"Cell phone" parking lot at Oakland airport worked very well.
 

thanks to several "fodorites" picking up family at OAK worked very well...
Web site for the airport gives very good map-directions. Flight was due in at 10 PM... I arrived in the area about 9:20 followed signs and map. Into "No charge cell phone lot "9:30 . Parked, read my book--
family called me on cell phone as they were leaving baggage claim. i pulled out of lot right on to street that took me to "arrivals" picked them up and we were on our way home with no delays...
Of course this was a low traffic time of day..
This was the easiest pick-up ever....

I used the cell phone lot at BHM (Birmingham, AL) a few months ago and it also worked like a charm. Saved a lot of time and trouble.

I don't know how it would work in the heat of summer during the day. You'd have to keep your A/C and engine running.

Traveler, thank you for update. In the past the "waiting lot" was, briefly, right across the road from the terminal. Glad the current location works well too. Thanks to your info, I'll defintely give it a try next time, insted of circling over and over on the airport road.

There is a new one at the Philly airport, but I understand some people still wait on the shoulder of the approaching highway. ((*))

Jed, my brother lives in Philly, and apparently it is a huge long circle to drive if you have to re-enter the airport, so everybody waits on the ramp. That cellphone lot is a real gas saver, will make that ramp much safer once everybody starts using the lot.

Cell phone lot at Tampa International works like a charm.

We have family that uses the cell phone lot at OAK and loves it. Here at PDX it is new, and I am so glad they finally did it! The planes literally fly right over you, and last time we picked up my DH he said he could see our vehicle, lol!

The one in Charleston, SC is great.

This sounds like a great idea. Anyone know if there's one for Newark airport?

Last time I had to pick someone up I tried pulling over and got yelled at by security. Sure would be good to know.

I just called EWR. There is no cell phone parking area. ((*))