USDMilwaukee Airport Parking (MKE) — 7 Lots, Real Math, and One Clear Winner (2026)
The Short Version for Waukesha, Brookfield, and Menomonee Falls Drivers
Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE) is a drive-in airport. The overwhelming majority of travelers arrive by car from the western and northern suburbs — Waukesha County, Ozaukee County, Washington County, and the I-894 corridor. If you live in Brookfield or Menomonee Falls, you are 20–30 minutes from the terminal with no viable transit alternative. The MCTS Route 80 bus exists on paper; practically, it does not serve your origin. That context matters for every parking decision on this page.
The bottom line: the Official Garage at $14.00/day is the most data-backed option at MKE. Its 4.4-star rating on 5,219 reviews is not a close call — it represents the largest review sample at the airport by a factor of 2.8x over the next most-reviewed lot. Off-site lots save real money on longer trips but require honest evaluation of shuttle reliability, and two lots in this market carry warning signs that should stop you before you book.
The Cheapest Lot at MKE Is the One to Skip
The Radisson Hotel Milwaukee Airport at 6331 S 13th Street offers the lowest daily rate in the MKE market: $4.50/day. On a 7-day trip it costs $31.50 — the least expensive parking available. It is also the worst-reviewed lot in this guide, with a 2.9-star rating on 634 reviews. That rating is not a thin-data anomaly. At 634 reviews, it represents a sustained, well-documented pattern of service quality that trails every other lot at MKE.
The math: compared to the Official Garage ($14.00/day for 7 days = $98.00), the Radisson saves you $66.50. Whether that is worth it depends entirely on what happened to 634 reviewers who gave it 2.9 stars. The better-rated lots in the $6.95–$8.50/day range save you $37.50–$50.50 versus the garage while carrying significantly better service signals. For most travelers, the $4.50 option is a false economy.
| Scenario | Lot | 7-Day Cost | Savings vs. Garage | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baseline: worst rating | Radisson Hotel (6331 S 13th St) | $31.50 | $66.50 | 2.9★ (634 reviews) |
| Best value trade-off | Crowne Plaza MKE ($6.95/day) | $48.65 | $49.35 | 4.0★ (1,499 reviews) |
| Mid-tier reliability | WallyPark Milwaukee ($8.05/day) | $56.35 | $41.65 | 4.1★ (279 reviews) |
| Official garage benchmark | Official Garage ($14.00/day) | $98.00 | — | 4.4★ (5,219 reviews) |
All Active MKE Parking Options: Rates, Ratings, and What Each Costs Over Time
| Facility | Address | Daily Rate | 3-Day Total | 7-Day Total | Shuttle | Rating | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radisson Hotel Milwaukee Airport | 6331 S 13th St | $4.50 | $13.50 | $31.50 | 2.9★ (634) | Avoid | |
| Four Points by Sheraton | 5311 S Howell Ave | $4.95 | $14.85 | $34.65 | 3.6★ (901) | Below average, skip | |
| Best Western Plus | 5105 S Howell Ave | $5.50 | $16.50 | $38.50 | 3.6★ (1,869) | Below average, skip | |
| Crowne Plaza Milwaukee Airport | 6401 S 13th St | $6.95 | $20.85 | $48.65 | 20-min wait | 4.0★ (1,499) | Value pick with caveat |
| WallyPark Milwaukee | 4747 S Howell Ave | $8.05 | $24.15 | $56.35 | 4.1★ (279) | Solid mid-tier | |
| Exec-Park Milwaukee | 5151 S Howell Ave | $8.50 | $25.50 | $59.50 | 4.6★ (99) | Watch: best off-airport rating, thin data | |
| Official Garage (MKE) | 5300 S Howell Ave | $14.00 | $42.00 | $98.00 | 10-min shuttle | 4.4★ (5,219) | Recommended |
Why the Official MKE Garage Has the Strongest Quality Signal at This Airport
The Official Garage at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (5300 S Howell Ave, the same address as the airport itself) carries a 4.4-star rating based on 5,219 reviews. That volume makes it the most statistically reliable option at MKE by a substantial margin. The next closest in review count is Best Western Plus with 1,869 reviews — meaning the garage has 2.8 times more data points confirming its quality score. When a 4.4-star rating is based on 5,219 data points, it is not a rounding error or a lucky run of reviews. It is a structural quality signal.
The shuttle runs every 10 minutes . For a 5:30 AM departure from Concourse B, a worst-case shuttle wait of 9 minutes is manageable. The same departure from the Crowne Plaza — with a documented 20-minute shuttle — adds 10 minutes of exposure at minimum. For early morning travel from Waukesha or Menomonee Falls where every minute of margin matters, shuttle reliability is not a minor detail.
