randix

https://renespoints.boardingarea.com...al-car-prices/

MCO Flyer

It’s already happening. At most airports, the cheapest rates are starting at $65/day for compact cars for weekend rentals.

Often1

Same will happen with airfares.

The drastic cut in demand resulted in dirt cheap offerings for a period of time. But, now the market has adapted and likely over-compensated.. Although travel is now more flexible, that comes at a cost and I suspect that as things open up again, at least for domestic US travel, that the cost will keep rising.

IAHtraveler

And with many car manufacturers idling plants for multiple days due to lack of components (first chips, now seating and other components due to the freeze in the south knocking raw material suppliers offline), the first cuts in automotive sales will be to deep-discounted fleets (aka rental agencies). So the rental agencies cannot replenish their fleets quickly/cheaply and I expect rental costs to continue to rise through at least Q3.

m907

I think airfare depends on when and how much business travel comes back. There could be some consolidation as airlines cut routes permanently, or there could be room for disruption from smaller airlines taking on the big three legacy carriers. Southwest has been expanding its map like mad.

I tend to think airfare will stay cheap for the next year or so until we really know how much or how little business travel comes back.

24.05.2004

Warning - - disclaimer:

SHOCKING image NOT for the faint of heart!

Quote for Orlando convertible rental. 😯😯😯


Cheaper to buy a car??

randix

Given the current expensive car rental rates, Uber/Lyft making more and more sense (for me), over expensive car rentals, along with continued low airplane rates that make my usual one way drives out of the question given the current expense.

AutoSlash

Well, it should be pointed out that this was a month-long rental and we offered no less than 7 other options for this rental, the least expensive being a major company for $1,636. Not exactly cheap, but a $250+ discount off the regular rate, and given how tight the market is right now, completely understandable. In a week, you'll be lucky to even find a convertible period at MCO for early April. #context

24.05.2004

For #context, I was poking fun at the outrageous rates, NOT "journalisming" ( 😉 ) for the New York Times...

At least I've learned that AutoSlash doesn't have a problem posting the rental habits of their customers on FlyerTalk. Guess I missed that in your (no?) Privacy Policy? 🙊

jizen

Feel lucky where Enterprise nearby is still charging $20 CAD per day for weekend rentals...Used to be $15 CAD per day in Feb
Hertz is now the most expensive company in town...

Schweden

I don't begrudge rental car companies for the high rates. Rates were often far too low and sometimes laughable compared to owning a car. What is more important is the great deal of uncertainty over whether there will be even any cars available when you arrive at a location.

Auto Enthusiast

This line of thinking got the rental car industry in big trouble a little over 10 years ago. Many people in urban areas rent cars precisely because it is cheaper and more convenient than owning. People traveling for work or leisure liked the convenience as well. When agencies cut the size of their fleet, kept cars longer, charged much more, and neglected customer service, both market segments were ripe for disruption. The ride hailing app industry took full advantage of it. Customers left their old ways in droves.

Eventually fleet sizes and rates stabilized, in many cases returning to the previous averages. But by that point, the damage was done. People acclimated to a new normal. Look at the post histories on FlyerTalk from that time. Former loyalists of Hertz and National evolved from bragging about their clever use of earned free days, to saying "there's no longer any reason for me to rent a car." I suspect something similar may happen again.

Rd3

I was thinking the same, however, a friend that was in Vegas last weekend complained about a lack of rideshare drivers-much longer waits and higher fares because...a lot of drivers don't need the money right now (stimulus)

AutoSlash

The lack of rideshare drivers is also exacerbated by the fact that all those people who couldn't rent cars are now forced to rideshare to get around, so it's causing supply and demand issues in adjacent segments. Obviously, things will snap back in time but it will take at least a few months. Plus, the stimulus payments should have been burned through as well by that point.

TravelPhotographer

first post-vaccine travel & encounter with unacceptable ATL weekly rates;
we will drive own car MIA-ATL-MIA & make a multi-stop itinerary out of it
2nd half April (assuming most ATL attraction open by then)