Economy Parking is the official on-airport budget lot at Long Island MacArthur Airport (ISP), sitting at 100 Arrival Ave in Ronkonkoma with a free shuttle to the terminal. It runs about $18 per day, holds a 4.3-star rating across 971 reviews, and the shuttle ride to the terminal takes roughly 2 minutes.
Detail
Economy Parking ISP
Type
Official on-airport economy lot
Address
100 Arrival Ave, Ronkonkoma, NY
Daily rate
~$18/day
Rating
4.3 stars (971 reviews)
Shuttle
Free, ~2 minute ride to terminal
Wait time
~15 minutes typical
Best for
Trips of 2+ days where you want an on-airport, official lot
How Much Does It Cost?
Economy Parking runs around $18 per day. That is the lowest published self-park rate on airport property at ISP, which is why the lot carries the "economy" label. Short-term hourly parking and the long-term lot cost more per day, so for any trip longer than a few hours, Economy is the cheaper on-site choice.
ISP is a regional airport, so the rate sheet is short and the math is simple. There are no covered-garage upcharges, no valet tier, and no separate weekend pricing to track. You pay the daily rate, your card is read on the way out, and that is the whole transaction.
A few things that affect the final number: partial days are typically billed as full days, so a Friday-morning drop and Sunday-night pickup counts as three days, not two and a half. Build that into your estimate before you compare it against a ride share or a drop-off favor.
How Close / Shuttle to Terminal?
Economy Parking is on airport grounds, so the trip to the terminal is short. The free shuttle ride is about 2 minutes once you are aboard, and the lot is close enough that some travelers with light bags simply walk during good weather.
Shuttle wait time runs around 15 minutes in typical conditions. Because ISP handles far less traffic than the big New York airports, the shuttle loop is not fighting through heavy terminal congestion, so the experience is calmer than the JFK or LaGuardia equivalent. Give yourself a buffer during early-morning Southwest banks when several flights push at once, but most travelers find the wait short.
The shuttle is included in the parking price. There is no separate fare and no tipping requirement, though drivers who load bags appreciate a tip.
How Economy Compares at ISP
ISP offers a small set of official lots. The structure looks like this:
Lot
Use case
Relative price
Short-Term / Hourly
Quick drop-offs and pickups
Highest per day
Long-Term / Daily
Multi-day, closer to terminal
Mid
Economy
Budget multi-day, free shuttle
Lowest
The short-term lot is built for pickups and very brief stops, and its daily maximum is higher than Economy. The long-term/daily lot sits in between and may put you a bit closer to the terminal. Economy is the value play: you trade a slightly longer shuttle hop for the lowest published on-airport rate.
Off-airport competition at ISP is thin. The big third-party park-and-fly operators that surround JFK and Newark have little presence here, so the realistic comparison is mostly Economy versus the other official lots, plus a small number of nearby hotel self-park options. That scarcity is part of why the official Economy lot is the default answer for most ISP travelers.
Is It Worth It?
Honest take: $18 a day is not bargain pricing by the standards of a regional airport, where you can sometimes find off-site lots in the single digits at larger hubs. ISP simply does not have that off-airport ecosystem, so you are comparing against a short menu.
Within that menu, Economy holds up well. It is the official on-airport lot, so there is no off-site address to find in the dark and no third-party shuttle reliability to gamble on. The 4.3-star rating across 971 reviews tells you the experience is consistent: people get in, get on the shuttle, and make their flights. For a multi-day trip where you want certainty and a 2-minute ride to the door, that combination earns its price.
When It Is the Wrong Choice
Economy is not the move in a few situations. If you are only dropping someone off or grabbing them at the curb, the short-term lot or the free curb cycle makes more sense than paying a daily rate. If your whole trip is under a few hours, the hourly short-term option can come out cheaper than a full Economy day.
It is also the wrong choice if you place a high value on the shortest possible walk and do not want to ride a shuttle at all. In that case the long-term/daily lot may sit closer to the terminal. And if you are an Islip resident parking long term, the local resident permit program is worth checking, since it can change the math considerably for frequent flyers.
