glegly

Folks - I've been traveling to Summit County for years, renting at the Denver Airport, but prices this year have just skyrocketed. What I used to get for $500 (SUV) is now $700-$900. I know, I know, you don't NEED an SUV, but we like to drive around from mtn to mtn, have little kids, and don't want to risk getting stuck.

I started looking at off-airport locations 5-10 miles from Pena Blvd (suggested in this forum), but I've got a flight scheduling conflict - those locations I found are either closed on Sundays or close at 2PM. My flight gets in Sunday at 1PM, too close to risk getting stuck without a car due to a flight delay.

I'm now considering taking a taxi deep into dtwn Denver, rent a car there, but that's killing at least an hour, if not more depending on traffic. The fact that Hertz can charge $900+ on the airport lot but charge $475 for the same period of time 5 miles away is insulting. I understand some markup, but 90% just for convenience?

Aren't there any better alternatives?!?! Help me, wise Fodors denizens. Thanks!

ksucat

we're skiing in Feb and we have rented cars from the airport at DEN many times and this year prices have skyrocketed double..
I have looked at the off the airport location to save $$..they might have a shuttle which I am in the process of researching.
The savings is half..that is criminal..for a 5-20 mile location.
I wish I had an answer for you but its absurd!

musicfan

Don't know that this info will help you, but I did a rental car at the Denver airport for Labor Day weekend and had good luck with Priceline. I had to really work at it, bidding as often as I could and finally snagged a good rate the week before (I had a back-up reserved just in case, which I cancelled). And, not that you should chance this, but I had bid/won a car, but they offered me an SUV as an upgrade and I took it. Priceline only uses the major car rental agencies so no worries about getting stuck with a local rent-a-wreck outfit. Good luck!

glegly

Thanks for responding K! I rez'd an SUV from Budget for 8 days/7 nights for $709 (refundable), just to have something in case I run dry, but I know a better deal's out there. Lemme know if you run into anything, I'll do the same.

glegly

Musicfan - Good suggestion, never used PL for rental cars before. Am I putting down the TOTAL price, after fees/taxes, or the SUBTOTAL price, before fees/taxes? Because Denver Airport charges $150-$200 in fees/taxes, substantial enough to make a difference.

The other problem is that in this case, it's a sellers market. Don't think they'd be anxious to rent SUVs during ski season, those'll probably go. Hence the high prices. Dang law of supply and demand!

ksucat

I would do the Hertz deal with the 5 mile off property for the SUV at $478 a week.
I usually use Hotwire.com for car rentals and have always had good luck with them but they are all high dollars..even for a economy car.
Never thought to use Priceline and will plug in my dates.
I think having a SUV back up especially with ski season, they are probably one of the first to go.
My car is costing me more than my new one bedroom condo with ski in and ski out priviledges..there is something wrong with that!

WhereAreWe

I think saving $200 or more is worth spending an hour going to downtown. Aren't you going to drive past downtown anyway on your way out of town? I can't imagine traffic being an issue on Sunday afternoon.

I've almost always rented downtown to save about 40%. Doesn't take very long to get there. Factor in the time you'd spend at the airport riding the shuttle out to the rental cars and the time you lose becomes even less significant.

glegly

WhereAreWe - Yeah, but it's not just the hour I'm losing as it is the $$ on the taxi to go into dwtn Denver, lugging 4 sets of skis, 2-3 duffles, and 2 tired kids. All up, I'd probably save maybe $100, but would I pay a $100 to save that extra step? Probably.

You're right of course, spend an hour to save $200 is normally worth it. Ironically, if I made $200/hour, then I'm not even complaining about the $900 Hertz price. ;-)

musicfan

As best I recall, you input the $ amount of your bid per day, then, on the screen where you are asked to confirm/initial your bid amount, they add in those (&%$*#@'ing) fees and taxes. If those additional amounts push your bid too high, then just back out and don't submit the bid.

I was just in the Dallas-Fort Worth area this past weekend and got a good (imho) rate through AAA so you might check there also (www.aaa.com).

And I am totally with you on the hassle of getting downtown with all that stuff, kids, etc. especially after a long plane ride!

1JAR

Yes, I've noticed skyrocketing prices on SUV as well. I do use Hertz and use AAA. Helps some..

When I travel alone, I have done research in advance & caught a hotel shuttle near the location of an off airport site rental car location...I hate being devious but I must say I am usually within walking distance of Hotel where I have a resv anyway....
with a bunch of people, ski stuff, best I could sugest is catch a multi site shuttle, they are the best rates usualy better than taxi anyday..

also be careful about waiving rental car co insurence on SUV..credit card ins does not always cover all SUV..

