Budget Rental Credit Card Hold

[happily single]

I’ve rented from a variety of rental agencies and honestly don’t remember a credit card hold being more than $100-200.
We have a reservation through Budget next week and it looks like they hold “up to $500”.

Has anyone rented from Budget recently and can share their experience?

 

[Genie+]

I got bit by Budget a couple years ago and won’t use them anymore. There was a deal through Undercover Tourist where Budget appeared to be nearly 50% lower than other companies for the vehicle category. When we arrived they tacked on so many charges it doubled the price we booked at, they just shrugged and said that’s how their company works. I’ve rented cars dozens of times and never had a quote that was only half the full price you needed to pay picking up the car (these were mandatory changes, not optional like insurance, tolls etc). Shady shady, no more Budget for us. Not trustworthy.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

I’ve rented from a variety of rental agencies and honestly don’t remember a credit card hold being more than $100-200.
We have a reservation through Budget next week and it looks like they hold “up to $500”.

Has anyone rented from Budget recently and can share their experience?

The two times I rented from Budget, January of this year dropping off at Port Canaveral prior to a cruise and picking up another car after the cruise, the credit card hold was the quoted amount of the rental plus an additional $200. Final charges matched the quotes, so not a big deal since we don’t carry a balance on any credit cards. In any case, I was surprised, since our usual rentals with Alamo or National have always used a credit card hold equal to the quoted amount of the rental alone. Other aspects of the Budget rental experience at both MCO and Port Canaveral have led me to go back to Alamo/Enterprise/National for future rentals.

 

[georgina]

The two times I rented from Budget, January of this year dropping off at Port Canaveral prior to a cruise and picking up another car after the cruise, the credit card hold was the quoted amount of the rental plus an additional $200. Final charges matched the quotes, so not a big deal since we don’t carry a balance on any credit cards. In any case, I was surprised, since our usual rentals with Alamo or National have always used a credit card hold equal to the quoted amount of the rental alone. Other aspects of the Budget rental experience at both MCO and Port Canaveral have led me to go back to Alamo/Enterprise/National for future rentals.

I am currently holding both an Alamo and a Budget reservation for my March trip. I prefer Alamo also, but Budget is so much cheaper it is tempting, I too have had a few issues with Budget at MCO over the years.

 

[EACarlson]

The two times I rented from Budget, January of this year dropping off at Port Canaveral prior to a cruise and picking up another car after the cruise, the credit card hold was the quoted amount of the rental plus an additional $200. Final charges matched the quotes, so not a big deal since we don’t carry a balance on any credit cards. In any case, I was surprised, since our usual rentals with Alamo or National have always used a credit card hold equal to the quoted amount of the rental alone. Other aspects of the Budget rental experience at both MCO and Port Canaveral have led me to go back to Alamo/Enterprise/National for future rentals.

Same in September when I picked up a Budget rental at MLB.

To speak to PP's bad experience. I would put that much more on the third party you rented through than Budget. If UT is only giving you the telling you the base charge and not the all in, that's on how they are presenting the information to you, isn't it?

 

[Genie+]

Same in September when I picked up a Budget rental at MLB.

To speak to PP's bad experience. I would put that much more on the third party you rented through than Budget. If UT is only giving you the telling you the base charge and not the all in, that's on how they are presenting the information to you, isn't it?

Yes absolutely. After that experience I’ve stopped engaging with Undercover Tourist’s site. They never have the best park ticket prices now anyway, so no loss there. There’s enough other better car rental and park ticket brokers out there that I have no need to deal with UT or Budget ever again. Happy trails to them we’ll never meet again…

 

[happily single]

Thanks everyone. Maybe I’ll look into changing rental companies based on the experiences you’ve had. There were other companies that were similar in price.

 

[Lewisc]

A few years ago UT was sold to. Overall discounts appear modest and generally similar to competitors.

https://www.lincolninternational.co...-been-sold-to-ebg-a-portfolio-company-of-caa/

 

[Genie+]

A few years ago UT was sold to. Overall discounts appear modest and generally similar to competitors.

https://www.lincolninternational.co...-been-sold-to-ebg-a-portfolio-company-of-caa/

We’ve checked for over a dozen multiday trips since 2019/2019 and BW Ticketing blew UT out of the water every time. Like 7 to 10% lower which can add up when buying several multiday hoppers.

 

[Lewisc]

We’ve checked for over a dozen multiday trips since 2019/2019 and BW Ticketing blew UT out of the water every time. Like 7 to 10% lower which can add up when buying several multiday hoppers.

I have no doubt BT offers lower prices..I think your numbers are off. When I checked the difference was about 2%. It adds up.
Do any resellers sell multi day tickets for 10% below Disney, let alone competitors?

 

[Genie+]

I have no doubt BT offers lower prices..I think your numbers are off. When I checked the difference was about 2%. It adds up.
Do any resellers sell multi day tickets for 10% below Disney, let alone competitors?

It could depend on the date and specific tickets, especially hoppers for some reason (which we always buy). We used BT for 4 of our last 6 trips going back to 2021 saving $50-90 per ticket over UT. In 2023 WDW wanted over $800 for 5 day hoppers. UT saved about $35 and BT $91. Ultimately we went with UK tixx that trip, $645 for a 7 day hopper plus and Memory Maker lol. Even on shorter tixx though, BW has had about double the discount than UT.