[ablefire]

I don't rent cars all that of then so there may be all kinds of Pro Tips that I don't know.

My biggest gripe with car rentals is not the experience at the counter but the schlep from the terminal to the rental car district. First there is the wait for the shuttle bus, then the tour of the other terminals, then the drive to the rental lost. By the time you get to the counter you've lost 30 minutes of your life to waiting and ferrying.

So for me the core problem is that the car is not somewhere extremely convenient at the terminal when I need it. I do recall some uber-statused folks at my work having the rental car company meet them at the curb with the car but this seemed to be an arcane and rarified perk.

It's kinda like the last mile problem. Once you actually get to the rental hub then it's pretty painless and quick but getting from the plane to the rental lot is a slow mess.