Aproximate penalty for picking up car at MCO, returning to FLL

[Karlzmom]

I have enough points to fly us home out of FLL for essentially $0, saving us over $450 compared to a flight from MCO. My big question is how bad do you get dinged on the rental car for making it a one-way rental? I've started to look, but the prices are all still out of control.

Can anyone advise what the *likely* difference will be when prices all settle out? I don't want to add in a 4 hour drive only to discover that most or all of the savings are washed out due to the car penalty. TIA!

 

[momtotwins]

I cant answer your question but when looking at car prices it will break ou all the costs and you will be able to see the fee(if there is one)

 

[Alexander]

I book one-ways in Florida all of the time:

MCO to Cape Canaveral
MCO to JAX and vice versa
Vero Beach to Cape Canaveral or MCO

I use Avis and have always gotten really good rates. I have never seen a fee listed for using a different drop-off location as long as that is how you book your reservation.

 

[Alesia]

Where will you be renting the car from?

 

[gmeh1]

I have enough points to fly us home out of FLL for essentially $0, saving us over $450 compared to a flight from MCO. My big question is how bad do you get dinged on the rental car for making it a one-way rental? I've started to look, but the prices are all still out of control.

Can anyone advise what the *likely* difference will be when prices all settle out? I don't want to add in a 4 hour drive only to discover that most or all of the savings are washed out due to the car penalty. TIA!

You might not see the "penalty" listed as such, but, frequently the one way rate is higher than the round trip rate. Do some mock reservations using round trip and one way.

 

[cruisingkat]

We have found that there is very little difference in price for a one-way within FL - especially when pick up and drop off are at major rental sites (for example: FLL is a busy rental location with the beaches and cruise port and MCO is also very busy with all the Orlando attractions).

 

[disneynewman]

We are going in late June, picking up at MCO and returning to FLL ( we will be visiting family there after WDW). Surprisingly I got a great deal first with Alamo and then even better with Enterprise. Right now I have a full size car 6/22-7/01 for $170 total with Enterprise. When I got that deal I looked to see what it would have been if we returned to MCO and the rates were much HIGHER, by over $100.

So you never know. Check car rental sites (orbitz, Alamo, and Enterprise) at least once a day. I will continue to right up until the time we go. Then I will try Priceline a couple weeks out to see if I can get a better deal.

 

[Lewisc]

What kind of vehicle? Unless you're looking at an exotic car or possibly a mini-van/SUV the cost should be well under $400.

I agree with the PP. Frequently there isn't any penalty if you rent and return to different Florida airport locations. Sometimes there will be a one way drop charge and sometimes the deeply discounted codes we sometimes are able to use won't be applicable. Try multiple agencies. Try the smallest car class you need and higher. You'll occasionally get a great deal if the agency needs to reposition the car class you're looking at to the location you want to drop off your rental car.

Don't hope for the $100 rate, including all fees, you were able to book a few years ago.

 

[Karlzmom]

Thanks all for the advice. I'll work through it and see how it comes together.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

In Florida I have never been charged a one way fee and we always use Alamo

 

[NancyIL]

I paid $39.85 in April 2011 for a one-day/one-way compact car from the Dolphin at WDW to the Ft. Lauderdale airport. I rented from National or Alamo.

 

[winthropf]

I have booked one way MCO to West Palm numerous times. There didn't seem to be any one-way penalty. In fact, one time the 7 day MCO-West Palm rental was cheaper than a 5 day West Palm only rental.