Do you need a rental car in Fairbanks? I hear they're really hard to come by right now.
Travel!! Where are you headed; Where do you want to go? Where have you been?
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Help Support Professional Engineer & PE Exam Forum:
Do you need a rental car in Fairbanks? I hear they're really hard to come by right now.
Yeah... we're going to fly in to Anchorage and rent there. But I just checked and the internet is telling me there are zero rental cars available. I guess we're fucked. WTF is happening? I didn't think cars could catch COVID....
Fleet sales are way down right now due to supply chain disruptions, so the rental agencies pulled a bunch of their rentals at the scheduled intervals but were unable to replenish them. There are also a number of people looking to rent and drive right now as opposed to flying.
@Dleg Are you in any of the rental companies' frequent renter programs? Taking National as an example, they don't show any cars available if I check their website in ANC in late June, but if I log into my account then they have some cars available. Worth a shot at signing up for their program if you're not already in it. I'll note I have elite status with National which might help. That's fairly easy to get -- I have it through work, but I can also get it from my car insurance company. I think AAA has a similar deal with Hertz.
Interestingly even though they supposedly don't have many cars, the rates aren't crazy high like the example above.
In addition to what Supe said, I suspect some rental companies sold cars to pay other bills toward the beginning of the pandemic when no one was traveling. And Alaska is extra hard hit because more people are looking at traveling there this summer because the airlines have added capacity along with great deals on airfare, plus it's not clear if there will be any Alaska cruises this year so I suspect more people are going by land instead.
Interestingly even though they supposedly don't have many cars, the rates aren't crazy high like the example above.
In addition to what Supe said, I suspect some rental companies sold cars to pay other bills toward the beginning of the pandemic when no one was traveling. And Alaska is extra hard hit because more people are looking at traveling there this summer because the airlines have added capacity along with great deals on airfare, plus it's not clear if there will be any Alaska cruises this year so I suspect more people are going by land instead.
Have you looked into RV rentals?
Thanks for the advice. We're carefully/tactfully checking with friends there if they have spare cars (dropping hints as in, "we were going to visit, but we can't find a rental car"), but I'm leaning 80/20 toward cancelation. I guess the world really has changed... We'll just stick with Colorado. Still have cars avaialble there, but because my parents don't want to drive any more, but want to go everywhere with us, we need a minivan and prices for those are looking like $110-120 a day, minimum. Ugh.
csb
Well-known member
Minivans were never cheap to rent- having gone on a few trips with them.
We recently flew and rented a car and the Enterprise employee was shocked at the rate we got- it was only $31/day from the airport (during the NFL draft). She thought I used points but I hadn't- I just logged in via my account. So I guess what I'm trying to say is try mudpuppy's tactic. (Though don't go with Enterprise because it's showing as sold out.)
If you still really want to go and need a car, Turo is an option. It's renting a car off a local. It's not always cheap but it is an option.
We recently flew and rented a car and the Enterprise employee was shocked at the rate we got- it was only $31/day from the airport (during the NFL draft). She thought I used points but I hadn't- I just logged in via my account. So I guess what I'm trying to say is try mudpuppy's tactic. (Though don't go with Enterprise because it's showing as sold out.)
If you still really want to go and need a car, Turo is an option. It's renting a car off a local. It's not always cheap but it is an option.
snickerd3
Taking suggestions
we decided to go to Branson again. Snickette was still a toddler when we went last time. now we just need to start booking activities. The boat place we used last time for Table Rock lake isn't renting boats out anymore. I found another place in the state park marina.
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Travel to Little Rock for Memorial Day weekend with cat was a success! He was a very good boy. That means car trip to NY from IN is in the books! Leaving 6/25 and returning on 7/10. Planning on staying at an animal-friendly hotel on the way over since I really can't drive long distances by myself anymore.
So are you going to Silver Dollar City?
My family trip is all lined up. This will be the most expensive trip I have ever taken. Renting a minivan for 23 days in Colorado is costing us about $3600. Then we have hotel expenses and meals because my parents can't have us in their house anymore - probably about the same or more than the minivan. At least that frees us up for doing other stuff, so I have a 6 day side trip throughout the mountains all planned out now with reservations. If I'm going to go into debt for this vacation, we might as well have some fun.
snickerd3
Taking suggestions
Yep. The cave tour is closed though...minisnick and I just missed it by a couple minutes last time. But by mid july it could be open again.
snickerd3
Taking suggestions
Just got back! Had a good time. Time traveler is an AWESOME ride. That ride alone was worth the price of admission to silver dollar city....buy sheer luck we got front row. only wish it wasn't as hot&humid of a week.
snickerd3
Taking suggestions
Although when did upside down roller coasters switch to non-shoulder covering restraints. THat kinda freaked me out a little. Just a lap restraint for upside down.
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My dad couldn't resist. We have a cruise booked for later October 2021. Then home to NY for Thanksgiving (me and Odin will travel by car and he'll explore hotel rooms again). Then Hawaii for January 2022. Lihue? I think that's where we are going.
...I'm stupidly applying for a leadership program thing at my agency, that I totally won't get into, but if I do get in, the Hawaii vacation for me will, yet again, need to be cancelled. Which will be the 7th year in a row that I'm unable to go to Hawaii with my family on the annual trip. *sigh*
...I'm stupidly applying for a leadership program thing at my agency, that I totally won't get into, but if I do get in, the Hawaii vacation for me will, yet again, need to be cancelled. Which will be the 7th year in a row that I'm unable to go to Hawaii with my family on the annual trip. *sigh*
Exengineer
Well-known member
Last year and this year not a good time to travel, certainly not by air. I have not been out of North America since March-April 2019 during a visit to Moldova and Ukraine. Have not been across the border to the U.S. since August 2019. If the requirements for vaccine shots stay in place I may never leave Canada again. Not planning on getting experimental vaccine shots.
