This Service Lets You Park for Free (and Earn Serious Cash) When You Fly

Airport parking is notoriously pricy.

And that rental car you pick up once you reach your destination? Well, that’s no small expense either.

But frequent (and infrequent) flyers, rejoice: A company called TravelCar wants to add a bit of money back into your vacation budget by eliminating those expensive parking fees and putting your car to work for you.

How to Make Your Car Earn Its Keep

The idea behind this innovative peer-to-peer car-sharing service is threefold:

If you agree to let your car be rented out to other travelers while you’re on vacation, you’ll not only score free airport parking for the entirety of your trip, but you could also earn a profit by the time you return.

If you’d prefer not to have another vacationer rent your car, you can park in the TravelCar lot and pay a fee that’s significantly lower than most traditional airport parking services.

And travelers who want to rent a car through TravelCar can book a rental for up to 70% less than the fees conventional rental car companies charge.

How the Car-Sharing Platform Works

To be rented out to other travelers while you’re away on your own vacation, your car will have to meet a few requirements: It must be less than 10 years old, have less than 100,000 miles on the odometer and be registered in the U.S.

You’ll earn money for every mile your car is driven while you’re away and will be reimbursed after pickup at the end of your trip. If for some reason your car is not rented out during your trip, you still take advantage of TravelCar’s free parking program.

If you’re nervous about letting someone drive your baby car while you’re not around, don’t be: Your car is safeguarded from theft and physical damage by $1 million in liability insurance.

Luxury vehicles — in this case, anything valued over $40,000 — are not eligible to be rented out through TravelCar’s rental program, but you could still nab some pretty cheap airport parking.

Coming Soon To An Airport Near You

The Paris-based company, which already operates in 400 locations in 25 countries, launched its first U.S. offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York City earlier this year. The company has plans for a rapid expansion throughout the U.S., and has already opened additional branches in several cities across the country, including Chicago and Orlando, Florida.

Grace Schweizer is a junior writer at The Penny Hoarder.