San Jose Airport -- rental car experiences?
Jul 14th, 2001, 05:51 PM
#1
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San Jose Airport -- rental car experiences?
I checked previous threads on rental cars and read some real horror stories.
We are flying in/out of San Jose at the end of the month, and need a rental car for 4 days. Anyone out there have any experiencs, good or bad, renting a car the San Jose airport or in San Jose itself?
We are flying in/out of San Jose at the end of the month, and need a rental car for 4 days. Anyone out there have any experiencs, good or bad, renting a car the San Jose airport or in San Jose itself?
Jul 14th, 2001, 11:41 PM
#3
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The San Jose Airport is a dream compared to San Francisco which is always complete madness.
As always, no one car rental agency ALWAYS is the cheapest. You have to shop around. I believe all the major companies are represented at the airport; we've had good prices from Thrifty and Dollar but you should check them all for prices; some may be running promotional rates at the time you visit.
There are plenty offsite agencies as well. To find them, use the
www.yahoo.com
"yellow pages"
As always, no one car rental agency ALWAYS is the cheapest. You have to shop around. I believe all the major companies are represented at the airport; we've had good prices from Thrifty and Dollar but you should check them all for prices; some may be running promotional rates at the time you visit.
There are plenty offsite agencies as well. To find them, use the
www.yahoo.com
"yellow pages"
Jul 15th, 2001, 06:43 PM
#6
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Jeannie, the rental car arrangement at the SJ airport was recently reconfigured. I'm not an alarmist, but I've heard lots of horror stories about how long it takes to pick up and drop off rental cars there. We live in the SF Bay Area, but I haven't rented a car there since the changes took place, so maybe you'll luck out. Welcome to California!
Jul 15th, 2001, 08:43 PM
#7
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Below is the website for San Jose Airport (SJC). Lots of helpful info included; look and click on the headings on the left side.
NOTE: If you are travelling with elderly persons who have difficulty walking, do yourself a favor and request that wheelchairs be provided for them at both your departure and SJC. You request these from the airline you are flying on. Be sure to request that this info be placed in the computer. Verify that it is in the computer by calling the airline 3 days before leaving. Once on the plane, request your flight attendant verify that wheelchairs will be waiting for your at SJC. The airline provides personnel to push the wheelchairs through airport facilities. Tip the 'pushers' at least a couple of dollars per wheelchair. Been there, done that, and believe me, it makes a big difference in ensuring your elderly passengers are not exhausted by trying to walk the great distances airports now entail.
At SJC they will be put in a wheelchair as they exit the plane and wheeled directly to the exit doors. There are chairs just inside and benches just outside. They can be seated and wait till one of you goes to get the car and picks them up curbside. Perhaps baggage claim area would work well for you.
NOTE: If you are travelling with elderly persons who have difficulty walking, do yourself a favor and request that wheelchairs be provided for them at both your departure and SJC. You request these from the airline you are flying on. Be sure to request that this info be placed in the computer. Verify that it is in the computer by calling the airline 3 days before leaving. Once on the plane, request your flight attendant verify that wheelchairs will be waiting for your at SJC. The airline provides personnel to push the wheelchairs through airport facilities. Tip the 'pushers' at least a couple of dollars per wheelchair. Been there, done that, and believe me, it makes a big difference in ensuring your elderly passengers are not exhausted by trying to walk the great distances airports now entail.
At SJC they will be put in a wheelchair as they exit the plane and wheeled directly to the exit doors. There are chairs just inside and benches just outside. They can be seated and wait till one of you goes to get the car and picks them up curbside. Perhaps baggage claim area would work well for you.
Jul 15th, 2001, 08:43 PM
#8
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Jul 15th, 2001, 09:03 PM
#9
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I have been in and out of SJC numerous times and unless things have changed recently, the Hertz depot is right next to the airport. You walk to it and take a quick van ride to your car. The others are a shuttle ride away and the airport is not that big to begin with. Much easier than SFO. Regardless of what happens...I cannot imagine the rental car experience at SJC having a negative impact on your trip.
