This was posted 2 years 4 months 27 days ago, and might be an out-dated deal.

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[VIC, Hack] Melbourne Airport T123 Parking $8 for 30 Minutes with Free Extension to 3.5 Hours (Online Booking Only)

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[VIC, Hack] Melbourne Airport T123 Parking $8 for 30 Minutes with Free Extension to 3.5 Hours (Online Booking Only)
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sween64 on 27/07/2022 - 10:11 melbourneairport.com.au (5473 clicks)
Last edited 16/08/2023 - 22:02 by 1 other user

As some people choose to travel again it could be a timely reminder of this great deal, although it has changed slightly since.

It's now $8 for up to 3.5 hours parking in T123.
For those unfamiliar: you book for 30 mins but with the grace periods either side you can extend that to 3.5 hours without extra charge. For example, you plan to be at the airport from 3:30pm to 7pm. You book for 5:30pm to 6pm and pay $8. With this booking you can enter any time after 3:30 pm and you have to leave before 7pm to avoid extra charges. The drive up rate would be $49 and if you booked for the 3.5 hours you intend to use it would be $34.

Snippets from the FAQ:

Can I enter the car park earlier or later than my confirmed booking time?
… You may arrive up to two hours before your booked entry time … There is a one hour grace period for exit after your booked exit time …

Update 1: As JaaayD pointed out the T&C’s are worded differently, I suspect they haven’t been updated. Buyer beware.
Update 2: From fedex11’s comment the FAQ appear to be correct and you can enter up to 2 hours before without additional charge.

T4 is now a flat rate of $12 so not a great option for the online booking hack as the cheapest rate at T123 is cheaper. Also the names have changed, it's now Terminal, Premium and Value instead of Short Stay, Valet and Long Term.

I booked this yesterday. You swipe in and out with the credit card you booked with (actual physical credit card, not Apple or Google Pay etc). No issues with me staying for longer than the 30 mins booked. I only stayed for about 50 minutes so I didn’t push the limits.

———

Update (15/08/23): Entry and exit is now done via a QR code that’s emailed to the booker. Thanks to triplea.

Travel Airport Melbourne Melbourne Airport Parking Victoria

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closed Comments

  • raiseyoursteaks on 27/07/2022 - 10:16
    +1

    Useful for picking up and sending off. Btw has anyone notice the number of abondoned cars in the airport? I saw at least 4 on the level i was on. Thinking some of these cars were prior to covid lockdown

    • firestint on 27/07/2022 - 10:30
      +5

      Same here, kinda creepy when you realise some of the car owners were never coming back due to COVID or something else…

      • raiseyoursteaks on 27/07/2022 - 11:44

        Yeah creepy is the word.. Some may not have made it, others too expensive to get back.

    • placard on 27/07/2022 - 10:41
      +1

      I've seen this quite often, completely covered in dust they've been parked there that long.

    • R4 on 27/07/2022 - 11:05
      +16

      In my backpacking days in the US, lots of backpackers would do this. Many had bought older cars to travel around America and when it came time to leave, they'd just drive to the airport and leave their car parked - never to come back. It was often hard to sell old cars and many had mechanical faults that would be too costly to fix, so this was a much cheaper option - often the shuttle bus to the airport would cost more than the money they'd get from selling the car, especially if they had a lot of gear.

    • goobar on 27/07/2022 - 12:22
      +9

      Probably cheaper to buy a new car than to pay the parking.

    • bigbadboogieman on 27/07/2022 - 13:29
      +3

      This happened in massive numbers when the job and housing market in UAE crashed. Back then there was no concept of bankruptcy in the middle east. Expats who lost their jobs and couldn't pay their car loans, etc just left their cars at airport parkings and left. Similar thing in US after the sub-prime mortgage crash. People left the keys to their homes in the doors and left for banks to do whatever they wanted.

      • Ade99 on 28/07/2022 - 07:51

        The US does not have full recourse loans…hence the term "jingle" loans as the keys were put through the banks letter box when people walked away from homes they could no longer afford.

      • Snoop on 03/10/2022 - 17:37

        They left them as they'd be jailed if they defaulted on their loans.
        First rule in the UAE is: if you can't pay a debt… LEAVE!!!

  • 87percent on 27/07/2022 - 10:19
    +3

    the waiting area that is near Terminal 4 (i think it is) is free now. It used to be 20mins or something and then you would have to pay, but when i was there last week, the boomgate was open.

