New parking fee now in effect at Waco Regional Airport
The change is a part of a plan to become self-sustainable and stop relying on tax dollars
WACO, Texas (KWTX) - The Waco Regional Airport’s free parking is a thing of the past, with a new $5/day rate that began Wednesday, October 1st.
To pay for parking, customers will use the app Park Mobile, which uses location to determine the lot and pricing. If a frequent flyer, users can conveniently save their vehicle information and payment card information through the app.
However, the app may include additional fees on top of the flat-rate parking fee. In case of a delayed flight, the app features an extension option to add additional time and pay the extra cost. According to Harris, the “reservation” feature of the app will not be used right away.
If you do not have a smartphone or prefer not to use the app, you can Scan to Pay with the QR Code located on the signs, Text “Park” to 77223 or call (833) 930-0049.
This change is part of an effort to become self-sustainable, following an interim airport manager’s identification of shortfalls back in September. The new airport director, James Harris, said that, as an enterprise fund, the airport should not be relying on general funds.
“Right now, we are taking a significant amount of subsidy from the Waco taxpayers. Implementing a parking fee was one of the ways the airport could dig ourselves out of that hole,” Harris said.
The fee will start at $5/day or $25/week, but will increase to $7 in October of 2026 and $9 in October of 2027.
“We’re looking out for the passengers, not just giving them that shock rate of $9. We want to start them off low and work our way up to what we should be,” Harris said.
In addition, free short-term parking will only be two hours long compared to the current twenty-four hours.
“We’re not going to unlock that feature right now until we do more improvements to the parking lot,” he said.
Harris said the change is receiving some “mixed reviews” and may even be a shock to customers. But, he stands by their decision.
“You gotta do what’s right, and what’s right doesn’t always make everybody happy,” he said.
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