Miami Airport Rental Car Question

[Randus62]

Will any of the rental car agencies in MIA drop you off at the Port of Miami? We are coming in a few days early and want to explore.

[garycarla]

double check as you may be able to drop off somewhere closer to the port than the airport, with less hassle

[floorman]

Will any of the rental car agencies in MIA drop you off at the Port of Miami? We are coming in a few days early and want to explore.

 

We fly into Tampa a couple of days before our cruise and rent a car from National Car Rental and we drop it off at the Miami airport. National has a free shuttle bus that drops you off at the cruise ship terminal.

 

After our cruise, we take the National shuttle bus to the airport and pick up a car and drive back to Tampa. We just tip the driver a couple of bucks each way.

 

Doug

[valancy1]

Hertz is nearby as well (nearby Port of Miami, that is). I believe there are a couple others as well. There are shuttles that pick up passengers at the port and take them to the rental car facility.

 

You could go on Hertz, Budget, and Dollar as examples and where it asks for pick up location, type in "Port of Miami" and see what the search engine does.

 

National has a facility on Miami Beach, but you would have to hire a taxi to get you there. That's what I did (I rent with them every week so I have free days to use) and then dropped it off at the Miami airport without a hassle.

 

Hope that helps!

[Sauer-kraut]

Check out the Ports of Call boards for Miami and you might find out some great tips about car rentals at the port. :)

[GORDONCHICK]

Alamo and Dollar both have shuttle buses to and from Port of Miami. We rented a car at FLL and drove to Miami for a few days. Dropped the car off and took the shuttle to the pier. When we returned, took the shuttle back to Alamo, got a car and drove to FLL area where we spent a few days. Worked really well because it was quite a bit cheaper (X 3) to fly into FLL than MIA for us.

[clyde3]

Alamo and Dollar both have shuttle buses to and from Port of Miami. We rented a car at FLL and drove to Miami for a few days. Dropped the car off and took the shuttle to the pier. When we returned, took the shuttle back to Alamo, got a car and drove to FLL area where we spent a few days. Worked really well because it was quite a bit cheaper (X 3) to fly into FLL than MIA for us.

 

How long ago did you do this? I heard Alamo stopped their shuttle to the port.

[Kruizin'Kath]

That's what they told me, too....after I had rented:mad:. Looking for a way to get 4 people to Marriot Biscayne Bay before our cruise:confused:

[JohninDC]

That's what they told me' date=' too....after I had rented:mad:. Looking for a way to get 4 people to Marriot Biscayne Bay before our cruise:confused:[/quote']

 

The new car rental center at MIA may have affected those agencies that previously provided free shuttle service to POM - best advice is to call the Miami office (not the 1-800 number) and ask.

 

If there's no shuttle available you are only a $25 cab ride from downtown hotels and POM - not too expensive for 4 people. Good luck!:)

[ringram]

None of the renatal companies close to POM have free shuttle service to POM. Hertz is across the street from where you turn into POM, but it's not within walking distance. A few of the reantal companies at the airport have free shuttle service, but you have to be careful who you talk to. It's hard to talk to someone actually at the Miami location, you get passed to national call centers and they really don't don't know one way or the other regardless of what they tell you. I had the person from Dollar's national call center say no, and they did have free shuttle service to POM, and I had the Budget call center say yes, and they don't. With a little searching you can find the local numbers. Good luck.

 

BTW, try using Dollar and Promo code KISSE. Awesome rates.

[ringram]

FYI, here is the disclaimer from the Budget WEB Site. Check out the last sentenace in #7 concerning shuttle service to/from POM.

 

MIA - Miami, Florida (International Airport)

1. Driving Restrictions: Driving is restricted to the continental United States and Canada. A Canadian resident is prohibited from driving a U S owned vehicle into Canada. Not allowed into Mexico.

