I generally travel at least once a month and Alamo is my rental car company of choice. I generally get better rate with them than Avis or Hertz and I often get the added benefit of being able to walk through the lot and choose whichever car I want in my reserved class instead of simply being handed a key to a car. I love that! It makes my trips a little more enjoyable. That being said, I generally only get to pick my ride when the airport lot is secure. When it's not secure, I get handed a key.
So, which airport lots let you pick your ride? Let's compile a list (starting with airports I've frequented) of airports. Can you pick your ride?
Arizona
PHX - Yes (Secured Lot)
Arkansas
XNA - No (Unsecured Lot)
California
LAX - Yes (Secured Lot)
LGB - No (Unsecured Lot)
ONT - Yes (Secured Lot)
PSP - No (Unsecured Lot)
SFO - Yes (Secured lot)
Colorado
DEN - Yes (Secured Lot)
District of Columbia
DCA - Yes (Secured Lot) - National EE members can select from Enterprise, National and Alamo
AUS - No (Unsecured Lot, but you are sometimes offered a choice by outside attendant)
DFW - Yes (Secured Lot)
HOU - Yes (Secured Lot)
MAF - No (Unsecured Lot)
SAT - Yes (Secured Lot)
Utah
PVU - No Alamo (Hertz only)
SLC - No (Unsecured Lot) - also, almost exclusively GM cars
Virginia
DCA - Yes (Secured Lot)
IAD - Yes (Secured Lot)
RIC - No (Unsecured Lot)
plagwate
Jun 20, 12, 9:44 pm
I'm usually a National customer but these are a few I remember from previous rentals:
Virginia
DCA - Yes (Secured Lot)
IAD - Yes (Secured Lot)
RIC - No (Unsecured Lot)
dickydotcom
Jun 21, 12, 6:28 am
My last three trips I've ended up with a different car from ordered so that sounds good. Especially as no one can tell me what will be offered as luxury at the start of next year since Cadillac don't make the DTS and Lincoln don't make the Town car anymore. I don't want a 10 year old design so picking from a section sounds ideal.
Can anyone tell me exactly where the Alamo drop off is at MCO?
Dick D
tatterdema
Jun 21, 12, 6:49 am
I generally travel at least once a month and Alamo is my rental car company of choice. I generally get better rate with them than Avis or Hertz and I often get the added benefit of being able to walk through the lot and choose whichever car I want in my reserved class instead of simply being handed a key to a car. I love that! It makes my trips a little more enjoyable. That being said, I generally only get to pick my ride when the airport lot is secure. When it's not secure, I get handed a key.
So, which airport lots let you pick your ride? Let's compile a list (starting with airports I've frequented) of airports. Can you pick your ride?
AUS - No (Unsecured Lot, but you are sometimes offered a choice by outside attendant)
DFW - Yes (Secured Lot)
HOU - Yes (Secured Lot)
MAF - No (Unsecured Lot)
SAT - Yes (Secured Lot)
Utah
PVU - No Alamo (Hertz only)
SLC - No (Unsecured Lot) - also, almost exclusively GM cars
abefroman329
Jun 21, 12, 8:48 am
California
SFO - Yes (secured lot)
Illinois
ORD - Yes (secured lot)
Indiana
SBN - No (unsecured lot)
South Carolina
GSP - No (unsecured lot)
tassojunior
Jun 21, 12, 10:12 pm
At DCA Alamo, National & Enterprise pool cars and as an EE with National I choose what I want from any of the 3. I'd be surprised if they don't pool cars at other locations where they are next to each other.
abefroman329
Jun 22, 12, 10:37 am
At DCA Alamo, National & Enterprise pool cars and as an EE with National I choose what I want from any of the 3. I'd be surprised if they don't pool cars at other locations where they are next to each other.
I think they pool cars at ORD as well.
FWIW, I've never been invited to pick a car from the Enterprise section at DCA when renting from Alamo or National, but I have no status with either company.
tassojunior
Jun 25, 12, 3:47 pm
I think they pool cars at ORD as well.
FWIW, I've never been invited to pick a car from the Enterprise section at DCA when renting from Alamo or National, but I have no status with either company.
You have to ask. Alamo/National are the same but they ok it with the Enterprise people to take their car.
elruso
Jun 25, 12, 4:13 pm
PBI - Yes, secured lot.
The counter and bus are shared, not sure about the actual lot.
ww88ww
Jun 25, 12, 4:44 pm
Not sure if I am doing this right...
