Avis.....Spouse drives free. CONFIRMED !

[Syndrome]

Hey all,
In my search to find a reasonable car rental rate for our August vacation, it seemed every good discount rate was either a "questionable code" or even with legit codes, extra $$$ paying for a additional driver made the rate very expensive.
There are some good, ligit codes and coupons for Avis lately, and the only reason I was hesitant to book, was the second driver fee added up to a lot more $$$. Well I got a great rate using a ligit AWD # (mousavers), and a $35. off coupon from the Avis website. But what really sealed the deal was Avis includes a spouse or life-partner, included as a free second driver, standard. Here is the quote from the Avis website (slightly condensed).

"The following individuals, if 25 years of age or older and in possession of a valid driver's license, may drive the car with the renter's prior permission:
Renter's employer (while on company business);
Renter's fellow employee (while on company business)
Renter's spouse or life partner.
The above additional drivers are considered "authorized drivers" and need not be present at the time of rental, nor do they need to sign an additional driver form.
The following are exempt from additional driver charges:
renter's employer or regular fellow employee when on company business
renter's spouse or domestic partner
disabled renters who have completed the non-licensed renter form
If 25 or older, the renter's employer or fellow employee (while on company business) or the renter's spouse may drive the car with the renter's permission. They need not be present at the time of rental to provide credit identification or to sign an additional driver form."



It was not easy to find.......kind of buried within the Avis website, but it is there!
Go to the Avis website - bottom of the home page to "FAQs" - topic, "Requirements For Renting" - Look under " Can someone else drive the car that I rent ?", and "Is there an additional charge for more than one driver ?"


That helps with my decision to go with Avis.
Hope this info will help anyone considering renting from Avis but was hesitant because of paying extra for a spouse as a driver.

Later..........Syndrome

 

[gk90]

Looking at your quote, Hertz has very similar if not the same fine print--spouses are free 2nd drivers with them too.

We're sharing a rental minivan with my sister and BIL and will have to pay for him as an extra driver but luckily we'll be renting in the state that has the lowest additional driver fees--NY, where it's $3 a day with a maximum of $30 which is great for us because we're renting for 12 days. Most other states have fees of around $6/day and a cap of $65.

 

[Echo queen]

Thanks so much for posting this. I have Avis booked later this month in Las Vegas. I was hoping this was true we book with Budget mostly and I know that is there policy.

 

[SuzanneSLO]

Looking at your quote, Hertz has very similar if not the same fine print--spouses are free 2nd drivers with them too.

We're sharing a rental minivan with my sister and BIL and will have to pay for him as an extra driver but luckily we'll be renting in the state that has the lowest additional driver fees--NY, where it's $3 a day with a maximum of $30 which is great for us because we're renting for 12 days. Most other states have fees of around $6/day and a cap of $65.

In the past, if you used the AAA code with Hertz, any triple AAA member was a free authorized driver. Haven't used Hertz in years, but it might be worth checking to see if that code with no additional dirver frees was cheaper for you (assuming you and your BIL are both AAA members). Best of luck -- Suzanne

 

[loveswdw]

Budget also waives the fee for spouses, etc. Found this out last time we rented a car at MCO. And from their website:

Drivers exempt from the additional driver fee are:

The renter’s spouse. To qualify for this exemption, at the time of rental, if the renter states that the additional driver (regardless of sex) is his or her spouse, mate, life companion, significant other or domestic life partner, the additional driver will be treated as a spouse.
A qualified employer, employee or co-worker while engaged in a business activity with a renter with a Budget Corporate Account
The licensed companion driver of a non-licensed renter with a disability (when the renter has completed a Non-Licensed Renter Form).

 

[gk90]

In the past, if you used the AAA code with Hertz, any triple AAA member was a free authorized driver. Haven't used Hertz in years, but it might be worth checking to see if that code with no additional dirver frees was cheaper for you (assuming you and your BIL are both AAA members). Best of luck -- Suzanne

Thanks for the tip Suzanne! My BIL lives in Canada and is a CAA member, will have to find out whether he's eligible and if so, run the numbers with the AAA codes.