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Our Factsheet
Growing the business since 1958
In Summary: Day after day, Budget employees and operators at approximately 2,700 locations in more than 120 countries help support our vision, mission and values.
Quick History
Budget Rent A Car was founded by Morris Mirkin in 1958 with a $24,000 investment. The company name was chosen to appeal to the “budget-minded” or “value-conscious” renter. In 1959, in an effort to grow the business, Mirkin appealed to a distant relative, Jules Lederer, president of a Chicago-based manufacturer of writing instruments, for additional financing. Lederer formed a leasing company and leased new vehicles to Mirkin. In 1960, Lederer formed Budget Rent A Car Corporation in Chicago. The company then grew rapidly, both nationally and internationally.
In 1986, Gibbons, Green and van Amerongen Ltd. along with management and selected investors purchased Budget from Transamerica Corp. in a LBO transaction. Budget made an initial public offering of 3.2 million shares in 1987.
In 1992, Budget moved downtown Chicago headquarters to Lisle, Ill.
In April 1997, Budget was bought by Team Rental Group, Budget’s largest franchisee in the United States and changed its name to Budget Group, Inc. Budget Group began trading on the NYSE that year.
In 1997, Budget unveiled “Unlimited Budget” a travel agent loyalty program through which members receive a free Unlimited Budget debit MasterCard card and earn points (dollars) for completed bookings.
In 1998, Budget introduced “Fastbreak,” Budget’s express service with paperless transaction.
In 2002, Budget Group was delisted from the NYSE and sold Budget Rent A Car assets in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Caribbean, Australia and New Zealand to Cendant Corporation. Other worldwide assets were sold to Avis Europe, Plc. Later, Cendant moved Budget headquarters from Lisle, Ill. to Parsippany, N.J.
In 2006, Cendant Corporation separated into four independent companies: Realogy, Wyndham Worldwide, Travelport and Avis Budget Group, Inc. As a result, Budget Rent A Car System, Inc. is now a subsidiary of Avis Budget Group.
In 2011, Avis Budget Group, Inc. acquired Avis Europe plc. The transaction re-unites Avis Budget Group with its licensee for Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
About this location:
Location
Bellingham Intl Airport
Additional Travel Information
Welcome to Bellingham International Airport (BLI), located in the northernmost city in the continental United States. Getting around the Bellingham area is most comfortable in a quality BLI car rental, so once you’ve landed head straight to the Budget Car Rental counter for the very best in Bellingham International Airport rental cars. You’re bound to find something in Budget’s extensive fleet of Bellingham airport car rentals that suits your trip to this area of Washington state perfectly.
Whether you’re going on a whale watching excursion at the nearby San Juan Islands or skiing on Mt. Baker, you can be sure that you won’t be disappointed by Washington State’s spectacular vistas. Downtown Bellingham boasts a mix of museums like the Whatcom Museum of History and Art, a showcase for exhibitions of contemporary and regional pieces. Fairhaven District, at the south end of the city, takes you back in time with many of the buildings dating back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Airport car rentals from Budget are already a great deal, but to make the experience even better, don’t forget to sign up for the Fastbreak program.
Additional Location Information
Select from a wide variety of vehicles at Budget Bellingham Intl Airport, check out the latest Bellingham Intl Airport Car Rental Deals, and be confident that you are getting the best rental rates in Washington !
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