Official Tampa Car Rental Thread

[Southernswthrt]

Is there an official Tampa car rental thread? I couldn't find one, so figured I'd start it.

We're flying in to Tampa for the first time this December, and although I've flown into MCO and rented there many times, I have NO IDEA what to expect in Tampa! SW prices to Orlando are outrageous these days

Here are my questions. Feel free to jump in!

1. Does Alamo/National have a standard section in TPA (or would you select from the full-size section)?
2. In general, how is the car selection there?
3. Which in-terminal companies have you used? I've always used Alamo or National at MCO, but will consider others if the price is right.
4. For those of you with personal experience at TPA, do you have any suggestions/warnings, etc.?

TIA

 

[snoopy5386]

Renting out of Tampa in October, so I'm interested in this too!

 

[Southernswthrt]

Just found this thread from 2010 re: Standard/full-size cars @ Tampa
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2366520

 

[thumperjr9]

We will be renting with National out of Tampa 8/18-8/26. We saved on airfare along with non-stop flights with great times, though it looks like we will be paying more than we are use to paying in MCO ($239 for standard for 8 days). I will try to remember to post our experience when we get back. We did rent last Oct. one-way MCO to TPA and no problem returning...drop off was same experience as MCO.

BTW Dollar is much cheaper for our dates (city special) but they charge for addl. driver so it would bring the price up to almost as much as National. If you will only have one driver you might want to consider.

 

[LisaTC]

Did this last year, doing it again this year.

Last year: Flew into TPA from CAK and out of MCO to CAK, saved $100/pp. No brainer. It was an easy, peasy drive to WDW - we stayed at POR. Highway great, not heavy traffic. It was October. Rented with National (Emerald Club) Join it, so worth it. Check it out on Mousesavers or on Nationalcar.com. Even if you don't rent that much, you reserve midsize and can pick whatever is in the aisle and bypass the counter. We ended up with a Kia Sorrento with about 100 miles on it. I get a great discount for leisure rentals from my work - check for employer codes. Flyertalk.com has a great thread on this as well. There's always coupons and you can use more than one coupon at a time. I've done it.

This year: Flying R/T into TPA from CAK. Saving $100 over the above scenario and $300 over CAK to MCO R/T. **We could have saved even more if we flew out of Columbus, but it's an over 2 hour drive each way. 4 hours in the car...not happening and the CAK airport is half an hour and really a nice, smaller airport. Although, it was tempting. We are actually paying a tiny bit less than last years fare. We are on AirTran.

It was about a 70 minute drive to POR from TPA. It is a nice airport and the rental area was easy to get to and exit from. I'm thinking TPA will be my go to airport for WDW if I can continue to get it for less and we always rent a car. MCO is gigundous!

 

[thumperjr9]

Did this last year, doing it again this year.

Last year: Flew into TPA from CAK and out of MCO to CAK, saved $100/pp. No brainer. It was an easy, peasy drive to WDW - we stayed at POR. Highway great, not heavy traffic. It was October. Rented with National (Emerald Club) Join it, so worth it. Check it out on Mousesavers or on Nationalcar.com. Even if you don't rent that much, you reserve midsize and can pick whatever is in the aisle and bypass the counter. We ended up with a Kia Sorrento with about 100 miles on it. I get a great discount for leisure rentals from my work - check for employer codes. Flyertalk.com has a great thread on this as well. There's always coupons and you can use more than one coupon at a time. I've done it.

This year: Flying R/T into TPA from CAK. Saving $100 over the above scenario and $300 over CAK to MCO R/T. **We could have saved even more if we flew out of Columbus, but it's an over 2 hour drive each way. 4 hours in the car...not happening and the CAK airport is half an hour and really a nice, smaller airport. Although, it was tempting. We are actually paying a tiny bit less than last years fare. We are on AirTran.

It was about a 70 minute drive to POR from TPA. It is a nice airport and the rental area was easy to get to and exit from. I'm thinking TPA will be my go to airport for WDW if I can continue to get it for less and we always rent a car. MCO is gigundous!

