Rental car insanity

[ehallison]

We are trying to figure out whether we want to fly directly to Orlando, or fly to Houston to visit family members, then drive to Orlando (we're on the West coast, so flying to Houston will be about 2/3 of the way to Orlando). In checking out rental cars (using the links & codes at mousesavers), I've discovered that it will cost more to get a car for 1 day and drive it from Houston to Orlando, than to get a car for a week and drive it from Houston to Orlando & back! (And yep, unlimited mileage is included in the Houston 1-week rental) I was hoping to get 2 1-day rentals each way - but, I guess I'll just hang on to the car all week to save $200!

I will NEVER understand car rental agencies, airlines, etc.

[CarolA]

Rental car companies like the cars to be returned to where they started. It makes inventory easier for them!

[whozit]

Depending on when you are going, Southwest Airlines sometimes has really cheap fares and I know they fly out of Houston and into Orlando (of course I don't know for sure that that fly from Hou to Orlando). You might check on booking roundtrip from west coast to houston and another roundtrip (if cheap fare is available) from houston to orlando. You can fly to Houston, visit family, fly to Fla, fly back to Hou, fly back home. FYI, one way rentals in Florida usually don't cost extra (I suppose they have enough renters moving in different directions that they don't have to pay anyone to move their cars back to the original location.

[ehallison]

It would cost about $650 for the three of us to fly SW from Houston to Orlando - then we'd still need a car or transfers to get over to the hotel. It would only be about $350 for the rental car & gas.

Anyway - I'm leaning towards skipping the Houston part (sorry, Mom & Dad - we'll see ya' at Christmas!).