Dollar Rent a Car wait

Warning to anyone renting from Dollar, line at LAS this morning was enormous. Easily 500 people long.

 

On 4/4 the line didn’t have that many people, but it was longer than all the other lines at the rental center combined! It was crazy.

 

500? That’s like three full SWA flights leading to 25 full shuttle buses. If people were social distancing that line would be over a half mile long. Not a fun way to start a Vegas vacation...

 

I should have taken a picture, but people were not socially distancing and the line snaked through the entire main lobby area of the rental car center. I couldn't even figure out where it ended. I was dropping off a car from another place,

 

Is this at the check in counter or at the car pickup booth? We joined dollar club (for free) and we just go right to our car.

 

In Las Vegas, the Dollar booth has been closed for at least 18 months. You have to go to the main desk (which fortunately has a special line for dollar express), and get your contract then they send you up to Hertz. I've seen some big lines waiting there for the folks without Dollar Express reservations, but never had an issue upstairs getting the car. I'm a little concerned about picking up next month when I fly in, but it is on a Wednesday which gives me some hope it won't be a nightmare.

 

Its been a few years but I have always rented from Dollar as an Express member with reservation. We would walk past the counter, down the stairs to the booth get our papers and go. Looks like that has changed? How far is Hertz from Dollar?

 

Hertz is the opposite direction from Dollar. When you walk into Rental Car Center, Dollar is to the left and Hertz is to the right.

 

It was a very long for us on 5/7. Dollar and Thrifty were combined and we were sent to the Hertz garage. I had my reservation through my credit card and had not put my Blue Chip on the reservation when I made it. In order to add the number I would have had to rebook. the rates were much higher so I didn't rebook. I tried to use the Blue Chip/Express line and was turned away. Our line took about an hour and 15 minutes.

I was just looking at the rates for October and they are over $500. Not going to pay that much.

 

Arrived at Dollar around 1230 pm last Tuesday (5/11). About 30 people in line in front of me, but all stations were manned and it took roughly 30 minutes for me to be on my way. Got sent to Hertz (which I think owns Dollar) to pick up the vehicle I was assigned. All other rental companies didn't seem busy except Budget, which looked like it had a hellacious line. While I was waiting, my wife asked a few of the other companies their rates, and they were charging 100-150 per day for compacts for walk-ins.

 

I was at the rental center this past Saturday afternoon (returned Enterprise car and heading to airport). The line at Dollar was enormous; almost stretched to the doors. The line at Thrifty was also very long. I have rented a car in Vegas at least three times a year for the past 15 years and have never seen lines even remotely as long as what I saw last Saturday......totally insane. Can't imagine how long it would take to finally drive off in your car. Rented a full sized car from Enterprise Monday afternoon(5/10) one person ahead of me in the Enterprise Plus line. No full sized cars available so was upgraded for free to an Audi sedan...nice ride.

 

We rented from Budget last Sunday. Lines at all car rental counters were very long. Followed the signs to the Budget Fast Break check-in downstairs. 2 people in line ahead of me - and because they have ALL your information already you don't have to go through all that insurance BS. Took less than 5 minutes - car was waiting for me with the trunk already open. Easy and quick. Definitely join your car rental company's club.

- Linda in TX

 

Does anyone know if the Thrifty Blue Chip desk down stairs is open?? I do NOT want to wait in a line of 500 folks! We've always had really good luck with popping downstairs and getting into a car fairly quickly.

I also booked our car back in early March for $244 and now it's almost $900 for the week!

Crazy!

 

I don't know about Thrifty, but Budget Fast Break hasn't been open my last 2 rentals. Had to go back upstairs and wait in line. Probably because my flights both times were late arrivals after 11 P.M. If your flight gets in at a reasonable time I think you should be O.K. I'm renting with Thrifty next month out of Fort Myers, Florida and on my e mail confirmation it says Pick Up Location Alert. Please proceed to the Hertz rental counter/booth prior to vehicle selection for additional instructions. Not saying that is going to happen in Vegas, but might want to keep that in the back of your mind.

 

Ugh - we actually land just before 10am..and I checked the hours of the airport location from the Thrifty site and it shows:

Hours of Operation
Monday - Sunday
8:00 AM - 10:00 PM

so maybe that's why you were routed to a different counter??

I looked at our current reservation compared to the last one I know we checked in at the Blue Chip counter downstairs and they look the same -there is no Alert about a change in the pick up location either....

I just do not want to start out my vacation standing in line for 2 hours...

first world problems, I know!

 

I just cannot believe people are booking rental cars at these prices!!!

 

I almost feel bad about my rental - I booked it like March 1st - we're getting a Hyundai Santa Fe for $247...for 4 days including everything - the same car this morning was almost $900!! CRAZY pants!!

 

Sure not like the $42 rental we got for a midsize in December!!!

 

I just booked for October from Hertz and it is $378 for 5 days since it was cheaper then the $500 for other companies, but I have never paid that much before and am very very likely to cancel and just take Uber/Lyfts if they are plentiful again by then.

 

and our last reservation was for a BMW and we paid less than what we're paying now for the Hyundai - but I'll take whatever at this point - I just want them to have a car for us that we don't have to wait 2 hrs to get!