Miami Car-Rental Hub Project Hit with Two-Year Delay
MIAMI -- In the face of rising construction costs and the prospect of lighter rental-car traffic than anticipated, the consolidated car rental facility at Miami International Airport has been put on hold for two years, and the project's capacity has been reduced.
MIAMI -- In the face of rising construction costs and the prospect of lighter rental-car traffic than anticipated, the consolidated car rental facility at Miami International Airport has been put on hold for two years, and the project’s capacity has been reduced.
According to a report in Miami Today, the car rental hub was slated for a 2006 opening, but officials at the Florida DOT think August 2008 is more likely now.
The Miami Intermodal Center is a plan to connect the various modes of transportation around the airport, and the consolidated facility was to be the first phase of that $1.3 billion project.
The facility’s initial plans called for 9,500 vehicle spaces, 42 car-wash bays and 120 fuel pumps, the report said. But the scale-back now has the structure looking to house 6,800 spaces, 30 car-wash bays and 84 fuel pumps.
The building, however, will maintain its four-story design, and is still expected to occupy the 20 acres that were set aside for the original model, the report said.
Another factor in trimming the project was that the number of interested car-rental operators had dropped from 22 at the onset to 16 interested parties today. But officials still contend, the report said, that the primary reason for the revised project plans had to do with rental-car congestion, or lack thereof. A current transaction fee of $3.50 tacked on to renters’ invoices funds the project, but that fee is going to jump to $4 when the hub is up and operating.
Heavy construction costs have also weighed on the project, with $433 million in loans from the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act, the U.S. DOT’s funding program that supports large-scale surface projects such as this.
The consolidated facility broke ground in 2003. And with most of the subterranean work and foundation complete, the report said that officials expect construction to begin soon.
More Rental Operations

Car Rental Rates Forecast to Rise 3.6% in 2026 Before Easing in 2027
Car rental rates are projected to rise less than airfares and hotel rates in 2026, then become the only major travel category forecast to decline in 2027, according to projections from GBTA and ALTOUR.
Read More →
Avis Cuts Fleet as Summer Demand Trails Expectations
Avis Budget Group increased second-quarter earnings despite lower Americas revenue and softer-than-expected summer demand. The company also expanded Avis First and advanced its autonomous fleet operations with Waymo.
Read More →
Why Bookings Are Only the Start of the Rental Day
A reservation captures demand. The operating test is whether the business can keep the customer, vehicle, commercial terms, and next action aligned until the rental is closed.
Read More →
This Is the Oldest Car Rental Advertisement You’ll Ever See
This ad for Saunders Drive it Yourself, believed to be the first car rental company in the U.S., was found in an Omaha phone book from 1926.
Read More →
The Desk Upsell Is Costing Operators More Than it Earns
Counter upsells generate revenue, but they can also slow transactions, erode trust, and cost repeat business. Fully inclusive pricing may offer operators a better path to long-term value.
Read More →
U-Save Expands Indian Ocean Presence with New Master Franchise for Mauritius
The franchise has been acquired by Mauritian travel entrepreneur Umarfarooq Omarjee, an established figure in the island's tourism and mobility sector.
Read More →
Global Carsharing Fleet Projected to Reach 768,000 Vehicles By 2030
A new Berg Insight forecast outlines several business models driving the projected growth in public carsharing worldwide through 2029.
Read More →
Rental Car Fleet Sales Show Mid-Year Strength
June gains ensured rental fleets closed out the first half of 2026 in positive territory.
Read More →
Surprice Mobility Opens Corporate Rental Station at Milan Malpensa Airport
The Milan opening is part of Surprice Mobility's broader strategy to expand its corporate operations while increasing the use of technology across its network.
Read More →
Brazilian Executive MBA Targets Growing Domestic Rental Car Industry
Rental car companies face a unique combination of challenges that are rarely addressed in traditional programs.
Read More →
