Economy Parking

$15/day remote parking that most PDX locals actually use

Economy Parking at PDX runs $15 per day and sits a short shuttle ride from Terminal T, so locals treat it as the default instead of the pricier garages. You park in large Red and Blue surface lots, then ride in on clearly marked shuttles. It’s basic, open-air parking, but the value is solid if you’re gone more than a day or two.

Shuttles are scheduled every 7–9 minutes from 4 a.m. to midnight and about every 15 minutes from midnight to 4 a.m., with the ride itself usually 7–9 minutes to the terminal. One Reddit user timed it as 6 minutes from the Blue lot plus a 3‑minute wait, which matches most reports. Figure 20 minutes from locking your car to clearing the curb at T when it’s not peak rush.

Rates are simple: $15 per day, no hourly half-measures, so Economy beats the PDX garages for trips longer than roughly 24 hours. Disabled veterans with service‑connected documentation can park here free for up to 14 consecutive days, which locals mention in veteran forums. If you’re comparing costs with rideshare, a four‑day trip at $60 total is often cheaper than two Lyft runs.

EV drivers get 24 charging stations near the Red E shelter and 12 near the Red L shelter, all free apart from the standard parking fee. These spots fill on busy holiday weeks, so don’t assume you’ll plug in at 6 p.m. the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Bring your own charging etiquette: move the car once you’re topped off if you’re back before your trip ends.

Regulars complain most about crowded shuttles between about 5–7 a.m., with some rides standing‑room only from the Economy lots. Late night, that “every 15 minutes” schedule can feel longer at 2 a.m. in the rain if you just watched a bus pull away. If you land after midnight, hit the restroom in T first so you’re not stuck on a chilly curb.

What locals actually do: they park near a shelter that serves both Red and Blue routes so they can hop on whichever shuttle shows up first, and they always snap a photo of their row sign or shelter label like “Red E.” Do the same and you won’t be wandering the lot at 1 a.m. dragging bags and cursing your memory.

Tip: Build a 30‑minute buffer from parking lot entrance to terminal curb during peak mornings, and a 20‑minute buffer at night, then back your arrival time off your boarding time, not departure.