, kids, or elderly passengers right at the single Monterey terminal, that 1‑minute walk from car to entrance is the whole point.

Think of this as your “longer hello, longer goodbye” lot at MRY, sitting between the curb’s 3‑minute clock and true overnight parking. It works well for meeting an arriving flight that might be delayed 20–40 minutes, or for drop‑offs where you want to walk inside, print a boarding pass at the terminal kiosks, and still get the passenger through the initial check‑in line without watching the car tick toward a parking ticket.

Tip: If you’re planning more than a quick 15–20 minute stop and expect any runway or baggage delays, skip looping the terminal road and pull straight into Short Term (Premium) first; the upfront $32 daily cap often beats the stress of racing the curb timer.