AUSTIN, Texas, June 30, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Silvercar, an app-based, all-Audi car rental service, begins taking reservations at Miami Int'l Airport today for rentals starting July 14th. Miami will be the company's 7th airport location nationwide, opening less than a month after it launched its sixth location at Phoenix Int'l Airport in June. Silvercar first began service at Dallas Fort-Worth Int'l airport in January 2013.
"We're thrilled to begin building our East Coast footprint," said Silvercar CEO Luke Schneider. "Miami is a huge opportunity for us. Demand for our product continues to outpace supply in just about every market we operate. We know there's a huge number of would-be customers that want to use Silvercar and haven't because we haven't yet expanded to the airports to which they travel. With Miami—the 5th largest car rental market in the US—we can continue to tap into that demand and grow our passionate customer base," added Schneider.
Silvercar's other locations include Los Angeles Int'l (LAX), San Francisco Int'l (SFO), Dallas Forth-Worth Int'l (DFW), Dallas Love-Field (DAL), Austin-Bergstrom Int'l (AUS), and Phoenix Sky Harbor Int'l (PHX). Miami is the second of three airport markets the company plans to open this summer. The company remains quiet about the summer's third new location, although it's set to open in August.
How does it work? Upon landing at MIA, travelers use the Silvercar mobile app to notify the local Silvercar concierge team of their arrival with the tap of a button. From that point, the app navigates the customer through the airport to the pickup point where an awaiting concierge valets the customer to the Silvercar location less than two minutes away. Silvercar does not have any airport counters or queuing lines. Instead, customers complete their profile online or in-app—including driver's license, address and payment details—and upon arrival to Silvercar, they simply use the mobile app to unlock their own silver Audi A4 by scanning a QR code on the vehicle's windshield. The keys are waiting inside and the customer is able to drive right off. "Silvercar is a bit of Uber meets Virgin America meets Audi all-in-one—designed to simplify and upgrade the airport car rental experience," says Schneider.
Schneider adds, "With Silvercar, we set out to eliminate the ugliness of the airport car rental business. That means we eliminated lines and counters. We eliminated upsells and tricky fuel packages. And we eliminated vehicle uncertainty. Your car is a silver Audi A4, every time, and your smartphone is the only thing you need. It's simple and it's elegant. Our customers love it."
Each Silvercar is equipped with Google Earth GPS navigation, SiriusXM satellite radio, in-car Wi-Fi and a toll tag, all at no additional charge. A simple fuel plan streamlines the return process by charging customers the local market rate for the precise amount of fuel they've used, plus a five-dollar service fee. The receipt is automatically emailed to the customer upon return and also available in the mobile app.
Silvercar will offer an introductory rate at MIA of $59 a day for reservations starting July 14th. Normal pricing is $89 on weekdays and $59 on weekends.
To learn more about Silvercar or to make a reservation, visit silvercar.com or download the Silvercar app.
About Silvercar
Simply put by Wired.com, Silvercar is "car rental that doesn't suck." Founded to eliminate typical frustrations and points of friction that have plagued its industry for decades, the company is paving the way for the future of car rental. At Silvercar, there are no lines, counters or paperwork. There are no upsells or tricky fuel packages. There is no guessing game of what car you might get stuck with. Silvercar has reimagined car rental as it could (and should) be: all you have to do is use your smartphone, drive an Audi A4, and fly home happy. The company launched its first operation at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport in January 2013. A privately held company, Silvercar is headquartered in Austin, TX. For more information, visit silvercar.com or download the Silvercar app.