As of 2019, there were 1,580 resorts across the country. If you’re planning on taking a well-deserved vacation once you’re vaccinated, you might even decide to book a stay at a highly-rated one. But if you do, you may want to find alternatives to renting a car.
That’s because rental car companies across the country are reporting widespread vehicle shortages. The AC Cobra Coupe famously reached 186 miles per hour on a British motorway back in 1964, but you’d be hard-pressed to find car models of any kind at rent-a-car hubs in major travel destinations. In other words, the ongoing shortage is leaving travelers stranded.
This is a problem due to the ubiquitousness of personal vehicles. Although more than 4,700 U.S. pedestrians were killed in traffic accidents during 2012, cars are still essential for getting around — especially for tourists in many areas. This car shortage is not only unfortunate for the rental car industry, but it’s also turning simple vacations into complicated ordeals.
What’s Going On?
The pandemic has placed the travel-related business in a precarious position. The rental giant Hertz filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May of last year, selling more than 200,000 cars in an effort to shore up their finances. And it isn’t just Hertz. Many rental car companies really fell on hard times throughout 2020 and are now struggling to keep up with increased demand as travel is experiencing a resurgence.
Selling these vehicles was a necessary move for some of these companies. Cars are easily the most expensive asset for any rental company and having them sitting around means the business is losing money. More than that, the cars aren’t being replaced due to conservative preordering practices. Now that the travel industry is springing back to life, rental companies are finding it difficult to keep up with demand.
Travel Tips
So what can you do to keep your next rental car experience as boring as a beige minivan?
- First of all, plan ahead. Try and book your rental car as far ahead as possible — several weeks if you can — to reduce the chances of them all being rented out when you need one. Don’t treat the car as an afterthought and just expect everything to work out.
- When booking flights, check the rental pricing, as well. This way you can make sure it’s both available and affordable before you commit to taking the trip.
- Avoid pre-paid rates. While these can be cheaper, they have their downsides, including cancellation penalties. Sticking with the more flexible “pay later” rate gives you the freedom to cancel and rebook if you should find a better deal.
- Keep track of the rental price. Price drops can happen and they get more likely the further out a booking is made. If you see that the price of your rental car has dropped, and you’ve avoided locking yourself into a pre-paid rate, you can cancel and quickly rebook at the lower rate.
- Widen your search area. When looking for a rental car, check not only the airport counter but off-site locations as well. This will help you find the most affordable prices and the best availability, even if you have to travel a bit via public transit or taxi to pick up your car.
- Show your loyalty. If a company has a loyalty program that allows you to go straight to your car from the airport, then it would be worth the effort to join it and avoid a potentially hours-long wait in line.
- Consider your options. If it comes right down it, can you substitute some kind of ride-share or taxi for a rental car? Since the laws of supply and demand mean increased prices for the available car rentals that do exist, you might end up saving some money even if you have to pay for every ride individually.
The standard way of doing things — booking the flights first, then securing the hotel, and getting the rental car at the last minute — just isn’t going to work this year. Travel is slowly emerging from the financial rubble left by the pandemic. Between the spike in demand and the shortage of cars, just getting a rental car is becoming the most expensive and challenging part of book a trip. But with these tips in mind, you just might be able to win out.