Spike in National Rent a Car Prices

[llupin]

I travel to the Orlando area every 2 weeks, and used to be able to rent a full size car from National for around $45 per day (sometimes better with coupons). I usually book a couple of months out. I'm now looking at April and May weekend rentals. With Alamo and Dollar, I can get specials for around $100 or less for a 3 day weekend (including taxes), but all of a sudden, National is now showing $85/day or over $300 including taxes for the same time period. I prefer National because I am Emerald Executive and accumulate free rental points.

Does anyone know the reason for this discrepancy?

 

[gmeh1]

I travel to the Orlando area every 2 weeks, and used to be able to rent a full size car from National for around $45 per day (sometimes better with coupons). I usually book a couple of months out. I'm now looking at April and May weekend rentals. With Alamo and Dollar, I can get specials for around $100 or less for a 3 day weekend (including taxes), but all of a sudden, National is now showing $85/day or over $300 including taxes for the same time period. I prefer National because I am Emerald Executive and accumulate free rental points.

Does anyone know the reason for this discrepancy?

Sometimes they show high rates for a couple of months out and they drop as the time of your travel gets closer. I would keep checking. BTW, try this contract code. xz53043

 

[katallo]

I travel to the Orlando area every 2 weeks, and used to be able to rent a full size car from National for around $45 per day (sometimes better with coupons). I usually book a couple of months out. I'm now looking at April and May weekend rentals. With Alamo and Dollar, I can get specials for around $100 or less for a 3 day weekend (including taxes), but all of a sudden, National is now showing $85/day or over $300 including taxes for the same time period. I prefer National because I am Emerald Executive and accumulate free rental points.

Does anyone know the reason for this discrepancy?

We usually always choose Alamo and it has been so frustrating to deal with pricing and their website. One morning I went to Alamo site and found a car for $134.00/ week in April. I had almost booked it and the screen closed. I re-opened and the price tripled. It's been a nighmare and I can honestly say we've booked elsewhere and I don't even check the site anymore. There is an entire thread about their website problems.

 

[SYDCOLEMOM]

Car rental rates have been all over the place lately. I checked many times a day and finally scored Alamo $215 for 12 days (May 22nd to June @nd)
thats total price including tax/fees on a Full size car. Keeping checking ..something will pop up !!

 

[sam_gordon]

Sometimes they show high rates for a couple of months out and they drop as the time of your travel gets closer. I would keep checking. BTW, try this contract code. xz53043

This code saved me money... $40 off our two one-way rentals. Any special ID or anything needed?

On a side note, since you're the car rental expert, I thought I read somewhere there is no "one way" fee for Florida rental agencies (as long as you stay in state). Is that correct?

 

[gmeh1]

This code saved me money... $40 off our two one-way rentals. Any special ID or anything needed?

On a side note, since you're the car rental expert, I thought I read somewhere there is no "one way" fee for Florida rental agencies (as long as you stay in state). Is that correct?

No, nothing needed for that code.

I can only speak for Enterprise, Alamo and National re: one way fee. I have yet to see a fee assessed for that. It would show up in the reservation break down. Now, that is not to say that the rate is not higher one way than it would be for a round trip.

BTW, I am not an expert by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, I no longer work for the above companies, but, I still remember stuff.