To generalize, I rank car rental interfaces as follows, from best to worst. My example airports apply to most but not all agencies at that location. The Paylesses of the world are almost always in Category 6...

(1) All walking with full expedited rental facilities such as #1 Club Gold, Emerald Aisle, etc. (TPA, MCO, DCA)
(2) A train system to a common rental facility. (MSP)
(3) A common bus system to a common rental facility. (DFW, or did they put in a train?)
(4) All walking, but without #1 Club Gold, E.A., etc. (MYR, most small airports)
(5) Throngs of smoggy rental car buses crammed into loading zones and fighting traffic to get to offsite locations. (Most big airports.)
(6) Any system where I have to wait to ride something to get to a location that doesn't have seamless expedited rental facilities. Worst aspects of 4 and 5 above. (In my experience, this is Miami.)

It's too bad SFO's system sucks. Usually, the train is both efficient for renters and other traffic alike, as well as being more environmentally friendly.

[This message has been edited by pinniped (edited Nov 20, 2003).]