Shortage in Car Rentals as Travel Increases

The Covid-19 pandemic is putting a strain on the car rental industry.

AAA said that during the pandemic car rental industries sold off some of their inventory. Add to that a shortage of a car component called a semi-conductor, for new vehicles and an uptick in travel and there is a disruption in the market, creating a shortage of vehicles for rent.

This is being seen all over the country, but particularly hard hit is popular tourists destinations like Florida.

“So what this means for consumers is that you need to book early. So when you’re planning your vacation, when your booking your air, when your booking your hotel also book your rental car,” said Sr Manager Public Affairs for AAA Ohio Kimberly Schwind. “Do not wait and also it’s a good idea to look for discounts.”

Schwind said working with a travel agent in some cases can save you up to 20 percent on a car rental. To save some cash you can also consider renting from an off-airport location.

“If you want to consider an off-airport location you may have higher availability at those locations,” explained Schwind. “Consider the travel time to get those and also consider the hours of operation because they may be different then when your flight comes in, look at how your going to get to and from that location and look and see if they have that availability there.”

Another tip for travel includes being flexible in your travel dates. Rentals during the week may be less expensive then weekend rates on a per day basis and you may get a refund if you return the vehicle early.