December 2015 Car Rental Rate watch

[greenclan67]

Anyone else travelling Christmas week? I'm looking for someone to whine with.....current rates are awful .

We have an SUV reserved with Budget for $262, but we'd really, REALLY like Alamo (we are now travelling as a trio versus a foursome, so we no longer even need an SUV, just a full size car). Alamo is currently $385 for 8 days (December 19th to 26th inclusive) for a standard/full .

My fear is that because its Christmas week, rates won't get any better. We're not big Budget fans but we'll make do if we have to.


Dear Santa, all I want for Christmas is a great rate on a rental car.

I've been a very good girl this year. For the most part, anyway!

Sincerely,

Gina

Gina my dates are Dec 18th to 26th and I am sitting at $256.21. That was booked through car rental savers through Dollar and I have one through Alamo that is $235, but I am picking up in Tampa and dropping off in Orlando! Girls have to go to Jingle Ball concert in Tampa on the 19th, because you know, they did last year too!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Gina my dates are Dec 18th to 26th and I am sitting at $256.21. That was booked through car rental savers through Dollar and I have one through Alamo that is $235, but I am picking up in Tampa and dropping off in Orlando! Girls have to go to Jingle Ball concert in Tampa on the 19th, because you know, they did last year too!

You have some very decent rates for that time of year! I am guessing that my Saturday to Saturday rental is during a pretty high volume time for the rental companies, hence the higher prices than you are seeing with a Friday pick up. Fingers are crossed that they will come down a bit between now and the holidays!!

I would totally snag a Dollar rental if the rate was favourable. We used Dollar for the first time in May and had no problems at all.

 

[rlduvall]

My 8 day rental for early December is staying right at $138 for a standard vehicle. I honestly think that is a great rate. BUT, I am thinking about upgrading to a premium for only $41. more. I can't decide; I do like a nice vehicle. There's always a chance I could end up with a premium on the full aisle as it is. Decisions, decisions.

Saw a little downward movement today. I am now at $131. total for a standard vehicle [8 day rental], using AP rate and $30 Visa coupon - AD2338FDF.

 

[wdwrich]

Saw a little downward movement today. I am now at $131. total for a standard vehicle [8 day rental], using AP rate and $30 Visa coupon - AD2338FDF.

Saw that too. However, my rate still hasn't gone below the $211 I got a few weeks ago for a standard vehicle Dec 1-12, so I'm keeping my existing reservation (for now).

 

[nuzmom]

Saw a little downward movement today. I am now at $131. total for a standard vehicle [8 day rental], using AP rate and $30 Visa coupon - AD2338FDF.

Thanks. Just checked and my rates dropped a bit. I'm using the Costco code, but might try the AP code (now). Thanks for posting!

 

[nuzmom]

We are splitting our rentals (since it's now cheaper to do that, & works better for us)...
1 week rental - Dec 7 - Dec 13, MCO to Disney Car Care Center, economy... $112.41
11 day rental - Dec 12 - Dec 22, MCO to MCO, 7 passenger mini van... $316.72
Alamo, Costco code 7014627 (AP code was more $), Visa coupon AD2338FDF

Overall, that's 18 days for $428 (mostly with a mini van). I had started out around $500 being my best rate, so I'm happy with this sizable drop.

I'm assuming that I can turn in the car at the car care center any time after they close on Saturday and it will be the same as if I turn it in early Sunday morning before they open. (My $30 coupon requires a Saturday night rental.) - I haven't yet done a search on this - does anyone know if that's the case?

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Saw a little downward movement today. I am now at $131. total for a standard vehicle [8 day rental], using AP rate and $30 Visa coupon - AD2338FDF.

Saw that too. However, my rate still hasn't gone below the $211 I got a few weeks ago for a standard vehicle Dec 1-12, so I'm keeping my existing reservation (for now).

You guys are killing me .

In all seriousness......its good to hear others are finding good December rates.

 

[prairiesarah]

Anyone else travelling Christmas week? I'm looking for someone to whine with.....current rates are awful .

We have an SUV reserved with Budget for $262, but we'd really, REALLY like Alamo (we are now travelling as a trio versus a foursome, so we no longer even need an SUV, just a full size car). Alamo is currently $385 for 8 days (December 19th to 26th inclusive) for a standard/full .

My fear is that because its Christmas week, rates won't get any better. We're not big Budget fans but we'll make do if we have to.


Dear Santa, all I want for Christmas is a great rate on a rental car.

I've been a very good girl this year. For the most part, anyway!

