Well, except of course by not renting at PHL or by renting at PHL but for a shorter time. For example, if you're coming in late and staying at an airport hotel with a free shuttle, maybe you can lower your count of rental days (and save enough to completely offset the fee) by taking the free shuttle to the hotel, then back to the rental facility in the morning.

Or, as the other thread suggests, check alternate rental locations: Though not always competitive, sometimes they may be less than the airport location anyway.

If PHL is not that close to your final destination, consider flying into someplace else if the flight isn't more expensive and the rental itself isn't more expensive there.


Also, have you tried things like "vacation" packages (of flight + car)? Those are prepaid by the vacation package supplier, and in my experience you don't owe anything when you get to the airport. Maybe they forgot to factor this fee in the package prices?

Then what about using miles for a car rental? Did they remember to increase the miles required because of this fee?