Move over Tesla, Lexus Parking Only In These Airport Spots

Lexus has purchased 30 spots inside the Edmonton International Airport (EIA) airport for use by its customers. The spots are painted with the Lexus Logo and reserved for use by Lexus drivers only. Although only a small percentage of the 2,200 spots inside the Parkade, the Lexus-only spots could expand if the program is well received.

Lexus has been using airport parking as a promotional tool for many years. At Boston’s Logan International Airport, the Lexus Parking PASSport Gold program has been a popular way for business travellers and frequent flyers to reserve parking. Unlike the Edmonton program, the Boston program is a naming promotion only. Lexus drivers do not enjoy any special benefits under that program.

Lexus is not the only premium brand that offers special parking at airports. Tesla has six designated spots at the Chattanooga Airport. Part of its Supercharger program, the Tesla spots allow drivers to charge while parked at the airport.

The funds generated by the Lexus parking program in Edmonton allowed the airport to purchase new electronic signage. EIA spokeswoman Heather Hamilton told the Edmonton Journal “Every dollar that comes to us from that route is a dollar that we don’t have to charge a passenger and we don’t have to charge an airline.”

The Lexus spots are located close to the terminals and elevators, but not as close as the special-access parking spots that were already in place. Hamilton noted to Global News, “We take a huge amount of pride in being one of the most accessible airports in the country, so we have not moved any of our handicapped parking stalls. They’re still there, they’re still in the same place, they have not been relocated. Same spots, same number (of spots).”

In addition to the parking spots, Lexus has wrapped one of the Edmonton airport buildings in a giant banner advertisement.