    • Cyphar on 27/07/2022 - 13:02
      +2

      but when i was there last week, the boomgate was open.

      This happens when their IT systems are being worked on

      I do contracted-IT support for a car park company and every time I work on their servers, we need to put the boomgates up. Moreso when it related to Skidata-linked gates.

      • lachhelix on 27/07/2022 - 13:21

        Interesting!

      • AR-MEL on 27/07/2022 - 14:30
        +1

        You can then post a deal when it happens next time. Better you post the deal first and you know what to do. :)

        • Cyphar on 28/07/2022 - 01:35

          That page is absolute cancer on mobile lol

  • iNeed2Pee on 27/07/2022 - 10:27
    +34

    Useful for when the airline company cancel and you would rather sob in your car than in a public seating area.

    • No on 27/07/2022 - 10:42
      +1

      Sob somewhere cheaper.

      • HardQuiz on 27/07/2022 - 10:45

        Sob and get paid for sobbing?

        • life is suffering on 27/07/2022 - 11:21

          Are you an angel..only angel tears are paid

        • toomuchdogfur on 27/07/2022 - 11:57
          +1

          First world problems ASMR stream

  • mousie on 27/07/2022 - 10:44
    +6

    If this was sydney airport and you were dropping someone off you need 7 hours to check in.

  • HunterBargainHunter on 27/07/2022 - 10:49
    +2

    This post should have been yesterday before I paid $45 for sending off my in-laws

    • [Deactivated] on 27/07/2022 - 10:52

      but that's how they make bucks :tm:

      • R4 on 27/07/2022 - 11:07

        Back when I was doing my MBA we looked at the business model of Australian airports - the money they make from parking, especially as a percentage of their profits, is insane - and they've kind of got a captive market.

        • indemnity on 27/07/2022 - 14:33
          +1

          It's a great example of a natural monopoly.

          The parking is practically the only part of the business that is unregulated.

          The airport's (MEL especially) also have state government authority to act as their own traffic police. Next time notice the no-parking signage is different font/colour to the rest of the state. The airport has regulatory powers to issues fines, but no powers to create legally binding roadway signage. Protip: this is one means to challenge airport parking fines.

          • FutureTech on 27/07/2022 - 15:00

            @indemnity: I thought it's under federal jurisdiction and fines issued by AFP on airport roads (but not necessarily within the parking lots)

    • life is suffering on 27/07/2022 - 11:18
      +1

      Sorry about that. I had requested an old post to be made active by mods so this doesn't happen.

      Always search Ozbargain before you do anything in life :)

      • sween64 on 27/07/2022 - 14:18

        The deal I linked to was active when I looked yesterday morning and still is. TA posted a reminder in 2019 and that was marked expired on May 2021, not entirely sure.

    • Strange1 on 27/07/2022 - 12:31
      +11

      $45 to get rid of the in-laws is a bargain!

    • Cyphar on 27/07/2022 - 13:04
      +6

      I'd pay $45 to see mine off. Money well spent IMO

    • Miss B on 27/07/2022 - 13:16
      +3

      I was going to say, I just shove people out of the car at the drop off zone. I get it now though, had to make sure they got on the plane.

  • JaaayD on 27/07/2022 - 11:00
    +6

    Can anyone confirm they have entered the car park 2 hours before booking time without getting charged drive up rates? I saw from the original post that the FAQ states "You may arrive up to two hours before your booked entry time".

    However when opening the Terms and conditions page they state "You may arrive up to one hour before your booked entry time". It is in section 7, point f.

    • bargainHunterOz on 27/07/2022 - 11:06

      Its total 2 hour extension. 1 hour before booked start time and 1 hour after the bookeb end time

    • littlesoldier on 27/07/2022 - 11:06

      From memory its been 1 hour for quite a while (even before COVID)
      never tried in person to intentionally drive 2 hours prior to test it out tho

    • immu999 on 27/07/2022 - 12:38

      I drove up 60 minutes before and they charged me.
      Aparently their system counts 1 hour as 59 minutes.
      Keep in mind that this one minute on both sides can cause you extra $$$.

    • karanpatel on 27/07/2022 - 12:58

      According to FAQ, you can enter two hours earlier than your booked time and you also get one hour grace period to exit time that u booked.

    • sween64 on 27/07/2022 - 14:19

      I guess there’s discrepancy between. The T&C’s and the FAQ. I haven’t tested it myself.

      Edit: Which is exactly what you said and are asking. Sorry.

