October 2021 Car Rental Thread

[gharter]

I realize we are still a long time from this trip, but car rental prices are still ridiculously high.

 

[WorldOfPooh]

I realize we are still a long time from this trip, but car rental prices are still ridiculously high.

Yeah, I just looked for April and prices are insane. $70 a day for a small sedan from Hertz (non MCO airport)

 

[Polskiguy]

I was curious as to how do car rental companies know when someone returns their car on time at the Tampa airport? Last time I returned a car in December there was no one around. I had a hard time even getting a receipt. I guess with all these Covid 19 protocols in place its difficult to get any answers. My car rental company is Hertz and in the past they would check mileage and gas plus issue a time stamped receipt showing I returned my car on time.

 

[jimmyc0000]

Hi,
We’re traveling in October also ! I’ve never seen rates so high ?? Hope see them come down !

 

[maxiesmom]

They are crazy high! I have a week booked thru Costco, and it is almost $500 for an suv. I read somewhere there was a fire someplace they were storing a lot of the rental cars, and that is part of the reason prices are so high. Fewer cars to rent.

Still, when that week is usually just over $200, over $400 is going to be tough to swallow.

 

[gharter]

They are crazy high! I have a week booked thru Costco, and it is almost $500 for an suv. I read somewhere there was a fire someplace they were storing a lot of the rental cars, and that is part of the reason prices are so high. Fewer cars to rent.

Still, when that week is usually just over $200, over $400 is going to be tough to swallow.

So far, I'm glad I reserved a car last fall for this October. While still expensive, its still $150 less than current prices.
Hoping prices may drop by fall. April prices are about double what we normally would pay if you booked now. can't imagine anyone actually paying that. Over $550 a week?

 

[McMonsters]

Booked through Budget for a standard car, Monday to Monday reservation, 389 total with Costco...still hurts but getting better

 

[gharter]

Still watching and Alamo is still over $550 a week. Really? Glad I reserved a cheaper one early.

 

[maxiesmom]

We may have another person coming on our trip, so ended up booking a mini van too. $615 for a week.

 

[Meglen]

Costco wanted about 450+ for my week oct9 -17 I used a corporate code for hertz just 2 weeks ago and got 270$.

 

[EACarlson]

I've got a small suv booked with Fox for $400 for 5 days. The same weekend in 2020 I paid $240 with Hertz, in 2017 I paid $150 with Alamo.

 

[PatMcDuck]

My trip is 9/24 to 10/3, I reserved Budget (never used them before but were "cheapest") mid SUV for $534. Now its $358 more. My return flight changed, so I would drop off car on 10/3 four hours earlier than before. Will they recalculate the rate if I do that ? I know before I was able to call in this sort of case. Ugh, I don't even want to pay that $534.

 

[gharter]

So far, the prices continue to be crazy. Hoping they will become more reasonable by October, but not sure that will happen.

 

[Yellowjj]

Car prices are not going to decline any time soon. Many/All of the rental companies sold a good portion of their fleet last year as business was down over 90% and they were just focused on survival. In addition to selling off cars, they also canceled new incoming orders from car manufacturers (who in part had shut down themselves for a period of time). Now there is a semiconductor shortage affecting the car manufacturers ability to produce new cars. The rental car companies have joined the back of the line (after canceling their old orders) after car dealerships in waiting for new cars.

So when you add pent up demand and Americans being unable to travel to most of the World (slowly easing), you get the scenario we're currently experiencing. Places completely sold out or sky high prices.

 

[gharter]

Anyone having any luck finding a reasonable price? I'm glad I booked early as all the current prices are about double what I have reserved.
I'm afraid with the crowd coming for the 50th, we will not see any drops, and maybe only more increases.

 

[wings91]

Anyone having any luck finding a reasonable price? I'm glad I booked early as all the current prices are about double what I have reserved.
I'm afraid with the crowd coming for the 50th, we will not see any drops, and maybe only more increases.

Prices are still outrageous, but they dropped a bit for me yesterday. For 9/30-10-8 from Alamo I have a premium car 550, mid suv 545 and STD SUV 605. This is still 250 more than normal but they are down over 100 from early this year.

 

[Donna M]

My Alamo minivan is up $350 since I originally booked it for my Oct 27 - Nov. 3 trip.

 

[maxiesmom]

Anyone having any luck finding a reasonable price? I'm glad I booked early as all the current prices are about double what I have reserved.
I'm afraid with the crowd coming for the 50th, we will not see any drops, and maybe only more increases.

No. Even thru Costo the prices have remained crazy high. I'm 90% sure we are cancelling our rental and using a towncar service to get to/from the airport. We are staying the first 2 nights at the Contemporary, so we can walk or monorail where we want to go. The rest of the time is at the Dolphin, so boats and walking are how we are getting around. No real pressing need for a car.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Take heart, October friends.....we are going in September (early in the month, the 4th to 11th) and just this week, rates have noticeably declined. I started at $650 for a full size car and am now holding an Alamo intermediate SUV with a free extra driver for $446. I had a rate drop 3 days in a row this past Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Dollar for my dates is even cheaper, approx. $398 for the same dates, times and vehicle size. DH likes to pick his vehicle, though, so we will stick with Alamo unless the price difference becomes REALLY significant. Budget, too, is cheaper even than Dollar......but Budget is the rental car version of Spirit Airlines to us (a good cheap price when things go well, and a hot regrettable mess when they don't.....which is often) so that's one we won't personally risk at any savings.

I was sure we'd never see a total price under $500, and this week has given me hope of maybe, possibly nudging our rate down under $400 before we travel. Hopefully you October folks will see a similar decrease in pricing.

 

[wings91]

Anniversary week dropped for me again today, that's two days in a row. Standard SUV down to $500 Alamo with Costco.

Whatever happened to alamo coupons???? I miss that extra $25