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Car Rental

Many of the car rental companies will give miles for associated airline frequent flyer plans and some will give miles for renting, even if you didn't fly in. Some plans will also give points for associated hotel frequent visitor plans.

National Rental Car
National Rental Car. 1-800-CAR-RENT. Emerald Club Number: 1-800-328-1234.
They're Tilden in Canada. National tends to rent GM cars. Their Emerald Aisle service lets you pick the car you want, from a compact to a full-sized car, and bypass the counter (cost is usually about the same as an Intermediate car). You need your driver's license and Emerald Club card.

Hertz Car Rental
Hertz #1 Club: 1-800-CAR-GOLD.
Hertz is owned by Ford so they rent alot of Fords. I like their Hertz #1 Club where your car is ready in a slot with the trunk open. Sometimes the engine is already running by the time you get to the car; you can skip the counter. You just need your driver's license. Avis logo goes here
I haven't used Avis in a long time so I don't know how they are these days

Enterprise logo goes here

Budget logo goes here

Dollar Rent a Car logo goes here

Alamo

Don't forget to get your AAA membership. The supply of maps and tourbooks is worth it.

 Hertz Car Rental
#1 Club Gold
National Car Rental
Emerald Club/Aisle
Pros
  • No need to stop at the counter. Get on the bus and go to your car. If the cars are in a large lot, the bus will drop you off at your car.
  • Your car is waiting for you. A car is held for you.
  • No need to look for your car. Just pick one from the Emerald Aisle and drive off.
  • If the cars are in an open lot, Emerald Club members get dropped off at the cars first.
  • Fixed price so just pick the car you want.
  • My airline frequent flyer number is always on the rental agreement so I don't have to worry about it.
  • For regular rentals, rent by size and pick a car from the group in the lot.
  • I think you can just go and take a car; I don't think you absolutely need a reservation.
Cons
  • Have to go and look for your car.
  • They won't automatically put my frequent flyer number on the rental agreement. Most times I forget.
  • You've overpaid if you take a compact (or smaller car).
  • You have to go to the counter to get a compact car.
  • None of the cars are reserved; first come, first served. If they run out of cars, you have to wait.
Neutral
  • They rent Fords or Mazda's.
  • They rent General Motor cars. I don't like Buicks. The Oldsmobile Intrigue is a fun car to drive.

Attention! I had been renting in Minneapolis from National for several weeks and had a general idea about rental rates. The car rental companies play the same asinine game as the hotels and airlines: they charge whatever the market will bear and it changes from week to week, probably shifting to demand. For the National Emerald Aisle service, I paid anywhere from $24.99 a day to the highest of $52.99 a day. One day I decided to use the Hertz #1 Gold Club for a change of pace. They wanted $63.99 a day! And that was for an economy car. I usually get something as big as a Buick Century or Oldsmobile Intrigue or Pontiac Grand Am from National; from Hertz I usually rent a Ford Escort or Mazda Protege.

I would imagine that the other rental places are even cheaper than these two. Hertz seems to have the highest profile and at the new airport construction areas, they seem to get the best spot in the new rental facilities (such as in Minneapolis and San Francisco). I'm not sure if they're paying more rent for those locations or if they're charging more as a result of being in a better position. In San Francisco, it's a long walk to any rental counter other than Hertz.


Ottawa:

Man, is this place cold in the winter. They have tow trucks stalking all the major intersections waiting for cars that can't start.

  • Car Rental: I suggest renting a car from National. You have to walk outside to get to your car and they're the first group of cars. If it's really cold, you'll want to get to your car FAST. Others include Budget, Hertz, Avis, Thrifty, and Dollar (in that order). There is a Esso gas station right off 417 at Bronson which you'll take to the airport anyways.
Toronto:
  • Car Rentals: Tilden/National, Hertz, etc.
San Jose:

  • Car Rental: National (offsite), Enterprise, Alamo, etc.

San Francisco, California:

  • Car Rental: Must board the bus for Hertz, Avis, National, Enterprise (down the street from the rest), and Alamo (2 miles offsite), . There is a gas station at Millbrae Avenue, the exit just before the airport. You can also use this exit to return your car (same place, closer exit).

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:

  • Car Rental: National, Hertz, Avis, Enterprise (off-site, but close)
    If you're coming from downtown Philly, there are gas stations at Parker Avenue/Street. If coming from the south, take the exit before the airport.

Chicago

  • Car Rental: All the places are off-site. I've used Hertz, Avis, Dollar, and Alamo which is the farthest offsite from O'Hare. Budget is at Midway Airport.
    When driving to the airport from the south or the west, there are "Oases" where you stop for gas or food (McDonald's).

Fort Lauderdale, Florida:

  • Car Rental: There is no gas station on I-595 when driving back from Plantation.
Tampa Bay, Florida:
  • Car Rental: Hertz, Avis, etc. There is a gas station just outside the airport.
The Dallas, Texas area:

  • Car Rentals: Hertz, National, Avis, Budget (all on-site in the same facility. Dollar is off-site on 183, south of the airport.
Cedar Rapids, Iowa:

  • Car Rental: There is a gas station just before the airport. Hertz, National, Avis, Budget.
Albuquerque, Taos, and Santa Fe, New Mexico:
  • Car Rental: National, etc. Ski racks are available for all rentals for going up to Taos and other ski mountains.
    There is a gas station before the airport, but look for it on the way out to make sure where it is.
Minneapolis, Minnesota:
  • From the baggage claim area, go down one more level and walk across the floor (used to be the rental counters) to the shuttle. Hertz, National, Budget at the airport (and at least three others). Thrifty and Enterprise are off-site but they have a shuttle.

    Right now the area is still under major construction and there's a shuttle bus to the rental facility, but some idiot designed the building so it's a pain to get in and out of. I saw one guy miss the turn for the exit and almost went down the up ramp (for returning cars). The space is so tight that it was difficult to back up and make the correct turn. I understand that there will be an automated shuttle to take flyers to the rental facility. I assume it'll still be a very long walk from the terminal to the shuttle.
    There are two gas stations (Amoco and the local major chain) at 24th Street off I-494 (exit 2a). This is a few minutes from the airport and the exit I would use to get to the Mall of America.

Phoenix, Arizona:

  • Car Rentals: any

Oklahoma City

  • Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Hertz, National, Thrifty

Tiajuana, Mexico:

When crossing over from San Diego, do yourself a favor: rent a cab to the shopping district. Even better, rent a cab back to the border. I made the mistake of walking from the border and getting lost when it got dark. I've never been so scared in my life. Once in the shopping area, we were fine. If you want to buy some of those stupid fake Rolex watches, make sure you don't care if they don't last long, because they don't. I bought one for my dad as a gag and it broke after a few months. For $20, it's a decent gag gift. For a watch, it rots.