Georgia
ATL - Yes (secured lot). Rented from Alamo several months ago, is adjacent to national lot. I had a premium reservation, all they had was an old style cloth Charger and a Crown Vic with wipers not properly parked. I declined, agent understood and said I could go to National, where I found a nice enough Regal.
rhinok
Jun 25, 12, 7:12 pm
Thanks for the updates! Keep 'em coming!
rhinok
Jun 25, 12, 7:13 pm
PBI - Yes, secured lot.
The counter and bus are shared, not sure about the actual lot.
Did you get to pick your own car own when you walked out to the lot or were you handed keys to a car?
abefroman329
Jun 26, 12, 8:18 am
Maryland
BWI - Yes (secured lot)
Massachusetts
BOS - Yes (secured lot)
New York
JFK - Yes (secured lot)
ROC - No (unsecured lot)
elruso
Jun 26, 12, 1:45 pm
Did you get to pick your own car own when you walked out to the lot or were you handed keys to a car?
Yes, I picked my own car and the keys were in the car.
fromYYZ_flyer
Jul 2, 12, 6:28 pm
MCI (Kansas City, MO) has it.
JRRinNC
Jul 5, 12, 9:14 am
At Alamo's online checkin site, it looks like they maintain the list of locations that allow online checkin. (https://www.alamo.com/index.do?action=/hotDealsTemplate&msg=online_checkin_splash) I think these should coincide with the "pick your ride" lots. Here's what they are showing:
Cities with Online Check-In service:
Albuquerque, NM
Atlanta, GA
Charlotte, NC
Chicago, IL (Midway)
Chicago, IL (O'Hare)
Cincinnati, OH
Cleveland, OH
Dallas, TX (DFW Intl)
Dallas, TX (Love Field)
Denver, CO
Detroit, MI
Ft Lauderdale, FL
Ft Myers, FL
Hartford, CT
Honolulu, HI
Houston, TX (George Bush)
Houston, TX (Hobby)
Indianapolis, IN
Kahului - Maui, HI
Kansas City, MO
Las Vegas, NV
Lihue, HI
Little Rock, AR
Los Angeles, CA
Manchester, NH
Memphis, TN
Miami, FL
Minneapolis-St Paul, MN
New Orleans, LA
Ontario, CA
Orlando, FL
Philadelphia, PA
Phoenix, AZ
Portland, OR
San Antonio, TX
San Francisco, CA
San Jose, CA
St Louis, MO
Tampa, FL
Washington, D.C. (Dulles)
Washington, D.C. (Reagan)
West Palm Beach, FL
kdzgon
Jul 7, 12, 8:52 pm
I can confirm RSW (Fort Myers) is a secure lot and you can pick your own vehicle.
FWIW, my last rental at MCO I mistakenly chose an Enterprise car (shared lot/area) and I was not able to keep the car ( I know - should have noticed right away, but I was exhausted from a multi-delayed return flight from Okinawa). Had to choose from the very poor selection at National only.
erteke
Jul 27, 12, 2:52 am
California
SAN - Yes (Secured Lot)
gabrielsreign
Jul 30, 12, 4:52 pm
Spokane, WA
GEG - No (Unsecured Lot)
txrus
Aug 22, 12, 11:45 pm
Aloha!
Add HNL to the list of pick your own lots.
kawoh
Sep 9, 12, 6:13 am
MA - BOS Yes, secured lot
WA - SEA Yes, secured lot
partsman_ba
Sep 14, 12, 7:53 pm
Aloha!
Add HNL to the list of pick your own lots.
The Alamo lot? Or just the National?
Also, do you have to do online check-in to pick your own? I've got a Costco rate with the one class upgrade e-coupon, so I'm not allowed online. :confused:
txrus
Sep 14, 12, 7:55 pm
The Alamo lot? Or just the National?
Also, do you have to do online check-in to pick your own? I've got a Costco rate with the one class upgrade e-coupon, so I'm not allowed online. :confused:
Was talking about just the Alamo lot. Never done on-line check-in but all the times I've been there the past 8 mos, it's pick your own once done @ the counter.
partsman_ba
Sep 17, 12, 2:02 pm
Was talking about just the Alamo lot. Never done on-line check-in but all the times I've been there the past 8 mos, it's pick your own once done @ the counter.
Sweet! Thanks for the info. Looking forward to finding something interesting.