Costly car rentals hit travelers

TRAVEL AGAIN.

AND THISMEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND -- COULDOPEN THE GATES -- ON ANESPECIALLY BUSY SUMMER TRAVELSEASON.

AS NINE ON YOUR SIDE'SCRAIG SMITH REPORTS -- THISYEAR'S MEMORIAL DAY ROAD TRIPCOULD COST YOU EXTRA.CRAIG: 17:19 WITH MORE PEOPLEVACCINATED PEOPLE ARE MORECOMFORTABLE TRAVELING AGAINAND THAT GOES FOR AIR TRAVELTOO.

BUT THE COST OF A RENTALCAR COULD THROW YOU OFF."17:28 RUNS:09 AIRPORTS AREBUSY AGAIN.

A LOT OF THOSETRAVELLERS WILL BE RENTINGCARS---AND PAYING MUCH MORETHAN THEY'RE USED TO.

WE DID ASPOT CHECK AND FOUND A THREEDAY RENTAL CAN EASILY TOPTHREE HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR EVENA MODEST CAR AND YOU MAY NOTGET SOME CARS AT ANY PRICE.STEVEN KLEINLEIN TOLD US HEREALLY NEEDS TO GO TO PHOENIXBUT FLEW THROUGH TUCSONBECAUSE OF THE RENTAL CARCRUNCH.

10:52 "BECAUSE IT'S$300 CHEAPER HERE THAN RENTINGIT IN PHOENIX.

SO YOU END UPPAYING MORE FOR THE AIRFARE TOGET TO TUCSON, BUT YOU SAVE ALITTLE BIT OF MONEY ON THERENTAL CAR, BUT RENTAL CARRATES HAVE AT LEAST DOUBLED INTHE LAST FOUR MONTHS.

11:04RUNS: 12 HE SAYS HE'S PAYING AHUNDRED A DAY FOR A MID SIZECAR THAT HE USED TO RENT FORTHIRTY OR FORTY A DAY.

WHENTRAVEL FELL IN THE WORST OFTHE PANDEMIC, RENTAL CARCOMPANIES SOLD A LOT OF THEIRCARS TO CUT COSTS.

NOW THATDEMAND'S BOUNCING BACK, CARMAKERS CAN'T BUILD REPLACEMENTCARS FAST ENOUGH BECAUSETHERE'S A COMPUTER CHIPSHORTAGE.

SOME TRAVELLERS TOLDUS THEY STILL FOUND REASONABLERENTALS.

SOME FOUND DISCOUNTS.OTHERS FOUND COMPANIES HONOREDLOWER RATES THEY BOOKED MANYMONTHS AGO.

AND A LOT OFTRAVELLERS ARE SIMPLY STICKINGTO THEIR OWN CARS.

TRIPLE AEXPECTS 93 PERCENT OF MEMORIALDAY TRIPS TO BE ROAD TRIPS.1:51 "I THINK IT JUST COMESDOWN TO WHAT PEOPLE ARE MORECOMFORTABLE DOING, AND RIGHTNOW I THINK PEOPLE ARE JUSTMORE LIKELY TO TAKE A ROADTRIP, BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEYHAVE MORE CONTROL OF THEIRENVIRONMENT, THEY'RE CHEAPERTO PLAN ALSO, AND YOU CANCHANGE YOUR ITINERARY AT THELAST MINUTE." 2:04 RUNS:13 ANDSOME TRAVEL EXPERTS SAYTRAVELERS ARE SO INTERESTED INGETTING OUT OF ISOLATION THATTHE USUAL SLOW SUMMER FORTUCSON TOURISM MAY NOT BE SLOWTHIS YEAR.

CRAIG SMITH, KGUN9ON YOUR SIDEACCORDING TO TRIPLE-A -- MORETHAN 37 MILLION PEOPLE AREEXPECTED TO TRAVEL MORE THAN50 MILES THIS WEEKEND.

THAT'SAN INCREASE OF 60 PERCENT FROMLAST YEAR.

THE COMPANY SAYS --THE TOP DESTINATIONS FORAMERICANS THIS WEEKEND AREORLANDO -- AND