The Car Rental Apocalypse Isn’t Over Yet – How to Survive

You’ve flown in and landed at your destination, and you’re ready to rock and roll on your road trip. There’s only one problem ­– there’s no rental cars available! You tell your friends, and they comment on how astronomical the prices of available rental cars are and you start to wonder what’s going on. While this is an unfortunate scenario, it’s not an uncommon one in 2021. Welcome to the rental car apocalypse.

Why is there a rental car apocalypse?

During the pandemic in 2020, many car rental companies cut down their inventory because of the drop in demand. No one was renting a car during quarantine. In fact, a major car rental service, Hertz, even filed for bankruptcy. When relief from the pandemic happened in 2021, a new peak in travel spiked. The demand for rental cars started to come back into motion, up 60% as compared to a year ago, according to AAA. But unfortunately, the supply still hasn’t come back. Coupled with the loss of inventory during the pandemic, the lack of rental cars is also due to a slow response in car manufacturing, a result of shortages in the car factories and semiconductor industries.

How can you survive the car rental apocalypse?

Now, don’t cancel your road trip just yet. Here are a few ways you can survive the rental car apocalypse:

1. Book your rental car as far in advance as possible. The traditional way of booking travel used to be, pick a destination, book your Best Western^® Hotels & Resorts hotel, book your flight, and then book your car rental. During these times, it’s important to check the availability of a rental car first, especially if it’s a key component of your travel plans. Look and book your rental car in advance as early as possible.
2. Book your rental car at a neighboring location. Although it may be the most convenient option to pick up your rental car from the airport, this will also be the most competitive option. Beat the crowds by researching neighboring locations. For instance, in Phoenix, you can pick up from surrounding cities, Mesa, Tempe and Scottsdale, as alternatives.
3. Book your rental through a car–sharing platform. Car-sharing platforms are coming to the rental car rescue. Check out Turo, Getaround or DriveShare as a solution to renting a car in your destination. Usually, these car-sharing platforms carry a wide range of vehicles from classics to sports cars to Teslas, which is a nice alternative to the conventional cars that the car rental companies carry.

As you navigate the challenges of the rental car apocalypse, remember there are ways to road trip without rental cars, and that lodging is never a worry with Best Western^® Hotels & Resorts.