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Airport Basics.....
Toledo Express Airport serves the mid-sized city of Toledo, Ohio. According to Airports Council International, it served just 182,927 travelers in 2009, making it the 174th busiest airport in North America. This fairly small airport has just two runways. While Toledo, also known as the Glass City, is the 4th largest city in Ohio by population, its public transportation system is notoriously bad, so you will definitely want to rent a car to explore the city.
Car Rental at the Toledo Express.....
Rental cars at the airport are represented by companies including Alamo, National, Avis, Budget, Hertz and Enterprise. Counter hours vary from time to time with these companies, so be sure to check which companies are open, and what time they're open.
When leaving the Toledo Express, you will most likely climb on to the Airport Highway, or Highway 2 and head East towards downtown Toledo. By the way, when returning your rental car to the Toledo Express, you will be able to fuel up at an AmeriGas at 10501 Airport Highway, Swanton, OH. This location is about one mile from the airport.
The journey into downtown Toledo is about a 17 mile jaunt.
While you won’t find a large range of dining options at Toledo Express Airport, you won’t go hungry or thirsty, either. You can pick up some snacks or beverages at Barry Bagels, Marco’s Pizza, Biggby Coffee, Toft’s, or Subway. If you want to have a glass of spirits in the Glass City, there’s a bar on the departure level—don’t drink if you’re planning to drive, of course! On the lower level, you’ll find a snack bar and gift shop.
Need to withdraw some cash for souvenirs? There’s a Fifth Third Bank ATM on the first level, near the ground transport desk. If you’d like to ship something, there’s a U.S. Postal Center and FedEx Overnight drop box on the lower level, just across from the rental counters.
There are certainly advantages to flying from Toledo Express Airport. For one, you won’t be jostled by big crowds. You can actually get some peace and quiet before your flight, which can be a big advantage for those who get anxious before flying. The lines aren’t discouragingly long, either, which is a plus when dealing with security measures. On the upper level of the airport, near the second gate, there’s a small play area that your children can actually use without knocking heads with other kids. The bathrooms tend to be very clean.
Toledo Express Disadvantages.....
The main disadvantage is that the convenience of using a small, local airport will raise the total cost of your trip. As of August 2011, Toledo Express Airport only offered 6 non-stop flights, although Toledo’s local newspaper reported that the airport recently filed for a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Small Communities Air Service program to establish a route to Denver.
Another disadvantage is that the WiFi Internet access is somewhat expensive. According to ToledoExpress.com, daily WiFi access is $7.95, while monthly access costs $29.95. Buying either gives you access to all other Boingo hotspots, but I think the average traveler just wants to kill time online while waiting for their flight.
Car Rental Driving.....
Anyway, when you’re ready to head into the Glass City in your rental vehicle, take the aptly named Airport Highway into town. Airport Highway will take you from grassy, open fields to urban areas via a nearly straight line.There is an Enterprise Rent-a-Car at 14 13th Street in downtown Toledo, which also sits at the corner of Washington Street in Toledo.
Again, I strongly encourage you to rent a car when you visit Toledo, as most locals consider the bus system nearly useless and many cabs services unreliable at best. If you have appropriate transportation, there are several interesting tourist spots to visit in Toledo, such as the world famous Toledo Museum of Art and the vibrant Toledo Zoo, home to over 800 species of animals. Don’t allow transportation problems to detract from your trip to the Glass City!
Source: Toledo Airport Homepage