When you've got a morning flight, the hardest part of the journey is dragging yourself out of bed pre-dawn, then fighting traffic to get to the airport on time. Depending on how far you live from the airport, this can easily add on hours to what's likely to already be a much longer than usual day. Today, many airport hotels offer travelers a great way to avoid all the stress and discomfort associated with early flights. 

Park, sleep and fly packages include an overnight stay at an airport hotel, plus several days' worth of parking. Hotels typically offer between 5 and 7 nights of free parking, and some offer extended parking options for a small additional fee. Travelers are provided with free shuttle service to the airport located just a few minutes away, and return shuttle service is also provided. 

Instead of arriving at the airport exhausted, you can sleep in to a reasonable hour, enjoy breakfast at the hotel and still be at the airport in plenty of time for check-in.  When you return, you take a shuttle back to your hotel, hop in your car and drive away. In the case of a very long flight or late arrival, you could also plan to spend the night of your return at the hotel. 

One of the best things about park, sleep and fly packages is how affordable they actually work out to be considering what's included. In most cases, the price of an overnight stay at the hotel is much less than paying for 7 nights of airport parking. Even if the hotel charges a modest fee for parking while you're away, the package is still likely to cost much less than long term airport parking alone. 

In the past, travelers sometimes opted to book later flights just for the sake of saving on the hassle of getting to the airport at an early morning hour. Yet given a convenient option like park, sleep and fly, most people would prefer to take that morning flight. 

Morning flights tend to have fewer delays. Business travelers can attend afternoon meetings or conferences, and leisure travelers can comfortably fly early and arrive at their destination as soon as possible! There's no need to make a compromise when you take advantage of a park, sleep and fly package. 

Today websites that specialize in pre-booking airport parking often include park, sleep and fly package options. You can check with specific airport hotels for information on their policies regarding how long you can park for free, what the cost would be to park longer and other details. 

Although you can book with hotels directly, it may be cheaper to pre-book your package with an airport parking website. They may offer coupons or special discounts off the regular prices charged by hotels. 

As a final benefit, many hotels offer frequent park, sleep and fly customers special rates or discounts. If you fly on a regular basis,you may want to choose a hotel that offers frequent package purchasers discount rates. You'll save on the cost of airport parking, plus enjoy an additional discount the next time you need to park, sleep and fly.

Regular business travelers or frequent holiday takers often have a strategy they rely on for dealing with airport parking. If you're using the same services or parking options you've relied on for years, it may be time to investigate some new options. As the economy has changed, so have the most economical airport parking strategies.

In the past, the airport you use the most may have charged reasonable rates for parking short or even long term. Maybe you looked at a few nearby off-site lots a few years ago, but the price difference didn't justify the added inconvenience.

That may have been the case even two years ago, but today many new alternatives for off-site parking are available. At the same time, many airports have raised parking rates substantially, plus they've expanded to include lots in remote areas that are anything but convenient.

You may find hotels near the airport now offer very affordable off-site parking with an overnight, pre-flight stay, plus free shuttle service to get you to and from the airport. You may be able to park your car for free for several days for the cost of only one night's stay, which is a great value over paying for long term airport parking.

Even if you figure in the added cost of parking at a hotel beyond the "free" nights you're allowed, it's possible it will be much less than the high cost of parking on site at the airport. As an added advantage, hotel parking is usually quite secure and usually offers 24 hour surveillance.

Specialized off site parking services are another great alternative to costly airport parking fees. Other types of businesses may also offer off-site parking at their locations, such as car repair businesses or even auto dealerships. In some cities, homeowners in the area around the airport may provide extremely low cost car parking in a very secure setting. Some even provide you with a ride to and from the airport for free or a very small additional fee.

If in the past you always relied on a cab to take you to and from your home to the airport, now might be the time to consider driving yourself. Many cab companies have substantially increased their rates. For short term travel, parking at an off site parking lot could equate to a substantial savings over cab fare.

In response to rising unemployment rates, more and more individuals are offering local transport services in their own vehicles for reasonable rates. This may include friends or family members who are currently unemployed or working part time. If you prefer to leave your car at home, but cab fare is very costly, you could "hire" someone you know to give you an affordable lift to the airport.

Public transportation services are another option to consider if you're trying to save cash on airport parking. Although taking a bus to the airport may not be the most convenient way to get there, it is a very low cost, reliable option for today's travelers.

In the past, many people rarely gave off site airport parking much consideration. Off site parking was thought to be horribly inconvenient, potentially unsafe and not worth the slight savings it might afford.  Today all that has changed, and off site parking is the affordable, efficient, safe and convenient alternative to airport parking for millions of people each year.

There are three primary reasons off site airport parking has grown in popularity. First, nearly all airports have significantly raised both short and long term parking fees in recent years. What was once affordable is now a major travel-related expense,while at the same time people are more price conscious than ever. Off site parking can cost so much less than regular airport parking, it's impossible to ignore the potential savings.

In addition to charging more to park on site, many airports have also expanded over the years and "onsite" locations have become increasingly remote. In some instances,"airport" parking lots are literally miles away from the airport! What was once the more convenient option is now a similar experience to offsite parking, yet at a much higher price.

Higher airport prices and more remote parking lots aren't the only reason more and more people opt for off site parking today. The off site parking industry has substantially expanded, and specialized companies now offer premium services at very attractive prices.

Off site airport parking is now available at virtually all large and small size airports, and it's very easy to arrange reservations online. Parking services are provided year round,and both short and long term parking are available. Off site parking lots are extremely secure today, and typically consist of fully lighted, fenced-in lots under 24 hour surveillance.

Those who opt for quality offsite parking services can look forward to fast, reliable shuttle service and assistance with their baggage. Customers can opt to park their vehicles themselves or take advantage of valet parking, and many companies offer special VIP services as an option. Professional, friendly shuttle drivers and parking attendants are another advantage of using off site parking.

Many off site parking companies also provide customers with rewards or points programs. If you fly frequently, this can be a great way to obtain added value when you park, as you'll be saving up for free parking!

Depending on which off site airport parking service provider you choose, you may be able to take advantage of another benefit. Some services offer professional automotive repair or maintenance in addition to parking. While you're traveling, you can have an oil change done on your car, or you could have it washed and return to a sparkling clean car!

Regardless of what type of specific services you opt for, off site parking is a terrific value compared to regular airport parking. It's likely to be much more convenient than parking and walking to the terminal with your baggage, or waiting for a delayed or overcrowded airport shuttle to show up. As the off site airport parking industry continues to develop and expand, customers can look forward to an even greater value on top of quality services.