DFW Leads Rental Car Rip Offs

By Don Nadeau, on February 6, 2006, in Car Rental Tips

“Dallas (DFW) Leads Rental Car Rip Offs” was published before, but it’s well worth reading again. Your best way to save on rental cars may be by avoiding certain airports like DFW altogether, and renting your cars downtown.
We don’t mind paying higher taxes and fees when we rent cars at airport locations—we’d rather do this than face no airport improvements–but all too often these fees are despicably egregious.
Take Dallas-Ft. Worth International (DFW). The word reprehensible comes to mind.
Last we heard, rental car taxes and fees totaled an astounding 61.4% at DFW. But, if you took a shuttle into town, your fees would add up to a “mere” 17.1%.
No wonder Southwest Airlines has fought pitched legal battles for years against being forced to use DFW, instead of Love Field. There are other good reasons, but this must be one of them.
Dallas is not alone. At Atlanta, Chicago O’Hare, Denver International, and Phoenix, taxes and fees are at least twice what you’d pay at a downtown location.
There are exceptions. LAX renters face no penalty. Orlando and Minneapolis – St. Paul travelers pay little more than at city center locations.
In most cases, however, you are better off renting downtown if you’re renting for more than several days.