Seattle Airport Conrac to Open After 17 Years
Daily fees have helped build the Sea-Tac consolidated rental car facility at a rate of $4 that began in 2005. That fee has since increased to $5 and will rise to $6 on Feb. 1.
Photos courtesy of Perry Cooper, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Media and Public Affairs Manager
The outside of the top floor customer service area. This is where shuttle buses will pickup passengers to return them to the airport. Drop-off will take place on the other side.
(Click here to view full photo gallery.)
Photos courtesy of Perry Cooper, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Media and Public Affairs Manager
The outside of the top floor customer service area. This is where shuttle buses will pickup passengers to return them to the airport. Drop-off will take place on the other side.
(Click here to view full photo gallery.)
A consolidated rental car facility (conrac) at the Seattle-Tacoma Airport (Sea-Tac) is finally announced to be completed in April 2012 — a facility that renters have paid fees for since Aug. 1, 2005. The facility was supposed to last open this last November, according to an article from Auto Rental News, with some extra time given to car rental companies to “ramp up operations.”
According to an article from the Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce, the Sea-Tac conrac first went into planning 17 years ago, and stopped and re-started five different times since then.
The conrac was first funded by a $4 daily charge on rental car customers, which has since been raised to $5. Part of the original plan, on Feb. 1, this fee will be raised to $6, which was confirmed by Perry Cooper, manager/airport media and public affairs.
The interior of the customer service area, which includes a 25,000 sq.-foot lobby that will house all the rental car counters.
The overall cost, he said, came in at $419 million and will house 12 car rental brands: E-Z Rent A Car, Payless, Avis, Budget, Alamo, National, Enterprise, Dollar, Thrifty, Fox, Hertz and Advantage. The 2.1 million square-foot conrac also includes a bus maintenance facility, off-site road improvements, main terminal improvements and the bus purchase.
There will be 5,400 parking stalls on four floors, and the new spaces for rental cars is expected to free up about 3,200 parking spaces in the main terminal garage.
More Rental Operations
U.S. Business Travel Car Rental Rates Forecast to Rise Up to 2%
Improved fleet supply should limit pricing gains in 2026-27, while insurance, repair costs, and softer residual values continue to pressure rental operations, according to Amex GBT.
Read More →
Sixt Revenue Tops $2.4 Billion in First Half of 2026
Sixt’s first-half revenue surpassed $2.4 billion for the first time as demand outpaced fleet growth, lifting utilization and earnings despite weaker consumer sentiment in North America.
Read More →
In Memoriam: Bobby Klyce, Avis Licensee Legend
The longtime Birmingham Avis operator and 2018 Auto Rental News Impact Award recipient was remembered as an advocate for independent licensees and the broader car rental industry.
Read More →
How to Build Custom Fleet Tools With AI and Vibe Coding [Webinar]
A new Automotive Fleet webinar explores how fleet managers are using AI and vibe coding to automate routine work and create simple operational tools without traditional programming skills.
Read More →
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 →