Q's About Car Rental at LAX

MIChessGuy

(Almost) Too Old for Roller Coasters
Joined
Dec 16, 2008
Alamo's Costco rate went way down when I checked today for my late August trip. I booked seven days for an all-inclusive total of $228 -- bad by Orlando standards, but not too unreasonable for L.A. in my opinion. Interestingly, the Costco travel site automatically utilized coupon code AD2823JAZ, so I guess it would have been possible to book directly with the Alamo website and just punch in the codes there.

Anyhoo, not having visited DLR since 1984, I was wondering about the following:

(1) Is online skip-the-counter check in going to be available? I believe so, since LAX is listed as participating, but this time I did not book directly with Alamo. I did get an Alamo confirmation number. My concern is that the Alamo site will know I booked through somebody else and might use that to refuse skip-the-counter.

(2) What's the shuttle situation like with Alamo at LAX? I got spoiled in Orlando from just walking out to the garage. Is it typical to wait around a long time for a shuttle?

Thanks for any input.
 
(1) Is online skip-the-counter check in going to be available? I believe so, since LAX is listed as participating, but this time I did not book directly with Alamo. I did get an Alamo confirmation number. My concern is that the Alamo site will know I booked through somebody else and might use that to refuse skip-the-counter.

Typically if you did not book with your membership # they will not know it is you for the bypass option. I would call and see if you account is linked to the reservation and if they can link it if not.

(2) What's the shuttle situation like with Alamo at LAX? I got spoiled in Orlando from just walking out to the garage. Is it typical to wait around a long time for a shuttle

At LAX, each rental company has an independent shuttle to their individual off site location...even with shuttles, traffic in the LAX loop can royally be jammed up so plan accordingly.
 
At LAX, each rental company has an independent shuttle to their individual off site location...even with shuttles, traffic in the LAX loop can royally be jammed up so plan accordingly.

This was actually a huge issue for us on the way back to LAX. We had no issue dropping off the car, but the shuttle got completely stuck in the loop getting us back to the terminal, thankfully our stop was the first one, I have no idea if we would have made our flight if our stop had been later in that loop, especially since the lines to check baggage and for TSA were terrible. I actually refuse to fly into LAX due to this unpredictability, I much prefer to spend more money and fly into SNA and not deal with the LAX congestion.
 


Shuttles are supposed to run 12-15 minutes apart. Rental Car shuttles are on the lower (arrival) level under the purple sign at each terminal. Like others have mentioned, traffic is likely to be an issue.
 
Thanks for the update. I did locate my booking at the Alamo site and it appeared to be offering online check-in. Whether it would actually work is another question, I guess. With any luck there will be at least one more rate drop, then I can rebook on Alamo directly and head off any problems.

As for the taxes, those are notoriously extortionate at airport car rental agencies. I know some people rent away from the airport to avoid them. I've decided to suck it up this one time for simplicity purposes.
 


You should be able to check-in online at the Alamo website with your Costco reservation. I did it earlier this year in Orlando, I don't see why it would be any different in LA. Once you are checked in you should be able to skip the counter and head to the next step (however that looks at LAX).
 

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