Concession Recovery Fee
 

Any idea how is this affecting rentals? Like when do they charge it?

I've tried to reserve a SUV at my local airport and the standard reservation did not list any fee for the above mentioned in the estimated total. However, when I used a coupon code from Amex, it gets me $30 off, but adds the 10% for the Concession Recovery Fee, thus effectively coming up to a total of $30 more than the standard rate's estimate. If in the reservations page, they do not show this charge under the estimated charges (just simply stating 10% without the actual amount), would I be charged the 10% after I get the car? Taxes have been included in the estimated charges (stated 5% with the exact amount).

The Concession Recovery Fee or also called the Concession Recoup Fee is the Airport Fee...and in some cities it's also taxed. I don't know why your estimates changed but that is what the fee is for. It's a fee the airports tack onto the rental car fares.

The 2 reservations are identical, except that one has a coupon code applied. So technically, both should have the Concession Recovery Fee. I'm also intrigued that the one with the coupon code has a higher fee.

Concession Recovery Ripoff
 

Concession Recovery Fee helps the car company pay it's rent at the airport.

Kinda like if Walmart added on a "parking lot repair fee" when you check out, or a "fee to help us pay the checkout girl's salary".

It's just a way they've found to be able to advertise rates that are lower than what you are really going to end up paying.

Can't speak directly to why the CR Fee was excluded in your quote at Avis, but it may have to do with the coupon code you used.

I have found that a certain credit card discount at Hertz can occasionally exclude the CR Fee. Not sure if it is certain airports and haven't seen it occur in awhile.

Just one thought.

Can this fee be waived?

I've never heard of this in all my Avis rentals, but there's no harm in asking when you make the ressie or upon pickup.

No...it cannot be waived. And it it is a taxable item.

Sure. Don't rent at the airport.

Of course, then you have to pay your costs of getting to the off-airport location. Likely much more than that fee.

And then you have to pay the often-higher rates at a non-airport location (because of less competition). Like much more than that fee.

Everything that is charged by a non-govenment entity is called a fee. (Even some things that are charged by a government entity, but aren't techincally taxes, are also thus called fees.) Just because it's a fee doesn't mean Avis made it up; it may be imposed on all rental companies that have booths at that airport.

At times this fee has been put in place by the quasi-government entity that controls the airport to help pay the bonding used to pay for things such as the rental car facility.

Not cheap to move it off site and add a train or bus to the mix.