How to Book
Most ISP travelers do not pre-book Economy at all. You drive in, pull a ticket or let the plate reader log you, park, and pay on exit. That is the standard flow for the official lots, and it is one reason ISP markets itself on easy, no-hassle parking.
If you prefer a reserved spot, third-party platforms such as SpotHero list ISP options, though inventory is limited compared with major airports. For the official lot itself, confirm current rates and any reservation requirement on the airport's parking page before you leave, since rates and policies can change.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between economy parking and long-term parking at ISP?
Both are meant for multi-day trips. Economy is the lowest-priced on-airport lot and uses a free shuttle to reach the terminal. The long-term/daily lot typically costs a bit more and may sit closer to the terminal building.
Does Islip Airport have long-term parking?
Yes. ISP has a dedicated long-term/daily lot in addition to the Economy lot, plus short-term/hourly parking for quick visits.
Do I need to reserve parking at Islip Airport?
Usually no. ISP is built around drive-up, no-reservation parking, and most travelers simply park and pay on exit. You can reserve through third-party platforms if you want a guaranteed spot, but it is not required.
How do I get the best deal on parking at ISP?
Choose Economy over short-term or long-term for multi-day trips, count partial days as full days when you budget, and if you live in Islip and fly often, look into the resident permit program.
How far is Economy Parking from the terminal?
It is on airport grounds with a free shuttle, and the ride is about 2 minutes to the terminal.
Clean airport that is rarely crowded. I highly recommend for ease of moving along in your journey. It has what u need for a domestic airport.
If you didn't know, the rental car facility is in another building. Avis Budget National and Enterprise have on site.
The parking is less expensive and they offer a simple tap way to pay.
Ben Lynch
12345
Good local spot to travel with if you’re not going international. I don’t recommend the cheaper airlines, only if you are really short on budget. The flights always get delayed on those. Besides that issue everything else is awesome. Breakfast, lunch and dinner spots are available around the airport, and the food is pretty good. If you choose the right airline, and weather is good, it won’t get delayed. I’m sorry people are giving bad reviews just because their flight got cancelled or delayed. It’s not really your fault 😂
C.j. Binder
12345
Love this airport, the environment is nice & calming as well as the staff around you is nice & efficient, considering it's an airport. My only issue is how rude the operater was when I called to make sure I travel properly & according to their guidelines so I don't have or cause problems. I've worked customer service for years so I fully understand people & how rude they can be so I always try to be clear, polite & friendly. The person I talked to was informative but also very disrespectful & dismissive. It was to the point where I have just hung up & felt compelled to write about it. Not the best qualities for a customer service position (specifically one meant to answer questions) in a stressful & important job, especially with one of the most stressed clientele. The world is stressed but if your getting paid to deal with it, do better. Why spread the negativity? I was having a decent day until this interaction & now need to find a way to get rid of the lingering impact of what should have been a quick, simple & unimportant moment to the rest of my day. I should be doing things, not feeling so upset/agitated (from a 1 min 58 second phone call, done quickly so the rep didn't have to be bothered by me or my questions as they seem to have been an inconvenience for a customer service operator/representative) I feel the only way to move past is to post this. It took me 2-3x longer to write this than my phone call did. I'd recommend offering (maybe mandatory) stress training/ therapy so that the staff is properly equipped to do/handle the job bc it is not an easy one but that's no excuse for any unprofessional behavior. Try better, do better, be better.
Priscila De Carvalho
12345
This airport is so cute, very clean, small, easy access. They have a couple options of fast food, bagels, coffee and a brewery. Also they have a small souvenir and bookstore.
They only have 3 airlines operating here, frontier, southwest and breeze.
Jerrod Pitts
12345
The renovations are amazing. I've been flying out of there for 40 years and the evolution is amazing. It's great to have a real airport so close by.
