Let’s be honest, when you land at a sunny vacation destination, you’ve already spent a considerable time waiting that day. Check-in, security, at the gate and on the plane. Then you find yourself waiting again, at baggage claim. Once you’ve arrived, you want to get to the beach, not wait in another line. But you need a rental car. Have you ever wondered how to beat the car rental lines at RSW the Fort Myers Airport (RSW)? It’s one of our favorite Sanibel-Captiva vacation tips and can save you up to 30 minutes at the airport.
The Ft. Myers area is a coveted vacation destination. And during peak season, most travelers require a rental car. This is especially true for those Saturday-Saturday trips, but we’ve seen this at RSW during weekdays too.
Your plane full of vacation-goers is at baggage claim (along with several other planeloads of vacationers) and about to head en masse to the rental car counter. Unless all your bags are first off the plane, you’re going to get stuck in a line, again.
Related: RSW Ground Transportation Options
What To Do
First off, this tip works when traveling with a companion and you check bags. If you’re traveling without checked bags, you’re already going straight to the car rental check-in. Kudos to you, savvy traveler!
After you deplane, exit the secure area and head downstairs to baggage claim. Take the escalator if you’re able; the elevator is slooow. Instead of waiting together for your bags, you and your travel companion split up. The person whose name is on the reservation heads straight to the car rental building (yes, it’s a separate building) to deal with the paperwork.
The other person heads to baggage claim and dutifully waits for the bags to arrive. Once the bags are ready, meet in the parking garage.
Why This Works
RSW is perfectly suited to this vacation hack. Unlike some international airports, the car rental check-in at RSW is located directly across the street from the baggage claim. Without a long walk or shuttle bus, the convenient location creates check-in lines that ebb and flow like the Gulf tide.
The amount of travelers into RSW is not as high as other more traveled airports. This reduces the constant flow of passengers, meaning if you’re not the first off your plane, you’re likely to be at the end of the car rental lines at RSW.
There is a bonus, depending on which rental company you use. If your rental company allows you to select your car, then you have a wider selection from which to choose. You may even be up for an upgrade that is otherwise not available to those arriving later in the day.
Our Experience
Having children with us on our getaways means we have to check bags, a stroller, and car seats/booster seats. We’ve used this vacation hack every return trip we’ve made to Captiva, and it’s made all the difference. If you’ve ever traveled with hungry children, then you know the difference 30 minutes can make.
Using this method, we’ve noticed we can get out of the airport (and to Sanibel or Captiva) about 30 minutes sooner. During our most recent trip, most of our fellow passengers were still in line for a rental car as we drove off toward sunset.
Not only do we get the top pick of vehicles every time, we even got a free upgrade last time.
This does create one dilemma. What will you do with your extra 30 minutes on the island?
Related: Which Airlines Fly To Ft. Myers