Jul 23rd, 2001, 09:38 AM
#11
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Jeannie-
I fly in and out of SJC routinely. It is a very little bit better than SFO, but that's not saying much (SFO is under major construction). Here's how it works:
"On-airport" agencies are lumped together in two buildings and you must take a shuttle bus from the arrival terminal to get to them. There is usually a mob scene, with incredibly poor organization (no clear ranks in which to wait, just a surly guy snarling at people to get in the other line.) The buses are crowded and hot and stop at each of the two buidlings with the agency counters. Lines at the agency desk are typical. Cars aare parked in a lot outside the counter. Once you get your car you then have to go through a convoluted and lengthy course to exit the airport, and the signage is spotty.
Off-airport agencies run their own shuttles and are located a variety of distances from the airport. In some ways they are easier and quicker than the on-airport companies, and often cheaper. You won't be as close to the gate when you are returning the car, but you also won't have to hassle with the shuttle bus that serves 6 or 8 companies, and may even get ther quicker.
If you are a preferred customer with a company life is easier. You can often avoid the line at the counter and go to a designated group of cars and just choose one, then check out at the exit booth (I do this with National) but you still must ride the shuttle bus.
Another caution: for some reason there are a lot of minivans at SJC, and if you get there later in the day they'll say that's all that's left. Unless you have a specific reason for wanting one, they are horrible to drive in traffic, hard to park, and poor on gas. When they tried to put me in one I simply refused, cited that my reservation was clearly for a car not a van, and (lo and behold!) they came up with another car. This happened with 3 different companies in SJC!
Bottom line: allow plenty of time (30 minutes is risky, more like 45 min to an hour) both to pick up and to return your car at SJC, especially at peak hours.
I fly in and out of SJC routinely. It is a very little bit better than SFO, but that's not saying much (SFO is under major construction). Here's how it works:
"On-airport" agencies are lumped together in two buildings and you must take a shuttle bus from the arrival terminal to get to them. There is usually a mob scene, with incredibly poor organization (no clear ranks in which to wait, just a surly guy snarling at people to get in the other line.) The buses are crowded and hot and stop at each of the two buidlings with the agency counters. Lines at the agency desk are typical. Cars aare parked in a lot outside the counter. Once you get your car you then have to go through a convoluted and lengthy course to exit the airport, and the signage is spotty.
Off-airport agencies run their own shuttles and are located a variety of distances from the airport. In some ways they are easier and quicker than the on-airport companies, and often cheaper. You won't be as close to the gate when you are returning the car, but you also won't have to hassle with the shuttle bus that serves 6 or 8 companies, and may even get ther quicker.
If you are a preferred customer with a company life is easier. You can often avoid the line at the counter and go to a designated group of cars and just choose one, then check out at the exit booth (I do this with National) but you still must ride the shuttle bus.
Another caution: for some reason there are a lot of minivans at SJC, and if you get there later in the day they'll say that's all that's left. Unless you have a specific reason for wanting one, they are horrible to drive in traffic, hard to park, and poor on gas. When they tried to put me in one I simply refused, cited that my reservation was clearly for a car not a van, and (lo and behold!) they came up with another car. This happened with 3 different companies in SJC!
Bottom line: allow plenty of time (30 minutes is risky, more like 45 min to an hour) both to pick up and to return your car at SJC, especially at peak hours.
Jul 25th, 2001, 05:34 PM
#12
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Just rented a car at SJC, and were very pleased. The key was that we rented from Avis and held the car with a credit card ahead of time. Though you do have to take a shuttle, I think they all require shuttle to get to, when we arrived, our car was ready with our contract inside, Wall Street Journal on seat and keys inside ready to go. We bypassed any counter, just found our name on a board outside the Avis rental building showing us which stall our car was in and went right to it. Pretty slick. We have rented from SJC in past with Hertz and had to wait about an hour - there was a huge line and rumor was going around that there weren't any cars available. Never got the story straight, but anyhow we had a great experience with Avis. I think there was some unusual circumstance that day with Hertz. Hold your car with a card, that's the key.
Jul 26th, 2001, 09:41 AM
#14
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Jeannie, just rented a car at SJC last week. All rental cars are now at a facility at the edge of the airport; one bus goes to all of them, with Hertz/Avis in one building and everybody else in another. The shuttle buses leave every minute; the ride was no more than six or seven minutes.
I remember at least one "oddball" among the agencies in Building 2: Fox Rental Cars. I rented from Avis and encountered no line checking in or out.
I remember at least one "oddball" among the agencies in Building 2: Fox Rental Cars. I rented from Avis and encountered no line checking in or out.
