Quick Answer
Yes, in most cases. Tipping an airport parking shuttle driver is customary when they handle your luggage, and the Emily Post Institute suggests $1 to $2 per bag. For a valet who parks and returns your car, $2 to $5 is typical, handed over when you get the car back. Tips are a thank-you, not a requirement, so give a little more for heavy bags or bad weather and nothing extra if no one helped you.
Tipping has become one of the more confusing parts of travel. In Bankrate’s 2025 tipping survey, 63% of Americans said they hold at least one negative view about tipping, and much of the frustration comes from not knowing who expects what. An airport trip makes it harder, because you can meet half a dozen service workers between your driveway and your gate, and the norms are different for each one.
Off-site parking adds its own questions. You ride a shuttle twice, the driver may change between legs, and the valet who parks your car may not see you again for a week. Value Parking runs a valet lot with a 24-hour shuttle about 1.3 miles from Newark Liberty, and these are the questions our customers ask most, answered in the order you’ll meet them.
Reserve your Newark Airport parking with Value
Valet parking, luggage help at both ends and a 24-hour shuttle to Terminals A, B and C, about four minutes away. Book ahead to lock in your spot.
Who Should You Tip at Newark Airport, and How Much?
At Newark Airport, tip the people who handle your bags or your car. That usually means a parking shuttle driver, a valet, a hotel shuttle driver, a skycap or a wheelchair assistant, plus your taxi or rideshare driver. You don’t tip on the airport’s free P6 shuttle or the AirTrain, and TSA officers can’t accept tips.
| Who | Typical tip | When | Expected? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Off-site parking shuttle driver | $1 to $2 per bag they handle | When your bags come off the shuttle | Yes, if they lift bags |
| Parking valet | $2 to $5 | When your car is returned | Yes |
| Hotel shuttle driver | $1 to $2 per bag | When they unload your bags | Yes, if they lift bags |
| Skycap at curbside check-in | $1 to $2 per bag | At check-in | Yes |
| Wheelchair or mobility assistant | $5 to $20 per assistant | When they leave you | Yes |
| Taxi driver | 15% to 20% of the fare, at least $1 | When you pay | Yes |
| Rideshare driver | Many riders follow taxi norms | In the app after the ride | Appreciated |
| P6 Economy shuttle and AirTrain | None | Not applicable | No |
| TSA officers | None | Not applicable | Don’t tip |
Amounts from the Emily Post Institute’s travel tipping guide, published February 2025, and its general tipping guide for valets and taxis. The P6 shuttle and AirTrain are free Port Authority services, and TSA officers are federal employees who generally can’t accept tips or gifts.
How Much Should You Tip an Airport Parking Shuttle Driver?
Tip an airport parking shuttle driver $1 to $2 per bag they load or unload. That’s the standard etiquette guidance for airport and hotel shuttle drivers who help with luggage, and the tip is discretionary when they don’t. The tip is tied to the help with your bags, not the ride itself.
Etiquette expert Daniel Post Senning has said that the per-bag amount is a starting point, and that more for a big load of luggage would be welcome. If you carried everything on and off yourself, skipping the tip is fine.
With off-site parking you ride the shuttle twice, once to the terminal and once back to the lot, and a different driver may handle each leg. Tip each driver who helps you, at the moment they help. Our guide to how Newark Airport parking shuttles work walks through both legs step by step.
How Much Should You Tip a Parking Valet?
Tip a parking valet $2 to $5, given when your car is returned to you. That’s the standard valet guidance, and the timing suits an airport lot well. The return is when the valet does the most for you, often after a late flight, and when you can see the car is in the same shape you left it.
Some travelers like to tip at both ends of a long trip, with a few dollars at drop-off and the rest when they get the car back. That’s a kind gesture, especially if a valet helped with a car seat or a heavy trunk, but it isn’t expected.
At many valet lots, including ours, the valets and shuttle drivers work as one team, so the person who takes your keys may also load your bags and drive you to the terminal. If one person handles both, a single tip that covers the bags and the car is perfectly fine.
