Cars at OKC
Mar 8, 2009, 9:14 pm
#1
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Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Ka ʻĀpala Nui, Nuioka
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Cars at OKC
Didn't see any other threads on this location...
I was in town for a convention and decided to pick up a car for the last day. First, the National/Alamo is about 2.5 miles from the OKC terminal, so plan accordingly. There is reasonbly cheap gas just north of the location. I didn't have to wait for the shuttle for more than 5 minutes at the terminal and it happened to be there when I returned my car.
The EA was full of HHR, PT Cruisers, Sebring sedans, and other mid-sizes. I did not see any full-size or higher. I picked a '09 G6 GT with 6,000 miles on it and working XM, which was an acceptable choice.
I saw mostly Impala and Malibu in EE.
The staff there were all very friendly and efficient.
I was in town for a convention and decided to pick up a car for the last day. First, the National/Alamo is about 2.5 miles from the OKC terminal, so plan accordingly. There is reasonbly cheap gas just north of the location. I didn't have to wait for the shuttle for more than 5 minutes at the terminal and it happened to be there when I returned my car.
The EA was full of HHR, PT Cruisers, Sebring sedans, and other mid-sizes. I did not see any full-size or higher. I picked a '09 G6 GT with 6,000 miles on it and working XM, which was an acceptable choice.
I saw mostly Impala and Malibu in EE.
The staff there were all very friendly and efficient.
Mar 10, 2009, 5:21 am
#2
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2.5 miles?? Is everybody that far away (like ORD), or just National because they're using an ex-Alamo facility?
I'm bidding on a project in OKC which would have me there monthly starting in June, so this thread is very timely.
I'm bidding on a project in OKC which would have me there monthly starting in June, so this thread is very timely.
Mar 10, 2009, 10:39 am
#3
Moderator: Hawaii-based airlines & Hawai'i forums
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Ka ʻĀpala Nui, Nuioka
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There are rental companies on-site in the garage at OKC's terminal. I know Thrifty is there and I suspect Hertz is as well. The National/Alamo location is on Meridian Ave., which is the street that leads from the freeway to the airport, so it is a straight shot and there aren't many stoplights along the way. It is still a bit of a hoof; I thought it was telling that we passed a Hertz Local Edition before we got to the National lot. 
Apr 11, 2010, 10:50 pm
#4
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Parts Unknown
Programs: DL PM/MM, IHG SA, National EE, Hertz PC, Marriott Silver
Posts: 530
OKC-OMG
Well the have moved back into the terminal and parking deck. All I can say is OMG, this is pure chaos.
My first experience was during the changeover (rented at the off site and returned at the newly opened on site located in the parking deck).
You follow the signs to return the car in the deck, then follow the signs to National Car return, then ????????????????? no one directing you were to go, no cue of returned cars, you basically park some where and try and find someone. When you do find them it turns out that these are the same people checking out the incoming EA/ES/EE and STD renters trying to get their cars.
Now, on my next visit a week later, after they have (should) of had time to ring out the kinks, I go look for EA and ES cars, but do not see a labeled section. So again try and find someone, and when I do they ask me "what class did you rent?" and hand you a key.
All this is done in a VERY small deck lot.
They have ONE hand scanner to handle in and out. Same people doing both in and out processing at the same time (sharing THE scanner). When you can find a person, they are as helpful as they can be, but the MGT should be fired.
My first experience was during the changeover (rented at the off site and returned at the newly opened on site located in the parking deck).
You follow the signs to return the car in the deck, then follow the signs to National Car return, then ????????????????? no one directing you were to go, no cue of returned cars, you basically park some where and try and find someone. When you do find them it turns out that these are the same people checking out the incoming EA/ES/EE and STD renters trying to get their cars.
Now, on my next visit a week later, after they have (should) of had time to ring out the kinks, I go look for EA and ES cars, but do not see a labeled section. So again try and find someone, and when I do they ask me "what class did you rent?" and hand you a key.
All this is done in a VERY small deck lot.
They have ONE hand scanner to handle in and out. Same people doing both in and out processing at the same time (sharing THE scanner). When you can find a person, they are as helpful as they can be, but the MGT should be fired.
May 29, 2010, 10:56 am
#6
Join Date: Feb 2008
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I commented to the shuttle drive on the distance to the airport when I was there in January and he said that they would be moving into the garage, but I would not like it. There was less room, fewer cars and more congestion. Seems he may have been right. I sort of minded the off site location because I travel with tools, computer and a week's worth of clothes and generally dislike shuttle buses. He also said the price would be higher because of high rents at the terminal. Any experience there?
