Question of the Day - 15 March 2026

the RCC shuttle wait time can be very, very long.  but..sometimes you get lucky and walk right on.  I am not sure how to predict that.  you would think it would be pretty easy to predict the needed capacity since I think most people have a reservation and they could use averages to figure out when and how much capacity is needed.  Is it poor planning/anticipation, or poor resource management?  I have sometimes bypassed the shuttle with Uber/Lyft.  I do admit once at RCC the process is fast---although I don't like all the associated fees that went along with that.

I didn’t think the old system was that bad. I would book online. Catch the shuttle bus to their lot. My car would be sitting there waiting on me. Avis would even have it running with the a/c on during hotbweather.

I'm not trying to be a contrarian.....I might be a black cloud, but not a contrarian!

I've been thru the RCC process about 50 times in the last 15-18 yrs.
I can only remember 2 times when I had to wait longer than about 10 minutes to get on a bus and leave the airport. Usually, it's about 5 minutes or less to get on the bus, and maybe a few more minutes for the bus to fill up.

I really miss the old days when we didn't have to go to the rental center.  It was much quicker and significantly cheaper.
Wait time now vary from 20 minutes to 55, with the longest always seem to be when it is hot.

It was better before, especially if you were a gold type member of any of the companies. Another situation where they attempted to solve a problem that did not really exist.

In my early days in Vegas, we usually bought a monthly pass for the bus.
When we first started renting, it was usually at the casino.
Now, with the daily CFC charge anywhere from $6-$10, it makes sense to look at off site locations again. Especially if the drop off is at or near the airport.

The design failed to include a tram like they have at many airports to avoid having to deal with shuttle busses - like Atlanta and even JFK ( although JFK sucks)
I remember when you would walk out the door at McCarren and your car was just across the road.  You would also drop your car off in the same location - Oh that was in the 70's

I have been renting a car once or twice a year for 10 about years and never waited more than 15 minutes either way either to or from the RCC. My usual experience is that there is a shuttle waiting and if it fills up before I get on, there is another one right behind it.

Perhaps I use up all my Vegas luck on the shuttle line. Maybe I should save some for video poker. ;)

I usually take a taxi to the hotel and if I need a car while I stay there I go to the rental counter there. Works well for me I don't want one the whole tile I am there anyway, esp if I have to pay to park it .

Once I went to Vegas, reserved a medium vehicle and had reservations at the Plaza. At the rental desk. I was told they were out of the size I wanted and gave me a huge off-road mini-truck. It worked, but it was so tall that it barely fit in the low ceiling at the Plaza garage. I ducked my head every time I pulled in to park! Then after a couple of days, the engine warning light came on, and I went back to the rental agnet to report the vehicle wasn't working right. A mechanic looked at it and said, "It's fine. The light just goes on  for some reason" I thought, "WTF, how is a person who rents it supposed to know that you can ignore the warning light?  If you did that and something was wrong, you could break down someplace and they would say it was your 
fault." 

I've been going to Vegas since before the RCC opened. I always rent from National and used to be able to just go get on the bus, ride to the rental lot, choose my car and go. Now I get on the shuttle, ride to the RCC, walk to the National area, choose my car and go. We do pass the old National lot on the way to the RCC so it does take a few minutes longer, but I've never had a problem. I've arrived at all different times but never wait more than 10 or 15 minutes for the shuttle. When I return the car there is almost always a shuttle waiting or one arrives within a couple of minutes. The drivers are always very helpful, loading and off-loading my luggage for me (I do always tip a couple of bucks to thank them). Since many airports through which I travel have consolidated their car rental operations similar to Vegas it seems like normal to me.

The best rental experience is at Salt Lake City. You get off the plane, get your bags and walk straight across the street to the car rental center. As soon as you leave the airport the I80 west ramp is there and it's straight to Wendover I go.

I’ve never  had to wait more than a Cpl of minutes for the shuttle, but  at the RCC I’ve had to wait in line sometimes 30-40 minutes. THAT was a little annoying..

One would assume that the airlines know how many passengers are coming.
And one would assume that the rental car companies know how many reservations they have on any given day.
Perhaps LVA could start a Go Fund Me to buy those involved a phone so then could communicate with each other.

Pick up baggage out door cross street get your car. 

At the airport or at a remote location, you're going to be in line right behind some yammerhead who doesn't know anything about both renting a car or where to go (I'd be happy to help with the latter).  That's not the fault of the airport, the rental car company, or yourself.  I've only rented a car once on my LV trips, and the RCC worked out just fine other than the Walking Braindead in front of me in line.