Thanks for posting this because it reminded me I was going to come back and comment on our experience on our Aug. trip. We flew in to TPA from ROC on 8/18 and flew out on 8/26. Our reason for using TPA intead of MCO was the savings on the flights as well. Not to mention we were able to get non-stop flights with excellent times on AirTran.

Our experience is almost exactly the same as yours. We rented with National (Emerald Club) as we have always done in MCO. We ended up picking a Nissan Altima. We did pay a little more than we are use to which was a little frustrating. However looking back I think the rates were probably a little higher because our trip overlapped with the arrivals for the Republican National Convention.

The process for getting the car was quick and easy as well and also very easy drive to and from WDW. We were checking into CSR after just a little over an hour drive. We would definitely fly into Tampa again for cheaper fares and non-stop flights. The only thing we missed....well I should say my DS13 missed was the Disney and Universal stores at MCO.

 

[jjj444]

Count me in! We fly in October 18th and as of right now have a Alamo compact car for 8 days for $222. I Have never paid this much before and am hoping I can find a better deal. My husband is a member of National through his company, but I can never find good deals through them??? I was hoping to pay around $125 which is what I paid last year in May, am I out of line to think we can get that again??

I used the vroom code through alamo.

We are flying into Tampa to go see Winter the dolphin

 

[LisaTC]

Count me in! We fly in October 18th and as of right now have a Alamo compact car for 8 days for $222. I Have never paid this much before and am hoping I can find a better deal. My husband is a member of National through his company, but I can never find good deals through them??? I was hoping to pay around $125 which is what I paid last year in May, am I out of line to think we can get that again??

I used the vroom code through alamo.

We are flying into Tampa to go see Winter the dolphin

$125 for 8 days...for a compact, maybe through hotwire or price line, but that seems like an unheard of bargain. Since your DH has National through work is he a member of the Emerald Club? You rent a midsize and get whatever is in the aisle. We rented a midsize and got a Kia Sorrento (crossover SUV) very nice. I wonder if his work gives employees a leisure rate code. Mine does. We ended up paying $187 for Sat - Sat rental last time. Plus even if he has a code you can often plop another coupon on top of it. Check out:

http://www.mousesavers.com/national-rental-car-discounts/

We thought about seeing Winter, too! Too cool...

 

[mickeyinthehouse]

We are flying into TPA Oct. 6th. We are also going to visit Winter when we arrive. We need a minivan since we will have quite a few suitcases. The best I have found so far is $244 for 8 days through Enterprise. The rates have fluctuated every day so I just keep checking throughout the day to see if anything better will come along. We will be flying back from TPA as well. We saved money on the flights but were really driven by the fact that the kids wanted to go see Winter.

 

[LisaTC]

We are flying into TPA Oct. 6th. We are also going to visit Winter when we arrive. We need a minivan since we will have quite a few suitcases. The best I have found so far is $244 for 8 days through Enterprise. The rates have fluctuated every day so I just keep checking throughout the day to see if anything better will come along. We will be flying back from TPA as well. We saved money on the flights but were really driven by the fact that the kids wanted to go see Winter.

That seems like a good rate for a minivan for 8 days. I wouldn't turn it down, that's for sure! Oddly, Enterprise Holdings is the parent company for Enterprise, National, Alamo & WeCar rental companies, yet...all different rates. Go figure.

 

[ccgirl]

Count me in! We fly in October 18th and as of right now have a Alamo compact car for 8 days for $222. I Have never paid this much before and am hoping I can find a better deal. My husband is a member of National through his company, but I can never find good deals through them??? I was hoping to pay around $125 which is what I paid last year in May, am I out of line to think we can get that again??

I used the vroom code through alamo.

We are flying into Tampa to go see Winter the dolphin

I looked on carrentalsavers.com for you where I always find great deals . From OCt 18 - Oct 26th the lowest I saw was $273 for an economy. I just got $12 a day for a premium car Columbus Day weekend. Not sure why that week is so high. So, I would say the rate you got is pretty good

 

[jjj444]

I know I don't get why they are higher for this week?? I will keep checking a few times a day and see if they budge at all. I would love anything around $150 and I keep checking the september boards and it doesn't look like they are getting any deals either.