Car Rental in Down Town Anchorage

My flight is scheduled to arrive in Anchorage at 3:45 PM on Saturday July 28, 2007. I%26#39;ve reserved a Car at Avis downtown for pick-up at around 4:00PM. I%26#39;m staying at the Comfort Inn Ships Creek.

It looks like the Avis office closes at 5PM. Am I cutting it too short to be sure that I get a car Saturday night? I%26#39;m scheduled to drive to Seward the next morning to make an 11:45 AM Kenai Fjords Cruise on Major Marine, so I don%26#39;t think I can wait to pick-up the car Sunday morning (as office opens at 9:00 AM).

Any thoughts or advice?

Thanks for your input.

Marty

Car Rental in Down Town Anchorage

Mary...If your plane arrives at 3:45 and if you have bags to pickup, you will never get to downtown anchorage by 4pm. The airport is about 20 minutes from downtown, depending on traffic. It is busy in July.

You should plan on at least 2-3 hours to drive to Seward from Anchorage. You are cutting it too close to be in Seward, on a ship at 11:45. Try a cruise later in the day. They surely have some.

Or, I would check with Avis and see if can accommodate you after 5pm. In fact, I%26#39;m surprised they close this early in the summer.

good luck

Car Rental in Down Town Anchorage

I agree with arcticnite. Too close for comfort. Your flight is landing at 3:45 but you need to add time for taxing, walking through the terminal, getting a taxi to town. You may not make it before 5 PM. Farther, there is no way you are going to make 11:45 cruise if a car rental opens at 9am. By the time they actually open, then they have to do paper work for you, finally you need to check a car for any damages. I wouldn%26#39;t count on starting your drive earlier than 10 am. Change your itinerary and as suggested, take a cruise later on Sunday. It takes around 2 and 1/2 hours to get to Seward if everything goes well. You are not giving yourself any time for any road constructions, weather, slow vehicles.

Contact Avis and see if they can deliver the car and paperwork to your hotel. It may be unusual, but it is a possibliity. Otherwise try to bamboozle them into doing the paperwork at the ariport Avis counter, have the car waiting at your hotel and still pay the downtown rate instead fo the ariport rate.

Failing any of that, Avis themselves may have an idea if you let them know what your situation is.

71

Thanks,

I%26#39;ll give both the hotel %26amp; Avis a call. Also I%26#39;ll check %26amp; see if other rental locations are open later in town. Worst case I%26#39;ll just rent at the airport and pay the extra fee.

Marty