If taking an airline flight doesn’t generate enough anxiety, there’s the march from the arrival gate to the rental car counter ... What’s wrong with this picture? The customer reactions ...

At the counter ... you’re giving the rental car company a quarter tank of free gas,” Mr. Weinberg said. When you return the vehicle, take a picture of the gauge showing a full tank.

Before you even make it to the rental car counter, doing your own homework can make the experience move faster. Bringing accurate and valid documentation, reading up on your agency’s policies ...

As I stood in line at a rental-car counter in Chicago’s Midway airport last week, I dreamed of Turo. The line was long, plus you have to deal with the whole rental-car-agent spiel, which ...

“There’s some element of getting the customer to the rental car counter so we can offer them upgrades,” he explained. “They can offer you insurance, or sell these add-ons. That’s one ...

But a trick can cut the time you spend waiting in line at the car rental counter, sometimes allowing you to go directly to your car at major airports: joining a car rental company’s rewards program.