Car rental prices are not set in stone, despite what most people think. Most of the time, you can find discounts if you do your research and ask for them. Car rental companies want to rent out cars they don't need. They aren't making any money from cars that are just sitting on a lot.
Here are some tips on how to get the best rental car deals.
- Find out what you can. You can look up information about car rentals online, over the phone, in newspapers, magazines, or even in your mail. It's important to compare the prices of different companies that rent cars. Most car rental companies have websites where you can see how much it costs to rent a car in different places. Check out websites that compare travel companies to see how they stack up against each other.
You can also call the car rental companies, but that will take longer. Check your local newspaper's business and travel sections and the inserts that come with your credit card bills. There are often coupons for discounts in these places.
- Go to town to choose your car. You have to pay a fee if you want to get your car at the airport. Ask the company where you rented the car how much it would cost to pick it up in town. Most of the time, there are free shuttles from the airport to the place where you can rent a car.
- Book late. As your trip date gets closer, car rental companies may offer discounts as they try to get rid of their extra cars. I've already said that cars that are just sitting around don't help anyone.
- Reserve early. If you are planning your trip months ahead of time, check the prices for renting a car at that time. If you find a deal you think is fair, go ahead and make it official. If you find a better rate later, you can change it. When people rent cars early, the company will often give them big discounts.
- Fill up the gas tank before you return the car. I remember when rental car companies charged more than $3 a gallon to fill up your car with gas when you returned it. That would almost be worth it these days. But companies that rent cars charge a lot more than that for a gallon of gas. You can save a lot of money if you put gas in the car yourself on the way back to where you rented it.
- Ask if there are any deals. Ask your car rental company if there are discounts if you rent a car for a week instead of a day or if you are a member of AAA, USAA, AARP, or another group. Ask about corporate rental rates if you work for a big company.
- Choose the smallest car you can. Find out how many people are coming with you and how much luggage they have, and then get the smallest car that will fit everyone. The car rental company should be out of this class of car and give you the next class up for free. You can also ask about upgrades that are free.
By using these tips, you can rent a car for less money almost anywhere in the world. Have fun on your trip!
