GETTING THE BEST DEAL
How can I save money
on my Rental Car rates?
What types of special
discount programs are available?
Is it better to take
the daily or weekly rate?
How will I know which
is the best Rental Car Company for me to use?
How can I save money
on my Rental Car rates?
Shopping the Internet can be the quickest and best
way to compare many Rental Car rates.
If you are planning on purchasing extra items such
as a damage waiver or insurance, you should also comparison shop
those rates.
Make sure their mileage policy is favorable to you
so you can avoid extra charges.
Airport fees can be quite large so you might see
if it is worth it to use an off-airport facility. However, if the
off-airport company picks you up at the airport, you'll probably
still have to pay some of the fee.
You can check their national reservation centers
and their local offices; one may be offering a better deal than the
other. ASK, if this is the best rate they have available.
Make your reservation as soon as you have decided
on plans.
Most Rental Car Companies increase their rates as
reservations come in and their fleets become booked. Also, certain
classes of cars will sell out and you may have to end up reserving
and paying for a larger vehicle than you want.
Being flexible about your travel plans can save
you money. Rental Companies that focus on the business or
replacement market customers often have great weekend specials. The
best rates are found during the off season and at other times when
the Rental
Companies have extra cars sitting around.
Check into booking your vacation as a package. You
might be able to save by booking your car along with a certain
airline, hotel or attraction ticket package.
Book the smallest car that you will need and hope
for a free upgrade. But, remember you may get stuck with that small
car.
Check into other size class vehicles. They may
have extra cars in a certain class and be offering discounts for
that size class.
Use coupons, but read them carefully for
exceptions. Most upgrade coupons are "based on availability", so if
you have an upgrade coupon that you wish to use and also have a
monetary discount coupon, bring them both. If they cant honor the
upgrade, they may still give you the monetary discount. Also,
remember to book any coupons or discounts in your reservation.
Apply any special discount programs for which you
are eligible.
When you get to the counter, ask if there are any
upgrade specials available, they might have some good deals.
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What types of special discount programs are
available?
Check for special deals with your memberships in
associations or clubs.
Memberships in Premium Clubs, loyalty or frequent
flyer programs can offer discounts.
Some credit cards have special discounts or
upgrades with certain Rental Car Companies.
Package discounts can be found when booking your
rental car with certain airlines, hotels or attraction ticket
packages.
Discounts are often available for government,
military or corporate employees. Some Rental Car Companies will even
extend these discounts during leisure travel.
Some special airport rates require you to present
your arrival airline ticket. You may need to have arrived within 24
hours to get the special rate.
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Is it better to take
the daily or weekly rate?
Seven days or more is obvious; you take the weekly
rate. If you are going to keep the car for more than five days, you
can also check into the weekly rates. Generally the sixth and
seventh day end up being free in the weekly rental. You might not
need that free seventh day, but if your plans change, its there. If
you reserve on a daily plan, they might not let you change to a
lower weekly rate if you need to keep the car longer. However, you
can also be punished if you turn the car in too early. They might
charge you a higher daily rate than you could have reserved, so
check the Rental Companys policy on this.
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How will I know which
is the best Rental Car Company for me to use?
You can check some of these issues if they are
important to you.
Ask around and consider their customer service
record.
Consider their rental policies and qualifications,
are they favorable to you or do they penalize you in some way.
Do they offer a Premium Club that offers the
services you need?
Check to see if you belong to any groups that
entitle you to a special deal with a particular Rental Car Company.
Find out what partnerships they have that could
save you money in other areas. Many Rental Car Companies have
agreements with hotel chains, airlines, or credit card companies.
See if they credit your frequent flyer or frequent
guest programs with points.
See if they carry the types of cars that you like
to drive such as new, used, Ford, GM, and luxury or specialty
vehicles.
Check their locations. Do they have them where you
travel? Do they have international locations? Are they mostly on or
off-airport? Do they have 24-hour facilities, so they will always be
there if your flight is late?
What types of extra services do they offer? Could
they deliver a car to you or do they offer a pick-up service? Do
they have 24-hour emergency road service?
Can they honor your special requests?
Consider their rates and the availability of any
coupons or discounts.
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