Car Rental Return: How to Save Time ... Rapid Return Options

When you have driven for hours—or even just one—and have to return a rental car, no one wants to wait in line to park, pay, and exit the car rental agency. And often that’s what happens with traditional check-in and return methods for car rentals. If you’re looking for a fast and easy way to get through this process, try the rapid return option at your favorite agency.

May agencies have this option, and it makes checking in much easier. By using hand-held devices right there in the lot where you return your car, rapid return options are the way of the future for returning your rental car.

How Rapid Return Works

The method varies a little from agency to agency, but in general you are issued a special number or password for your account with a rental agency. From this number, you can access all your files, including the files concerning your current rental. Then the rental agent uses a hand-held device to type in your information, check the car over, and say “Goodbye, have a nice day.”

Avis is one of the companies that use the palm device. This implement looks very much like a television remote control with a small screen. With this device, the agent can access the rapid return option on your rental car in less than a minute, according to Avis. With this device, you simply drive up to the agent who will check over the car quickly with you and print your receipt right there.

Budget’s Rapid Return option is very much the same. You return to the lot and you can return your car in less than sixty seconds. Many of the larger agencies now have this ability, and it can save you much time.

To make it even easier for the international traveler, some of the agencies offer this service anywhere in the world where they happen to have an office. It doesn’t matter if you are in the United States, United Kingdom, or Israel—if the agency has a rental office, you can take advantage of the rapid return option.