Patriot The Penguin (Bottlesgonewild)
12345
Taken Southwest and Frontier Airlines to Ft Lauderdale.
Close and convenient if you live in Suffolk County
Syd Ball Wini
12345
The most convenient airport to travel from. Easy parking, quick TSA process, Breeze Airlines was a great experience! Highly recommend for Long Islanders traveling to locations from the airlines offering non stop flights
Jerry Weinstein
12345
This airport is amazing. It’s big enough to use for many different flights but small enough to be extremely easy to maneuver through. I don’t particularly like airports but Long Island MacArthur Airport is number one in my book.
Yisocher B Meisels
12345
Gorgeous updated airport, quiet and clean, short turnaround times, great for departure.
For arrivals you should make sure you arrange transportation in advance because you might have issues getting around.
Dana Clanton
12345
This is the only airport I'll fly out of. It's always quiet, clean, and an easy process. Security is always fast and efficient, and everyone is always really nice. The bathrooms are clean, good food options and the shops are good to walk around in. It's comfortable to just relax and wait for your flight. I recommend this airport to everyone, they make it so easy to fly!
Ardeen Lucas
12345
Always loved this airport. Flights are on time (arriving and departing), and luggage gets off the plane as fast as I do. It's clean, some decent places to grab a bite to eat and the staff of both the airlines and airport are very helpful.
Chris Dodorico
12345
This is a great airport. So convenient and stress free. Really wish they had more flights. Given the population of LI and ability to peel some travelers away from the super-congested NYC airports, you’d think it be a no brainer. They have a large terminal that seems under utilized. I will always pick ISP over the busy NYC airports!
Aarya Patel
12345
Great to see the airport get updated it was a fresh refresher traveling through MacArthur again as we usually use jfk and lga
Jon Summers
12345
Not much for American Airlines, at far end of terminal.
elle mixsell
12345
Super convenient airport. It makes travel more relaxing & enjoyable. There are some good air fares too on Frontier, Breeze, & sometimes on Southwest if you can plan ahead. More destinations now, too.
Mariol Escalante
12345
I hope this airport gets more attention is very conveniently located in the middle of the island close to the Ronkonkoma train station. The lines are short and destinations are few however the airport is very well kept. Looking forward to to my next destination from this amazing Airport
Jacki Barnum
12345
Was great. Everyone friendly. Clean. Organized. Well lit and signed well for new visitors.
Sorry the gift shop always seems to be closed though.
timmy yee
12345
A gem of NY and the best way to fly into Long Island.
Laxminarayan Kulkarni (Lax Kulkarni)
12345
It's neat Airport. The rental car counters are at the terminal, quick to get out after landing. Bags did arrive in time, there was not much crowd at the rental car counter. We reached around 7 PM and saw some places to eat were already closed. Not sure if that's normal, for the NY area that must not be. Overall a good experience.
Johnny Flatlands
12345
Excellent airport, no lines, why fly into those crowded airports, convenient if your staying on the island.
Marcial Vargas
12345
Today as I was dropping off my partially disabled daughter at the outside baggage claim and ticket area drop off zone, I left my car running and locked the doors as I assisted my daughter out of the car and onto the baggage line. Without any hesitation the airport police were extremely helpful getting my car open.
Thanks guys you’re the best!!
Abdul Ejas
12345
Gorgeous updated airport, quiet and clean, short turnaround times, great for departure.
For arrivals you should make sure you have the transit or rental car, It’s quick, no long lines at tsa, you won’t have trouble getting dropped off directly at the entrance. As soon as you walk in you will see all airlines and its very easy to find the gates
LauraBr NY
12345
Parking lots pretty empty and very close to entrance. Older seating and restrooms. Friendly staff at check-in.
Yisocher Ber Meisels
12345
Gorgeous updated airport, quiet and clean, short turnaround, great for departure.
For arrivals you should make sure you arrange transportation in advance because you might have issues getting around.
Lauren Weinstein
12345
It was a great experience. Easy parking and smooth checking in. We went on a busy holiday and there were no delays.
