Great airfares to Fairbanks but no rental cars (Anchorage: rentals, hotel)

[dmlandissf]

So I'm surprised that there are very reasonable rates to Fairbanks from California ($200) this summer but it looks as if there are absolutely no rentals cars. How are tourists coping? I would come and see Denali but not having transportation would make me reconsider.

[roadwarrior101]

We're flying into Anchorage.....$1,600 for 10 days rental. No cars available now if we were to have booked.

We also booked our Denali tour back in March....it's sold out now.

I think you're going to be challenged with both cars and tours. Good luck!

[Parnassia]

Originally Posted by dmlandissf

So I'm surprised that there are very reasonable rates to Fairbanks from California ($200) this summer but it looks as if there are absolutely no rentals cars. How are tourists coping? I would come and see Denali but not having transportation would make me reconsider.

Many of them may rely on hotel or lodge shuttles plus public transportation to reach local attractions or FBNKS is simply the embarkation point for the rest of their trip. They'll be meeting up with chartered transporters (ground tours, air taxis, outfitters, etc). Agree you probably won't find open space on a Denali tour at this late date.

[Arktikos]

Rent some bikes and peddle like hell! Also, I believe there's a train you could take.

[rwjoyak]

Did you check Turo - https://turo.com/us/en/car-rental/un.../fairbanks-ak? I know they have become much more popular given the lack of rentals with all the legacy car rental companies.

[Metlakatla]

Come to my town and you can drive my fish truck for free as long as you pick up at the seine dock for me.

You can take the train between Anch. and FBs I believe.

Car rental companies didn't get near the amount of federal assistance the airlines did during the worst of the pandemic, which is one reason why they're struggling right now.

Damn those are some high prices on that Turo deal.

[KNPV PSD]

Same situation here next to Glacier NP. Cause is well known just search YouTube...

Here there are several local auto dealers renting cars from their pre-owned fleet. Make a few calls and you could find something.

[Northrick]

You can take a train from Fairbanks to Denali. After that you can take a bus tour into the park.

[Hemlock140]

It's not only Alaska, most tourist areas have the same issue, especially Hawaii. The rental car companies sold a lot of their cars to make money when no one was renting, and now they can't buy new ones due to the semiconductor shortage. Hertz went bankrupt and sold 200,000 vehicles.

Meanwhile, airlines have been flying fewer planes, with many empty seats, so they are pricing low to get more people to cover the fuel and crew pay. Places like Oahu have busses and one can get around at least some without a car, but in Alaska, there is little you can do without one.

The Seattle Cruises to Alaska are resuming in July, those passengers will have an advantage over people flying in, with options for land excursions and guided tours.

[Hiruko]

I've never had a car, rental or otherwise, when visiting Alaska. There are a ton of tourist buses and packages available.