Alamo Early Return Policy

[tedhowe]

I have a question on Alamo's early return policies.

I have found great "last minute" rates at Alamo's website for our trip (Jan 10 to the 16th), but the best rate comes up only if I have a FULL week - no weekly rate for a 5-night rental - probably because we don't have a Saturday night stayover.

I found info on Alamo's website about a $15 dollar per day fee if we return a "calendar day" early.

In searching the internet, I found that there were a bunch of threads from two years ago at flyertalk and other websites about not only being charged a $15 per day fee, but also retroactively having the entire rental recalculated and being charged the walk-up daily rate.

So I have two questions - does Alamo still recalculate the rate if you return early? Second - does Alamo charge the early return fee if you are 1 calendar day early, or if you are more than 24 hours early? Our return time is about 4 hours later than our pick up time, so I would be less than 24 hours, but will be on the previous calendar day to the 7 day time.

Thanks,

Ted

 

[seashoreCM]

This one I would say, start to make a booking but don't click the final "book" button yet. See what the price comes out to.

If this is any help, most car rental agencies consider 6 days and 3 hours to be 7 days. (Fewer than 3 hours and an hourly rate applies to the last "day".)

 

[Brian Noble]

If your early return voids one of the conditions of the original rate, then you will almost certainly get it recalculated at prevailing rates. In particular, if your rate specifies a Saturday night keep, and you don't have one, you'll get dinged.

 

[tedhowe]

If your early return voids one of the conditions of the original rate, then you will almost certainly get it recalculated at prevailing rates. In particular, if your rate specifies a Saturday night keep, and you don't have one, you'll get dinged.

Very good point... I'll have to see if I can see the complete terms of the Alamo rental agreement before I book... we are not staying over saturday night, so that could be a deal killer.

Thanks,

Ted

 

[tedhowe]

I looked closely and it definitely requires a Saturday night keep, so that option is out.

However, I found that the rates at WDW itself (Car Care Center or Buena Vista Palace) are very competitive - some are even better.

I'm finding a Midsize or Standard SUV for $251 inclusive of all taxes and fees... the lower fees for off-airport rentals help even things out.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[southtown]

I have a reservation for Sun-Fri and its not giving me any other option then a weekly rate. But I would think that I am ok because technically I am not dropping it off early since I will be dropping it off the day I said I would. Its not like I did a Sun-Sun and then dropping it off Friday.

Am I wrong in my thinking here or do you think I will get dinged?

 

[tedhowe]

I have a reservation for Sun-Fri and its not giving me any other option then a weekly rate. But I would think that I am ok because technically I am not dropping it off early since I will be dropping it off the day I said I would. Its not like I did a Sun-Sun and then dropping it off Friday.

Am I wrong in my thinking here or do you think I will get dinged?

After researching this a LOT today, I think you are okay. Alamo will ding you if you reserve a car for a specific length of time and then return it early (according to their website "at least one calendar day early").

Normally reservations of 5 or more days get the weekly rate applied from just about all car rental firms. What I was trying to look at were the Alamo "last minute hot deals" on their website - which have very low weekly rates. The problem with those rates is that they require a saturday night keep of the car (like the old saturday night stayover required for airline travel to get the best rates).

Since we are travelling Sun - Sat, I couldn't make it work, but if you put in your actual travel dates and when you plan to pick up and drop off the car, and you get the weekly rate from Alamo, you are fine.

 

[mmmgood]

I have a question on Alamo's early return policies.

I have found great "last minute" rates at Alamo's website for our trip (Jan 10 to the 16th), but the best rate comes up only if I have a FULL week - no weekly rate for a 5-night rental - probably because we don't have a Saturday night stayover.

I found info on Alamo's website about a $15 dollar per day fee if we return a "calendar day" early.

In searching the internet, I found that there were a bunch of threads from two years ago at flyertalk and other websites about not only being charged a $15 per day fee, but also retroactively having the entire rental recalculated and being charged the walk-up daily rate.

So I have two questions - does Alamo still recalculate the rate if you return early? Second - does Alamo charge the early return fee if you are 1 calendar day early, or if you are more than 24 hours early? Our return time is about 4 hours later than our pick up time, so I would be less than 24 hours, but will be on the previous calendar day to the 7 day time.

Thanks,

Ted

It looks like it is the four additional hours that are messing with your rate. If you can adjust your times 2 hours both ways and make it a full six day rental you can find a good rate. I found an SUV for $239.75 (including taxes and fees) for a full six day rental here:

http://www.carrentalsavers.com/alamo.html

Add the $25 off 3 day coupon to get the $239.75 total.

 

[dioxide45]

If your early return voids one of the conditions of the original rate, then you will almost certainly get it recalculated at prevailing rates. In particular, if your rate specifies a Saturday night keep, and you don't have one, you'll get dinged.

We reserved a rate using the Walmart code and had to return it three days early. The rate was definitly recalculated (it went way up). The agent did adjust it for us since we had to leave early due to a death in the family. They indicated that if yo uare using a contract ID that the rate will recalculate since you are breaking the contract of that ID. If you book with no contract iD you would be fine.

 

[tedhowe]

It looks like it is the four additional hours that are messing with your rate. If you can adjust your times 2 hours both ways and make it a full six day rental you can find a good rate. I found an SUV for $239.75 (including taxes and fees) for a full six day rental here:

http://www.carrentalsavers.com/alamo.html

Add the $25 off 3 day coupon to get the $239.75 total.

Thanks for this info! I tried adjusting the pick-up/return times to make it exactly 6 days and I got the same results you describe.

Our flight is scheduled to arrive at 10:37 AM, so I had the time too early anyway. I think I will schedule the rental for 12noon to 12noon (our return flight is a 2:45PM departure, so 3 hours before it not TOO early - especially with the expected increased security after yesterday's attempted terrorist incident).

So the whole plan now looks like this - after the flight down, we'll check in to DME. One adult will head with the two kids to OKW via DME, DME will take the 3 checked bags. The other adult will check in at Alamo at the appropriate time and drive to OKW and meet up.

While there during the week, I'll make sure to call DME and cancel the bus reservation for the return to MCO. On the last day, we head to the front desk and check our bags in to our flight - head to DTD for a little last morning souvenir shopping and then head to MCO from DTD.

Sounds like a plan to me.

Thanks to everyone for your help and advice.

Now... one more question - is there any flexibility on the pick-up time? I don't mind paying a bit of an extra fee for a partial hour early on pickup, but I don't want to jeopardize the rest of my rate.