Flying into smaller, local, and regional airports has its perks — but the rental car counter is often not one of them. Smaller airports often have limited rental car counters where lines can grow quickly, leaving you left to wait in a long line after waiting for your checked baggage (and there’s nothing worse than more waiting after a long flight when you’re eager to start your vacation). Luckily, there’s a simple airport hack you can use to beat the rental car rush, leaving you with less airport stress and more time for your actual trip. Below, Jennifer Yellin of Points Path lets us in on this simple, yet effective rental car airport hack.
The rental car hack
“At smaller airports, the car rentals are typically right near baggage claim. That means no waiting for shuttles and leaving the airport. At many larger airports, you’ll find that car rentals are offsite,” says Yellin. And while there are shuttles that’ll typically take you there from right outside the terminal (depending on the car rental company), you’re still leaving the premises and returning to the airport is a pain,” she says.
Meanwhile, at smaller airports, travelers can easily race to the car rental line, beating the rush and getting their keys before their luggage even hits the baggage carousel. If you wait for your bags first, by the time most passengers collect their bags, you may find yourself in a very long line. Meanwhile, those who “zig instead of zag” already have their rental car keys in hand. This small shift can mean less airport stress and more time for the actual trip.
This simple, quick strategy can save travelers time, as checked bags typically take at least 20 minutes to appear at baggage claim. Rather than waiting around for the bag, travelers can head straight to the rental car counter before retrieving their luggage.
Saving time
Per Yellin, the amount of time you can save with this hack depends on the location, but waiting for luggage can easily take at least 10 minutes. “Instead, you can utilize those waiting minutes by being one of the first in line to pick up your car. Additionally, car rental locations at smaller airports only have two employees, so if there’s a long line after you grab your luggage, you could be waiting for some time. And remember, not everyone checks luggage, so by the time you get your luggage, a line has already formed,” she notes.
The risk (and the solution)
On a recent trip to Kauai, I experienced Yellin’s advice play out first-hand. This small island airport had an especially small rental car center that was not equipped to handle the large influx of tourists needing rental cars. However, if you’re traveling solo, this car rental hack does come with a small risk.
“If your luggage goes on the carousel belt when you aren’t present, you do risk your bag being taken by accident — especially if it looks similar to many other bags,” Yellin notes. When traveling solo, packing only a carry-on bag (when possible) may be a safer bet to save time and ensure you can dash right to the rental car counter once you’re on the ground.
Those flying with at least one other person can easily put this rental car hack in motion, using the “divide and conquer” strategy and eliminating the risk of stolen luggage. When traveling with my husband, one of us goes to retrieve the rental car while the other stays behind to retrieve the checked luggage, helping us save time and get on our way faster (just be sure of whose name you put on the rental car reservation as the driver).
