今年夏天要飞行吗？用这些机场停车技巧为热浪做好准备

炎热的天气和早起航班并不总是能很好地结合。如果你今年夏天要飞行，很可能会同时遇到这两者。在天气预报、交通和准时到达航站楼之间，有一个能让预备工作更轻松的计划会很有帮助。

在墨尔本机场，这里有适合你出行方式的 停车选择 ，无论你是想找隐蔽的机场停车位避开阳光，还是想要简单但当天能更快行动的停车位。那么，停车、准备和抢先应对炎热的最佳方式是什么？以下是你今年夏天飞行前需要考虑的事项。

炎热的天气不必打乱你的旅行计划，但如果你在中午飞出去，做一些小调整还是值得的。从停车方式到打包，提前规划意味着在炎热天气中待的时间更短，抵达机场航站楼后也更少需要考虑的事情。

以下是一些在气温升高时让提前准备更轻松的方法：

• 尽量避免高峰高温时段。 如果你的航班时间灵活，建议安排早晨或傍晚较晚到达。下午中段通常是一天中最热的时段，即使是短暂的户外散步，在这段时间段也会感觉更辛苦。
• 提前到达。 预留时间从停车位到办理登机，尤其是下午炎热时段出行。
• 穿着适合短距离户外散步的服装。 即使几分钟，在35摄氏度的日子里也会感觉更长。穿轻便透气的衣服和帽子，让从车到航站楼的路程更舒适一些。
• 车内保持水。 出发前，最好随身准备一瓶水，尤其是带孩子或年长家人的话。这是个小细节，在前往航站楼的路上很有帮助。
• 带包时要考虑保温。 确保你的行李方便携带，方便短距离携带。如果你要把行李从车里提出来或推着它们在温暖的路面上推，避免把包袋塞得太满。
• 知道你的目的地。 每个机场航站楼与停车场的步行距离不同。知道你从哪个航站楼起飞，有助于你停车更近，减少户外时间。
• 选择一个能缩短步行时间的停车场。 并非所有停车场提供的遮荫或遮蔽程度都相同。如果天气预报显示气温超过30度，值得考虑减少直射阳光时间的选择。
• 考虑你的车将停在哪里。 如果你要停车几天，考虑车内可能接受多少直射阳光。即使在较凉的天气中，室内温度也可能迅速上升。有遮阳的车间或多层结构在你返回时会带来不同影响。

如果你不喜欢在35度高温下阳光下行走，这里还有机场内的停车选择，可以帮你。有些停车场甚至在炎热时提供额外的舒适，无论是缩短步行距离、额外的遮蔽物，还是回程时乘坐更凉爽的车厢。

Where the covered parking options are. Both the T123 Terminal Car Park and T4 Terminal Car Park include undercover parking bays, giving you a bit more comfort when you’re loading bags or heading to your gate.

Several parking products sit within these multi-level car parks, each with different perks depending on how you like to travel:

• T123 Terminal Car Park and T4 Terminal Car Park: These car parks sit directly opposite the terminals, offering a mix of open-air and undercover bays across both locations. The T123 car park connects to Terminals 1, 2 and 3 via a covered link bridge. It works well if you’re flying Qantas, Virgin Australia or heading overseas from the international terminal. The T4 car park is just 100 metres from the Terminal 4 entrance and suits Jetstar, Rex, Link Airways and Virgin Australia flights.
  
  Whether you're travelling for a full week or just the weekend, these parking facilities suit both long-term and short-term stays. You’ll also enjoy a direct walk to check-in. No need for a shuttle bus. They’re a good fit if you want to stay close, reduce your time outdoors and move quickly from your car to the terminal.
• T123 Premium Car Park and T4 Premium Car Park: Looking for the best-placed undercover parking bays you can drive into yourself? Choose the T123 Premium Car Park on Level 2 of the T123 Car Park, or T4 Premium Car Park located on Level 1 of the T4 Car Park. Both put you just minutes from the terminal doors. You keep your keys, park in a shaded bay closest to the terminal entrances and head straight in. No handovers. Just a quicker, cooler way to start your trip. This is especially helpful on hot days, early mornings or when you're managing bags or kids on your own. The T123 Premium Car Park is available only to pre-booked customers, while the T4 Premium Car Park is open to both drive-up and booked customers.
• Melbourne Airport Valet: If parking is the last thing you want to think about in the heat, Melbourne Airport Valet makes it simple. Just pull into Level 1 of the T123 car park, hand over your keys to our valet parking team and head straight to the terminal. This option suits early flights, summer departures and any day you’d rather stay cool and keep moving.
• Qantas Valet: Flying out without much time to spare? With Qantas Valet, you can just drive in, hand over your keys and head straight to the terminal. No booking needed. It’s located on Level 1 of the T123 car park and open to all travellers. You’ll park undercover, skip the search, and even have the option to request a car wash while you're away. If you're a Qantas Frequent Flyer, you’ll also earn points every time you use the service.

