Any "in terminal" car rentals at LAX? USED HERTZ

[jade1]

Cars look reasonable this weekend at LAX-but they all say "shuttle", are any easier/quicker than others? TIA.

Also wondering if I should decline ins-is it manditory in CA?

 

[travelcoupons]

They are all off site.

Used Alamo/National last year and shuttle took forever. Saw many of the other rental car shuttles 3 or 4 times or more before the Alamo shuttle showed up.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Cars look reasonable this weekend at LAX-but they all say "shuttle", are any easier/quicker than others? TIA.

Although there are rental car counters in the airport, getting to the actual cars requires a ride on a courtesy shuttle from the lower level (baggage claim level). The ride can be a couple of miles. Unlike some airports where the car rental companies all share the same a multi-company shuttle fleet, the various rental car brands (or co-brands such as National/Alamo) at LAX have their own shuttles. It's matter of luck how long they take. Usually Hertz comes frequently, but a few years ago, I must have waited a half hour for Hertz at LAX.

Only a limited list of rental car companies are allowed to pick up within the airport. See http://www.lawa.org/welcome_lax.aspx?id=1294

For other companies, you first have to take a parking lot shuttle to remote lot C. Then you have to wait there for your rental car courtesy shuttle.

Also wondering if I should decline ins-is it manditory in CA?

Check with your insurance company and your credit car company regarding rental car insurance coverage. Don't go by any advice you might get on this forum.

 

[jade1]

Helpfull thanks, I think I will attempt one of the terminal pick up shuttles from that list. arrive about noon sat so will see what happens.

 

[corster]

There are also some car rental locations located in Airport Hotels near LAX and you can sometimes save the airport taxes by renting from one of them... and taking the Hotel's shuttle to the hotel.

 

[Yul]

There are also some car rental locations located in Airport Hotels near LAX and you can sometimes save the airport taxes by renting from one of them... and taking the Hotel's shuttle to the hotel.

Good idea - you don't have by any chance a few names of hotels that offer such a service ?

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

There are also some car rental locations located in Airport Hotels near LAX and you can sometimes save the airport taxes by renting from one of them... and taking the Hotel's shuttle to the hotel.

Do you have experience doing his recently at LAX? Can you quantify the savings? Were you allowed on the hotel shuttle without a hotel room reservation?

One thing that I've seen in recent years is that hotels tend to add on "hotel access fees" that are roughly equivalent to airport access fees. Sales taxes and tourist taxes on car rentals are imposed by state and local governments, not by the airports. Such taxes are the same at hotel car rental counters, freestanding car rental offices, and airports in the same area. (My experiences have been in Illinois and Florida.)

My experience with hotel shuttles is that they run much less frequently than rental car shuttles and that they are meant for hotel guests.

Again, I would be interested in actual experiences at LAX. To me, this seems to be one of those ideas that sounds good in theory, but that, in reality, might lead to wasted time and no real money savings. But perhaps I am mistaken.

 

[corster]

Good idea - you don't have by any chance a few names of hotels that offer such a service ?

It's obviously not a recognized service, the hotels likely frown on this. However, at LAX where the hotel shuttles are generally multi hotel shuttles not run by the hotels themselves, you generally have an easier time.

I did it once out of the Hilton Airport Hotel at LAX, I actually got a Hertz rate that was half the price of Airport Hertz - plus it was actually a shorter shuttle ride than to the Hertz lot.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

There are also some car rental locations located in Airport Hotels near LAX and you can sometimes save the airport taxes by renting from one of them... and taking the Hotel's shuttle to the hotel.

Warning. The hotel shuttles are pretty bad. They all stop at several hotels and are slower then the rental car shuttles

 

[corster]

Warning. The hotel shuttles are pretty bad. They all stop at several hotels and are slower then the rental car shuttles

Very true.

 

[jade1]

Used Hertz, may be luck but was awsome. Bus came in about 5 min, got a new Escape cheap, on return the bus was sitting there empty waiting for us and they took just us 2 right to Delta. Also some guy cleaned out the car quick and came running over to the bus with DS's itouch, gave him a $20 (should have been more after I thought about it) and a super thanks.