Will Avis Deliver Your Car to the Denver Airport?

So your planning a trip to Colorado, probably flying into Denver International Airport (DIA) for a ski vacation or to see the mountains. You’ve got your flights, your hotel is booked, and now your trying to figure out the last peice of the puzzle, the rental car. And it’s a huge pain. You’re looking at all the options and a thought hits you, “will Avis deliver your car to the Denver airport?”

That would be the dream, right? Just walk out of baggage claim, and have a nice warm car waiting for you curbside. You just load up your skis, your suitcases, and your family and drive off. No lines, no hassle.

It’s a really smart question to ask, espescially at an airport as massive as Denver’s. But the answer isn’t a simple yes or no. It’s more like a “no, not really” and a “kinda, if you want to pay a ton for it.”

Lets break down what you should actualy expect when you rent from Avis at DIA, and then we should talk about if that’s even the best choice for your trip. Because honestly, there’s probably a much better way.

The “Normal” Avis Pickup Process at Denver Airport

For probably 99% of people who book a car with Avis, no, they do not deliver the car to the terminal. Not even close.

All the major car rental companies at Denver International Airport, including Avis, are not in the main terminal. They are in their own seperate area, way off-site. You can’t walk there. You can’t even see it from the terminal. You must take a shuttle bus.

This is a suprise for alot of travelers who are used to smaller airports where you just walk across a parking garage. Denver is different. It’s a whole process.

Here’s what you actualy have to do, step-by-step:

1. Land and Get to the Terminal: First your plane will land at one of the three concourses (A, B, or C). You have to get off the plane and take the underground airport train to the main building, the Jeppesen Terminal.
2. Get Your Bags: Once you’re in the main terminal, you’ll head to baggage claim on Level 5. This is where the waiting begins. You grab all your stuff, your heavy bags, your awkard ski bags, and get your kids rounded up.
3. Find the Shuttle Stop: Now, you have to go outside into the Colorado air. You need to find “Island 4,” which is the designated spot for the rental car shuttles. Depending on which side of the terminal you come out of, you’ll be looking for doors 504-512 (West side) or 505-513 (East side).
4. Wait for the Bus: You’ll see signs for all the differnt rental companies. You have to find the one that says “Avis” and wait. The shuttles are supposed to run every 5-10 minutes, but if it’s a busy ski weekend or late at night, you might be waiting awhile.
5. Load the Bus: When the bus arrives, you have to load all your luggage onto it. This is super fun with ski bags and tired kids. You and everyone else who just landed are all trying to cram onto the same bus.
6. The Ride: The shuttle bus then drives you from the terminal to the remote rental car facility. This ride alone usualy takes about 5 to 10 minutes, sometimes longer in heavy traffic.
7. Unload and Wait in Line: Once you get to the Avis building, you unload all your bags again. Then you drag it all inside and get in line. This is where the real waiting starts. You have to wait to talk to an agent, do all the paperwork, listen to them try to upsell you on insurance you might not need, and then finaly get your keys.
8. Find Your Car: After all that, you then have to go out into the lot, find your car’s assigned spot, load your luggage into it for the third time, and then you can finaly leave.

As you can see, it’s definately not the simple, quick experience you were hoping for. From the time you grab your bags, it can easyly add an hour, or even more, to your journey. That’s an hour of your vacation wasted before it even starts.

But Wait… What About “Avis First” VIP Service?

Now, you might be thinking, “I swear I saw something online about curbside delivery.” And you’re not wrong.

Avis has recently launched a super premium, very expensive service called “Avis First.” From what we’ve found, this is a true VIP concierge service where they will actualy meet you at the terminal with your car. You get a personal concierge, you skip the shuttle, you skip the counter, and you just go.

This service is brand new and only available at a handful of airports in the whole country. And guess what? Denver (DEN) is one of them.

So, yes, technically Avis can deliver your car to the airport terminal.

But this isn’t the standard service. It’s a luxury add-on that you have to book specificly and it costs alot more money. It’s aimed at corporate execs or travelers who value time way, way more than money. For the average family trying to get to Breckenridge, this is probably not the option your looking for.

So when you ask, “will Avis deliver my car,” the real-world answer for most people is a big “no.”

The Real Question: Is an Avis Rental What You Actually Need for a Colorado Winter Trip?

Okay, so now you know the hassle. You’re either in for the long shuttle process or your paying a huge fee for the VIP service. But let’s ask a much more important question.

Is that Avis car, once you finaly get it, even the right vehicle for where your going?

