DENVER — More travelers are choosing to rent cars to avoid flight uncertainty at Denver International Airport during the federal government shutdown, according to several car rental companies.
This flight reduction at DIA is part of a broader 10% cut at 40 major airports nationwide, imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration due to the shutdown. The FAA's goal is to alleviate the workload for air traffic controllers who are working without pay.
Turo, a company that allows car owners to rent out their vehicles, reported a 30% nationwide increase in bookings following the FAA's announcement of flight cuts. Additionally, a spokesperson clarified that car searches in the Denver area increased by 17% over the same period last year, specifically referencing activity tracked during the month following the announcement.
Hertz Car Rental told Denver7 over the past two days, it has seen a 20% spike in one-way rentals compared to the same time last year.
Skyler McKinley, AAA public affairs director, advised travelers to stay flexible during the shutdown.
"The travelers who will run into the most frustrating situations are those who have the strictest travel plans," said McKinley. "If you'd rather not deal with the uncertainty, now might be a time, if it's fun, if it's feasible, for you to consider driving to your destination instead of flying."
McKinley said flight costs are likely to increase during the shutdown.
"When you limit travel supply, when you take flights out of the equation, costs are going to go up. So travelers should expect cost increases on the flights that are still active," he said.
As of Saturday evening, FlightAware reported 303 delays and 64 cancellations at DIA.
Denver7 spoke with several people visiting Denver who expressed concern about their travel plans following the announcement of flight cuts.
"I was pretty nervous. I debated whether to book the trip and come or not come," said Jessie Farrer, who flew from Utah to Denver. "We're really hoping that the government can come to an agreement, and that they can kind of open this back up and help with the travel."
“It can be nerve-wracking because you don’t really know if you’re going to get there or not," said Stephen Hamilton, who is visiting from San Diego. “We always tend to just go for it and hope for the best."
