Are you okay with someone taking your car out for a spin while you’re away on vacation? You might be now. Flightcar, which got $5.5 million in funding today, gives you free parking at the airport while simultaneously renting out your car.
Yes, you get to keep the money from the rental too.
The first round of funding comes from General Catalyst, Softbank Capital, Ryan Seacrest’s Seacrest Global Group, founder of Airbnb Brian Chesky, with participation from a host of other investors including First Round Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, according to TechCrunch.
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In order to have your car rented out while you’re on vacation, you must first list it on the Flightcar websites, where it will be vetted and your driving record will be checked. Your car must have been made after 1999. If all checks out, then you can simply call the Flightcar folks 10 minutes before you’re due to arrive at the airport and then drop your ride off. After you’ve let them know when you’ll be back in town, a black car will drive you to your terminal. When you get back in town, give the Flightcar guys again and they’ll send another black car to pick you up and bring you to the lot.
The service is protected by a $1 million insurance plan, should anything happen.
If Flightcar rents out your car, which is also done through the website, then you’ll be given a check and may be some gas credits (the company promises up to $10 a day for rented cars). If not, you get free parking.
The company launched at Y Combinator’s demo day in March this year where it received its $580,000 seed round of funding.
Long term parking image via The Daring Librarian/Flickr
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