Leah Gaskin
12345
Quick service to see a ticket agent. He accepted my bag, printed my boarding pass & tagged my dog carrier. I took my dog outside, sailed through TSA, used the women's facilities & went to my gate in less than 20 minutes. Great start to my trip.
L Br NY
12345
Parking lots pretty empty and very close to entrance. Older seating and restrooms. Quite friendly staff at check-in. Safe crowd. Southwest is tops.
L Br NY
12345
Parking lots pretty empty and very close to entrance. Older seating and restrooms. Quite friendly staff at check-in. Safe crowd.
Nicky Mazz
12345
Bluepoint Restaurant Bar is a hidden gem inside MacArthur. If ur flight is delayed.. this is the place to be.. staff is awesome, food is great, the drinks are amazing
USN veteran
12345
This is my preferred airport when flying into NY & Long Island. I was born & raised on Long Island but moved away many years ago. It's just so easy to get into and out of and there's really not too much congestion there. Although last time I had to go the Island had to fly into JFK. I was very impressed with the air train there but wound up renting a car as I had so many points in my account & was going to lose them. Haven't flown to La Guardia at all since the remodel and probably won't as they still don't have a connection to mass transit other than a bus. Hopefully they keep managing the growth at Mac Arthur well and don't sell out to the Port Authority, keep it in the hands of the town of Islip. FLY NAVY!!!
Joshua Holten
12345
I recently flew out of Long Island MacArthur Airport (ISP) and was pleasantly surprised by how smooth and low‑stress the experience was.
What stood out:
Parking was super convenient: I pulled in and found a spot easily, and the walk from the lot to the terminal was quick and uncomplicated.
Security lines moved fast—one reviewer noted that wait times at MacArthur can be under five minutes when it’s not peak travel.
The terminal itself is manageable in size (compared to jumbo airports), which means less time wandering and more time relaxing before your flight. As some locals say, “It’s a very easy airport to fly out of… security line is ~10 min, maybe 20 on a busy day.”
And it’s not just me—MacArthur was recently ranked #2 best small airport in the U.S. by USA Today’s 10Best list.
What could improve:
Because it’s smaller and less busy than major NYC airports, the number of nonstop destinations is more limited—if you’re hunting a specific route, check ahead.
Some of the amenities and dining/retail options are more modest compared to the major hubs—so don’t expect massive luxury lounges or dozens of shops.
Though the process was smooth for me, if you’re checking bags or traveling during a busy holiday window, it’s still wise to arrive at least 1‑2 hours ahead.
Final thoughts:
For a regional airport that avoids the chaos of big‑city hubs, Long Island MacArthur Airport is a solid choice. Convenient access, fast check‑in and security, and an overall relaxed feel make it ideal for travelers based on Long Island (or passing through). I’d give it 4 out of 5 stars—and I would absolutely fly through there again.
If you like, I can pull together some travel tips specific to MacArthur (parking hacks, best times to fly out, airlines/routes) that might help for your next trip.
Robert
12345
This was a great experience. I usually fly out of Kennedy or LaGuardia, but this was a really nice change. JetBlue, Southwest, Frontier, Avelo, and Breeze airlines operate out of this regional transportation hub. Getting through security was incredibly efficient. I might add that I felt TSA and security were more on their game than at most of the major hubs. I'm not sure why that is, but it is. There are mostly southeast coastal destinations but Orlando is really where it's at, I mean come on, the mouse is the destination. With that in mind, be aware that there are limited flight times so take that into consideration. I flew JetBlue and really had no complaints with the entire process. There is a coffee shop, a few small eateries and a book shop but nothing extraordinary, if you want that it comes with crowds and a price tag. Macarthur is a good pick for easy access and competitive fares. If you want first class seating and a flat white, then keep heading west.
Shann
12345
This is hands down the calmest airport I’ve ever been to!. It’s quick, no long lines at tsa, you won’t have trouble getting dropped off directly at the entrance. As soon as you walk in you will see all airlines, it’s pretty hard to get lost there. Highly recommend flying out of this airport if you don’t like the fast paced over crowded airports. It was actually cheaper to fly from here compared to the other airports.
