BOZEMAN — At Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport, you may have noticed some crowds gathered. You might think they’re waiting to get on a plane, but really? They’re just waiting to rent a car. Raising the question: how much are you willing to give for those 4 wheels on your vacation?
“Could you do your trip without a rental car?” I asked one couple. “No. Definitely not,” they replied.
As many folks know, if you’re planning a trip to Montana? Visiting destinations such as Yellowstone National Park? A car is essential. I ran into David and Laura, who just flew in from Baltimore, while they were waiting to pick up an SUV.
See why Bozeman is the most expensive place to rent a car in the U.S.! Watch our video for firsthand accounts from travelers navigating high prices
“Why’re you traveling to Bozeman?” I asked. “We’re on our honeymoon! Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons,” says David.
Congratulations to the newlyweds! Now to ruin the mood. Did you know that, according to a recent survey by Cheapcarrental.com, Bozeman is the most expensive destination in the United States to rent a car this summer?
“Does that surprise you?” I asked the couple. “Not really, nope,” they confirmed. “Did you feel like that was reflected in what you just paid for this car?” I was curious. “Oh, yeah,” David shared.
According to the survey, at BZN, the most affordable rental car averages around $156 per day. Following closely behind is Anchorage at $154 a day. I visited the airport's rental car website to see for myself how expensive these cars are. Through Enterprise, the cheapest car I could get comes in at $1,330 for a week. Closer to $190 a day.
“That varies by the day, by the company, by the duration. So, it certainly is a variable,” says BZN Chief Executive Officer Brian Sprenger. “We’ve seen the same headlines, and that really is an impact of supply and demand”.
Sprenger tells me the airport has around 10,000 rental cars. Which takes up 90% of the parking garage and overflows into fields during busier months.
And you may be thinking 10,000 cars is plenty to go around, but Sprenger shares, “We’re going to send through the airport around 7,000 rental cars per day on the peak weekends”.
Making the rental car market at BNZ a $120 million market. About twice as much as Boise. Sprenger tells me there's another big money maker.
“There is a tax on rental cars here in Montana, and it’s a 4% sales tax. And that generates at our airport alone about $5 million a year for the general fund in Montana."
These cars might be expensive, but for Laura and David? It was a necessity to enjoy the perfect honeymoon.
“Oh yeah. If it wasn’t available, we probably wouldn't come,” shares David.
