Summer is here, and that conjures up images of sunny days, splashing in the pool and backyard barbecues.

It also means summer vacation travel. When that travel season ramps up, expect the number of people coming to the Houston Airport System’s two main commercial airports to increase. In 2016, George Bush Intercontinental and William P. Hobby airports combined to serve nearly 19 million passengers during May, June, July and August.

And, often the first leg in your summer “get away” plans is getting to the airport — and getting a place to park. To help with that, the Houston Airport System offers tips on how to make your trip enjoyable and more affordable — a cheaper-by-these-dozen ideas list of affordable and handy parking tips for both Bush and Hobby airports.

Save money: The absolutely best parking deal is the ecopark2 lot at Bush Airport on Will Clayton Parkway, with 100 percent covered remote parking for $4.80 including tax if you use the 20 percent coupon off coupon here — compare with $8.95 per day with The Parking Spot on Will Clayton Parkway. Yes, this is the BEST price at IAH. 

Save time: Reserve online: Visit the fly2houston.com website here for John F. Kennedy Boulevard ecopark or here for Will Clayton Parkway ecopark2 to reserve your Bush Airport remote parking space. Brilliant!

Check parking availability in advance: See real-time parking availability for Bush Airport or Hobby Airport.

“Secret” C garage: There is another Terminal C garage BEYOND the terminal building (aka C-West Garage). Follow the signs past the terminal, then take a left into the garage behind the terminal. Go to level 3 and proceed to the very back of the garage — enter the double doors right into the terminal! Easy breezy!

Park (temporarily) free: Picking up a passenger, but don’t want to drive laps around the terminals? Wait in a free cell phone parking lot. Find information about the cell phone lots at Bush Airport or Hobby Airport.

Charge EV: Both Houston airports offer electric vehicle charging stations in all terminal garages including valet, as well as all three ecopark lots. Please see the Bush Airport and Hobby Airport parking maps for detailed locations.

Closest remote parking: At Bush Airport, ecopark2 is the closest-in remote parking on Will Clayton Parking and ecopark is the closest-in remote parking on John F. Kennedy Boulevard. At Hobby Airport, ecopark is also the closest remote parking — so close you enter the terminal FROM the parking lot! In addition, the ecopark plaza at Hobby recently expanded from three to five exit lanes. The expansion allows for the easy separation of cash and credit card payment functions which will speed the time it takes to exit the lot and enhance the customer's airport experience.

Green light means STOP: Both terminal garages at Hobby Airport offer automated parking guidance systems, with green lights indicating available spaces, red lights indicating occupied spaces, and blue lights indicating available disabled parking spaces.

Evade the elevator: Park on the open-air roof of the Hobby Airport Blue Garage to exit on the same level (4) as the air-conditioned Skybridge to the terminal.

Save time: Valet parking is available for only $4 more per day ($26 versus $22) in each terminal garage. For information on available valet parking at Bush Airport, check this link. For information on valet parking, check this link.

A bayou stroll: Park in the Bush Airport Terminal B garage and enjoy a stroll through the lush Houston Bayou mosaic environment by artist Dixie Friend Gay on the way into the airport. You can take the Subway pre-security or the Skyway post-security to any other terminal.

One-stop parking shopping: For all airport parking information in one convenient place, visit fly2houston.com. For information on Bush Airport parking, check this link. For information on Hobby Airport parking, check this link.