Sincerely,

Gina

Gina - what (if any) discount codes did you use to get these rates? They are still less than I have booked, although we are there 2 days longer (17th to 27th). I have $338 through Dollar for a mid-size SUV using a CAA discount. I keep looking at costotravel.ca but rates don't seem to be dropping at all. This is my first time renting a car so am not sure I am checking all the ways I can for a good rate!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Gina - what (if any) discount codes did you use to get these rates? They are still less than I have booked, although we are there 2 days longer (17th to 27th). I have $338 through Dollar for a mid-size SUV using a CAA discount. I keep looking at costotravel.ca but rates don't seem to be dropping at all. This is my first time renting a car so am not sure I am checking all the ways I can for a good rate!

They were the default rates that came up via carrentalsavers.com . No special codes or coupons in either case.

I think your current price sounds pretty decent giving the current rates . Keep watching right until the end, though (I check carrentalsavers.com every day). And once you're a few weeks out, also keep an eye on Hotwire....sometimes I have found good last minute prices there, too.

 

[deniden]

Here's what I've got so far...

Thurs 12/03 11pm - Mon 12/07 6:30pm

Alamo - Minivan - $177.68
BJ's code - 7014696
Free additional driver

 

[rlduvall]

Saw a little downward movement today. I am now at $131. total for a standard vehicle [8 day rental], using AP rate and $30 Visa coupon - AD2338FDF.

Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina look away.

Continue to see a downward slide and was able to get this rate down to $118. today, same codes/coupons. Costco rates are even a few dollars lower, but I am not a member.

 

[kiki02]

Gina, are you using the AD visa coupon for alamo or ? thanks!

 

[Island Mouse]

I was able to get my 10 day rental from 12/2 - 12/12 down to $156.41. This is for a Full Size through Alamo with additional driver free. I used Costco ID 7014627 and $30 Visa Coupon AD2338FDF. I had previously gotten it down to $190 about 10 days ago so it was nice to see more savings again today. Now my rental car is cheaper (per day) than on our last trip in 2012!

 

[kiki02]

I don't have a Costco but are there other codes good for the end of December from Alamo, Dollar or ? So far I tried AD2338FDF, AND IT'S SOOoo high priced still. Thanks.

 

[MommaGinger]

I got my reservation down a little this morning at Alamo. Full Size for one week in early December for a total $163.18(my previous reservation was for $188.13). That was just using the Alamo insider discount.

 

[prairiesarah]

They were the default rates that came up via carrentalsavers.com . No special codes or coupons in either case.

I think your current price sounds pretty decent giving the current rates . Keep watching right until the end, though (I check carrentalsavers.com every day). And once you're a few weeks out, also keep an eye on Hotwire....sometimes I have found good last minute prices there, too.

Thanks Gina! I will add that site to my daily check (in addition to Costco). By checking and re-booking with Costco I was able to get my inlaws minivan rental from $900 down to $471 then down as low as $404.50. Any little bit helps with the CDN $ the way it is.

 

[wdwrich]

Just got my reservation down to $195: Dec 1-12, Standard car. Full size was just a few bucks more, but I've read in several places that with Alamo at MCO there is no difference in vehicles between standard and full.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Just got my reservation down to $195: Dec 1-12, Standard car. Full size was just a few bucks more, but I've read in several places that with Alamo at MCO there is no difference in vehicles between standard and full.

That is true . Our latest rental was in May, from Alamo, for a standard car. Since there is no standard aisle, we got to pick from the stock on the full size row.

 

[rlduvall]

That is true . Our latest rental was in May, from Alamo, for a standard car. Since there is no standard aisle, we got to pick from the stock on the full size row.

I know there is no standard aisle at MCO, but can't there be standard cars on the full size row? Right now I can get full size for the same as standard, so I went ahead and did that figuring if there were no full size cars on that row I could show them my confirmation and request one. BUT, if I book a standard and that's all that is on that aisle, I would have no recourse?

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I know there is no standard aisle at MCO, but can't there be standard cars on the full size row? Right now I can get full size for the same as standard, so I went ahead and did that figuring if there were no full size cars on that row I could show them my confirmation and request one. BUT, if I book a standard and that's all that is on that aisle, I would have no recourse?

I suppose, in theory, that's a possibility. There were a ton of cars on the full size aisle when we were there, a whole mix of makes and models. Some of the rental companies tend to class their vehicles strangely, anyway......one of the companies (I can't remember which one) had a Chevy Sonic on the midsize aisle. Now, I own a Sonic (and I love my little car!) but there's no way its a midsize. It's a compact at best. So what I would class as a standard might be a full size to Alamo.

You might also get something larger....several other Disers have reported minivans and small SUV's to be in the full size row. So I suppose you might also have as much of a chance of being "upgraded" as "downgraded".