8 Charts That Show the State of International Car Rentals in the U.S.

International visitors are increasingly renting cars when they arrive in the United States, despite a rise in awareness of public transport all over the country.

That’s according to the latest data from National Travel and Tourism Office, part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, as part of its annual Survey of International Air Travelers. One of the reports in this survey summarizes what we know about the overseas traveler who used rental cars while in the U.S.

Will this increase in car rentals change as the on-demand car services like Uber become a lot more ubiquitous, especially as they break into airports across the U.S.? That is a real possibility, but for now car rentals players are reaping the benefits of this increasing usage.

Below are eight charts which show the state of car rentals in the U.S. by international air travelers:

Chart 1: For now, the number of overseas visitors renting cars when they come into the U.S. is increasing pretty rapidly, for such a mature sector.

Chart 2: European travelers remain the heavyweight when it comes to renting cars when they come to the U.S.

Chart 3: The biggest check of international car renters are leisure travelers, while business travelers are still a minority.

Chart 4: Airlines and online booking sites are the biggest source of planning for those renting cars in the U.S.

Chart 5: While cabs/taxis are still in the minority, as on-demand car services like Uber and Lyft continue to expand, and international awareness increases, expect international travelers to consider additional options.

Chart 6: The majority of international travelers renting cars in the U.S. are doing shopping and sightseeing with these cars.

Chart 7: The international travelers coming into U.S. and renting cars are staying for almost two weeks at a time, on average.

Chart 8: Florida is the biggest car rental state in America for international visitors, followed by California and New York. Orlando is the biggest car rental city, followed by Miami, Los Angeles and New York City.