Offsite with Pickup Rental Question

[supamaki]

Someone posted this on Reddit, and I was wondering if anyone has any experience with being picked up at the airport.

"Some advice from a former rental car employee. Don’t rent from the airport if you don’t have to. They’ll charge you a lot more in taxes. There are numerous off airport locations in the area with cheaper rates. If you’re nearby, these local offices also typically offer free pickup/drop off service. (Meaning they’ll pick you up, not bring the car to you..)"

 

[scrapquitler]

True, but keep in mind that you will likely need to take a shuttle from the airport to the rental location, and vice versa. We ran into a situation the one time that I used an off airport rental place that we returned the car and were waiting for the shuttle to return to the airport, and after waiting for the shuttle, it was full, so we had to wait for the next one, and it took FOREVER. We ended up waiting almost an hour between when we returned the car and when we actually got on the shuttle. It was very stressful.

Not to mention that we didn't get to choose the car from the aisle like at the airport. That might not be a big deal to most people, but I wasn't happy that I reserved a mini van and ended up with an Armada, which I was barely able to get into and out of, and which got TERRIBLE gas mileage, so it cost me a fortune in gas for the two weeks I had it.

 

[supamaki]

I didn't mean offsite with a shuttle, the OP stated you could get picked up at the airport.

 

[bumbershoot]

Meaning they’ll pick you up, not bring the car to you..)"

That’s using a shuttle.

you will likely need to take a shuttle from the airport to the rental location, and vice versa.

after waiting for the shuttle, it was full, so we had to wait for the next one, and it took FOREVER.

I didn't mean offsite with a shuttle, the OP stated you could get picked up at the airport.

Your OP said being picked up, not having the car brought. That’s a shuttle. I think scrap answered you well.


I would not do this. Mco has one of the most convenient rental car systems out there. I’ve rarely been charged a lot more in taxes, and if I was it’s worth being able to walk out of the building and over to pick out my vehicle and drive off.

 

[sam_gordon]

I didn't mean offsite with a shuttle, the OP stated you could get picked up at the airport.

If they'll pick you up and bring you to the car, that's shuttling. Could you save some money? Sure. Enough to justify the added time to be SHUTTLED to the offsite location before doing all the paperwork? I'd doubt that, but maybe. If you want to go through the exercise of pricing a car rental picking it up at the airport vs an offsite, go for it.

 

[kaytieeldr]

The taxes ad fees may be cheaper, but the base cost of the rental could easily have you paying more overall.

 

[supamaki]

My mistake, I for some reason assumed they would meet you with your car, not a shuttle

 

[sam_gordon]

My mistake, I for some reason assumed they would meet you with your car, not a shuttle

Even if they did, you'd probably have to take the employee back to the office.