Out of the elements: Couple opens indoor parking lot near Eastern Iowa Airport

Travelers out of The Eastern Iowa Airport who are apprehensive about having to dig their car out of snow, worry about hail or the sun beating down on their car while they’re away have a new option: indoor parking.

Located in a warehouse less than a half-mile from The Eastern Iowa Airport is Flight Ready Parking. The new company provides Iowa’s first 60 spaces of indoor garage parking. The company launched last month.

“We started this business as a personal pain point,” said co-owner Briana Smallwood. “As travelers, we realized what was available elsewhere and began discussing it. We are both passionate about small business, and our goal is for our business to have importance and purpose in our community, and to help create a path for other small business owners.”

Smallwood started the company with co-owner Ean Miller. The pair -- who are engaged to be married -- came up with the idea on a flight to Atlanta through Chicago, where they preferred parking at an indoor facility.

Miller, originally from Iowa City and living in Los Angeles at the time, said to Briana, “Why doesn’t this exist in Cedar Rapids?” So, they found a way to make it happen.

The temperature-controlled indoor garage has long-term and short-term parking options and a free shuttle. Rates are $27 for indoor and $18 for outdoor parking, per day. If you travel 15 days or longer, at the same rate, they ask you to email or phone them.

Similar to Costco’s indoor warehouse parking at the Coralville location, Flight Ready Parking is available year-round and will be especially helpful during inclement or winter weather. It also will keep cars out of the beating summer sun for long-term travelers. In Iowa, the Des Moines Airport has covered, open-air ramp parking, but not indoor parking.

“We saw an open field near the airport and private warehouse construction underway there, so we contacted the builder, discussed our needs, and were able to lease a warehouse garage to create exactly what we needed,” he said.

Miller returned to Iowa in 2020 during the COVID pandemic, leaving a voice-over acting career. In Iowa, he became a part-time trainer. Smallwood, a Cedar Rapids native, has worked in educational technology for 13 years.

“We’re currently at 10% capacity on any given day, and we hope to increase that to full or near full capacity as we grow and create more awareness,” Smallwood said.

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The couple said the commission was supportive of the new venture.

The new business coincides with other new upgrades at the Cedar Rapids airport, including improved outdoor parking spaces and terminal expansion. The business opened just ahead of this week’s Spring Break travel period.

Other local companies have been reaching out to see if there’s a way to expand services beyond parking. Potential partnerships being discussed include the option of fully detailing the vehicle while parked at the lot. Miller and Smallwood are hoping to finalize the premium detailing agreement by mid-April. The business plans to add more employees as it offers drive-up service currently slated to begin June 1.

Originally named Park and Fly CR, the couple adjusted the name to Flight Ready Parking when they saw how saturated travel parking was, to prevent confusion with what already existed.

“Once you book with us, you have a guaranteed space, so you don’t have to fight the weather when coming home from a flight,” Miller added. “We look forward to being in a position to target other midsize airports in the Midwest. We want to promote this indoor parking option as a more stress-free way to park and travel.”

The best way to contact the service is by making online reservations at www.flightreadyparking.com. For questions, call the hotline 24/7 at 319-826-PARK.

If calling for bookings, you will be transferred to the office. See “flight ready parking” on both Facebook and Instagram.