Dynamic pricing is becoming a staple across many industries—and parking is no exception. Once the domain of airlines and hotels, the strategy of adjusting prices based on demand is increasingly being applied to car parks, from airports to shopping centers. For operators, it offers the promise of higher revenue and better utilization of parking assets. But from the user’s perspective, the experience can feel less like innovation and more like frustration. From a business standpoint, the appeal is clear.

The airport parking landscape is rapidly evolving, driven by technology, data, and changing passenger expectations. For parking professionals and airport representatives, staying ahead means more than adopting new gadgets—it requires a strategic view of emerging trends, transformative technologies, and scalable solutions that shape the future of parking operations. 1. Automation: Streamlining Operations and Reducing Friction Automation is no longer optional—it’s essential for efficiency and customer satisfaction.

For airports and parking operators, sustainability is no longer just about environmental awareness—it’s about making smart, long-term decisions that ensure resilience, efficiency, and value for years to come. True sustainability in airport parking balances financial, operational, social, and environmental priorities, helping facilities withstand evolving passenger needs, technological changes, and regulatory pressures. 1. Financial Sustainability: Investing in Enduring Value Durable infrastructure and smart systems are key to long-term financial efficiency.

Each year, on the third Friday of September, ordinary parking spaces around the world are transformed into extraordinary places. What began as a small art project in San Francisco has grown into a global movement: Park(ing) Day, a celebration of how public space can be reimagined. Last year, the focus was largely on advocacy, encouraging cities to consider how temporary activations might evolve into permanent, people-centric projects. This year, the movement has taken on a different tone.

For decades, multi-level parking structures have been designed with one goal in mind: to store vehicles. Yet today, that single purpose is being challenged. Shifting mobility habits, from the growing popularity of public transport and ride-hailing to the rise of micro-mobility and electric vehicles, are reshaping the way people think about car ownership. Add to this the possibility of autonomous vehicles reshuffling travel behavior, and the long-term demand for traditional parking suddenly looks uncertain.

The parking industry is evolving at a pace few could have predicted. With Artificial Intelligence (AI) entering the scene, operators and parking managers are faced with both exciting opportunities and critical questions: can AI solve longstanding operational challenges, or is it a disruptive force that could upend traditional practices? AI is already proving its value across the parking ecosystem. Smart parking solutions powered by AI can guide drivers to available spaces in real time, drastically reducing the time spent circling for a spot.

Nintendo Switch received a curious new title: A Dream About Parking Lots. On the surface, it’s an interactive short story, lasting just 30 to 40 minutes. But for those of us working in parking, the game’s themes and setting offer a surprising amount of insight into how people actually experience the spaces we design and operate. The game, created by Mexican studio Interactive Dreams, places the player in a surreal, shifting world of endless parking lots. The narrative revolves around walking through these spaces, searching for a car that never seems to be where you left it.

As airports evolve into more connected and passenger-focused ecosystems, parking plays a vital role—not as a separate service, but as an essential part of the airport’s identity and operation. From the curb to the control room, the way airports manage parking is deeply tied to how they coordinate internally and collaborate externally. These five focus areas highlight how airports are driving parking forward by working across departments and with trusted partners. 1.

As urban environments become denser and the demands on curbside space continue to grow, cities are turning to smarter, more efficient ways to manage and enforce parking regulations. Traditional methods of enforcement often struggle to keep pace with the complexity of modern curbside needs—especially in no-parking zones, bus lanes, and bike lanes, where compliance directly impacts safety and accessibility. One emerging solution is the adoption of AI-powered, solar-based curbside enforcement systems.

As summer travel reaches its peak, parking operators across urban centers and airports are once again facing a seasonal surge in demand. Increased passenger traffic, tourist activity, and event-based mobility all contribute to intensified pressure on parking infrastructure, staffing, and systems. For professionals in the parking industry, this period offers both operational challenges and valuable insights for long-term planning. As travel, tourism, and outdoor events hit their peak, parking infrastructure is pushed to its limits—and so are the teams managing it.