The Official Garage connects to the terminal at 5300 S Howell Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53207. MKE operates 1 terminal with 3 concourses: B, C, and D. Southwest Airlines uses Concourse C; Delta, American, and United operate from B and D.
The Crowne Plaza Value Case — and the 20-Minute Shuttle Problem
The Crowne Plaza Milwaukee Airport at 6401 S 13th Street offers a genuine value proposition: $6.95/day, 4.0 stars, and 1,499 reviews. That review count is high enough to confirm the 4.0-star rating is not statistical noise. On a 7-day trip it costs $48.65 compared to $98.00 at the Official Garage — a $49.35 difference. That is real money.
The variable that changes the math: the 20-minute shuttle wait . A 20-minute shuttle at 4:00 AM on the morning of a 6:00 AM flight is a meaningful constraint. You need to be at the lot by 4:15 AM at the latest to guarantee catching the first available shuttle, arrive at the terminal by 4:40 AM minimum, and still clear TSA before gates open. Compare that to the Official Garage's 10-minute shuttle, where a 5:00 AM lot arrival gets you to the terminal by 5:15 AM at worst.
The Crowne Plaza is the right choice if: your flight departs after 9:00 AM, you are booking for 5 days or longer, and you call ahead to confirm current shuttle frequency before your travel date. It is the wrong choice if: you have a 6:00 AM departure, you are traveling during peak weather season (Wisconsin winters create shuttle delays that compound the baseline 20-minute window), or you are checking in a group where a single missed shuttle affects multiple people.
Exec-Park Milwaukee: The Highest Off-Airport Rating With the Thinnest Evidence Base
Exec-Park Milwaukee at 5151 S Howell Ave carries a 4.6-star rating — the highest of any off-airport lot in this guide. At $8.50/day, it saves $38.50 on a 7-day trip compared to the Official Garage. If the 4.6-star rating holds at scale, this would be the clear recommendation for any traveler willing to use an off-site lot.
The problem: that 4.6-star rating is based on 99 reviews. In review-data terms, 99 reviews is a statistically small sample that can be moved significantly by a handful of outliers in either direction. A new operation, a particularly vocal customer cohort, or a period of unusually good (or bad) service can produce a 4.6-star reading from 99 data points that does not reflect the consistent long-run experience. Compare this to the Official Garage's 5,219 reviews at 4.4 stars — a rating that is nearly impossible to manipulate and reflects thousands of independent experiences.
The recommendation: Exec-Park is a genuine "watch" candidate. If you have used this lot and had a good experience, book it again. If you have never used it, the Official Garage or Crowne Plaza offers more confirmation at lower risk. Check recent Google Maps reviews specifically for Exec-Park within the last 30 days before booking — a pattern of consistent 4+ star reviews in recent months would increase confidence significantly.
The Two Mediocre-Value Lots You Can Skip: Four Points and Best Western Plus
Four Points by Sheraton (5311 S Howell Ave, $4.95/day, 3.6★ on 901 reviews) and Best Western Plus (5105 S Howell Ave, $5.50/day, 3.6★ on 1,869 reviews) occupy an awkward position in the MKE parking market. They are priced above the Radisson (which is already not recommended) but rated below the Crowne Plaza, WallyPark, and Official Garage. Their 3.6-star ratings are not "dangerous" in the way the Radisson's 2.9 stars is — but they are mediocre enough to rule out as a first choice when better options exist at comparable or only moderately higher price points.
Both lots show shuttle_frequency = -2 in the database, which indicates the shuttle schedule is either not published or was not available at data collection time.
An irregular or infrequent shuttle from a 3.6-star lot at $4.95–$5.50/day is not an improvement over the Crowne Plaza at $6.95/day with a known (if long) 20-minute schedule. At least with the Crowne Plaza, you can plan around the wait. At a lot with an unknown shuttle frequency, you cannot.
Break-Even Analysis: When Off-Site Parking Actually Pays Off at MKE
The break-even calculation for MKE off-site parking is straightforward. The relevant comparison is off-site lot versus the Official Garage, since that is the baseline quality experience.
| Trip Length | Official Garage Cost | Crowne Plaza Cost | WallyPark Cost | Garage Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 day | $14.00 | $6.95 | $8.05 | $7.05–$5.95 |
| 3 days | $42.00 | $20.85 | $24.15 | $21.15–$17.85 |
| 5 days | $70.00 | $34.75 | $40.25 | $35.25–$29.75 |
| 7 days | $98.00 | $48.65 | $56.35 | $49.35–$41.65 |
| 10 days | $140.00 | $69.50 | $80.50 | $70.50–$59.50 |
| 14 days | $196.00 | $97.30 | $112.70 | $98.70–$83.30 |
For trips of 3 days or less, the savings from off-site parking ($17–$21) are real but modest — roughly the cost of one meal. The Official Garage's 10-minute shuttle, zero uncertainty, and strong quality record may be worth that premium for a short trip. At 5+ days, the math changes: saving $35–$99 from a known-quantity lot like Crowne Plaza (4.0★, 1,499 reviews) is a legitimate, defensible choice rather than a penny-pinching gamble.
