Alamo Car Rental Kauai Hawaii - In the summer of 2021, rental car companies seem to be caught off guard by the sudden increase in demand for rental cars. Rental companies have reduced their fleets and staff to face the worst of the pandemic crisis. Then, suddenly, travelers started hitting the road again, and impossibly long lines outside car rental centers became commonplace.
Unfortunately, we're still not past the worst of the rental car recovery crisis. The average size of Hertz's American fleet was still 34% smaller in the fall of 2021 than in the fall of 2019, and Hertz cannot close that difference of 200,000 vehicles overnight. Add to that the staff shortage and the upcoming holidays, and the conditions are in place for long waiting times to become a serious problem again.
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In fact, online car reservation service AutoSlash saw a 65% increase in rental car reservations for Thanksgiving 2021 compared to 2019. Rental cars in popular tourist destinations like Kauai, Hawaii, were book before the 2021 holidays, according to Autoslash.
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No one wants to delay the start of their vacation or trip to visit friends and family by waiting in line at a car agency. Here are our top tips for avoiding long queues at car hire counters.
If you want to be one of the many people who pass the check-in counter to pick up their keys and leave, make sure to:
For some car rental companies, avoiding the queue is as simple as signing up for the company's loyalty program. For example, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards members can skip the counter and collect their car from the car park at most major airports.
AutoSlash provides a detailed list of programs that allow you to skip the meter just by signing up for the loyalty program. However, not all major brands offer this option to their members. You want to avoid companies that require all tenants to take the keys to the account.
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Note that it is not enough to enroll in a program. Be sure to complete the critical step of adding your Loyalty Number when reserving your rental car. Even when booking a rental car through a third party like Priceline, you can enter your rewards number. The extra effort is worth the time saved at the bank.
A better way to avoid long lines at the airport car center is to have elite status with a car company. You may already have access to elite car rental status through a credit card or by leveraging your airline or hotel elite status.
For example, Platinum Card® cardholders from American Express can enroll in Avis Preferred, National Car Rental Emerald Club and special elite-type benefits when renting through Hertz. Conditions apply.
IHG Rewards Spire Elite members can register for Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Five Star elite status. Five Star status comes with benefits such as free upgrades, bonus points and no additional charges for your spouse or domestic partner.
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Some car rental companies allow you to skip the counter by checking in online before arriving at the rental location. For example, for some Alamo locations, you can use the free Skip the Counter option to check out, submit your payment and accept the rental agreement, all online. Once you arrive at the rental point, you can collect your vehicle from the parking lot.
It may seem counter-intuitive to rent from a place outside the airport to save time. But renting from these places can save time and money.
"You can avoid many taxes and fees charged by rental companies at the airport," says Jonathan Weinberg, CEO and Founder of AutoSlash. "And it can also be a more convenient option since you can skip the line and the airport shuttle by taking a taxi or carpool to a local office nearby."
Savvy renters can also save time on the return by booking a one-way rental at an off-airport location and returning the car at an airport location. Just make sure to take into account the waiting time and the cost of additional transportation to the location outside the airport.
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Another way to avoid long lines to get a rental car is to not rent a car from a traditional rental company. Instead, you can rent a car through a car rental alternative, such as Turo, and arrange for the car to be picked up from the airport.
Most car rental companies offer so many ways to avoid long lines at their check-in counters that it's a wonder there are lines. In many airports, car rental companies allow loyalty program members to bypass the counter by simply providing their number in the reservation. Other rental companies allow renters to check in online to avoid the counter.
Creative ways to avoid long lines at car rental centers—and potentially save money—include renting from off-airport locations or peer-to-car rental services. Keep all this in mind the next time you book a rental car and enjoy the stress-free process.
If you purchase a product or create an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. By browsing this site, we may share your information with our social partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Summer travel is in full swing and car rentals are hard to come by. Between the high prices and limited availability, this is the worst I've ever seen in my life. Car rentals are usually the last item to book after booking your flight and hotel, but check availability before planning a trip. I made my reservations with National and Hertz in April for a trip to Kauai last month (June). Fortunately, there were still a few vehicles available to reserve. I reserved a full-size SUV from National ($310/week + tax) and a minivan from Hertz ($285/week + tax). In view of the long wait (1.5 hours) with flights arriving later in the day, I took both vehicles for my group as my flight from SJC to LIH was the first flight of the day for arriving from the mainland to Kauai.
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National Car Rental reservations were handled by Alamo due to COVID, so I hopped on the shuttle to pick up the SUV. When we arrived, the parking lot was full of cars and SUVs. I had no problem getting a Chevy Tahoe once my reservation pickup time was close to the actual time. Hertz is located next to Alamo in Lihue, so I went to their parking lot while waiting for Alamo to assign me an SUV. Lots of vans, cars and SUVs @ Hertz too. Hertz was very well organized: I just had to show my Hawaii Safe Travels QR code and my driver's license to get my pre-printed documents. Took only 5 minutes in line and then went to stand # with the papers which ended up being a Dodge Grand Caravan GT. After parking the minivan in the airport parking lot, I took the Alamo shuttle to pick up a Chevy Tahoe.
The horror stories you've heard on the news do exist, with no availability and at extreme prices (up to $700/day), but avoid them with the tips below...
PS It is also very difficult to find a rental in Alaska. Reserve a vehicle now if you plan to travel anywhere this year! The Vacationer has partnered with CardRatings for our credit card product coverage. Vacationer and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers if you make a purchase or apply for a credit card after clicking on a link on this site. This compensation may affect how and where offers appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). Vacationer does not review or include all possible offers, credit cards or credit card companies. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms and conditions apply to American Express benefits and offers. Registration may be required for certain American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
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If you are flying to Kauai, chances are you will land at Kauai's main airport, Lihue Airport. This airport is the only commercial airport on the island. It offers direct flights to the United States and Canada. In addition, it also offers flights to other Hawaiian islands, which are easy and quick to access (for example, Honolulu International is only a 20-minute flight away).
However, once you arrive at the airport, you will need to move around the island and therefore a rental car is highly recommended. Called The Garden Island, this fourth largest island in the Hawaiian chain is full of scenic views and drives.
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