Norfolk airport parking could near capacity Memorial Day weekend, officials say

Trevor Metcalfe, The Virginian-Pilot
·2 min read

The parking decks and lots at Norfolk International Airport could reach near capacity this weekend as travelers depart for Memorial Day, airport officials said.

First reported by WAVY-TV, airport parking reached 90% full during spring break this year, said Mark Perryman, Norfolk Airport Authority president and CEO. He said parking could again hit 90% capacity this weekend.

“When we get into that 10% left over, we start to worry about that,” Perryman said.

Later this summer, the parking situation should improve as flyers spread out their vacations and business travel, Perryman said.

In the short term, he encouraged flyers to reserve their parking space in advance using the airport’s free parking loyalty program. In addition to the reservation system, the program rewards frequent parkers with parking discounts.

In the longer term, airport leaders are considering converting a staff lot by Robin Hood Road into a valet lot and expanding Daily Garage D, Perryman said. Additionally, plans to consolidate the airport rental car agencies into a single facility will free up around 600 spaces in Daily Garage A.

Travel this weekend is expected to beat pre-pandemic levels, according to predictions from AAA. The organization expects 3.51 million air travelers this holiday weekend, a 4.8% increase over 2023 and a 9% bump compared with 2019. It would be the busiest Memorial Day weekend since 3.64 million travelers in 2005.

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Norfolk experienced a record-breaking start to 2024, with a record number of travelers each month from January through April. The airport recorded 394,447 passengers in April, up 5.5% from 373,734 people in April 2023.

This year, the airport continues to launch new routes, Perryman said during a Thursday board of commissioners meeting, including Frontier Airlines service to San Juan, Puerto Rico and Philadelphia and Southwest Airlines flights to St. Louis. However, he said problems with Boeing production would slow down the rate of new services because airlines do not have enough new planes.

Perryman also updated the board on now around $920 million in capital projects. On June 10, the airport will break ground on a new $30 million Customs and Border Protection international arrivals facility as well as a $30 million expansion to Concourse A, which will add three gates. Both projects are expected to be completed by December 2025.

Crews are also working on the second phase of repairing an airport runway. A long-requested $2.5 million moving walkway between the arrivals and departures terminals will be constructed between July and February. New airport seating, complete with charging and power ports, will be installed in Concourse A this summer and Concourse B this fall.

Finally, an airport hotel is expected to begin construction this winter and finish in March 2026.

Trevor Metcalfe, 757-222-5345, trevor.metcalfe@pilotonline.com