Avis Preferred is working in Orlando airport?

[lizaisabel]

Hi, what has been your experience for Avis preferred loyalty at Orlando airport? Have you been able to skip counter? I used it in NY in Nov 2023 and was such a relief to not need to stop at the counter. As soon as I turned on my phone I had a text and push notification with vehicle and spot.

 

[LAS2AMS]

Yes, works the same way at MCO.

 

[MICKIMINI]

Just don't pay in advance and then change your mind.

I paid in advance last year due to car shortages and even though I cancelled (went with another car) they charged me the entire amount $1400+. I had to fight it out through the credit card company and I won. They tried to say I "didn't return the car"...so I stole it? We went back and forth several times...that is how hard they fought to make me pay for a car I cancelled. Buyer beware.

 

[peacefrogdog]

It kinda worked for us. Our flight into MCO was scheduled to arrive at 2130. At 1900 (before departing) I got a message showing the car assigned to us and the parking spot. I ensured our flight number was registered with the reservation. By the time we landed at 2200h (delayed by 30 min) I got a push notification that my car was cancelled. My reservation actually no longer appeared in my app. I bypassed the counter and went right to the garage - my name wasn't on the board. However the person at the stand was able to look up my reservation and just assigned me a new vehicle.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

It kinda worked for us. Our flight into MCO was scheduled to arrive at 2130. At 1900 (before departing) I got a message showing the car assigned to us and the parking spot. I ensured our flight number was registered with the reservation. By the time we landed at 2200h (delayed by 30 min) I got a push notification that my car was cancelled. My reservation actually no longer appeared in my app. I bypassed the counter and went right to the garage - my name wasn't on the board. However the person at the stand was able to look up my reservation and just assigned me a new vehicle.

What time did you reserve your car? Was it before your flight was scheduled to arrive? Inputting your flight number helps on the not being charged for your rental should your flight get cancelled but it won't hold your reservation in their system should your selected pick up time be too off from your flight time. From your scenario it sounds like you input a pick up time for before your flight even departed, it's not common to receive a car assigning and parking spot before your flight has even left. In all the years that my husband has had Avis Preferred it's never happened.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

We've used it over the years at Orlando and even though we are not frequent to Orlando passengers it's worked as far as I can recall every time.

Last time we used it was January 2023.

 

[peacefrogdog]

What time did you reserve your car? Was it before your flight was scheduled to arrive? Inputting your flight number helps on the not being charged for your rental should your flight get cancelled but it won't hold your reservation in their system should your selected pick up time be too off from your flight time. From your scenario it sounds like you input a pick up time for before your flight even departed, it's not common to receive a car assigning and parking spot before your flight has even left. In all the years that my husband has had Avis Preferred it's never happened.

I had originally set my arrival time for 2100. When the airline changed the flight to arrive at 2130 a few weeks before the flight, I did not update that 30 min difference with Avis

When I got the notification of the car type/location at 7 pm, it came with a message that " the vehicle designated for your reservation (as indicated above) will remain available for 2 hours after your reservation time OR 2 hours after your flight has arrived at the airport." The cancellation message was in my email inbox when we landed at 10 pm. While it was then three hours past when I got the original notification, it was still within the 2 hour mark of my original reservation time (9 pm) , and definitely within the two hours after flight arrival.

At any rate, it's a cool system and makes renting with Avis worthwhile. Next time I'll aim to update Avis with a changed flight arrival time, even if it is just 30 min later.

 

[TheLyinKing]

Hi we just had a trip to Disney World in late October 2023. We used AVIS preferred. They had already picked out our car and lot by the time I got off the plane. Car was a bit dirty though which was my only complaint. But didn't have to stop at the counter!