Alamo Online Check-in

[Goofypop]

Has anyone used this? Is it really as hassle free as it appears to be? I signed up for the Alamo Insider membership and I saw that they have a "skip the counter" option.

National (Alamo's sister company) has this and we rented a mid-size SUV one time and I went to the "Mid-Size SUV" aisle and we got in and drove to the gate where we were told that it was a Standard Size SUV that we had, a Jeep Grand Cherokee. She let us have it for that price but It was clearly in the mid-size aisle. I had no idea that it was a Standard.

So, is Alamo the same way about this? Is it as hassle free as they claim?

 

[Dan Murphy]

I have never done online check in for Alamo, always use the kiosk. Once I forgot, just did the same as National, pick car and drive out. Never a problem. And if a car is in a particular aisle, then you can take that, even if it might not seem like it belongs there.

 

[dudspizza]

I have done online check in and it really was that easy. I love National's Emerald Club and it was very similar to using EC. The only downfall if that you cannot use online check in if you are using a coupon, which I almost always do. You would then have to use the kiosk or counter in that situation.

duds

 

[Goofypop]

I have done online check in and it really was that easy. I love National's Emerald Club and it was very similar to using EC. The only downfall if that you cannot use online check in if you are using a coupon, which I almost always do. You would then have to use the kiosk or counter in that situation.

duds

I'm going to use an AMVETS discount so that means I have to go to the counter? Couldn't I just show it at the exit gate with my paperwork?

 

[francie57]

We used on-line check-in a week ago and it was fantastic. We walked out to the garage and I asked the Alamo employee if we just pick the car and go and she actually handed me a set of keys for a full-size SUV (got a great price through BJs warehouse - no coupon) and away we went. We just showed our paperwork (computer printout that I brought) and our licenses and we were done. If you use a coupon you can't do on-line check-in and I don' think you can just walk to the garage and do it at the exit gate. We have always had to use the kiosk or go the counter if we had a coupon.

 

[puffkin]

At MCO, the kiosks for Alamo are right at the door where you go out to cross the street to the garage. The kiosk takes 2 minutes tops. They have a bunch and I have never seen a wait. You just scan your CC, confirm your info, say no to a bunch of upgrade questions and then print your agreement. Then you walk out to your aisle, pick a car and head to the gate. SUPER easy.

 

[gmeh1]

@Francie,
What kind of and SUV did you get? We usually only hold premium keys in the garage. The rest are in the doors of the cars or on the roof.

 

[Goofypop]

So I could get my reservations set here at home with the AMVETS discount then when we get off of the plane I go to one of the kiosks in the Alamo section and finish everything up there? Then I go straight to my choice of car and drive to the gate? By using the kiosk I can skip dealing with a person and pick the car/SUV I want?

 

[francie57]

We rented a full size SUV - it was a Chevy Tahoe. I made my reservation last Sept. through BJs Warehouse and got it from 10:00 a.m. on 8/11 through 4:00 p.m. on 8/18 for $340. We did the on-line check-in and put in all the information about the two drivers, since BJs also gives a free second driver. I printed out the confirmation and when we arrived at MCO we got our luggage - since we upgraded to first class on our Delta flight for basically $25 more than what the luggage fee would be, our baggage was actually the first pieces off the plane. We went through baggage claim and the Alamo garage and were out of the airport in about 25 min. As I said, when we walked over to the garage I just stopped an Alamo employee to see if I had to go to the booth they had there and she said to wait a minute and she came back with the keys and told us which vehicle to take. None of the full size SUVs in our row had the keys in them. We rented a regular SUV last summer and we just walked and picked which one we wanted and they all had the keys in the door. After we got the key from the employee, we loaded up and just had to show our confirmation and licenses/cc at the exit. This was the quickest and best picking up of a car that we have ever had. Last year we used the kiosk since we had a coupon and the kiosk wouldn't cooperate for the extra driver so we had to go to the counter which takes forever!

 

[Dan Murphy]

So I could get my reservations set here at home with the AMVETS discount then when we get off of the plane I go to one of the kiosks in the Alamo section and finish everything up there? Then I go straight to my choice of car and drive to the gate? By using the kiosk I can skip dealing with a person and pick the car/SUV I want?

Yes, that is correct.

 

[gmeh1]

We rented a full size SUV - it was a Chevy Tahoe. I made my reservation last Sept. through BJs Warehouse and got it from 10:00 a.m. on 8/11 through 4:00 p.m. on 8/18 for $340. We did the on-line check-in and put in all the information about the two drivers, since BJs also gives a free second driver. I printed out the confirmation and when we arrived at MCO we got our luggage - since we upgraded to first class on our Delta flight for basically $25 more than what the luggage fee would be, our baggage was actually the first pieces off the plane. We went through baggage claim and the Alamo garage and were out of the airport in about 25 min. As I said, when we walked over to the garage I just stopped an Alamo employee to see if I had to go to the booth they had there and she said to wait a minute and she came back with the keys and told us which vehicle to take. None of the full size SUVs in our row had the keys in them. We rented a regular SUV last summer and we just walked and picked which one we wanted and they all had the keys in the door. After we got the key from the employee, we loaded up and just had to show our confirmation and licenses/cc at the exit. This was the quickest and best picking up of a car that we have ever had. Last year we used the kiosk since we had a coupon and the kiosk wouldn't cooperate for the extra driver so we had to go to the counter which takes forever!

Chevy Tahoe is considered a "premium" SUV. Full size SUV's aka "SUV's" all have the keys in the door and are in a different row from the Tahoes. Tahos, Durangos, Suburbans etc are premiums and the keys are held in the booth inside the garage. Esclades are considered Luxury SUVs.
Rule of thumb with Alamo, National or Enterprise: if the key is not in the door on on the roof (sometimes the key is a different size/shape) it is a premium or luxury vehicle.
It is very confusing, trust me, and learning this was incredibly confusing and I sent vehicles to the wrong place more than once. LOL

 

[francie57]

Didn't realize the Tahoe was premium since the Alamo site lists it as a full size SUV and lists the Suburban as a premium. Either way, we only reserved a full size and had a great price so I guess we really made out in the deal!!