2. Gasoline Policy: Vehicle must be returned with full tank or local refueling charge applies.

Renter may purchase a prepaid gasoline option and return the car with the gasoline tank less than full, without refund.

3. Driving Age: Drivers 21 to 24 years of age are required to pay an additional charge of $27.00 per day.

Drivers must be 25 years of age to rent XFAR, LFAR, SVAR, FVAR type vehicles.

Drivers may be subject to a DMV record check at the time of rental. For a list of criteria, please click the General Policies link.

4. Additional Authorized Drivers: The cost is $9.99 per day for an additional authorized driver, including life partner.

5. Surcharge Information: A state imposed surcharge of $2.02 per day is assessed on all rental vehicles.

There is an Airport Privilege fee of 9.89% applicable to all revenue except fuel, sales tax, Florida State Surcharge and in some locations LDW.

A Vehicle License Recovery Fee of $0.59 per day is assessed on all rentals.

A Customer Facility Charge of $4.00 per day will be charged on all rentals.

Frequent flyer miles may be subject to a frequent flyer surcharge.

Tour customers and POD rentals taking place in Florida, who receive frequent flyer miles, will be the only rentals exempt.

6. Financial Information:

Customers using debit cards to qualify to rent at the beginning of the rental will be subject to a debit card screening, which may impact the customer's credit evaluation. If the screening fails to meet our debit card criteria, the customer will be required to present a major credit card in order to qualify to rent.

A hold will be placed on all credit/debit cards for the estimated amount of the rental plus 15% OR a minimum of $250.00, whichever is greater. We will remove the hold at the end of the rental when the final charges are settled.

Prepaid credit cards, gift cards and debit/check cards are accepted for payment at the end of the rental.

Additional Information:

Supplemental Liability surcharge is 13.99 per day.

Premium, Luxury and SUV type vehicles require a major credit card to book, ***Debit Cards are not allowed to secure these types of vehicles.***.

Any changes to your reservation or rental may result in a change of rate or additional fees.

For rentals 28 days or longer the Customer must return the vehicle for maintenance or to renew the contract every 28 days to the location.

Customers renting from Miami Airport and taking a cruise from the Miami Port must return the vehicle to the airport location, a shuttle will be provided to the port. There are no parking spaces at the Cruise Port.

[MrBacardi5]

That's what they told me' date=' too....after I had rented:mad:. Looking for a way to get 4 people to Marriot Biscayne Bay before our cruise:confused:[/quote']

 

I just called Alamo a few minutes ago and spoke to someone at the Miami Airport counter 305-633-6076. I was told they provide a free shuttle between the airport and POM. I hope they are correct. I am cruising in August

[litebender]

This afternoon I spoke to an agent at the Budget SW 8th st. location in Miami and was told that there was no shuttle service. I also called Alamo's airport location, got no answer but was told by a reservation agent that the shuttle from that location was DISCONTINUED as of July 1, 2010.:mad:

 

I guess the days of free shuttles are over, not to mention that the rental rates seem to be a lot higher than in the past couple of years.

[litebender]

Dollar claims to have a shuttle from their MIA airport location. I hope this is correct, because it's nearly impossible to talk to someone on-site.

[MrBacardi5]

Dollar claims to have a shuttle from their MIA airport location. I hope this is correct, because it's nearly impossible to talk to someone on-site.

 

I saw that on Dollar's site. I will call Alamo/National again in a couple of days & see what answer I get this time. I got a very cheap rate from Alamo so it pays for the cab if necessary.

[londonben]

If you go to the Dollar website and put in pick up point POM it is approx $10 more expensive than pick up point MIA. I then emailed Dollar to confirm the shuttle from the port would pick up all passengers in the party and not just the driver.

The reply I received confirmed all the passengers would be picked up, but it did seem to be a generic type of reply rather than a specefic reply to the Port of Miami shuttle.

Just checked the Thrifty site and they offer the same (it is the same company I think), but this indicates the service is likely still available.