How Bradley Is Expanding Parking to Improve the Passenger Experience

With a continued focus on improving the passenger journey, the Connecticut Airport Authority is taking steps to add more parking at Bradley International Airport. This spring, construction commenced to expand Surface Lot 3, which is located on Schoephoester Road, a short drive from the airport’s main terminal.

Q: Why is parking important?

A: Parking plays a critical role in the passenger experience. For most travelers, their journey at the airport begins and ends with parking, so we want to ensure that experience is as convenient and stress-free as possible. Whether passengers are heading off on vacation or returning home, our goal is to provide a smooth, seamless experience from the moment they arrive at the airport until they leave.

Q: Why is the expansion of the Surface Lot 3 possible now?

A: In summer 2022, we opened the Bradley International Airport’s new ground transportation center, which allowed us to consolidate rental car operations into one modern facility closer to the terminal. This significantly improved convenience for passengers while freeing up land previously occupied by rental car companies. After some significant analysis, we determined that this land was best suited for the expansion of parking. 

Q: What impact will the expansion have on the airport’s overall parking capacity?

A: The surface lot will increase in size by nearly 500,000 square feet and add more than 1,500 new parking spaces. Overall, once completed, we will increase Bradley’s parking capacity by 20%.

Q: How does this project fit into the airport’s broader parking strategy?

A: Over the last few years, we’ve placed significant resources into the development of our parking product – this includes modernizing the parking experience thought upgrades to the parking signage, a refreshed brand, a new parking guidance system in the airport’s parking garage, and an increased focus on customer service. When we opened the new ground transportation center, back in 2022, it also enabled us to add more garaging parking. Expanding this surface lot is the next phase of our strategy, which is to increase the availability of convenient, economy-priced parking for our passengers. 

Q: How do these parking investments benefit passengers?

A: Collectively, these changes make parking easier, more convenient and more predictable. Improved wayfinding, new technology, and expanded capacity help reduce stress and create a better overall experience for travelers. Since these efforts have been implemented, we have seen an increase in passenger parking at the airport, which leads us to believe that passengers value the changes. 

Q: How does this position the airport for the future?

A: With all the investments we’ve already made into parking, we are already seeing an increase in passenger usage. Of course, more passengers parking at the airport also grows our non-aeronautical revenue, which in turn supports airport-wide operations, and allows us to keep operating costs low for our airline partners. Parking truly plays a central role in our strategy for so many reasons.

The new expanded Surface Lot 3 is scheduled to open to passengers in late 2026. Until then, there will be no impact to existing parking options.