September 2021 Car Rental Watch

[holyrita]

Hey all, just a quick heads up for those renting with Alamo and who would be completing the online check in & skip the counter processes before you depart: you may want to hold off until the last moment to do so.

After nearly 3 weeks of watching my lowest rate increase, I assumed that we had officially bottomed out and there was no chance for any further savings (we pick up our vehicle this Saturday....less than 48 hours to go, woohoo!). I did the online check in on Monday night, printed off our bar code, and thought I was done. Fast forward to today, I just happened to check rates and there was a $70 decline .... which is a tidy chunk of change!!! After a painful phone call with an Alamo agent (pretty sure their customer service agency is not in North America......communication was incredibly challenging) I was able to cancel the reservation for which I had already checked in, so now I can do the online check in with the new reservation sometime before we leave on Saturday a.m.

So if you can, keep checking those rates right up to the very end! You may be rewarded with a last minute price drop.

My new rate is $249 (down from $320) with the free extra driver. That's a $400 decrease from my initial booking in April, and I succeeded in getting our rate under $300. Super happy here!

This is awesome! Well, not the process you had to go through, but definitely the outcome! Any idea how long you can wait before your reservation to do online check in? I would think a business day before would give them enough time to have a car ready for you to skip the counter with, but haven't done this before.

 

[EACarlson]

This is awesome! Well, not the process you had to go through, but definitely the outcome! Any idea how long you can wait before your reservation to do online check in? I would think a business day before would give them enough time to have a car ready for you to skip the counter with, but haven't done this before.

Theoretically you could do it after you land at MCO. In normal times they will already have a car assigned to you. I would probably do it the morning of, maybe the night before. I rented from Alamo at DEN last November and did online check in while waiting for my flight at ORD, they had my minivan pulled up right outside their office when I got there and I was on the road in 5 minutes, took that long to install the car seat.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

This is awesome! Well, not the process you had to go through, but definitely the outcome! Any idea how long you can wait before your reservation to do online check in? I would think a business day before would give them enough time to have a car ready for you to skip the counter with, but haven't done this before.

As EACarlson mentioned above, anytime before pick up seems to be fine. We always do ours before we leave so we can print a hard copy of the pick up bar code, as it just seems easier to hand the gate agent the paper with our drivers licenses and credit card than to show a bar code on our phones. So the night before (or morning of if you have a later flight) would be absolutely doable.

 

[Lynne G]

Yes, finally a drop in price. Was not moving for weeks, so I thought why not check this morning. Saved myself around $40 off my two week rate. I am hoping to be even lower before I leave in less than three weeks.

 

[Gary2T]

Been stalking car rental for 9/30 MCO to 10/4 SFB for quite some time. Had a great rate via the now infamous Mousesavers code. When that went through the roof, cancelled and figured I'd use Uber/Lyft unless rental prices fell far enough to be close to even (bouncing between Disney and HHN along with the airport rides). Today was finally that day via Dollar. Never used them before, but giving them a chance.

 

[georgina]

My rate has been holding steady.

This is awesome! Well, not the process you had to go through, but definitely the outcome! Any idea how long you can wait before your reservation to do online check in? I would think a business day before would give them enough time to have a car ready for you to skip the counter with, but haven't done this before.

I usually do mine the night before. Not sure how it works with other companies, but with Alamo they don't get a specific car ready for you, you go pick one from the correct aisle and drive away to the exit booth.

 

[bluefunnel]

Alamo seemed to drop below Avis for my days(15-30) through Costco. $536 for a full size.

Still holding on to my work one.

 

[ashleyrm]

Now have a full with Hertz through Priceline for $211.54. (9/29-10/4). Thanks Autoslash!

Current rental is with Thrifty through Priceline for a standard for 9/29 - 10/4 for $238.05. I also have a back up with National using my old corporate account - same date - Emerald Aisle for $259.36.

 

[bluefunnel]

Avis finally moved for 15-30. Now it's down to $463!

Nice to finally be below $500.

 

[PatMcDuck]

My renta (9/25 to 10/3 mid SUV) l is down to $405 with Alamo (Costco). Avis is $307. BUT I read bad reports about Avis, you need to stop at the counter, long lines there. Plus they select your car, and you may go thru a process to get a non smoking one. Meanwhile with Alamo, I get to go straight to the aisle, pick my own vehicle, and drive out. That just might be worth $100 to me.... I am hoping Alamo drops some more soon.

 

[keishashadow]

have been booking Avis over last few years via DH corporate rate. It started to rise this spring.

Have 8 day rental starting 9/25. Hertz AAA rate for small suv came in at $233 last week

checked auto slash again, saw that the full-size quote started with a “1…haven’t seen that in years $195. FYI pre tax, weekly rate is $129