How does Avis preferred work at YVR?
 

Hello everyone, first time poster but long time reader.

I'm flying in to YVR soon, and have an AVIS Preferred booking. Does anyone have any recent experience of how the preferred service operates at this location? Do they have a board up with all of the bookings and the relevant bay numbers or do they send you to the preferred counter even if you have an up to date credit card on your account?

Finally, how are they at letting you choose a different vehicle in the same class as the one booked if you don't care for the one that you have been allocated?

Thank you, in advance, for your help :-)

Spud

Been about 2 years since I rented at Vancouver...but back then (& its been this way for years), no Preferred booth. You gotta go inside & see a rental agent...

As far a switching cars, can't comment I am Chairman's so I usually get the best car they have at the time...

Thank you very much, that is most helpful. Shame there is no preferred booth though, as that does cut down on the time that you are hanging around.

Just walk across the street from exiting the building from the customs area and its to the right down the path. Just walk in and you;ll see the counters. Really easy preocess.

Thank you very much for the additional information.

I don't suppose you know if they have a separate counter for preferred customers?

They do, yes.

Fantastic, thanks again. I've got a one-way booking coming up (drop-off at YYC) so I hope they don't use me to shift a crappy vehicle to another depot!

They did with me - upgraded my 'fullsize' to Chevy Captiva. Urgh.

I'm sure it was just a coincidence that it was the only US plated car they had and it was a one-way to SEA..

Sorry to dredge up an old thread. I don't rent Avis much but am Presidents Circle via AAdvantage. I have an upcoming rental at YVR, but in looking at this list, it doesn't seem like YVR has a skip the line program? Does that mean I have to wait in line to get keys? I am used to Hertz where you can skip the counter in basically every major airport.

As of May 2022 : no.

I waited for about 30 minutes to get my car and as president club I got no upgrade and a car that was faulty. The rear windows didn't work (I didn't know until I got to the Canadian border), the rpm stuck on 4 when driving in interstate and the tires thread were almost gone. I noticed this after I got to the US as there weren't that many chances to drive that speed inside Vancouver.

!!!!
 

No skip the line program and the "Preferred" line doesn't seem much different or move much faster than the regular line as you get a lot of what seems like a lot of in-frequent renters in the "Preferred" line that need a lot of hand-holding. Tons of older folks who seem to be there to head out on Alaska cruises who have the car rental as part of their pre-booked 'package' that seems to further complicate things. The older folk also seem to struggle with the whole loss/damage waiver conversation as that never seems to be built into the price they've been quoted.

The location is frequently under-staffed and it is hugely frustrating to be 4th or 5th in the Preferred line, standing there for 20 - 30 mins staring at your name on the board behind the counter!!

That said, the location is incredibly convenient as the pick-up/drop-off is right in the parkade adjacent to the counter.