Parking options, compared honestly
Comparing the car parks at Tullamarine
Four official products, one decision. The distance from your car to the check-in counter is the variable that separates Value, Terminal, Premium and Valet, and it is the one you are actually paying for. Below is a straight comparison, with the trip types each option fits.
The four tiers, in one view
Value Car Park is the long-term, budget-oriented onsite option. Terminal Car Parks sit in the middle. Premium Car Parks are the closest to the check-in counter. Valet Parking is the premium service with handover at the T123 Car Park area.
The order runs from furthest and least expensive to closest and most expensive. Every other difference flows from that single fact.
- Value Long-term, budget-oriented. Furthest walk or shuttle hop to the terminal, which is exactly why the daily price stays low.
- Terminal The middle rung. Closer in than Value, further out than Premium, with a price that tracks the difference.
- Premium Closest to the check-in counter. You are buying metres here, and there are few of them between your car and bag drop.
- Valet Hand the car over and walk straight in. Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with assistance associated with the T123 Car Park area.
Every tier is the official product. What changes is the walk.
Value Car Park: when budget is the whole point
Melbourne Airport markets Value Car Park as a long-term parking option, and that framing is accurate. It is part of the official portfolio and available through the online booking system, which means you get the QR code entry like every other product.
This is the pick for a fortnight overseas, a month-long placement, or any trip where the parking cost is a line item you would rather keep small. You will walk further or wait for a shuttle depending on the bay you are assigned, so build a little margin into your arrival.
Best for
Two weeks and beyond, or any booking where the parking line matters more than a short walk.
Terminal Car Parks: the sensible middle
Terminal Car Parks sit between the budget option and the premium tier. You are closer to the terminal than Value, further than Premium, and the price reflects that. For the T123 precinct this is the product most travellers land on without thinking about it, because the walk is short enough to do with luggage and the daily rate does not sting.
For a weekend trip or a three-day domestic return, this is often the balance point. Not the least expensive, not the closest, but the one where the trade-off stops feeling like a compromise. If your trip sits anywhere between 24 hours and about a fortnight, start the comparison here and move up or down from it.
Premium Car Parks: proximity as the product
The airport describes Premium Car Parks as closest to the check-in counter. That is the entire pitch, and it is a real one at 5am when the queue at bag drop is already twenty people deep.
Premium suits short trips with tight margins: an overnight, a day return, a business trip where you are landing and driving straight to a meeting. You are paying for metres, and at this tier the metres are few.
Valet: no bay, no walk, no hunting
Valet is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with assistance associated with the T123 Car Park area. You hand over the car and walk to the terminal. No bay search, no remembering the level, no circling a full floor at peak hour.
It is the top of the convenience ladder and priced accordingly. The comparison against Premium comes down to a short walk versus no walk at all, and on a very short trip that gap narrows to the point where the difference in cost is easier to accept than the difference in effort.
Read about Valet handoverMatching distance to stay length
There is a rough logic that works, and it holds because the per-day proximity premium hurts more the longer you pay it. A thirty dollar daily gap across fourteen days is noticeable. Across one day, it is a coffee.
| Stay length | Start with | Why it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Under 24 hours | Premium or Valet | The proximity premium is paid once, and a long walk back after a late landing is the thing you avoid. |
| One to three days | Terminal or Premium | Short enough that the closer tiers stay affordable, long enough that the saving on Value has not built up yet. |
| Four days to two weeks | Terminal | The middle tier starts to win on total cost, while the walk stays manageable with luggage. |
| Two weeks and beyond | Value | The product designed for that trip length, and the one where the daily saving compounds most. |
This is guidance rather than a rule. School holidays, long weekends and peak periods change what is available, so confirm your dates on the official booking portal before you settle on a tier.
Terminal matters more than you think
If you are flying from T1, T2 or T3, all four products work cleanly, because Valet handover and Premium access sit in that precinct. The walk from any of those tiers is short enough to do in one trip with your bags.
Flying from T4
Check your walking route for each product before booking. The airport's parking guidance is organised around the terminal precinct, so T4 travellers should confirm the specific walk rather than assume it matches the T123 layout. It is a small check that saves a long drag of luggage in the wrong direction.
If you are unsure about the walk from a given car park, call the parking team on +61 3 9297 1600 before your trip and confirm it for your terminal.
Booking any of them
All four products go through the same official booking portal. Bookings can be made up to 12 months in advance and must be made at least 2 hours before arrival. Every confirmed booking generates a QR code for the entry and exit gates, whichever tier you choose.
Drive-up is possible for self-park products, but you will pay time-based drive-up rates and you will not have a guaranteed bay at peak. If your travel dates fall on a school holiday or a long weekend, booking ahead is the difference between a short walk and a slow search.
One comparison mistake to avoid
Do not compare the headline rate of Value against the headline rate of Valet and conclude that Valet is poor value. They are different products solving different problems, and the comparison only makes sense against your own itinerary.
The right question is this: what does the difference cost me per day, and is the time saved worth more than that? Answer it honestly and the choice usually becomes obvious without a spreadsheet.
Questions before you book
The four things travellers ask most often when comparing the car parks at Tullamarine.
Which car park is cheapest for a two-week trip?
Value Car Park is the long-term, budget-oriented option in the official portfolio. For stays of two weeks or more, it is the product designed for that trip length.
Is Premium Car Park worth the extra cost?
Premium Car Parks are the closest to the check-in counter. On a short trip where time at the terminal matters, the premium is easier to justify than on a long holiday, where the same daily difference is paid many times over.
Can I switch car parks after booking?
Bookings can be adjusted through the official portal, subject to availability. Changes are cleaner the further ahead you make them, and the 2-hour minimum before arrival applies to new bookings.
Do all car parks use the same QR code entry?
Yes. Bookings through the official portal generate a QR code that works at the entry and exit gates, regardless of which parking product you select.
Pick the tier that matches your trip, then book it
Value, Terminal, Premium and Valet are all part of the official Melbourne Airport parking portfolio, and all four are booked the same way. Decide how far you are willing to walk, work out what the daily difference costs across your stay, and book on the official portal at least two hours before you arrive.
Still deciding between two tiers? The parking team is on site 24 hours a day and can talk through the walk from each car park to your terminal. Call +61 3 9297 1600 or email [email protected], or read the rates and payment guide before you book.