1 other thing,if you get dog hair on teh inside be prepared for a %0..0 charge to appear on your charge card without advance notice...this is new Money maker..
I try not to be a negative Nellie, but whatever you do, don't ever rent from FOX..my husband and I had worst customer servcie experience ever w/FOX out of SFO...

fmpden

I think rental are way up. In Orlando over Christmas week we had to pay nearly $80/day for a pretty standard car. In Oct we rented the same day from the same agencies for about $40/day.

Amie

Last summer I rented (Enterprise) at Denver off-airport (2255 Broadway). I notice they are open until 4 PM on Sundays. Might be worth a try.

Does anyone know why the off-airport car rentals are so often closed on Sunday; cuts out a whole group of customers.

Gretchen

If you are renting in Feb, it may be a holiday weekend pushing the cost up.
And yes, lots of dollars to get to downtown Denver, which you are NOT "going by" to get to the mountains!
I usually check on Hotwire for what will be the total amount when the airport surcharges are added in (as someone else said, when bidding on PL, they will add those in at the end) so I will have an idea of what to bid.
Another learning about SUV rental--if you start 'way before you are coming, big savings can be had. I delayed one time, and lost the cheap SUV price.

glegly

Amie - Good call, that location IS open until 4PM. Just called them, they said people come from DIA all the time. Costs $50 for a cab ($20 for a Super Shuttle per person, which wouldn't make sense for my 4 person party). Making more and more sense. Now I just need to trust that my flight will not be more than 2+ hours late.

(Would still prefer an airport rental if people know of a way to beat $700 (taxes/fees included) rental for 8 days for a Standard SUV).

1JAR

glegly
I didn't mean Super Shuttle I meant RTD skyide..a motorcoach see below @ 10.00 per person w/some discounts..just a backup

skyRide fares depend on the location where you first board and your final destination. When you board, present your pass or insert your skyRide ticket or cash fare in the fare box. Exact fare is required as drivers do not carry change.

Cash Fares and Round-trip Ticketbook Prices DIA/Stapleton DIA/Denver DIA/Suburban
One-way Cash $8.00 $10.00 $12.00
One-way Cash Discount* $4.00 $5.00 $6.00
Age 15 and under** FREE FREE FREE
Round-trip Ticketbook
(Advance purchase required) $15.00 $18.00 $22.00

* Discount Fares apply to all seniors 65+, individuals with disabilities, Medicare recipients and students in elementary, middle and high school, ages 6-19. Proof of eligibility is required when boarding. For seniors or individuals with disabilities, a Special Discount Card may be obtained by calling 303.299.2667.Active duty members of the U.S. military currently ride for free on all RTD services.
** limit of three children, when accompanied by a paying adult.

View the skyRide route map for a listing of all skyRide routes, stops, fares and approximate travel times. View the DIA fare structure to get fare information for each route.

http://www.rtd-denver.com/skyRideFares.shtml

glegly

1J - Thanks for the links and the data about Sky Ride, very helpful, and yes, will use as a much cheaper alt. Haven't scoped out the timing of arrival to bus (to and from DIA).

Meanwhile, for those keeping score at home, I made a basic math error in my estimates on costs - it would cost $50 EACH WAY via a taxi to the Enterprise location on Broadway, to and from DIA. So we'd save $96 (Sky Ride notwithstanding).

Budget SUV $709
Enterprise SUV - $513
Taxi - $100
Savings = $96

glegly

For those who may care, I have hit a brick wall and will most likely go with the Budget price of $709. The $96 savings (or more with RTD) isn't compelling enough for the hassle.

Appreciate the help - particularly 1J and Amie - and I'm looknig forward to the trip. Just came back from a few days over MLK skiing here out East. Poor imitation of pow, but it'll do until Feb.

glegly

All - For what it's worth, I just started poking around for next year's Feb 2011 trip to CO, and sure enough, the $$$ for rental cars are back down to ~$275 (pre tax/fees). Fhew.

I just planned to late last time, car rental agencies just had a limited number of "cheap" rentals and screwed the late planners. Won't happen again. Thanks all!

smom

Last week we booked a sub-compact and planned on being cramped with the kids. They upgrade us to a Mountaineer for free. Total 258 for the week with taxes! When we arrived at Avis all we saw was SUV's. I don't think they had a sub-compact in the lot.

LindainOhio

Did you use a coupon code?--I am not finding rates like that for cars at the Denver airport. I have rented a midsize for $300 offsite