Sept 2024 Car Rentals

[LadybugsMum]

Starting the Sept 2024 thread. Right now I've got a compact SUV through Alamo via Costco for $502 from Sept 1-7. I'm really hoping this gets cheaper come late spring/early summer as I don't want to pay that much. It is Labor Day weekend; so I doubt it will get too low, sadly.

 

[LadybugsMum]

Finally had some downward movement in price. I was able to get another reservation for a compact SUV through Alamo via Costco for $452.

 

[EACarlson]

I've got an Aisle reservation with National for $400 for 8 days at the end of September. Have tracking through Autoslash but almost no chance I'll find something less than that at an on site company.

 

[LadybugsMum]

Reviving this thread as I am down to $313 for a standard SUV for Aug 31-Sep7. I'm checking more often now that I'm down to less than 40 days. I may decide to skip a rental car altogether as I have a reservation for Gearfusion to take us from MCO to BWV as back up.

 

[gparr]

Best I can get is $458 for a standard - September 14-23.

 

[Lynne G]

So far went from a first initial book at $998 when I reserved my airfare many months ago. To last week, snagged a $578 with Costco Travel reservation for two weeks in the middle of September. 8 to 21.

Unlike my middle of August then I went from an airfare booking time two months ago at $520 to, also last week, saw $348 and cancelled my $420 that I had booked, thinking that’s what I have to pay for a week. 11 to 18.

Glad I got both down.

Both reservations are standard SUV. Wish they’d put Toyota ones in that SUV line at Alamo. The used to. Last I have seen, this last two trips in the Spring, has been many Kia or Hyundai.

For both, seen much higher prices after I booked those lowest rates I’ve found so far. I do the book, keep checking, cancel after get a better rate. Though I mostly find that the most lowest rates are around 3 weeks before the day to rent. And I almost always find Costco Travel’s rates the lowest. And lately, have stuck with Alamo.

 

[_19disnA]

I always look on the rental car websites to see the specific vehicles in their various categories. "Standard" SUV is rather vague, can mean a lot of different things and most rental companies classify their vehicles as being much larger than I would. Make sure to choose a vehicle that is appropriate for the number in your party as well as how much luggage you will have. Saving a few dollars by getting a smaller vehicle won't be of much benefit if you can't fit everyone/everything into it.

 

[EACarlson]

Well the National code I obtained here and used quite well for the last three years is now dead. My just under $400 National reservation jumped up to almost $800, had another friend that I had given the code to that had the same thing happen. Booked Hertz Small SUV (Nissan Rogue) through AAA for $430 for 9 days. May end up with a corporate code from my side job but I'll be mostly happy with this.

 

[jenjersnap]

11 days mid month. $524 intermediate at Alamo booked via Costco. Autoslash came in at $580 for an onsite rental, I think we might forgo a rental this time. :/

 

[LadybugsMum]

Coming up on 2 weeks prior and I've not been able to get less than $313 for a midsize SUV without doing prepay. If it doesn't go down by Monday then I'm just going to cancel the reservation and stick to gearfusion for pick up and then do Uber/Lyft when we don't want to use Disney transpo.

 

[blakefamily]

Just reboooked on Costco. Now have compact or Full size car ( same price) for 1 week $320 thru alamo. Previously was at 360ish. Would love to see it go down, but also happy with the price. Ive read that Alamo doesnt have much or any compact SUV and usually you end up picking intermediate or standar suv row ?

 

[Bigg44]

Just reboooked on Costco. Now have compact or Full size car ( same price) for 1 week $320 thru alamo. Previously was at 360ish. Would love to see it go down, but also happy with the price. Ive read that Alamo doesnt have much or any compact SUV and usually you end up picking intermediate or standar suv row ?

My experience with Alamo has been to pick from Intermediate SUV when reserving the Compact SUV. This has happened on multiple occasions.

 

[LadybugsMum]

I checked again today just to see and I was able to get a standard SUV through Avis for $278 for Aug 31-Sep 7. I am really surprised since it’s only a week out.

 

[LadybugsMum]

Well, I did something I said I'd never do and that is prepay for a car rental. But at only 5 days out, I got a compact SUV for $200 from Hertz. I've had great experiences with Hertz previously; so I'm hoping this will be another one. The only downside is that I'll have to check in at the counter instead of walking straight out to the garage. Hopefully the lines won't be too long.

 

[EACarlson]

Well, I did something I said I'd never do and that is prepay for a car rental. But at only 5 days out, I got a compact SUV for $200 from Hertz. I've had great experiences with Hertz previously; so I'm hoping this will be another one. The only downside is that I'll have to check in at the counter instead of walking straight out to the garage. Hopefully the lines won't be too long.

I haven't seen long lines at Hertz in three years. Almost everyone that rents from Hertz gets to go straight out to the garage so it's very rare I see anyone in line inside.

 

[boxer]

Aren't there many codes out anymore? I remember years past there were dozens of codes, and now it seems like you can't even find good ones anymore?

 

[EACarlson]

Aren't there many codes out anymore? I remember years past there were dozens of codes, and now it seems like you can't even find good ones anymore?

Most of the good codes have been Nerfed over the last couple years. I had been using a friends and family code that I got off here that was fantastic, that went away last month. Many of my association codes have jumped a lot since the end of the pandemic. Best I can do for my trip in a month is $400 for 10 days through AAA.

 

[mzozzietj]

Well, I did something I said I'd never do and that is prepay for a car rental. But at only 5 days out, I got a compact SUV for $200 from Hertz. I've had great experiences with Hertz previously; so I'm hoping this will be another one. The only downside is that I'll have to check in at the counter instead of walking straight out to the garage. Hopefully the lines won't be too long.

Which terminal are you flying in to? If you signed up for their Gold membership you can go right out to the garage at A or B as they have a counter there to assist. Terminal C was in the process of building the garage office when we went in July so it may be done. If not they have a separate line for Gold and it's really fast. In July the regular line for terminal C was a bit long, maybe 8 families and one person working, they took the Gold members first. It annoyed a lot of folks.

 

[LadybugsMum]

Which terminal are you flying in to? If you signed up for their Gold membership you can go right out to the garage at A or B as they have a counter there to assist. Terminal C was in the process of building the garage office when we went in July so it may be done. If not they have a separate line for Gold and it's really fast. In July the regular line for terminal C was a bit long, maybe 8 families and one person working, they took the Gold members first. It annoyed a lot of folks.

Going into B and because it's prepaid through Autoslash, I have to stop by the counter. I am Gold member, but I wasn't allowed to enter my number for the reservation.

 

[EACarlson]

Autoslash came through with a $25 drop in my rate for pickup on 9/25. Ten days with a small SUV and aisle access for $406