Waiting in a long line at the car rental counter after a flight is the worst way to start a trip. Luckily, you can bypass the counter at most major rental agencies — usually for free.
Beyond skipping the queue, joining these free programs protects you from being stranded without a vehicle. As money expert Clark Howard explains:
“Even if you very infrequently rent a car, join every car rental program or at least join the one that your next car rental is with. You don’t want to just show up without the membership because car rental companies can run out of cars. People with the membership get a car ahead of people who don’t have one. It also expedites the process. I have the ability to just check myself in, grab the car, and I just drive up to the booth. They check that I’m not stealing the car and then off I go. These are free to sign up for and they just make your life easier.”
To skip the line, download the rental company’s app, join their free loyalty program, and complete your check-in details online before you arrive. Here is how counter-skipping works across the major rental car companies.
Rental Car Loyalty Perks by Agency
Final Thoughts
Enrolling in free car rental loyalty programs is something almost every traveler should consider — it costs nothing and eliminates the frustration of long counter lines at the airport. To get the absolute best deal, pair these counter-skipping perks with Clark Howard’s top travel rule: book a refundable reservation early, and always re-shop your rate (or let AutoSlash track it for you) a week before your trip to capture last-minute price drops.
The post Tired of Waiting in Car Rental Lines? How To Skip the Counter for Free appeared first on Clark Howard.