    • Wolfy on 27/07/2022 - 21:23

      I've booked 30 mins parking, arrived and left about 58 mins before and after the time booked, no problems. Not tried the 2hr before as mentioned here.

    • Orpheon on 28/07/2022 - 01:21
      +4

      Can confirm the 2 hour grace period before entering.

      Recently booked on a Sunday night 8:00-8:30pm, which should allow us 6:00pm-9:30pm parking. Entered at 6:30pm and left at 9:25pm.

      Was only charged the $8 for the original 30min booking.

    • FreeFrag on 09/08/2022 - 15:01
      +1

      I can confirm that it works. Booked from 9:00pm to 9:30pm, entered 7:01pm and left at 10:10pm and it only charged me the $8.

  • littlesoldier on 27/07/2022 - 11:04
    +1

    Been using the grace periods hack for years
    But didnt know it can be as short as 30mins ($8)

    Will be pretty useful to drop off friends / family and wait to do COVID PCR test for international flights

    Thanks OP

    • Piranha2004 on 27/07/2022 - 21:25

      Yep used it for years as well. Backup is the 20 min free zone as well which you can always leave and re-enter. Im still gobsmacked that people wait on the side of the freeway like it was back in the 00s.

  • Yankyviking on 27/07/2022 - 11:12
    +1

    I am literally using it today as I type (waiting for the passengers to come out).

    • AJW on 27/07/2022 - 11:16
      +4

      But you didn't think it was a deal and it wasn't worth an upvote?

    • nexus4 on 27/07/2022 - 11:18
      +2

      You know there's a free waiting area for pickups right?

  • life is suffering on 27/07/2022 - 11:19

    PS : You need to use the same debit card you used to book at the gate

    • nightelves on 27/07/2022 - 11:53
      +2

      Not necessarily. At the bottom it ask if you want to use alternative card.

      • life is suffering on 27/07/2022 - 12:23
        +1

        Interesting maybe it's changed. But yeah whatever you specify needs to be presented :)

        • legelas on 27/07/2022 - 14:01
          +1

          yup, it has to be to the physical card.

  • lainey13 on 27/07/2022 - 12:10

    Dammit I need a deal for actual multi day parking… been waiting a few months and nothing's popped up

    • life is suffering on 27/07/2022 - 12:23

      The offer has been active for 3 _4 years now

      • lainey13 on 27/07/2022 - 12:25

        What offer for multi day parking at the terminals has been active for 3 _4 years??

    • jedimaster on 27/07/2022 - 12:25

      negotiate one with airport?

    • sween64 on 27/07/2022 - 14:21
      +1

      Park at the third party off site parks. Effectively all you do is drive less, spend more time on a bus and pay less.

    • ChipsChicky on 29/07/2022 - 01:54

      Curious, why you are waiting for it ?

  • goobar on 27/07/2022 - 12:24

    What happens if you touch on just before the grace period? E.g enter 3:29pm? Do you get charged the next bracket 1hour or the whole 3.5hrs?

    • immu999 on 27/07/2022 - 12:41
      +1

      You will be charged even at 3:30, they did to me.
      Entering at 3:31 is safe.

    • sween64 on 27/07/2022 - 14:23
      +1

      The whole 3.5 hours.

      From the FAQ linked:

      If you arrive any earlier than the time prior to two hours before your booked entry time, you will be charged at drive-up rates for your entire stay (noting that these rates may vary from the rates quoted via the online booking system) and you will not be entitled to a refund or credit on those charges.

      So $49 for the drive up rates and $8 for the booking.

  • Jeffie on 27/07/2022 - 13:58

    Thanks, Dan.

  • legelas on 27/07/2022 - 13:59
    +1

    correct me if I'm wrong. It should be 2.5 hours for $8. One hour graces each before and after your original booking time. For instance, booked for 3.30 - 4.00 you can enter the carpark after 2.30 and exit before 5.00

    • sween64 on 27/07/2022 - 14:23

      You may arrive up to two hours before your booked entry time

      • legelas on 27/07/2022 - 14:35

        where did you get that information from?

        From their T&C:

        "There is a 1 hour grace period for exit after your booked exit time. If you exit more than 1 hour after your booked exit time, you will be charged for the time beyond one hour after your booked exit time at Melbourne Airport’s Overstay Tariff Car Park rates (noting that these rates may vary from the rates quoted via the online booking system) and you will not be entitled to a refund or credit on those charges. Click here for Melbourne Airport Overstay Tariff Car Parks Rates."