If you’re coming to Colorado in the winter, you are probably going to the mountains. You’re heading up I-70 to places like Vail, Breckenridge, Keystone, Copper Mountain, or Winter Park.

And here is the dangerous secret that the big national rental car companies like Avis, Hertz, and Budget dont realy advertise: Their cars are not safe for mountain driving in the winter.

You might think, “I’ll just rent an SUV with all-wheel drive (AWD), I’ll be fine.” But you won’t be.

The All-Season Tire Lie

The single most important piece of safety equipment for winter driving isn’t AWD, it’s your tires. And the big rental companies put “All-Season” tires on almost their entire fleet.

Let me tell you, “all-season” is a lie. Here in Colorado, we call them “no-season” tires. They are basicly useless and dangerous in real snow and on ice. They’re made of a harder rubber compound that freezes up and gets no traction.

So you go through all that hassle of the shuttle and the line, just to get a car that can’t even safely get you to your destination. It’s crazy.

Colorado’s Traction Law 🏔️

Colorado takes this very seriously. We have something called the Traction Law. When a storm hits, this law goes into effect on the mountain highways (like I-70).

If the Traction Law is active, all vehicles must have one of the following:

• Snow tires (with a mountain-and-snowflake symbol or M+S rating)
• Four-wheel drive (4WD) or All-wheel drive (AWD)
• Chains or an AutoSock

Here’s the problem. Your Avis rental SUV might have AWD, but its all-season tires basicly cancel that out. You will still be slipping and sliding. And if you get in an accident or get stuck and block the road because you have bad tires, you can get a massive fine. We’re talking hundreds of dollars.

Your rental company won’t care. They won’t come rescue you. You’re on your own.

So, you’re starting your vacation by wasting an hour at the airport to get an unsafe car that could get you in an accident or cost you a huge fine. This is not a good start to a vacation.

There Are Two Much Better and Safer Options

This whole airport rental car mess is exactly why services like Winter Wagon exist. We looked at this entire broken system—the airport hassle, the unsafe cars, the scary drive—and we built a solution.

You basicly have two much better choices.

Option 1: Don’t Drive at All. Take a Private Shuttle.

This is the easiest, safest, and most stress-free way to start your vacation. Just forget driving.

• No Hassle: With a private shuttle service, a driver meets you right at the airport. They help you with your bags.
• No Waiting: You don’t wait for a shuttle, you dont wait in a rental line. You just walk to a warm, comfortable vehicle and go.
• Total Safety: You get to ride in a premium SUV or van that is actualy built for the winter. These vehicles have real, dedicated snow tires (often studded) and are driven by professional drivers who know how to handle I-70 in a blizzard.
• Relax: You can just sit back, relax, look at the beautiful mountains, and get dropped off right at the front door of your hotel or condo.

When you add up the high cost of a rental car, plus the crazy price of gas, plus the insurance, and factor in the massive stress and safety risk, a private shuttle is often a way better deal.

Option 2: Drive a Car That’s Actually Meant for the Mountains.

Okay, but maybe you want a car for your trip. You want the freedom to drive around town, go to different ski resorts, or head to the grocery store. We totally get that.

But you still shouldn’t get a standard airport rental.

This is the other thing Winter Wagon does. We rent mountain-ready vehicles.

What does that mean? It means our entire rental fleet was built for Colorado winters.

• Real Snow Tires: Every single one of our rental cars, SUVs, and vans comes standard with actual snow tires. Many are even studded for maximum grip on ice.
• AWD/4x4: Our fleet is made up of vehicles with capable all-wheel drive and four-wheel drive systems.
• Peace of Mind: You get the freedom of having your own rental car, but with the safety and peace of mind knowing that your vehicle can actualy handle the conditions. You won’t be “that guy” spinning out on the side of the highway.

Let’s Compare Your Options

Sometimes it helps to just see it all laid out. Here’s a quick look at what your experience will be.

No. Not in the way you hope.

For almost everyone, it’s a long, frustrating process involving a shuttle bus, waiting in lines, and dragging your gear around. All just to get a car that isn’t even safe for the mountain roads your about to drive on.

You’re coming here for a vacation. It’s supposed to be fun. It’s not supposed to be stressful or dangerous.

Don’t let your car rental ruin your trip before it even begins. Do yourself a huge favor and choose a better way. Either book a private shuttle and let a professional handle the drive, or rent a real mountain-ready car that will keep you and your family safe.

Your vacation will be so much better for it.