Washington, D.C. – Travelers at Reagan National Airport (DCA) will soon face parking challenges as the airport begins construction on a new three-story parking garage to replace the existing economy lot.

The $40 million project, managed by outside contractor Kiwi Newton, aims to improve parking availability, but it comes at a temporary cost. Beginning Monday, the airport will start blocking off sections of the lot, gradually reducing available spaces throughout construction.

Limited Parking During Construction

At the height of construction, 1,100 of the lot’s 2,680 spaces will be unavailable, forcing travelers to adjust their parking plans. Some frequent flyers say this long-awaited upgrade is much needed.

“Parking should be better,” traveler Pearl Butt said.

Many travelers have expressed frustration over the existing economy lot’s lack of organization.

“It’s difficult,” said a traveler named Mike. “There’s no indication of where a free space may be, so you find yourself going up and down the aisles.”

Travelers Adapting to Parking Challenges

For some frequent flyers, the loss of parking spaces is a major inconvenience.

Ariel Tavernier, who travels for work twice a month, said the parking situation may force her to fly out of a different airport altogether.

“I travel a lot for work,” Tavernier said. “So, it's very important that I just be able to get to the airport quickly and park… I'm going to probably fly from Dulles now because I need to park easier.”

Airport Officials Recommend Online Reservations

To help ease the transition, DCA officials strongly recommend travelers reserve parking ahead of time online at flyreagan.com.

Officials say that online reservations offer cheaper rates than paying in person and that only a limited number of spaces will be available for drive-up customers. Travelers who arrive without a reservation may be turned away if no spots remain.

“I would have to make sure I plan my parking because I came here,” Butt added.

Benefits of the New Garage

Despite the short-term inconvenience, some travelers see an upside to the construction. The new garage will provide covered parking, which will protect vehicles from harsh weather conditions.

“I’m happy that it will be covered parking for [when it’s raining],” Tavernier said. “I know we're going to have snow, so I don’t want to come back to a car with ice and all that on it.”

Officials Recommend Alternative Transportation

Given the parking limitations, D.C. officials strongly encourage travelers to use Metro or rideshare services to avoid the hassle of finding parking at the airport altogether.

Construction on the new garage is expected to continue into next year, and travelers are advised to plan accordingly as the project progresses.

Originally reported by Jessica Albert (News 4 Reporter) in NBC Washington.