Parking is already the largest non-aeronautical revenue line at U.S. airports. The structure itself is the next layer of value.

Airports know parking is valuable. The data on how valuable is striking. What is less discussed is that the garage is also a media surface, reaching travelers at both ends of every trip.

Parking Is Already the Revenue Engine

According to the ACI airport economics survey cited by the Airports Council International North America, car parking accounts for about 43% of non-aeronautical revenue at North American airports, compared with 24% globally. FAA data shows U.S. airports earned about $6.0 billion from parking and ground transportation out of $13.2 billion in total non-aeronautical revenue in FY2023, a share of roughly 46%.

The same structures that generate that revenue sit underused as a media channel. The traveler is already there, stopped and moving slowly, in a controlled environment.

The Traveler Is Valuable and Has Time

Airport out-of-home research is consistent on three points:

• Dwell time: average airport dwell time runs 60 to 90 minutes in industry summaries, and often more than two hours for the full terminal visit
• Attention: a 2025 Clear Channel and Nielsen Scarborough study found 61% of travelers recall airport ads and 57% took action afterward
• Income and intent: per industry summaries, 62% of frequent flyers report household incomes above $100,000. JCDecaux research finds 9 in 10 business decision-makers have taken action after seeing business-related airport advertising

Global passenger volume reached about 9.5 billion in 2024. Airport advertising already reflects what that audience is worth.

Parking Structures Are Recognized Airport OOH Inventory

Airport media networks do not treat garages as an afterthought. OneScreen’s guide to airport OOH lists parking structures among ground transportation placements, reaching drivers, rideshare users and commuters, and names hospitality, automotive and financial services as the categories that perform best.

The garage also reaches people the terminal does not: airport employees, local pickup traffic, and travelers on the way in, when intent to buy lodging, car rental or local services is highest.

Who Controls the Rights Matters

This is the part most vendors skip. Many U.S. airports sell advertising through a single concessionaire. Clear Channel Airports alone holds contracts at 55 or more U.S. commercial airports, and JCDecaux controls media at several major gateways. Before planning anything, find out:

• Whether the airport’s advertising concession covers parking structures or only terminals
• Whether the garage is airport-owned, county-owned or privately operated, as with many off-airport and consolidated rental-car facilities
• Whether sponsorship, naming rights or wayfinding sponsorship rights are held separately

Privately owned airport-adjacent garages and off-airport parking operators often face fewer restrictions, which makes them the faster path.

A Different Cost Structure From Terminal Media

Terminal formats such as digital screens, jet bridge wraps and terminal dominations carry published rates from roughly $3,000 to well over $100,000 per month, depending on the airport and format. A column wrap is a physical, one-time installation on structure the facility already owns, with a very different cost base. That is why garage placements can reach the same traveler at a lower entry point. Cingo does not publish rate cards, and this page makes no claim about what any airport garage placement would cost.

What to Document Before Pitching Advertisers

• Daily vehicle entries and average length of stay
• Share of business versus leisure travelers where the data exists
• Location of the highest-traffic pedestrian paths: elevator banks, shuttle stops and pay stations
• Rental-car and rideshare pickup volumes
• Which advertising categories the airport will accept

The math works like this, using illustrative numbers rather than Cingo data. A garage logging 6,000 vehicle entries per day with each traveler passing a given column four times per trip produces about 24,000 exposures per day on that column. Over a month that is more than 700,000 exposures from one placement. Advertisers buy on reach and frequency, so a number like this is the core of the pitch.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much of airport revenue comes from parking?

About 43% of non-aeronautical revenue at North American airports comes from car parking, according to ACI data. FAA data shows U.S. airports earned about $6.0 billion from parking and ground transportation out of $13.2 billion in non-aeronautical revenue in FY2023, roughly 46%.

Can an airport garage be advertised separately from the terminal?

Sometimes. Many U.S. airports sell advertising through a single concessionaire, and Clear Channel Airports alone holds contracts at 55 or more U.S. commercial airports. Check whether the concession covers parking structures, who owns the garage and whether sponsorship or naming rights are held separately.

Which advertisers buy airport garage placements?

Airport media guides name hospitality, automotive and financial services as the categories that perform best in ground transportation placements, which include parking structures. Local services also fit, since garages reach travelers at the start and end of a trip.

How does garage advertising cost compare with terminal advertising?

Terminal formats carry published rates from roughly $3,000 to well over $100,000 per month, depending on the airport and format. A column wrap is a physical installation on structure the facility already owns, with a different cost base. Cingo does not publish rate cards and makes no claim about what a specific placement would cost.

The Bottom Line

Parking is already the single largest non-aeronautical revenue source at U.S. airports. The structure is also a recognized media category that reaches a high-income traveler at the start and end of every trip. The work is in knowing who holds the rights and documenting traffic well enough for advertisers to price it.

Compare with hospital and university garages, see which format fits which location, or read the full column wrap advertising guide.

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Cingo [Column Wraps] protects parking infrastructure through proprietary materials designed for parking environments. Reduce maintenance costs, preserve aesthetics, and unlock revenue opportunities. Get in touch.