When Do You Hand Over the Tip on a Round Trip?
On an off-site parking trip, there are usually three tipping moments. Tip the shuttle driver when your bags come off at the terminal curb on departure day. Coming home, tip the driver when the shuttle unloads you at the lot, and tip the valet when your car is brought to you.
Choose a direction to see each moment, along with what to expect at Value Parking.
Heading to the airport
One tipping moment on the way out, at the terminal curb.
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Hand over your keys
No tip needed yetThe valet takes the car and your bags go on the shuttle. Valet etiquette puts the tip at the return, so you can hold off here.
At Value Parking: pull up under our covered, lit canopy and a valet takes your keys and loads your bags.
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Ride to your terminal
About 4 min at ValueTell the driver your airline or terminal as you board. This is a good moment to have your small bills ready.
At Value Parking: the on-demand shuttle serves Terminals A, B and C.
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Bags come off at the curb
$1 to $2 per bagTip the driver as your luggage comes off the shuttle. If you carried your own bags, no tip is expected.
At Value Parking: the driver unloads your bags at the curb of whichever terminal you’re flying from.
Coming home
Two tipping moments on the way back, both at the lot.
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Call for your pickup
No tip needed yetCollect your bags, call or text the lot and walk to its marked stop outside baggage claim.
At Value Parking: call or text us at 973-639-6911 with your claim check number and terminal.
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Bags come off at the lot
$1 to $2 per bagThe driver who loaded your bags at the terminal unloads them back at the lot. Tip as your luggage comes off.
At Value Parking: the driver loads your luggage at the terminal and unloads it when you get back.
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Your car is brought to you
$2 to $5 for the valetThis is the valet’s moment. If the same person drove the shuttle, one combined tip is fine.
At Value Parking: your car is waiting in front of the office, warmed up in winter and cooled down in summer.
Tip what feels right for the service you received.
How Much Does Tipping Add Up To on a Typical Trip?
For a typical off-site parking round trip with two checked bags and a valet, tips come to about $6 to $13. That covers the shuttle driver on both legs at $1 to $2 per bag and the valet at $2 to $5. Bring a few extra dollars for a skycap, heavy luggage or bad weather.
| Bags handled | Shuttle, going out | Shuttle, coming home | Valet on return | Round-trip total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carry-on only | $0 | $0 | $2 to $5 | $2 to $5 |
| 1 bag | $1 to $2 | $1 to $2 | $2 to $5 | $4 to $9 |
| 2 bags | $2 to $4 | $2 to $4 | $2 to $5 | $6 to $13 |
| 3 bags | $3 to $6 | $3 to $6 | $2 to $5 | $8 to $17 |
| 4 bags | $4 to $8 | $4 to $8 | $2 to $5 | $10 to $21 |
Based on $1 to $2 per bag for shuttle drivers and $2 to $5 for valets.
Should You Tip With Cash or a Card?
Bring cash. Most shuttle drivers and valets can’t take a card at the curb, and digital tipping options vary from lot to lot. A small stack of ones and fives covers almost every airport tip, from the parking shuttle to the skycap, so it’s worth grabbing some before you leave home.
Two habits help. Keep the tip money somewhere you can reach without opening a suitcase, like a jacket pocket. And set aside the return-trip tips at the start of your trip, since it’s easy to land late at night with only large bills or none at all.
When Should You Tip More, and When Is It Fine to Skip?
Tip more when the job is harder than usual, such as heavy luggage, bad weather, a holiday or a late-night pickup. It’s reasonable to tip less or skip it when no one handled your bags or car, or when you rode a free airport service like the P6 shuttle or AirTrain.
Consider tipping more when
- You have heavy, oversized or awkward items like golf bags or strollers
- The driver loads bags in rain, snow or extreme cold
- It’s a holiday, a red-eye or a very early departure
- Someone helps with car seats, kids or a mobility device
It’s reasonable to tip less or skip when
- You carried your own bags on and off
- You self-parked and no one handled your car
- You rode a free airport shuttle or the AirTrain
- Service was poor, though it’s worth telling the manager why
The holidays deserve a mention. Newark is at its busiest from Thanksgiving through New Year’s, and drivers are loading more bags in colder weather at all hours. If there’s one stretch of the year to round up, that’s it. For planning around the crowds, see how busy Newark Airport gets during the holidays.
