Related: TSA Records 1.3M Daily Travelers at Height of Holiday Travel
Travelers Trust Car Rental Over Planes, Buses
A survey gauging consumers' comfort levels with various modes of travel found that 38% of respondents felt "very comfortable" or "somewhat comfortable" when renting a car. Road trips leads the list, while flying internationally is at the bottom.

Renting a car is second only to "taking a road trip" in terms of travelers' comfort levels, according to Morning Consult.
Photo via Morning Consult.
While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to stall the travel industry, U.S. adults are increasingly more comfortable traveling in rental cars than planes, trains, and buses.
According to a new survey by Morning Consult, 41% of respondents said they would feel safe taking a road trip in a rental vehicle. Traveling via other means remains slightly less popular than renting a car.
Additionally, 39% of respondents said they would feel comfortable going on vacation, a record high number since the firm began tracking vacation comfort in April of last year.
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Advantage, Sixt Place Among Top Five in Annual Satisfaction Study
While Enterprise and National retain the top spots in JD Power’s 2026 rankings, the latest customer satisfaction results suggest renters can find competitive service beyond the biggest car rental names.
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The $100,000 Insurance Trap in Exotic Car Rentals
Exotic rental agencies often rely on customers’ personal auto policies to protect six-figure vehicles. But policy language can dramatically change the coverage for vehicles over $100,000 MSRP.
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The Booking Is Confirmed, But Is Your Customer Ready to Drive?
For international renters, a confirmed reservation doesn’t always mean they’re eligible to drive. Earlier checks can help operators catch documentation and payment issues before the customer reaches the counter.
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ICRS 2027 Opens Call for Papers
The International Car Rental Show seeks session proposals on the business, operational, and technology issues facing car rental operators. Submissions are due Jan. 15.
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Turo to Launch Vehicle Delivery Service
Turo Delivered will let travelers search for vehicles that hosts can deliver directly to hotels, homes, airports, train stations, and other locations.
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Palm Beach Airport Code Change Creates Car Rental Distribution Gap
A test of rental searches under the old PBI and new DJT airport codes returned largely different sets of brands and vehicles, highlighting a potential distribution problem for rental operators.
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U-Save Continues Dominican Republic Expansion with Launch in Punta Cana
The new franchise location builds on U-Save’s existing Santo Domingo operation and will begin taking reservations for October 2026.
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When AI Books the Rental Car, Who Controls the Sale?
As AI moves from comparing rental rates to completing transactions, operators need to understand how travelers find, interpret, rank, and ultimately see their offers. (Part 2 of 2.)
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European Booked Car Rental Rates Fell 5%, Results Varied by Country
Ireland, Cyprus, and the United Kingdom saw steep declines, while booked rates rose in Poland and Hungary.
Read More →Is It Time to Rethink Rental Categories?
As traditional economy and compact cars disappear from the market, longtime rental operator Mike DeLorenzo asks whether the industry’s familiar vehicle categories still make sense — and what operators need to rethink along with them.
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