The threshold recommendation: trips of 4+ nights that originate after 7:00 AM = Crowne Plaza or WallyPark. Trips of 3 nights or less, or any early morning departure = Official Garage.
MKE vs. O'Hare: The Drive-to-ORD Decision for Milwaukee-Area Travelers
A significant portion of Milwaukee-area travelers choose to drive to Chicago O'Hare (ORD) instead of flying from MKE. The reasoning: ORD has more direct routes, more airlines (particularly for international connections), and sometimes meaningfully lower base fares due to higher competition. The math on whether this makes sense is specific enough to be worth calculating.
The real cost of driving to ORD from Waukesha:
- Distance Waukesha to ORD: approximately 70 miles one-way, 140 miles round trip
- Drive time: 75–90 minutes each way in normal conditions; 90–120 minutes with I-94 construction or peak traffic
- Gas cost (at $0.17/mile, average mid-size vehicle): ~$23.80 round trip
- ORD parking: Official Economy Lot at $15/day, 7 days = $105
- Total ORD drive-and-park cost, 7-day trip: ~$128.80
MKE total for same trip:
- Official Garage: $98.00
- Crowne Plaza: $48.65
The pure parking-and-travel cost comparison: ORD drive-park costs $128.80 versus MKE Official Garage at $98.00 (a $30.80 MKE savings) and MKE Crowne Plaza at $48.65 (an $80.15 MKE savings). This does not account for the 3 additional hours of driving involved in the ORD option, wear on your vehicle, or the probability that a fare difference exists between MKE and ORD on your specific route.
When ORD is worth it despite higher cost: If the MKE fare is $150+ more than the ORD fare for the same destination on the same day, driving to ORD wins on economics even accounting for gas and parking. At fare differences under $100, MKE is almost always the right call once time and fuel are factored in. At fare differences of $100–$150, it is a genuine tie that depends on your specific circumstances.
Milwaukee-area travelers should check both airports before booking for any destination with competitive airline service at both — particularly Florida routes (Southwest MKE vs. multiple ORD carriers) and sun-belt leisure destinations where Frontier and Allegiant at MKE can undercut ORD significantly.
The Transit Option at MKE: Route 80 and Why Almost Nobody Takes It
Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) Route 80 connects Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport to downtown Milwaukee. The one-way fare is approximately $2.25 (exact change required, or use a MCTS Connect Card) . A round trip costs roughly $4.50 — the cheapest way to get to and from MKE that exists.
The reality of transit use at MKE: Route 80 connects the airport to downtown Milwaukee. If your origin is downtown Milwaukee (East Side, Historic Third Ward, Walker's Point), transit is genuinely viable for the airport connection. If your origin is Waukesha, Brookfield, Menomonee Falls, Grafton, Mequon, or any suburb west or north of Milwaukee, transit is not a realistic option. There is no direct transit link from Waukesha County to Mitchell Airport without a downtown Milwaukee transfer, which adds 45–90 minutes each way to the journey.
Transit break-even math for downtown Milwaukee origin:
- 7-day Official Garage cost: $98.00
- 7-day MCTS round trip: $4.50 (two rides)
- Savings: $93.50
For a downtown Milwaukee resident, transit to MKE is clearly the economically correct choice for any trip where you can tolerate the schedule constraints of Route 80.
For anyone in the western or northern suburbs — which includes the majority of MKE's parking market — transit is not in scope. This is a parking decision, not a transit decision, for that geography.
Original Research: Review-Volume-Weighted Quality Score Across All MKE Parking Options
Standard star ratings treat "4.6★ on 99 reviews" identically to "4.4★ on 5,219 reviews." They are not equivalent. The following table applies a simple weighted confidence score: Rating × √(ReviewCount) / 100 to normalize across review volumes.
| Facility | Rating | Review Count | √(Reviews) | Weighted Score | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Official Garage | 4.4★ | 5,219 | 72.2 | 3.18 | Highest confidence — most reliable signal |
| Crowne Plaza MKE | 4.0★ | 1,499 | 38.7 | 1.55 | Second strongest — 4.0★ confirmed at volume |
| Best Western Plus | 3.6★ | 1,869 | 43.2 | 1.56 | High volume but mediocre — skip |
| Radisson Hotel | 2.9★ | 634 | 25.2 | 0.73 | Low rating confirmed at scale — avoid |
| Four Points Sheraton | 3.6★ | 901 | 30.0 | 1.08 | Below-average confirmed — skip |
| WallyPark Milwaukee | 4.1★ | 279 | 16.7 | 0.68 | Good rating, lower volume — moderate confidence |
| Exec-Park Milwaukee | 4.6★ | 99 | 9.9 | 0.46 | High rating, very thin data — watch candidate |
The key finding: Exec-Park's 4.6-star rating, once weighted for review volume, scores below WallyPark (4.1★, 279 reviews) on a confidence-adjusted basis. This does not mean Exec-Park is worse in practice — it means there is less evidence confirming it is better. The Official Garage's weighted score of 3.18 is more than double the next closest option (Crowne Plaza at 1.55), which quantifies what the raw review data makes clear: no other lot at MKE comes close to its data-backed quality signal.
Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport: What First-Timers Need to Know
Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (IATA: MKE) is located at 5300 S Howell Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53207, operated by Milwaukee County. The airport runs 1 terminal with 3 concourses: B, C, and D. Airlines operating at MKE include Southwest, Delta, American, United, Frontier, Allegiant, and Sun Country .
MKE's single-terminal layout is one of its operational strengths for parking. Unlike Chicago O'Hare or Chicago Midway, you do not need to identify your terminal before choosing a parking lot — all concourses feed from the same building, and the Official Garage shuttle drops at a single arrival point. Off-site lots also deliver to a shared ground transportation area, simplifying pickup regardless of which concourse your flight uses.
The airport's ground transportation area is located at the lower level of the terminal. Rideshare pickup (Uber, Lyft) operates from the Cell Phone Lot area. First-time travelers should be aware that MKE does not have a separate "Cell Phone Lot" for personal vehicle pickups that is as prominent as at larger airports — coordinate pickup timing carefully before arrival.
Frequently Asked Questions: MKE Parking
What is the cheapest parking at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport?
The cheapest parking at MKE is the Radisson Hotel Milwaukee Airport at $4.50/day (6331 S 13th Street). However, the Radisson carries a 2.9-star rating on 634 reviews — the lowest quality signal of any lot in the MKE market. For travelers who want low cost with acceptable quality, the Crowne Plaza Milwaukee Airport at $6.95/day offers 4.0 stars on 1,499 reviews, saving $49.35 on a 7-day trip compared to the Official Garage while maintaining a meaningfully better service record than the Radisson.
How far is the parking garage from MKE's terminal?
The Official Garage is located directly adjacent to Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport at 5300 S Howell Ave — the same address as the terminal. The shuttle frequency is approximately every 10 minutes. Off-site hotel lots run shuttles ranging from approximately 10–20+ minutes depending on the provider; shuttle frequency varies and should be confirmed directly with each lot before booking.
Is it worth driving to O'Hare instead of parking at MKE?
For most Milwaukee-area travelers, no — unless the fare difference between MKE and ORD exceeds approximately $100–$150 for your specific route and dates. The all-in cost of driving to O'Hare from Waukesha (70 miles each way) and parking there runs approximately $128 on a 7-day trip (fuel + ORD Economy Lot at $15/day). Parking at MKE's Official Garage for the same trip costs $98, saving roughly $30 before accounting for 3 hours of additional driving. At fare gaps under $100, MKE is the right call on economics and time.
Does the Milwaukee bus serve the airport?
Yes. Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) Route 80 connects Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport to downtown Milwaukee. The one-way fare is approximately $2.25 (exact change or MCTS Connect Card required). Transit is a practical option only for travelers originating from downtown Milwaukee or locations served by direct MCTS connections. Travelers from western suburbs (Waukesha, Brookfield, Menomonee Falls) or northern suburbs (Mequon, Grafton) face a multi-transfer transit journey that is not viable as a parking substitute.
What airlines fly out of MKE?
Airlines currently operating at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport include Southwest, Delta, American, United, Frontier, Allegiant, and Sun Country. MKE operates 1 terminal with 3 concourses (B, C, D). Southwest Airlines, which is MKE's largest carrier by departures, operates from Concourse C. All airlines use the same terminal, which simplifies ground transportation and parking — there is no terminal-specific parking decision at MKE.
When does the MKE Official Garage fill up?
As a general pattern at regional airports of MKE's size, parking fills fastest around Thanksgiving (Wednesday before and Sunday after), the week before and after Christmas/New Year's, and peak summer Fridays. For MKE specifically, given that Milwaukee-area travelers also have the ORD driving option, garage fill rates may be lower than at comparable airports without a nearby alternative. Book in advance for any of the holiday windows listed above; same-day availability is usually fine for non-peak travel.
Related Airport Parking Guides
- Chicago O'Hare Airport Parking (ORD) — the competing option for Milwaukee-area travelers with flexible flight options
- Chicago Midway Airport Parking (MDW) — secondary Chicago option, closer to some southern Milwaukee suburbs
- Minneapolis-Saint Paul Airport Parking (MSP) — regional comparison for Midwest drive-in airports
