Florida's Short-Term Rental Squeeze

Breeze Airways is continuing to expand with brand-new flights to Illinois, marking the first time the low-cost airline will fly to the state.

In late May, I flew with my daughter from California to Kennedy International Airport in New York, where I rented a car from Avis and headed to Connecticut for a three-day family visit. On day two, I parked the car in Waveny Park in New Canaan and when I returned, it was gone. The local police told me they had impounded the rental because Avis had reported it stolen to the New York Police Department. I had planned to spend the last day of my trip with my 80-something mother, whom I had not seen for three years because of the pandemic, but had to waste precious hours on hold with Avis’s customer service department. They eventually offered me a new car but I was unable to coordinate picking it up, so we ended up relying on my sisters to get around. I was only able to spend a few hours with my mom and had to take a $100 Uber back to the airport. I asked Avis not to charge me for the rental, but they did, $653, and when I disputed the charge with Capital One, Avis fought me. I can’t believe Avis is renting out cars they have reported stolen, and then charging its clients. Can you help?

If you need to rent a car for a vacation in the next few months and hold an American Express card, listen up: You may be able to earn some extra points on your next trip through the Amex Offers program.

Good morning from Skift. It’s Wednesday, September 20. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

European parliamentary group Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats has stressed the need to regulate short-term rental booking platforms, such as Airbnb and Booking.com, to make housing more affordable. The European Parliament’s committee on internal market and consumer protection has given the go-ahead to do so.

“That sounds like a baby gator. Did you hear it?” We stopped paddling and listened. Leaves rustled, there was the splash of a turtle sliding into water, and then “pew, pew,” the dainty call of a baby alligator sounding like a video game laser. We saw the hatchling’s mother hauled out on muddy ground. She watched us pass. Giving due deference we moved away, quietly thrilled by the encounter.

Good morning from Skift. It’s Friday, September 15. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

In addition to being home to some of the world’s most thrilling amusement parks, Florida has a captivating blend of experiences that fuse a rich history, diverse cities and natural encounters into an enticing escape.

I have 24 credit cards right now, and it's getting hard to justify continuing to pay for the annual fees for all of them since the costs continue to skyrocket (ahem, The Platinum Card® from American Express).

With spectacular year-round sunshine, never-ending entertainment and action-packed activities, there’s certainly no bad time to visit Florida. But depending on your interests and what you’re trying to find (or avoid) when you get here, there’s likely to be a “best time” to come.

Scott Kelly was looking for accommodations as flexible as he is when he found a standby apartment. Actually, make that standby apartments.

Low-cost airline Breeze Airways is adding two new routes to Florida this fall, adding to its robust service to the Sunshine State.