        Edited: I can see it is in the FAQs. Which is strange. Personally, I've pushed that two hours grace but not 2 hours before entry booking time. I'm strongly think it'd be a mistake in FAQs

        • sween64 on 27/07/2022 - 14:54

          Not sure. We’ll need someone to test it. I don’t think the discrepancy was around before. Maybe the T&C’s are wrong.

  • 2024 on 27/07/2022 - 18:58
    +1

    Best deal I ever got from terminal parking was March just gone, when we drove up to our long term parking where you catch the shuttle, only to be met by a guy at the gate telling us the park is only half capacity due to works, and that the parking for our 2 week booking was upgraded to terminal parking for free, handing us a ticket to use when exiting after the stay.

    It was a bitch to find a spot, with them funnelling so may into terminal parking but when we did it sure was a lot easier than lugging all baggage for a family of 4 onto the bus and off again.

  • mkowarkski on 27/07/2022 - 19:19

    Shit!
    Yesterday paid $27 for 2.5 hours :(

    I booked for 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm. Paid $12.
    Entered 6:15 pm, exited 8:45pm… paid $17 more.

    Next time should check the forum in time!

    • Piranha2004 on 27/07/2022 - 21:26

      Did you actually make an online booking. In this day and age, an online booking is a must.

      BTW by your maths you paid $29 not $27.

      • mkowarkski on 27/07/2022 - 22:21

        1) Yes, I made the booking online (in this day and age)
        2) My bad, additional $15, not $17

        • Piranha2004 on 28/07/2022 - 09:51
          +1

          Well i think the reason you got slugged more was because you left after the one hour grace period. If you had left before 8.30pm you wouldve been ok.

  • fedex11 on 28/07/2022 - 00:12
    +4

    Can confirm this works. Did this last week and was not charged extra entering more than 1 hr (but less than 2 hr) before.

    • sween64 on 28/07/2022 - 09:21

      So from your experience the FAQ is correct and the T&C’s are wrong, is that right?

      • fedex11 on 28/07/2022 - 12:29
        +1

        Yea I suspect the T&C’s were historical and haven’t been updated.

  • HagridNip on 01/08/2022 - 09:41

    Just thought I'd share - I got in 1hr 45 minutes before my booked time. Left half an hour before my booked time. (Flight arrival time had moved forward an hour/people arriving seemed to come out the arrivals in record time)
    Was charged at drive up rates.

    • sween64 on 01/08/2022 - 23:28
      +1

      Left half an hour before my booked time.

      Did you leave before your booked enter time or just your booked exit time? Although it shouldn’t make a difference.

      Seems you may have been charged as per the T&C’s which is different to the FAQs and different to @fedex11’s experience above.

      Are you going to see a refund?

      • HagridNip on 01/08/2022 - 23:58
        +2

        Yeah, I left before my booked entry time, which may have confounded the results. But yes, I paid for booking and then was also charged drive up rates, so will attempt to go for a refund of either.
        Have screenshotted the FAQ in case they change it.

        • HardQuiz on 02/08/2022 - 11:37
          +1

          I think the reason you got charged drive up rate is because your exit time MM:HH was before your actual 30 minutes booking.

          As long as your exit time is greater than the first minute of your booking you should be ok.

          Please keep us updated.

          • HagridNip on 02/08/2022 - 12:15

            @HardQuiz: Yeah, also what I suspect.

            Got to get in the mentality of “let’s spend longer at the airport so I pay less for parking” haha

            Still pending a response to my refund request, but will update soon, hopefully!

            • HardQuiz on 29/08/2022 - 11:03

              @HagridNip: Any update?

              • HagridNip on 29/08/2022 - 12:03

                @HardQuiz: Nah, still to hear back after a follow up as well. Considering it lost money at this point.

  • SamyKn on 08/08/2022 - 16:13

    I just read the updated T&C , you can arrive 1hr before the booking.

    What a bummer , thanks for this , booked for 30mins (8$) only.

    • sween64 on 09/08/2022 - 09:15

      The FAQ still say 2 hours. @fedex11 was able to take advantage of the 2 hour grace time. See their comment above.

      • SamyKn on 09/08/2022 - 12:27
        +1

        All good mate , i was around 2hrs and paid same fee as 30mins as there is a 1hr exit grace period as well.