Jun 2, 2010, 5:29 pm
#7
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: ECExec, SPGTitanium,, UAPlat
Posts: 430
Wow! I live in OKC, have rented from the "off site" location for years, interesting they have moved back into the parking lot. I have not had a positive experience with the EE selection, it is hit and miss.
Feel free to PM me if you are in the OKC area.
Feel free to PM me if you are in the OKC area.
Apr 4, 2012, 6:15 am
#8
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Parts Unknown
Programs: DL PM/MM, IHG SA, National EE, Hertz PC, Marriott Silver
Posts: 530
Things have much improved. They have a booth in the garage now. While cars are still limited by spaces available to them in the garage, they have three sections of cars:
VIP: Perpendicular to the booth
General/EA: Parallel to the booth
"Spillover" area, through the garage doors at the end of the aisle in back. They sometimes hide better cars back in there.
VIP/EA get there keys from the outside booth, General from the inside the airport booth.
Note if you get there late at night mini vans, pick-ups and Large SUVs will be pretty much all they have left.
VIP: Perpendicular to the booth
General/EA: Parallel to the booth
"Spillover" area, through the garage doors at the end of the aisle in back. They sometimes hide better cars back in there.
VIP/EA get there keys from the outside booth, General from the inside the airport booth.
Note if you get there late at night mini vans, pick-ups and Large SUVs will be pretty much all they have left.
Jul 23, 2012, 10:36 pm
#10
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Edmond, Oklahoma
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Posts: 941
Bad, very very bad in OKC.
Airport is working on the parking lot and they have turned it into a giant mess. Used to be you could walk outside and it was a short walk to where you would pick up the cars. Now you have to go downstairs and through the tunnel past where they used to have the cars and through a construction area to the "temporary" rental car area, and it is confusing. Parking garage is a terrible mess, as you will see next month.
Still no aisle, you have to go to the kiosk and they will give you your keys, which defeats the whole purpose of the Aisle where you select the car instead of the counter person. The National car selection is very very slim, although there is always a very nice car parked in the VIP spot that I have never been able to rent, nor have I seen anyone drive off with it.
I've given up on on National in OKC, switched to Avis/Budget, as I've found they have much nicer, newer and better equipped cars for less money, and they have active XM radio. I was getting better service before I got status from Avis/Budget than as an EE with National. When you return your car, there are a bunch of people there, but they are Enterprise employees and can't check you in, you have to wait for the National person, or they have to go hunt down the scanner which is always a time consuming operation, much like the checkout. At least with Avis/Budget the same person can check in either car.
I've been told by the car rental employees that in two years they plan to build an off premise car rental center a couple of miles from the airport, so it sounds like a bad situation will soon get worse.
I'm still a National customer, just not when I rent at OKC.
Airport is working on the parking lot and they have turned it into a giant mess. Used to be you could walk outside and it was a short walk to where you would pick up the cars. Now you have to go downstairs and through the tunnel past where they used to have the cars and through a construction area to the "temporary" rental car area, and it is confusing. Parking garage is a terrible mess, as you will see next month.
Still no aisle, you have to go to the kiosk and they will give you your keys, which defeats the whole purpose of the Aisle where you select the car instead of the counter person. The National car selection is very very slim, although there is always a very nice car parked in the VIP spot that I have never been able to rent, nor have I seen anyone drive off with it.
I've given up on on National in OKC, switched to Avis/Budget, as I've found they have much nicer, newer and better equipped cars for less money, and they have active XM radio. I was getting better service before I got status from Avis/Budget than as an EE with National. When you return your car, there are a bunch of people there, but they are Enterprise employees and can't check you in, you have to wait for the National person, or they have to go hunt down the scanner which is always a time consuming operation, much like the checkout. At least with Avis/Budget the same person can check in either car.
I've been told by the car rental employees that in two years they plan to build an off premise car rental center a couple of miles from the airport, so it sounds like a bad situation will soon get worse.
I'm still a National customer, just not when I rent at OKC.
Aug 22, 2012, 11:35 am
#12
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: MCI
Programs: AAdvantage ExecPlat, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 316
Yeah I've never been too impressed with National @ OKC. Their facility is poor, their staff seems surely, and their selection is awful. In addition, I almost always have to wait for a car...twice it took 15-20 minutes.
Sep 24, 2012, 8:53 am
#13
Join Date: Apr 2007
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Posts: 2,528
I went out to OKC and it is def. not impressive at all. There is EA selection but it doesn't work like standard places. You have to stand in line at the counter and get whatever is left (if any). I had to wait for 15 minutes and an got on an Impala with 15000 miles on it. The only good thing was, there was no traffic in OKC on Friday-Monday.