One Way Car Rentals

[conniehar90]

Does anyone have any experience with garnering a good rate for one way car rentals in the California/AZ area?

Our current trip plan has us flying into Phoenix, exploring Sedona and Grand Canyon and then driving to CA for DL. Planned to drop car at LAX and fly out. Trip is planned for July. Best rate I can find right now is National at $860 for 10 days (most other car companies are over $1,000)

If I completely reverse the route and fly into LAX and drive to AZ, I can get a car for $480 from Dollar.

No real issue doing this other than my own desire to end the vacay at Disney.

Right now there is a great deal on Hertz for one-ways into AZ through May. Just wondering if anyone has any experience with any deals on one-ways into CA? I could take the wait and see attitude but worried that if I don't change my flight plans now (Southwest) fares will go up.

Thanks!

 

[bcla]

A lot of times the rate can go down drastically if you pick up at an off-airport location - even if the drop-off location is at an airport. I remember someone here talking about San Francisco Airport, and wondering why the one-way rate for a certain rental went down from about $700/week to about $250/week simply by picking up at a Budget location a couple of miles from the airport.

You might try something like having the family wait at the airport while you take a taxi to the pickup location. My understanding is that even if the pickup location might normally do pick ups (common for auto repairs).

Of course you seem to have a good rate. I tried with all the Budget locations in Phoenix and got rates for a midsize around $1400 for 10 days.

 

[bluedevilinaz]

The reason the one way rentals from AZ to LA are more expensive is more people are doing it so they have a surplus of cars going that way versus going from LA to Phoenix. Try picking up/dropping off at an off airport location. Also check out Thrifty car rental and sign up for their Blue Chip program(its free). It offers some highly discounted rates(usually 50-60% off rack rate) and the cars are very reliable.

 

[chipdale1986]

I have good experience with Alamo.
Renting in Vegas and returning in San Francisco or reversed wise.
The rate was always pretty good.

Everytime when I need a rental car I try to book the car via Expedia or similar.
The best experience I have had with

http://www.holidayautos.com/

For the West Coast they have a good cooperation with National / Alamo.

Sometimes they have also good deals for special car categories, one-way rentals, additional driver etc...
So far I have only seen it on their german homepage (where I am from), but I am pretty sure they might have these deals on their US Homepage, too.

 

[conniehar90]

Thanks everyone! I was just about to reverse my trip and took one more look and found a deal from Dollar for $350!! It was through my Capital One rewards site(you don't have to use rewards). So, super pumped!!