Please help with airport car rental return!!

[wildformickey]

I am a newbie to DW and will be renting a car from National via their EA. We will be flying American Airlines and I'm not sure which terminal American flies out of. Will I be able to do curb side checkin while I still have the rental car, check our bags with curb side checkin, and then return car to EA? It will be just my 11y/o DS and I so I don't want to have to leave him alone anywhere. Is it easy to find the rental car return areas at the airport? Any rental car return info to National would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by wildformickey
I am a newbie to DW and will be renting a car from National via their EA. We will be flying American Airlines and I'm not sure which terminal American flies out of. Will I be able to do curb side checkin while I still have the rental car, check our bags with curb side checkin, and then return car to EA? It will be just my 11y/o DS and I so I don't want to have to leave him alone anywhere. Is it easy to find the rental car return areas at the airport? Any rental car return info to National would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

If it is not busy you will probably be able to flag down a skycap who will check your bags for you whiile you curbside. Then you can take the car back to National's return. MCO is has a lot of signs, there will be no problem for you. As to what side AA is on, you will know that when you land, and when you return, again, read the signs.

You can also go to the Orlando website and find out what side AA flies in and out of.

 

[CarolA]

If you are flying while we are at condition orange, I recommend you not leave your car unattended for ANY reason. They tow first and ask questions later. I saw them towing at MCO on Christmas day.

As Gail mentioned, if there is no line at Skycap they will come to the car. If not, you will have to get out and get in line. If there are two of you one could get in line and one could wait with the car, just be prepared that you might have to drive around if the police tell you to move!

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by CarolA
If you are flying while we are at condition orange, I recommend you not leave your car unattended for ANY reason. They tow first and ask questions later. I saw them towing at MCO on Christmas day.

As Gail mentioned, if there is no line at Skycap they will come to the car. If not, you will have to get out and get in line. If there are two of you one could get in line and one could wait with the car, just be prepared that you might have to drive around if the police tell you to move!

I am not sure they will let an 11 y/o check in for a flight.

 

[CarolA]

Opps, then if there is a line at skycap I guess you will just have to go park and take your luggage over. If you have too much luggage the rental guys can call you a skycap. (Allow extra time for this, they can be slow getting there!)
Normally you can kind of keep one eye on the car, but when we go to Condition Orange they tend to get VERY strict in the interpretation of leaving your car. (Not that I blame them!)

 

[n2mm]

I personally would just take your car to the rental return and you and your daughter take care of the luggage. There has always been rental luggage carts at the car drop off sections (I always use National and sometime Dollar). Allow enough time to drag your luggage over yourself or rent a cart. My husband and I always go together to drop off the car and the 2 of us just roll our bags across the street and up the elevator to the checkin kiosk. It's never been a problem. If not, you will be so stressed out over so many issues: the terror level; if there's a line; leaving your child alone; willl your bags be OK; will the cops make you move--or get towed;and the list goes on. So stop worrying about it and just make the decision that the 2 of you can do this together. You surely don't want these issues zipping around in your head while you're on vacation. Have fun!

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by n2mm
I personally would just take your car to the rental return and you and your daughter take care of the luggage. There has always been rental luggage carts at the car drop off sections (I always use National and sometime Dollar). Allow enough time to drag your luggage over yourself or rent a cart. My husband and I always go together to drop off the car and the 2 of us just roll our bags across the street and up the elevator to the checkin kiosk. It's never been a problem. If not, you will be so stressed out over so many issues: the terror level; if there's a line; leaving your child alone; willl your bags be OK; will the cops make you move--or get towed;and the list goes on. So stop worrying about it and just make the decision that the 2 of you can do this together. You surely don't want these issues zipping around in your head while you're on vacation. Have fun!

Dee usually drops me with the bags at curbside, he checks in with the skycap and returns the car. I take care of the rest of the checking in. He meets me outside and away we go. So much easier than schlepping the luggage from the garage.

 

[hercamore]

Hi Austin neighbor. Have a great time with your DS in Orlando!

I hope it is warm weather there for you.

Ok, AA is termina A. We have flown AA severals times out of Rochester to Chicago then Orlando. The Rochester departure flight is usally on time, but both times for us the Chicago flight was delayed. Be prepared for waiting Take a bottle of water for each of you incase the plane needs to de-ice this time of year.

I never do curbside checkin. My first goal is to get rid of the rental car.

I take the 417 highway (south exit to airport), watch the signs for AA, (lstay in left lane) take the car rental exit down in the parking garage.

The attendant will check your mileage and fuel tank and give you a receipt. Take your bags across the st and up the elevators to AA terminal checkin. Watch for signs. You'll be fine.

Get to the airport at least two hours before depature. MCO can get very busy. herc..

 

[kda]

Don't know which terminal AA is in, but we drop off in the Delta terminal and the final sign to indicate where you turn into the garage might get overlooked. All the previous signs are large and high above your head. The last sign is only 6-8 feet above ground and doesn't seem to give much notice before you do a left hand turn. Just drive slowly.

At 9:30 AM in November, there was a line of at least 10 different families at the Song skycap desk. This is the busiest we've ever seen it --- perhaps people are catching on that this is a good place to check in. (We ended up going inside and were checked in via the kiosk in less than 5 minutes.) It's certainly worth a try, but I wouldn't attempt it if there's people waiting in line because security won't want you to take that much time.

 

[wildformickey]

Thanks to everyone for the information. I have learned soooo much reading these threads and without all you guys I would be prematurely grey over this trip. Ive decided to just relax and take the rental car back first and we'll wheel our luggage across the street. With security the way I imagine it will be, I think I will save alot of stress doing it this way. Thanks again for the great info. Nice hearing from you again Herc.

 

[Kitster]

American Airlines is in Terminal A and returning the car is no problem at all.