Rental car agencies that don't charge one-way fees?

[wdwfreak]

We are looking to drive to Orlando from Saint Louis, but would like to fly home. Does anyone know of a rental car company that doesn't charge the one-way fees? Thank you!

 

[Marionnette]

We are looking to drive to Orlando from Saint Louis, but would like to fly home. Does anyone know of a rental car company that doesn't charge the one-way fees? Thank you!

Sometimes rental agencies will waive the one-way fee during the snowbird migrations. Specifically, if you want to drive a rental to Orlando in the spring when the snowbirds are bring rental cars north or if you want to drive home from Orlando in the fall when the snowbirds are driving rental cars south.

It's their way to move cars back. When I rented last week at MCO, the car had New York plates.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Yeah, that would be a New York car the rental agency could make more money from in Florida in January .

I may be saying the same thing she did, but it was confusing to me so I'm going to try again anyway . Late fall, rental companies need to move their fleets south cheaply. In addition to not charging a drop-off fee, they often offer enticing rental rates. The reverse is true in early spring - they need to get the cars [back] up north for summer vacationers, etc.

Travelers who can plan their trips around the rental agencies' needs, or who can be flexible, can benefit from this.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Several years ago we rented a Buick Le Sabre in Washington DC and drove it for 11 days, turning it in at Orlando Airport, for about $160 including all fees. But we also has $75 one-way seats to Dulles Airport and the taxi home was about $40.

But unless you can get a repositioning, it will cost a lot to do a one-ray rental.

(Note that within Florida one-way drop fees are not legal for rentals fully within the State, so a person could rent in Pensacola and drop in Miami (about 700 miles) with no drop fee.)

 

[bettymae1121]

It also helps if you pick up/drop off from the airport rather than an urban/suburban location. It may not be as convienant for you but often that's the best way to avoid one-way fees. Also some non-airport locations don't allow one-ways at all, they want/need their vehicles back.

 

[Melynny]

Hi, neighbor.. We did the same thing drove a rental from St. Louis then flew home. I found that it was MUCH less expensive to only get a one day.. 24 hours, rental. (It can be done) and turn it in at the MCO airport, and just pick up another car for the length of my vacation in the Orlando area. It took some planning, to maximize the time that we had the one way rental, but it worked.. (barely). Try pricing it that way. We used National by the way.

 

[bumbershoot]

I think it just depends!

I got a car from the Phoenix airport and took it to the Santa Ana airport in Anaheim; got a GREAT deal with no one-way fee at all. This was with National.

I imagine that they needed some cars out there, and I came by at the right time.