USDMilwaukee Airport Parking (MKE): What the Airport Charges, and When a Hotel Lot Is Worth It (2026)
Last verified: October 21, 2026, against the airport's own parking page (mitchellairport.com), O'Hare's parking page (flychicago.com) and MCTS (ridemcts.com). Hotel-lot rates, ratings and review counts are listing data from ParkingAccess that we did not re-check on this date; confirm a hotel lot's rate and shuttle with the lot before you book.
The Short Version for Waukesha, Brookfield, and Menomonee Falls Drivers
Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE) is a drive-in airport for most of the western and northern suburbs. The decision comes down to three choices: the airport's Saver Lot, the Daily Garage, or a hotel lot with a shuttle.
- Default: the Saver Lot, $11 a day. It is the airport's own, on Air Cargo Way, with a free shuttle every 5 to 10 minutes around the clock that picks you up at your car. Credit card only.
- Early flight or heavy bags: the Daily Garage, $18 a day. You walk to the terminal, with no shuttle to wait for. That is $7 a day more than the Saver Lot, or $21 more over a 3-day trip.
- Long trips: a hotel lot, $4.50 to $8.50 a day. Against the Saver Lot, the savings are $17.50 to $45.50 over a week, so they only matter on longer trips, and the shuttle at most hotel lots is slower or unconfirmed.
- Skip: the Radisson at $4.50 a day (2.9 stars on 634 reviews). It saves $45.50 a week against the Saver Lot and carries the worst rating in this guide.
What the Airport Charges: Rates by Lot
These are the airport's published maximums per 24 hours. Each lot also charges $2 an hour until it reaches the daily maximum, and rates include all taxes. Stays of 30 minutes or less are free in the Hourly section, the Surface Lot and the Cell Phone Lot.
| Lot | Max per 24 hours | 3 days | 7 days | How you get to the terminal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saver Lot (Air Cargo Way) | $11 | $33 | $77 | Free shuttle, every 5 to 10 minutes, 24 hours; picks up at your car; credit card only |
| Daily Garage | $18 | $54 | $126 | Walk; all floors; 6 ft 11 in height limit |
| Surface Lot (south of the garage) | $18 | $54 | $126 | Walk; takes tall vehicles; first 30 minutes free |
| Hourly (garage floors 3 and 4) | $27 | $81 | $189 | Walk; meant for stays under five hours; first 30 minutes free |
| Valet | $28 | $84 | $196 | Covered, across from the terminal |
| Amtrak Station (rail passengers only) | $11 | $33 | $77 | Not an airport lot |
The airport's Parking Pay Stations, at each skywalk and in Baggage Claim, give you 30 minutes to exit after you pay, and the MKE SmartPark app lets you enter and exit from your phone. Reservations can be changed or refunded up to 2 hours before they begin.
Hotel Lots Near MKE: What They Save Against the Saver Lot
These off-site lots are priced per day in our listings. The last two columns show the 7-day saving against the airport's Saver Lot ($77) and Daily Garage ($126). The gaps are smaller than they used to look because the airport's own Saver Lot is only $11 a day.
| Lot | Address | Daily | 3 days | 7 days | Rating | Saves vs. Saver (7 days) | Saves vs. Garage (7 days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radisson Hotel Milwaukee Airport | 6331 S 13th St | $4.50 | $13.50 | $31.50 | 2.9★ (634) | $45.50 | $94.50 |
| Four Points by Sheraton | 5311 S Howell Ave | $4.95 | $14.85 | $34.65 | 3.6★ (901) | $42.35 | $91.35 |
| Best Western Plus | 5105 S Howell Ave | $5.50 | $16.50 | $38.50 | 3.6★ (1,869) | $38.50 | $87.50 |
| Crowne Plaza Milwaukee Airport | 6401 S 13th St | $6.95 | $20.85 | $48.65 | 4.0★ (1,499) | $28.35 | $77.35 |
| WallyPark Milwaukee | 4747 S Howell Ave | $8.05 | $24.15 | $56.35 | 4.1★ (279) | $20.65 | $69.65 |
| Exec-Park Milwaukee | 5151 S Howell Ave | $8.50 | $25.50 | $59.50 | 4.6★ (99) | $17.50 | $66.50 |
The Crowne Plaza has a documented shuttle of about 20 minutes between runs in our listing data, which is slow next to the Saver Lot's 5 to 10 minutes. Shuttle frequency for the Radisson, Four Points, Best Western Plus, WallyPark and Exec-Park is not published in our data; call the property. Exec-Park has the best rating, 4.6 stars, but on only 99 reviews, which is too thin to rely on.
Break-Even: When Off-Site Parking Pays Off at MKE
| Trip length | Daily Garage ($18) | Saver Lot ($11) | Crowne Plaza ($6.95) | WallyPark ($8.05) | Hotel-lot saving vs. Saver |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 day | $18.00 | $11.00 | $6.95 | $8.05 | $4.05 to $2.95 |
| 3 days | $54.00 | $33.00 | $20.85 | $24.15 | $12.15 to $8.85 |
| 5 days | $90.00 | $55.00 | $34.75 | $40.25 | $20.25 to $14.75 |
| 7 days | $126.00 | $77.00 | $48.65 | $56.35 | $28.35 to $20.65 |
| 10 days | $180.00 | $110.00 | $69.50 | $80.50 | $40.50 to $29.50 |
| 14 days | $252.00 | $154.00 | $97.30 | $112.70 | $56.70 to $41.30 |
On a 3-day trip the Crowne Plaza or WallyPark saves $8.85 to $12.15 against the Saver Lot, which is roughly one meal. At 10 days the Crowne Plaza saves $40.50 and at 14 days $56.70. For trips under a week, the Saver Lot's faster shuttle is usually worth the difference; for two weeks or more, a hotel lot with a confirmed shuttle starts to matter.
