Hybrid vehicle drivers know all about the advantages of driving "green" cars.  These vehicles combine the best of regular cars with the best of electric cars. Hybrid cars have lower toxic emissions and better fuel economy. Owners save a considerable amount on fuel costs long term. These vehicles are safe, reliable and comfortable, and today there are even tax benefits for buying a hybrid car.

Today there's one more advantage of driving a hybrid to consider – preferred parking! Chicago's Midway airport offers preferred parking for hybrid vehicles. This makes parking at Midway much more convenient, and hybrid drivers are practically guaranteed a good parking space.

You can easily find and download a map detailing Preferred Parking spaces for hybrid vehicles at Midway. There are 6 spaces located in Employee Parking lot B, and 1 space designated in Employee Parking lot A.

Midway's Orange Economy Parking Lot offers 14 hybrid vehicle spaces. This is a great choice for hybrid drivers who prefer economy long-term parking. There are also 13 hybrid car spaces in the Terminal Parking Garage.

The Red Economy Parking Lot at Midway has 11 hybrid spaces available, while the Yellow Economy Lot has 3 spaces. The Terminal Parking Garage spots are the most convenient spaces as they are closest to the Terminal. The Yellow Lot and Red Lot options are the next in proximity to the Terminal respectively. The Orange Lot and Employee Lots are the farthest away.

Preferred parking spaces for hybrid vehicles at Chicago Midway International Airport are designated by the green leaf symbol. These spaces are located close to elevator lobbies in parking garages or near Shuttle Bus Stops in surface lots.

Midway airport is one among many airports across the nation that now offer preferred parking as a type of reward or incentive for drivers who go green with hybrid cars.

Some airports such as Boston's Logan International Airport not only offer preferred hybrid parking, but grant preferred parking privileges to clean fuel vehicle taxis. Clean fuel taxis get head-of-line privileges at the airport's taxi stand.

This is a big incentive for taxi companies that serve the airport, as it equates to more time on the road, less time in the taxi queue and subsequently, more earnings in fares. Not only do green taxi companies save on the cost of fuel, they're able to earn more on airport transfers in the process.

If you happen to drive a hydrogen vehicle and you're traveling out of a Los Angeles airport, you may be able to take advantage of the public access hydrogen fueling station at LAX. This BP station serves not only the fleet of hydrogen vehicles owned by Los Angeles World Airports and operated at LAX, but the growing number of owners in the community driving cars powered by hydrogen.

Promoting and supporting hybrid vehicle use is just one aspect of eco-friendly trends that are becoming popular with airports around the world. Airports can do little to reduce the emissions produced by airplanes, but they seem eager to support the reduction of ground level emissions through the use of clean energy cars.

If you're exploring options to save on parking at La Guardia, you'll find plenty of options with a quick search online. You can opt to park at the airport, but parking lots there can fill up, especially during peak travel times. There's no shortage of off site parking options that offer guaranteed parking space and discounted rates, but there's still the hassle of driving to any parking area near the airport.

Even New Yorkers in the know about the traffic situation around La Guardia dread trips to the airport. Whether you're traveling from midtown Manhattan or another location makes little difference. Routes to the airport involve everything from costly tolls to serious delays in traffic at the Midtown Tunnel, the Grand Central Parkway or the Long Island Expressway near Queens Blvd. Not only is the drive to La Guardia arduous, it's unpredictable in terms of how fast you'll be able to make it to the airport.

Park, Sleep and Fly packages available at nearby hotels can relieve the burden of driving to the airport to make a flight on time. These packages usually include free shuttle service to the nearby hotel, or at most involve a very short (and cheap) taxi ride.

If you have an early morning flight and you'd like to avoid the dreaded drive to La Guardia plus save a lot of money on parking, a Park, Sleep and Fly package may be the best choice. La Guardia primarily handles domestic flights, and if you'll be returning within 7 days, parking will probably be free with just one night's stay at a Park, Sleep and Fly hotel.

Park, Sleep and Fly packages are popular with travelers going through major airports, but they aren't necessarily the best choice for everyone at all times. The timing of your flight has a lot to do with whether or not this option makes the most sense.

If you're taking an afternoon flight that won't involve rush hour traffic, driving yourself to an off site airport parking site may be the best choice. Nothing says you won't run into traffic delays, but the odds are much better you won't during non-peak traffic times. This also applies for weekend flights when traffic isn't likely to be overly heavy.

Think you'll be fine to drive and park yourself for an evening flight out of La Guardia? This may be the case, but traffic is very unpredictable in the early evening. Consider that even if your flight is at 8:00 pm, you'll want to arrive at the airport by around 6:00 pm, as La Guardia is very busy during late afternoon and evening hours. This means you'll need to drive to La Guardia during evening commute hours, which can involve serious delays.

Consider when you'll be returning from your trip when deciding on Park, Sleep and Fly, too. Will you arrive just in time to hit evening rush hour traffic? You might be much more comfortable relaxing at the hotel where your car is parked for an hour or so than you would be sitting around La Guardia waiting for traffic to die down.

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.