  • edBARGAIN on 13/08/2022 - 11:40
    +2

    I booked 9:30 to 10:30
    Arrived to melb Airport 9:12am
    Exit 11:34

    Got charged $12

    Was kind of scared that I would get charged Drive in rates since I past the 1hour exit grace period

  • vinataba on 17/08/2022 - 17:25

    Didn't know this earlier. I paid for 25$ for abt 3hr park in April. Thanks!

  • Zapwap on 28/08/2022 - 22:53

    I booked this yesterday. You swipe in and out with the credit card you booked with

    Hey OP, so you'd need to pay the 'FLEXI FARE' of $8 upfront when you book online and carry the same physical card to be swiped in and out, right? For instance, I am planning to be on the airport between 3.30 pm and 4.15 pm, and booking online between 5.30pm and 6pm and pay $8, is that correct?

    • sween64 on 29/08/2022 - 06:36
      +1

      Yep. You could do that. If you’re only gonna be at the airport between 3:30 and 4:15 I’d move the booking to 5 to 5:30 which would make your grace window 3 to 6:30.

  • suzii on 01/09/2022 - 21:36

    Hi Guys, please help me in understanding if I’ve done something wrong here. I booked for 6:30-7:00pm tonight. Entered at 6:02pm and left at 7:54pm. I got charged $30.
    I tapped my physical credit card which was the same card I used to book the parking.
    Could I be entitled to a refund?

    • gareeb on 01/09/2022 - 22:14

      @sween64 Does this comment mean its the end , i was about to use it tomorrow :(

      • suzii on 07/09/2022 - 19:02

        Wanted to let you guys know that I ended up getting charged both $30 on the day and $8 for the booking itself. I will be contacting them for a refund, will update once I hear from them.

      • mac2403 on 07/09/2022 - 22:17

        Used it the other day and it worked fine, so far only charged the $8.

  • Partly Visible on 04/09/2022 - 09:06

    The Terms and Conditions maybe updated?

    7.Arrival and exit

    f. You may arrive up to one hour before your booked entry time. If you arrive any earlier than the time prior to one hour before your booked entry time, you will be charged at drive-up rates (noting that these rates may vary from the rates quoted via the online booking system) and you will not be entitled to a refund or credit on those charges.

    i.There is a 1 hour grace period for exit after your booked exit time. If you exit more than 1 hour after your booked exit time, you will be charged for the time beyond one hour after your booked exit time at Melbourne Airport’s Overstay Tariff Car Park rates (noting that these rates may vary from the rates quoted via the online booking system) and you will not be entitled to a refund or credit on those charges.

    so it means only got 2.5 hrs?

    • lgacb08 on 14/09/2022 - 21:57

      nah, definitely more than that. I booked for 11-11.30 yesterday and entered at 9.26, left around 11.42 and still got charged $8. I figure stretching it out to 12.29 probably cost the same anyway.
      But we all get screwed at short-term terminal now, not sure if it was because everyone abusing this deal or not but on a weekday morning, school holiday not even started yet but I struggled to find park, except at the very last level 6 that you have to wiggle around to get there. The time it took and head scratch, I reckon paying $12 and taking a bus on long term is pretty much the same bargain after all.

  • SpotOn on 21/09/2022 - 17:31

    This didn’t work for me either yesterday. Booked online for 9:30-10pm got charged $8

    Entered at 8:53pm exit at 9:53pm got charged another $15. Same physical card used that was to book online.

    Paid more in trying to save ;P oh well…

    • HardQuiz on 22/09/2022 - 01:14

      Contact them and ask for refund.

  • timbasstim on 03/10/2022 - 14:39
    +2

    Can confirm that the 2 hrs grace period on entry and then 1 hr after still exists as of 02/09/22 - booked 930-930 24hrs rocked up at 730am left at 1030am following day $49 for the 27 hrs

  • pratikshah2003in on 15/10/2022 - 07:12
    +1

    I tried to get information on melbourne airport website and as mentioned in the thread that terms and condition says only 1hr grace period while entry and exit but website says 2hr entry grace and 1 hr exit grace period. I just tried that robot chat and if you check online booking faq, there is early entry and exit faq in that robot chat, where it clearly says 2 hr grace for entry and 1 hr grace for exit. I just screenshot it for reference. Anyone having trouble with grace period and charged extra, can show this as a proof.

  • s0805 on 24/01/2023 - 10:28

    Anyone tested this recently, is 2 hour entry grace period still valid. there is still inconsistency between their FAQ & T/C.

    • zazutata on 08/02/2023 - 16:42
      +1

      It worked around one month ago and will be testing again tomorrow…I'll report back!

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