MKE vs. O'Hare: Does Driving to Chicago Make Sense?
Many Milwaukee-area travelers weigh flying from O'Hare (ORD). On parking alone, MKE wins: O'Hare's Economy Lots G and H are $16 per 24 hours, so 7 days is $112, against $77 in MKE's Saver Lot and $126 in the MKE Daily Garage. Lot F, the covered economy lot, is $30 a day.
That is before the drive. Waukesha to O'Hare is a long haul each way by our estimate, so gas, tolls and 2 to 3 extra hours come on top. Driving to O'Hare only wins when its fare is well below MKE's for your route and dates; compare both airports before you book, especially for Florida and other leisure routes.
The Bus to MKE
MCTS Route 80 and the GreenLine both serve the airport, and the regular fare is $2.75 a ride, so a round trip is $5.50. While the airport's Concourse Redevelopment Project runs, both routes skip the Cell Phone Lot stop: Route 80 boards at Airport Departure and the GreenLine at Baggage Claim. If you live along the route, the bus beats any parking option; from Waukesha or the northern suburbs it needs a downtown transfer and is rarely practical.
Original Research: Review-Volume-Weighted Quality Score
We weight each lot's star rating by the square root of its review count (rating times the square root of reviews, divided by 100), so a rating built on many reviews counts for more than one built on a few. It is our own analytical tool, not an official metric. Ratings and review counts are Google data in our listings, not re-checked on October 21.
| Facility | Rating | Reviews | Square root | Weighted score | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MKE-run parking (airport listing) | 4.4★ | 5,219 | 72.2 | 3.18 | Highest confidence, the most reviews by far |
| Crowne Plaza Milwaukee Airport | 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 |
| Radisson Hotel Milwaukee Airport | 2.9★ | 634 | 25.2 | 0.73 | Low rating confirmed at scale |
| Four Points by Sheraton | 3.6★ | 901 | 30.0 | 1.08 | Below average, confirmed |
| WallyPark Milwaukee | 4.1★ | 279 | 16.7 | 0.68 | Good rating, lower volume |
| Exec-Park Milwaukee | 4.6★ | 99 | 9.9 | 0.46 | High rating, very thin data |
Exec-Park's 4.6 stars scores below WallyPark's 4.1 once weighted for review volume. That does not mean Exec-Park is worse, only that there is less evidence it is better.
MKE Parking Is Not the Right Choice For You If
- You live along an MCTS airport route and your flight is not at an odd hour. A $5.50 round trip beats $33 to $126 in parking.
- You are staying one night and someone can drive you. A drop-off costs nothing; the Saver Lot for one night is $11.
- The only thing you care about is the lowest price. We would not send you to the Radisson at $4.50 a day on a 2.9-star rating; the Saver Lot is $6.50 a day more and is the airport's own.
Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport: What First-Timers Need to Know
MKE has one terminal and two concourses. Concourse C (gates C9 to C25) serves Southwest, Sun Country and United; Concourse D (gates D27 to D56) serves Alaska, American, Frontier, Delta and JetBlue. Because all parking leads to the same terminal, you do not choose a lot by airline. Uber and Lyft pickup is signed near Carousel 2, and the Cell Phone Lot, immediately south of the parking structure, is for people waiting to pick someone up, with the first 30 minutes free.
Frequently Asked Questions: MKE Parking
What is the cheapest parking at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport?
At the airport itself, the Saver Lot at $11 a day (the maximum per 24 hours), with a free shuttle every 5 to 10 minutes, 24 hours a day. Off-site hotel lots near the airport are cheaper still, from $4.50 a day at the Radisson, but the Radisson is rated 2.9 stars on 634 reviews. The Crowne Plaza at $6.95 a day (4.0 stars, 1,499 reviews) saves $28.35 on a 7-day trip compared with the Saver Lot.
How much does the MKE parking garage cost?
The Daily section of the garage is $2 an hour up to $18 per 24 hours. The Hourly section is $2 an hour up to $27 per 24 hours and is meant for stays under five hours; the first 30 minutes are free. Rates include all taxes, and maximum vehicle height in the garage is 6 feet 11 inches.
How far is the Saver Lot from the terminal?
The Saver Lot is on Air Cargo Way, minutes from the terminal. A free shuttle runs every 5 to 10 minutes, 24 hours a day, and picks you up at your car, then drops you back at your car when you return. The Saver Lot takes credit cards only.
Is it worth driving to O'Hare instead of parking at MKE?
Not for parking cost. O'Hare's Economy Lots G and H are $16 per 24 hours, or $112 for 7 days, against $77 in MKE's Saver Lot and $126 in the MKE Daily Garage. Add the drive and gas and O'Hare only wins when its fare is well below MKE's for your route and dates.
Does the Milwaukee bus serve the airport?
Yes. MCTS Route 80 and the GreenLine both serve Mitchell Airport, and the regular fare is $2.75 a ride. While the Concourse Redevelopment Project runs, both routes bypass the Cell Phone Lot stop: Route 80 boards at Airport Departure and the GreenLine at Baggage Claim. Check the schedule for your flight time.
Where do Uber and Lyft pick up at MKE?
The airport says Uber and Lyft pickup is signed near Carousel 2. For drop-off, the airport's rule is to use the Departures curbside lane near Ticketing and stay with your vehicle.
Which airlines and concourses does MKE have?
Alaska, American, Delta, Frontier, JetBlue, Southwest, Sun Country and United fly from MKE. Concourse C (gates C9 to C25) serves Southwest, Sun Country and United; Concourse D (gates D27 to D56) serves Alaska, American, Frontier, Delta and JetBlue. All parking leads to the same terminal.
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
