The U.S. government shutdown has rattled air travel — most recently with an unprecedented effort from the Federal Aviation Administration to cut flights by 10% at airports nationwide. And the disruptions are causing some to instead hit the road or buy a train ticket.
That could mean more business for car rentals, long-haul buses and commuter rails like Amtrak — particularly if flight delays and cancellations continue piling up as the U.S. approaches Thanksgiving and other peak holiday travel.
Amid the latest scramble, Hertz is already reporting a sharp increase in one-way car rentals. One-way reservations have spiked more that 20% through the coming weekend compared with the same period last year, according to the company, which has also pointed to the shutdown’s ongoing strain on travel overall.
“We join the airlines in urging Congress to swiftly pass a clean continuing resolution and restore certainty for travelers,” Hertz CEO Gil West said in a statement. “Every day of delay creates unnecessary disruption.”
A press contact for peer-to-peer car-sharing company Turo said Friday that the platform’s nationwide bookings were also up 30% year-over-year. And Avis simiarly noted it had also seen “an increase in one-way rental activity as airlines adjust flight schedules,” maintaining that it would continue “to serve customers in the best way possible as travel conditions evolve.”
Amtrak, meanwhile, is predicting record Thanksgiving numbers.
The rail service said it began to see those bookings grow before the shutdown began — but told The Associated Press on Thursday that it was also “reasonable to expect an increased share shift to Amtrak” if flight disruptions mount. Amtrak has maintained that its routes are running normally amid the shutdown.
Flix North America, the parent company of FlixBus and Greyhound, is also preparing for more demand.
“Our message is simple: you still have options,” said Kai Boysan, CEO of Flix North America.
Boysan maintained that intercity buses are “one of the most dependable ways to get around” — and not impacted by the shutdown like flights are. “We anticipate more travelers may turn to ground transportation in the days ahead, and we’re monitoring demand closely and prepared to add capacity where needed to ensure people can keep moving,” he added.
A Flix spokesperson said Friday that many of its bookings typically occur within 24 to 72 hours of departure, noting that the company should have a “clearer picture” of the overall impact in the coming days.
Still, train and bus routes are sometimes more available in certain parts of the country than others. And some have also encountered sold-out tickets or rentals in recent days — instead turning to other creative options.
Karen Soika from Greenwich, Connecticut, found out Friday morning that her flight out of Newark, New Jersey, was rebooked for an hour earlier. But she later learned her plane was actually leaving from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport instead, at least an hour away.
She unsuccessfully tried to book a rental car to get to Utah for a weekend trip, before settling on another option: booking a U-Haul.
“I’m going to U-Haul and I’m going to drive a truck cross country,” said Soika.
Meanwhile, others are hoping to avoid lengthy alternatives.
Christina Schlegel, of Arlington, Virginia, is keeping an eye on the Wednesday flight she’s booked to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. When word of cancellations broke, her husband suggested they just drive if their flight is among those affected, but Schlegel says she’d rather pivot to a different flight or airport.
“I don’t want to drive 12 hours,” said Schlegel, who is heading to Florida ahead of a Bahamas cruise.
It can be overwhelming for travelers to navigate whether or not their trips will be impacted — particularly if the trip is farther down the road. And the costs of buying backup options can add up overall. That’s caused some to sit on their current bookings.
“Everything is so fluid right now that many travelers are taking a ‘wait and see’ approach, especially looking ahead to Thanksgiving travel,” Aixa Diaz, spokesperson for motor group AAA, said in a Friday email.
Diaz urges consumers to stay informed, make flexible backup plans and take steps to reduce future headaches — such as carving out more travel time overall or taking a taxi or public transport to an airport instead of parking your own car, in case your return trip gets canceled or rerouted.
“Controlling what you can is key,” she noted.
