Orlando International Airport raising rental car fees to fund off-site rental car facility
Orlando is well known as the theme park capital of the world, but it also holds the title of the world's largest rental car market. Many of the city's rental cars originate from Orlando International Airport (MCO). Unfortunately, all those rental cars take up too much space in the airport's surface lots and parking garages.
Last year, more than 57 million travelers passed through MCO, up from 50 million in 2022. With a growing number of passengers traveling through MCO each year, it's common to find the airport's parking garages filled to capacity, partly due to the spots dominated by rental car companies. The Greater Orlando Airport Authority has a solution, but it may make your next Orlando car rental more expensive.
Currently, most rental car companies operate out of the garages across the street from the terminals, but MCO is on the dwindling list of major airports with on-airport rental car facilities. Several other major airports, including Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) and Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD), have already made the switch to off-site car rental facilities. Known as consolidated car rental facilities, these ease congestion and free up space at the terminal.
On Aug. 21, the GOAA presented the proposed consolidated rental car facility as part of its preliminary 2024‐2025 fiscal year budget.
"In light of the significant growth in traffic and as part of the evaluation of improved and expanded facilities for rental car operations and enhancements to the rental car customer experience, GOAA is pursuing the design and construction of a consolidated rental car facility (ConRAC)," it stated.
Related: How I saved hundreds on a car rental when combining it with theme park tickets
Click Orlando recently spoke with Angela Starke, GOAA's senior vice president of public affairs and community relations.
"The facility would instantly open up about 5,000 parking spaces in the existing A, B and C garages, where rental cars are currently housed," Starke shared. She also revealed that the new facility is being planned for the south end of the airport, near Terminal C.
MCO's proposed consolidated rental car facility is expected to open by 2032, but Orlando rental car customers will be affected by the project much sooner. Beginning Nov. 1, the Customer Facility Charge paid by most airport rental car customers will increase from $6 to $9 per day in order to fund the project. When the price increase takes effect, only one airport in the country — San Francisco International Airport (SFO) — will charge a higher CFC of $10, according to Click Orlando.
The CFC has a maximum collection period of seven days, so the largest potential increase a customer will see is $21.
Though Orlando airport rental car costs are about to go up, there are still ways to save money on your next car rental. Like at other airports, when you rent a car at MCO, you are also charged a daily Toll Convenience Fee. This can add up if you are staying for several days, but you can bypass this fee entirely with Orlando's free Visitor Toll Pass. You'll still be responsible for the tolls themselves, but you won't have to pay the additional convenience fee that rental car companies automatically add to your bill.
No matter which airport you rent from, you may also be able to save on your car rental by booking through a site like AutoSlash. AutoSlash compares prices from multiple rental companies and even incorporates potential coupons, discount codes and membership-related savings.
The CFC increase takes effect Nov. 1. If you have a rental car booking on or after that date, you'll see the $3 CFC increase on your final bill. In the coming years, you will likely also see some construction as MCO builds its new rental car facility, giving you plenty of time to accept that you will no longer be able to make the convenient walk straight from the terminal to your rental car.
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