FlightCar offers a new take on ride-sharing as it allows you to get free airport parking by renting out your car, and rent for less when you get to your destination.
How did No One Think of This Before!?!
Companies like Uber and Lyft have established automobile transportation as a crucial component of the sharing economy. Ride-sharing services have revolutionized the taxi industry in cities around the world the same way Airbnb disrupted the hotel and hospitality industries. It’s increasingly acceptable for people to use technology to share owned property like houses, apartments or vehicles in exchange for a modest fee from those that need a place to stay or way to get around int he short term.
Rent Out your Car, Receive Free Parking in Return
FlightCar is another transportation company that’s disrupting a traditional industry with a unique, ride-sharing, technology-driven service. The site allows users to receive free parking at airports throughout the U.S. if they rent out their car to other travelers for the duration of their trip. If a car is rented out while a traveler is away, they receive a portion of the profits. The prices vary based on the car’s model and year, ranging from $0.05 per mile to $0.20 per mile. If a vehicle is driven over 75 miles in a day, a $0.40 charge is incurred. If a car is not rented out, parking is still free.
All Vehicles Insured Up to $1 Million
It’s reasonable to be skeptical about ride-sharing which means leaving your car behind to be driven by people you don’t know, but FlightCar has a strong safety and insurance policy to make users feel comfortable with using the service. Each vehicle is insured by FlightCar for damage up to $1 million, and every driver’s record is checked to ensure that they have a safe driving history. FlightCar also thoroughly cleans each vehicle before returning it to its owner. Allowing others to drive your vehicle is still an inherently risky move, but there are definite payoffs to using FlightCar.
Browse your Options Before Renting, Lowest Price Guaranteed
There are also advantages to booking a vehicle through FlightCar. The obvious advantage is that the company offers a low price guarantee, so it’s always the cheapest option. It also lets users preview the exact car that they will be renting before arriving at their destination, with comprehensive information about the vehicle’s history, year, make, and model. There are also images as well as a listing of the exact dates which the car is available. Booking a car is as easy as selecting the right ride.
Limited Service Area, but Rapidly Expanding
FlightCar is currently only available in select U.S. cities, so it’s only possible in a couple instances to rent out your own car while using the service to book another car once you arrive at your destination. That sort of fluidity would make the site more useful — so that you don’t have to go through multiple companies in order to find the right rental while worrying about your own car back home. If you live in or are visiting one of the cities offered, however, then it’s worth it to try out the service.
It’s currently available in Austin, Boston, Dallas, Los Angeles, Oakland, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle and Dulles, VA. The company claims that it’s expanding rapidly to additional U.S. cities.
Aside from the limited service area, there are still a few kinks that FlightCar needs to work out before it’s as commonly used as apps like Uber or Lyft. In many cases, it’s simply easier and more trustworthy to pay for parking or for a rental car from an established company. As trust grows and the company expands to new locations, FlightCar could turn into one of the most useful and convenient ride-sharing services for travelers.
