County enters 5-year contract with vehicle-sharing app Turo at John Wayne Airport

Orange County Supervisors Tuesday approved a five-year licensing agreement that will allow the peer-to-peer vehicle sharing service Turo to operate at John Wayne Airport through 2030 — a move estimated to generate $3.6 million in revenue.

The new licensing agreement codifies a pilot program that began at the Santa Ana facility in August 2023 and is slated to wrap later this summer. The service allows travelers to use the Turo app to reserve privately-owned vehicles that owners bring to the user for a fee.

In exchange, the county receives 10% of gross receipts for all transactions at John Wayne Airport. Since the trial period began, the county has earned $1.2 million.

The vehicle-sharing app Turo lets users book privately owned vehicles for a fee. The service is being offered at Orange County’s John Wayne Airport.

(Courtesy of Turo)

JWA spokeswoman AnnaSophia Servin said Friday talks between airport officials and Turo began in 2022, and a one-year pilot the following year was extended by an additional year, due to the success of the program.

Today, officials estimate about 1,890 transactions between visitors to John Wayne Airport and vehicle owners in and around Orange County. Cars may be dropped off and picked up at designated areas in garages A1, A2, B2 and C.

“Turo’s service has been received favorably by our guests and users of the service, which is why a new agreement was entered into by the airport,” Servin wrote in an email. “[And] Turo’s operation does not have any direct costs to JWA.”

That means all the revenue generated is a pure net gain for the county, according to O.C. Supervisor Katrina Foley, whose 5th district includes the 500-acre facility.

“What we learned when we first engaged with them was they were doing it at the airport without permission. So we entered into a short-term contract with them and got it all worked out,” Foley said Thursday.

“The airport is now making a percentage, just like it would for taxis and Uber, and we get a percent of the revenue for the airport and we’re helping promote a new transportation option.”

Since 2023, use of the peer-to-peer vehicle sharing platform Turo has been on the rise at John Wayne Airport. This week, county officials approved a five-year contract with Turo that could generate $3.6 million.

(Courtesy of Turo )

Turo spokeswoman Catherine Mejia reported the platform connects some 3.5 million active users.

Although John Wayne Airport was an early adopter, Turo now operates at some 150 airports nationwide. While advanced booking is the surest way to secure a ride, bookings can also be made on the spot if owners are available.

“We’ve heard from so many different guests that they have been able to rent on Turo when traditional [airport] rental centers are booked,” said Mejia, who hosts her own vehicle.

The new funding source comes as county officials undertake a series of capital improvements at John Wayne Airport anticipated to exceed $688 million over the next several years. Foley said the work will touch nearly every part of the site, from runways and parking structures to baggage claim and concession areas.

“We’re trying to do so many different creative revenue-generating things, so we can help fund improvements at the airport and pay for projects,” she said. “[Turo] gives people another option, besides the rental program, when they get off the plane.”