Chicago travelers who frequent O'Hare International Airport now have an option to make a little money — instead of spending it — when they park their cars at the airport.
San Francisco-based FlightCar announced its expansion to O'Hare on Tuesday. The company offers an alternative to simply parking and paying by allowing someone else to rent the cars that would normally just sit in the lot.
"We aim to change the way people park at airports and rent a car at airports," Lee Hillman, location manager for FlightCar, said. "The way we do that is sort of fuse the two things together, then we add value to the parking realm and the airport car rental realm."
FlightCar is just getting off the ground at O'Hare, but the car sharing service has already taken wing in 15 other cities, including Boston, Dallas and Los Angeles.
Every potential renter is screened to ensure safety, Hillman said. The renter's license is checked and no one with even a minor violation on his or her driving record is allowed to rent. Every car that owners put up for rent is also covered by a $1 million insurance policy.
While car owners can make money, FlightCar says renters can also save. The company claims its rates are 40 to 50 percent less than major rental car companies.
FlightCar service includes free airport pick up and drop off for both owners and renters. Customers get the benefit of free airport parking and a complete car cleaning, even if FlightCar does not rent out their vehicle.
