Hertz at LAX - prepare for long waits

[carolina_yankee]

We had a rude awakening landing in LAX on Friday afternoon. At 1 pm, the line for the regular pick-ups at the Hertz counter (lot, not terminal) was about 45 minutes. We had to use regular because we had a Priceline ressie. Otherwise, the trip out from PHL was pretty charmed.

Also - note that the Southwest terminal is the first on the shuttle pick-up route, so you have to orbit the entire airport to get to the Hertz lot. Advantage is that it is first stop for departures, too.

Big difference from the AVIS counter at Orange County last year (also Priceline) when no one was in line.

But, they upgraded us to full size with GPS.

Dirk

 

[brenda1966]

45 minutes sounds like a dream wait after it taking 3 hours to get my car from BUDGET last year. Do you think I will be renting a car from them out of LAX again? NO! The line wraped outside the building and down 2 sides of it. It was insane. It was a Saturday in July. Of course they didn't have the car I "reserved" and gave me the "free upgrade" to a gas guzzling van. Not a mini-van, a van. I was so glad to get out of there I would have taken anything....

 

[Danauk]

We will be renting from Hertz for our trip (we are gold club members). We won't need the car for the 1st 4 days of our trip so do you think it would be easier to get the shuttle to Disneyland and then get the car from the Hertz place on W Katella 4 days later? Or would it be worth the wait to get it from the airport? Is there a seperate express line for gold club members at LAX? Thanks

 

[hookem81]

Had a terrible experience at Hertz LAX last year. We waited 2 hours for our premium SUV as we have 8 people, including 3 young kids. I had never heard this one before, but we checked in very quickly and I was told where to pick up the SUV. Because of previous experiences, I am always nervous until I actually find the car. I found the car, opened the door, and NO KEY. I looked everywhere - no key.

I went back to the desk, and they said it had to be in there. They went out there with me and sure enough, no key. They basically admitted that someone on the property wanted this particular car and had taken the key (a perq allowed some of their employees) and that they knew the person would not admit to it. So we waited in their lousy facility for 2 hours while they unsuccessfully tried to make a key for this car and then ultimately someone returned an Expedition and we were on our way. Terrible start to the vacation.

Oh, and I am a Hertz Gold member too.