$30 a day pushes most SXM visitors to skip parking entirely
Long Stay Parking at Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) runs about $30 per day, which is steep enough that frequent visitors on forums say they usually just stay in Simpson Bay or Maho and taxi in instead. This is a basic long-stay lot, not some heavily advertised product with lots of perks, and that higher daily rate changes the math fast if you’re gone 4–7 days.
The Long Stay Parking is on airport grounds and functions like a standard long-term lot rather than a premium garage. You’re paying roughly $210 for a 7‑day trip, which is more than many island taxis charge for multiple round-trips between SXM and the Simpson Bay strip. Because SXM is small and most resorts sit within a 10–20 minute drive, locals on boards often say it’s easier to leave the car at a hotel or rental office.
On travel forums, repeat visitors describe returning their rental car in Simpson Bay or at the rental agency and then taking a $15–$25 taxi ride to the airport, rather than paying Long Stay Parking rates. If you’re holding a rental for a full week at $30 per day plus parking, those costs stack up quickly. The lot itself is fine for leaving a vehicle, but regulars clearly treat it as a last resort, not a default.
Practical tip: price out your full trip: multiply $30 by your exact number of days, then compare that total to two or three taxi rides from your hotel or rental base before you commit to Long Stay Parking.
Pricing
| Stay | Per day | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 1 day | $30.00/day | $30.00 |
| 3 days | $30.00/day | $90.00 |
| 7 days | $30.00/day | $210.00 |