Angie Mendoza
12345
On my birthday, flying out of MacArthur Airport to MCO, I received amazing assistance from Ramon Jr. at the JetBlue desk. He truly made my day so special — giving me a shout-out in the airport and even arranging a birthday shout-out on the plane! Thank you, Ramon Jr., for such a wonderful send-off. ✈️🎂
Jeremiah S
12345
Easy, small airport to use. Southwest check in team was very helpful and security was quick and easy. A great gateway to get to Florida.
Ehsan Ali
12345
Gorgeous updated airport, quiet and clean, short turnaround times, great for departure.
For arrivals you should make sure you arrange transportation in advance because you might have issues getting around.
Neal Rairden
12345
I like flying out of MacArthur very convenient for the places I need to travel to.
Security was a breeze and there’s enough area to eat and gift shop for that size of an airport.
I only gave 4 stars because I feel they need to do something better with the waiting area for ground transportation. There is a Ride Share waiting zone that is quite a walk from the main terminal. I t was wind and cold while waiting and it appears no one waits there. They just get picked up at the Main terminal. Luckily my driver called me and ask where I was.
Captain Ron
12345
Unlike the major airport terminals, this place is a lot less crowded however it's kind of ridiculous that they don't have a shuttle between the long term parking and the terminal. It's nearly a 1/4 mile walk and you hope that it won't be raining. 😎🏴☠️
Eli Curley
12345
This is my go to airport for traveling. The staff there is so nice TSA is a breeze compared to the terrible line at my Chicago vacation airport. Gates are easy to find. Dunkin near gate entrances for early flights for some quick coffee. Overall one if the best airports on Long Island. 10/10
Xavier Sata
12345
I read a lot bad stuff here about the airport, but honestly is not bad at all. Close to the Hamptons. Just 30 mins. There are not many options to fly but if you’re going to FL or DC is great. I flew with Frontier. All the low cost airlines have a bunch pf tricks to make you pay more. Is up to you in my opinion. They didn’t overcharge me a penny, came with a stroller. Carry on, etc. Honestly was the most uncomfortable flight of my life but was just 80 bucks round trip. I mean you get what you pay. Don’t get me wrong I would use the airline again. But I see a lot people criticize they don’t give you coffee, water or food. They don’t have people to help you in the counter. Yes, that’s why is low cost dummies.
Bryan King
12345
This is a great regional airport with easy accessibility and not overcrowded The security check in is quick and the airport is well laid out.
Steven G
12345
Always a pleasure. To the gate in less than 10 minutes. Friendly staff all the way around. Gladly pay the slight bump in airfare to avoid the city airports and eliminate the commute.
Loraine Murray
12345
Leaving out of long island macarthur airport was fantastic 👏 first of all no lines everyone was nice and friendly nice place to plane spot boarding was a breeze 👌 😀 honestly that was the best airport experience ever 😀 this was the best airport 🛫 experience ever!
TMacman
12345
Islip MacArthur Airport is one of the easiest airports to get in and out of. Parking is simple, security lines move fast, and the staff is friendly. The terminal is clean, well laid out, and never feels overcrowded. Great choice for stress-free travel.
Michael Goldstein
12345
Absolutely love this airport. Easy to get to, easy to navigate through, and easy to leave. The baggage claim is convenient and easy to get to. Instead of Kennedy Airport and LaGuardia, this is by far my favorite airport for domestic flights.
The bathrooms are clean! The airport is very clean. Everything is clearly marked.
Last year we flew Southwest to Orlando. When I heard JetBlue is was coming to Islip Airport in Oct. 2024, I checked flights to Orlando for our trip and decided to fly Jetblue this time.
Alessia
12345
There were many good parking options and the airport was nice and clean. Made the process much easier and quicker. I recommended for anyone who doesn’t like planes as much.
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