How Does Tipping Work at Value Parking?
At Value Parking, tipping is always your choice. Your rate covers the valet service and the round-trip shuttle, and our team handles your bags at both ends of the trip. If you’d like to tip, one tip on the way out and one when you get your car back is plenty.
What our team does on a typical trip
- On departure day, a valet takes your keys under the canopy and loads your bags onto the shuttle.
- The driver takes you to Terminal A, B or C, about a four-minute ride, and unloads your bags at the curb.
- When you land, one call or text brings the shuttle to your terminal at any hour, and the driver loads your bags again.
- Back at the lot, your car is waiting in front of the office, warmed up in winter and cooled down in summer.
Small bills are the easiest way to tip. You can read more about our Newark Airport valet parking and parking shuttle, or see the full process on our How It Works page.
Valet Parking and Luggage Help, Both Ways
Value Parking is a family-owned, off-site valet lot about 1.3 miles from Newark Airport. We park the car, handle the bags at both ends and run the shuttle 24 hours a day, so travel day mostly comes down to handing over your keys.
- Open 24/7, shuttles around the clock
- On-demand shuttle, about 4 minutes to the terminal
- Drop-off and pickup at Terminals A, B and C
- Valet parking and luggage help included
Questions? Call us any time at 973-639-6911 or join the free VP Club for member rates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you tip airport shuttle drivers?
Yes, when they help with your luggage. The Emily Post Institute suggests $1 to $2 per bag when an airport or hotel shuttle driver loads or unloads your bags. If you carried everything yourself, a tip isn’t expected, though a dollar or two is a kind gesture.
How much do you tip an airport parking shuttle driver?
$1 to $2 per bag the driver handles is the standard guidance. With off-site parking you usually ride twice, so tip each driver who helps you, once at the terminal curb on departure day and again when you’re dropped back at the lot.
Do you tip the valet at airport parking?
It’s customary. $2 to $5 is typical for a valet, given when your car is returned to you. At an airport lot, that means on your return, when you can see your car is in good shape.
Should I tip the valet when I drop off or pick up my car?
When you pick it up. Tipping on return is standard because that’s when the service is complete. Some travelers also tip a few dollars at drop-off on long trips or when a valet helps with heavy bags, but it isn’t expected.
Do you tip the Newark Airport P6 shuttle or the AirTrain?
No. The P6 Economy lot shuttle and the AirTrain are free Port Authority services where travelers typically handle their own bags, and tipping isn’t customary. If a driver goes out of their way to help with luggage, a dollar or two is a nice thank-you.
How much should I tip a skycap at Newark Airport?
$1 to $2 per bag is typical when a skycap checks your luggage at the curb. Tip a little more for very heavy or oversized bags.
Is it rude not to tip an airport shuttle driver?
Not if the driver didn’t handle your bags. Shuttle driver tips are tied to luggage help, so skipping one when you loaded your own bags is fine. If a driver lifted heavy bags for you, a small tip is expected.
Can I tip a shuttle driver or valet with a card?
Usually not at the curb. Most drivers and valets can’t take a card, and digital tip options vary by parking company. Bring a few ones and fives so you can tip on both the departure and return legs.
Does Value Parking require tips?
No. Value Parking’s rate includes valet parking and the round-trip shuttle, so tipping is always your choice. If you’d like to tip, a few dollars when the team loads your bags on the way out and again when you get your car back is plenty.
How much cash should I bring for tips on an airport trip?
For a typical off-site parking round trip with two checked bags and a valet, $6 to $13 covers the shuttle drivers and the valet. Add a few dollars for a skycap or bad weather, and carry it in ones and fives.
Notes
Tipping is always discretionary, and the amounts here are common guidance, not fixed rules. Parking companies set their own policies on fees and payment, so check your reservation for what applies to your stay.
