SAN FRANCISCO—FlightCar, Inc., a fast-growing community-driven service that offers owners and visitors a convenient and enjoyable way to share and rent each other’s unique cars at select airports, today reveals a completely revamped service with product, brand and operational advancements applied across every customer touch point.

These new developments include a simplified listing and renting experience online; increased efficiency in the dropoff and pickup experience for owners and visitors; updated iPhone App and new Android App to manage customers’ trips; added community features that allow owners to personalize their car profiles; updated policies to take even greater care of the community and their cars; and a newly designed brand and customer experience throughout all FlightCar locations. FlightCar is also announcing that Robert Gash has joined the company from Good Eggs and Amazon as the Vice President of Product and Engineering.

“Our vision is to empower millions of people around the world to be more self-reliant by sharing their resources to help improve society. We’re excited to announce this new milestone of reaching over a million car listing days since launch, saving our customers tens of millions of dollars in airport parking fees,” said Rujul Zaparde, CEO and Co-Founder of FlightCar. “Since October, we did extensive research to gain a deeper understanding of the motivations and expectations of our wide range of FlightCar customers. We have since thoroughly assessed and redesigned all aspects of our service and unique business model. Now we are aiming to offer people even greater convenience, savings, and value as we continue to invest in growth and improve the overall experience.”

Robert Gash brings a wealth of knowledge about designing and building software and product systems to emphasize efficiency, affordability, and convenience for consumers. Robert served as VP of Software Engineering at Good Eggs and prior to that spent eight years at Amazon as Senior Manager for Supply Chain Software, devising, building, and staffing a team of 50 to implement the technology to optimize the flow of goods through the Amazon warehouse network.

“FlightCar matches inherent demand for an alternate way to experience a local destination with a new supply from local car owners who want an efficient and affordable way to travel,” said Robert Gash, VP of Product and Engineering at FlightCar. “We are taking what is today a very inefficient, disconnected system and making it symbiotic so that everyone benefits. Our customers call it a ‘win-win-win,’ and with FlightCar serving as a trusted facilitator, we hope to make traveling more interesting and convenient for everyone.”

FlightCar has reached 1.3 million car listing days, saving owners $20M in airport parking fees while they are traveling. Owners earn extra money renting their well-maintained cars to visitors who want an original way to experience a destination for a great value. Currently in 12 airport locations in the U.S. with plans to expand, FlightCar enlisted product design firm argodesign to help revamp every customer touch point across the service.

"Working with FlightCar presented an exciting opportunity to refine an entire experience and create something truly delightful,” said Mark Rolston, argo Founder and Chief Creative. “With the newly designed services and applications, every moment, both physical and digital, is tied together into one elegant experience. From reservation to drop off, the whole process flows seamlessly as one unified interaction with the customer. And, the new brand expression conveys a vibrant and thoroughly modern company, capturing the sense of community and trust customers find in the FlightCar experience.”

Product, brand and operational advancements include:

  • Simplified listing and renting experience online
  • Increased efficiency in the dropoff and pickup experience for owners and visitors
  • Updated iPhone App and new Android App to manage customers’ trips
  • Added community features that allow owners to personalize their car profiles
  • Updated policies to take even greater care of the community and their cars
  • Improved FlightCar staff training and station facility upgrades
  • Newly designed brand and customer experience throughout all FlightCar locations

How FlightCar Works

FlightCar owners sign up on flightcar.com or through the mobile app (iOS and Android) to list their cars in advance of an upcoming flight and create a unique car profile; then they select the dates they plan on being away from home. On the day of their trip, owners can conveniently drive themselves to the airport—which consumers say is the most preferred way of getting to the airport—and owners can park their car for free. FlightCar employees welcome owners at the FlightCar station and then quickly take them directly to their flight in a shuttle.

While people are planning for a trip, they can consider renting a local owner’s unique car, which they can book in advance on flightcar.com or through the mobile app (iOS and Android). FlightCar matches owners and visitors based on their dates and car preferences. When visitors land, they are picked up in a shuttle and taken directly to the FlightCar station to retrieve their FlightCar.

When visitors return their FlightCar, they are quickly taken back to the airport to catch their flight. Owners arrive back to their car which has been freshly washed and vacuumed, having earned some extra money if their car was rented by a visitor, and saving on average $15 per day on airport parking fees.

FlightCar Locations

Now in 12 airport locations: AUS (Austin); BOS (Boston); DEN (Denver); DFW (Dallas Ft. Worth); EWR (Newark); IAD (Washington D.C.); LAX (Los Angeles); OAK (Oakland); SAN (San Diego); SEA (Seattle); SFO (San Francisco); SJC (San Jose)

About FlightCar

Founded in February 2013 and based in San Francisco, California, FlightCar inspires and enables owners and visitors to come together to list and rent each other’s unique vehicles. FlightCar makes it convenient and enjoyable for owners to save on parking and earn extra money by sharing their vehicle to visitors who want to experience a destination in an original way at a great value. FlightCar makes the process of listing or booking a car welcoming, efficient, and reliable. Currently in 12 airport locations in the U.S. with plans for expansion, the company has raised $40.41 million from prominent investors including Priceline Group, Tencent Holdings, GGV Capital, First Round Capital, General Catalyst Partners, Softbank Capital, Brian Chesky, CEO and Co-Founder of Airbnb, and other prominent investors.

FlightCar is available to download for free from the App Store on iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch and the Android app is available now on Google Play