April 2012 Rental Car Prices Wow! Any ideas?

[pershing]

I usually book one reservation about a year out as my safety net. So, I realized rates were extensively higher than last April a while ago.

I thought that they would start to drop the closer I got to April. However, I'm looking at the other months Rental car threads and they ain't droppin'.

I'm a member of USAA so I have my backup res. with Budget for $412 total with taxes from 13 April to 23 April, free upgrade to mid-size. That's like twice last years!

Anyone have any other strategies besides last minute Hotwire or Priceline?

I'm already planning on doing those!

 

[Princessbec]

The best I have been able to do on a minivan is using the mousesavers link for National especially as I need all insurances included as an os visitor.

 

[n2mm]

I usually book one reservation about a year out as my safety net. So, I realized rates were extensively higher than last April a while ago.

I thought that they would start to drop the closer I got to April. However, I'm looking at the other months Rental car threads and they ain't droppin'.

I'm a member of USAA so I have my backup res. with Budget for $412 total with taxes from 13 April to 23 April, free upgrade to mid-size. That's like twice last years!

Anyone have any other strategies besides last minute Hotwire or Priceline?

I'm already planning on doing those!

You can say that again. I leave next Saturday and my National rate is $500 for a 14 day rental for a mid-size rental. That is because I booked it several weeks ago. If I was to book it today, it's now nearly $700. So for those who say it drops when you get close, well I'm 7 days away and it only continues to get higher!! And while mine is National, Alamo is just as bad or even worse. I have a trip in January, which is still very high, so I've not booked yet. But like you, I've got a trip April/May for 3 weeks and I am not even thinking about how bad it might be. We have even considered driving down next spring because of the expense of renting next year for that amount of time. Good luck, as I'll be watching for any April/May deals, but gotta get my October rental in order first!!

 

[ellie&mattys mom]

me too all the codes I find expire at the end of the year!

 

[ddluvsdisney]

I usually book one reservation about a year out as my safety net. So, I realized rates were extensively higher than last April a while ago.

I thought that they would start to drop the closer I got to April. However, I'm looking at the other months Rental car threads and they ain't droppin'.

I'm a member of USAA so I have my backup res. with Budget for $412 total with taxes from 13 April to 23 April, free upgrade to mid-size. That's like twice last years!

Anyone have any other strategies besides last minute Hotwire or Priceline?

I'm already planning on doing those!

I'll be looking for April too!! Interested in more responses.

 

[pershing]

me too all the codes I find expire at the end of the year!

I actually have one solution to that.

The Entertainment Books come with a card that you use to access their website. I bought one of those cards on ebay for $1.50 and the website car rental coupons are good until June or July.



Hertz thru AAA just sent out their coupons for 2012 also. I just got it in the mail.



For me, USAA was a better deal.

 

[pershing]

You can say that again. I leave next Saturday and my National rate is $500 for a 14 day rental for a mid-size rental. That is because I booked it several weeks ago. If I was to book it today, it's now nearly $700. So for those who say it drops when you get close, well I'm 7 days away and it only continues to get higher!! And while mine is National, Alamo is just as bad or even worse. I have a trip in January, which is still very high, so I've not booked yet. But like you, I've got a trip April/May for 3 weeks and I am not even thinking about how bad it might be. We have even considered driving down next spring because of the expense of renting next year for that amount of time. Good luck, as I'll be watching for any April/May deals, but gotta get my October rental in order first!!

Yikes!

I wonder how people are doing with Priceline and Hotwire for October or November? I think I pick at betterbidding and biddingfortravel to see how thats going.

Thx

 

[pershing]

The best I have been able to do on a minivan is using the mousesavers link for National especially as I need all insurances included as an os visitor.

Bummer about the insurance!

Most of our credit cards Visa, MC and AAA and car insurance covers rental cars. That's why I never get the insurance thru the rental car company.

But I'm gonna check out that link as maybe we'll do ME and just rent National from Swan and Dolphin to Port Canaveral and back if it's cheaper.

It'll probably be worse.

 

[ellie&mattys mom]

entertainment card only
then how do you get the codes that are listed in the book?
thanks

 

[pershing]

entertainment card only
then how do you get the codes that are listed in the book?
thanks

They have a rental car tab on their website and you book using their codes right from their website.

You don't need the paper coupons and you also have access to all their other restaurant and grocery coupons too. Including Disney Ticket deals.

The card would only be good until the end of December though. So if you get one for 2011, you wouldn't be able to access the website past December. You would have to book your April 2012 car rental before then.

 

[MapleGirl]

I am looking for a good April deal from Sanford airport. Same problem as OP and PP's.... all the deals end in December. Thanks for the tip on AAA. I'll check that out.

 

[aberrydisneygirl]

I am looking for March 2012 and found a midsize with thrifty or dollar for $20 a day. Not bad, but I have never used either of those rental companies so don't know how good they are. I originaly looked through cheaptickets .com but found the same price on the rental car website.

 

[MapleGirl]

My best deal so far is $313 for a full week (Sat. - Sat.) through Hertz with the AAA code. I booked using the link on the AAA website. I will hold the reservation and keep looking. At least I have something now in case the rates go up. I imagine they will go down significantly once all the rental companies start releasing their 2012 codes.

 

[mom2mikel]

Yep -- I'm getting a little anxious too. Normally, I would have a good rate booked by now and I would keep checking and cancelling/rebooking at even better rates as we get closer.

So far my best rate was thru Budget for about $300 for the week (4/21 - 4/28) for a mini van. I really don't need a mini van - but its the best rate I have found. Used BCD X474200, coupon MUWZ023. I prefer Alamo so I'll keep on checking, but a little nervous at the rates being so high still.

 

[MapleGirl]

Used BCD X474200, coupon MUWZ023.

Thanks for the tip. I got $266 for my week. That is $50 closer to my goal of $150 for the week.

 

[Hawk]

So far my best rate was thru Budget for about $300 for the week (4/21 - 4/28) for a mini van. I really don't need a mini van - but its the best rate I have found. Used BCD X474200, coupon MUWZ023. I prefer Alamo so I'll keep on checking, but a little nervous at the rates being so high still.

Thanks for that code mom. I was able to secure a minivan for 17 days for $812.00. I hope to get a better rate later, but that is the best I have found so far.

Tim/Hawk

 

[Our2Girls&Disney]

I'd like to subscribe to this thread. We are also travelling in April. I prefer Alamo or National, but will get anything just to hold a reservation.

 

[mnorton]

Yep -- I'm getting a little anxious too. Normally, I would have a good rate booked by now and I would keep checking and cancelling/rebooking at even better rates as we get closer.

So far my best rate was thru Budget for about $300 for the week (4/21 - 4/28) for a mini van. I really don't need a mini van - but its the best rate I have found. Used BCD X474200, coupon MUWZ023. I prefer Alamo so I'll keep on checking, but a little nervous at the rates being so high still.

Where did you find these codes and can anyone use them?

 

[PrincesCJM]

If you are looking around Easter and/or traditional spring break week(s), you can expect the rates to be high. One would hope that they would drop some as it gets closer to your travel dates but who knows.

 

[webworm]

Where did you find these codes and can anyone use them?

BCD x474200 is a travelocity public code and you can use it no problem.