If you're travelling on a budget this summer, the Value North and Value South Car Parks are the most practical option for longer trips. They're open-air car parks with a free bus service that runs to the terminals every 15 minutes, 24/7.

While the bays are open-air, the bus shelters provide shade and air-conditioning, so you have a cooler place to wait before heading to the terminals. It still helps to pack light and move efficiently, especially if you’re parking during the middle of the day.

Flying during the school holidays? During the peak travel periods, you can book Value Express here. It’s a seasonal valet service where you just drop your car at the Value Express zone near Value North Bus Stop B, hop on the shuttle, and our team will take care of the rest, including bringing it back when you return. It’s not an undercover car park, but it removes the need to park and walk in the heat, which is handy on hot days or when things are busy across the terminal precinct.

You don’t need to, but booking airport parking ahead gives you more control over your day when the heat’s climbing, traffic’s building and every minute starts to count. It’s one less thing to juggle when you’re already managing bags, timing and a hot walk to check-in. It also gives you more choice during busy travel periods like summer, when the precinct is at its peak.

Here’s why pre-booking parking makes sense in warmer weather:

• You know where you’re headed. With parking already sorted, you can plan your drive to the airport properly. It’s easier to check traffic conditions around Tullamarine, work out your timing and avoid unnecessary delays on hot days. Plus, booking confirmations include information to help get you to your booked car park.
• You save more when you book online. Booking parking online is always cheaper than paying drive-up parking rates, even during busy travel periods. For the best parking prices, book as early as 12 months in advance.
• You get a time buffer built in. All online bookings come with a grace period. That’s an extra hour on either side for short stays under four hours, or two hours each way for longer stays. This gives you more breathing room if things run early or a little late.
• You get the option to add the Overstay Guarantee. It’s an optional extra you can add when booking online, giving you peace of mind if your return is delayed. It applies in cases like flight cancellations, illness or border closures, so you’re not paying extra if you can’t get back on time.

Worried about locking things in? Plans can shift, especially in summer. If you haven’t arrived yet, you can update your booking or cancel it online anytime through the Manage My Booking page. Just make sure you do this at least two hours before your booked entry. If you’re already parked and need more time, you can extend your stay through Manage My Booking too.

Just doing a quick airport run? You can use the pick-up and drop-off zones at all terminals, or park for free for the first 15 minutes in the Terminal car parks. If you’d rather stay a little longer, the Wait Zone near Airport Drive and the Tullamarine Freeway gives you up to 60 minutes of free parking.

Booking your chosen airport parking service online only takes a few minutes, and it’s the easiest way to plan ahead when the heat and timing matter most. You can book up to 12 months in advance or as late as two hours before you arrive (subject to availability).

Here’s how it works:

Step 1: Choose your entry and exit times, travel dates and terminal.

Step 2: Browse the available parking options and select the one that suits your trip.

Step 3: Add any extras, like the Overstay Guarantee.

Step 4: Enter your details and pay using a debit or credit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay.

Step 5: Once you’re done, you’ll get a confirmation email with a QR code that will act as your parking ticket. Scan it when you enter and exit the car park.

Summer departures can come with enough to think about, but airport parking doesn’t need to be one of them. Sorting where you’ll park your car ahead of time helps you avoid last-minute decisions and pick the option that fits the way you travel.

Got a few more questions before you book? Head over to our Parking FAQs, or feel free to get in touch with our customer service team. We’re always happy to help. And if you want parking tips, updates and offers before your next trip, you can sign up for Melbourne Airport’s Parking Deals newsletter and get it all straight to your inbox.