what is up with car rental prices???

[jacdolfin]

Ok, so I usually buy my tickets early. This year, I didn't and the prices for August from PHL to MCO are SCARY!!! There are no flights BEFORE 7am and the one at 7am that is non-stop will cost me $160!! Coming back Sept 3rd is 160 !!! OMG!!!

Usually I pay less than $1000 for our family of 5 round trip with non-stop early flights. This year looks like I am at $1500!! Oh dear, I guess I may have waited far too long this time around

AND.....I cant seem to find a mid-size rental under $400 right now!! I know gas prices are up but this is really ridiculous this year!!!

For cheaper car rentals you may want to try www.carrentalsavers.com. I got a great deal for a SUV for 7 with tax for $260 thru Budget. I am flying into Sanford but the rental code works for MCO as well. Was for $199 a week plus tax. As for airfare we are flying Allegiant they have posted some good rates from where we are. I dont know where you are flying from but try joining the email group for JetBlue/Airtran etc. I got two coupons via email for 10-20% off flights just by joining there email group. Might be worth it. Best of luck

 

[smdigh]

Does anyone here use Hotwire to rent a car?

I have been checking about every week on their prices in October.

As of today, they are 'offering' a midsize rate of 40.95 a day ($387.47 tot) for 10/4/11- 10/11/11.

However, if I change it to 10/4/11-10/12/11 (add 1 day), the rate is 17.95 a day ($221.91 total)!!

What's going on?

(FYI- poked around a little bit and found Dollars site behaving this way. For some reason it is using a high rate for 1 week, but a lower weekly rate for 1 week and 1 day. So since Dollar allows res. to be cancelled, I can just book the 1 week and 1 day, and return the car a day early- unless I find a lower rate between now and that time.).

 

[Lewisc]

The price of gas should not affect the cost of the car rental, since, essentially, we are paying for that separate from the car rental! And, if the tank isn't full on return, they charge us inflated gas prices to fill up the rest of the tank! And honestly, the price of cars haven't increased dramatically to increase the price of the rental either. And with less people travelling right now due to economic reasons, the supply should be available as demand will be down, although this could explain a moderate increase in car rental prices, but not the inflated 200%+ that we are seeing.

We were planning another trip as we are Universal annual pass holders in November, and are seriously contemplating driving from Western Canada, because, currently, the price of car rental and flights for 3 would be over $2500 and thats just ludicrous!

Car manufacturers are no longer giving rental agency short term leases or favorable buy back guarantees on car sales. Rental agencies are finding the resale value of used cars, particularly cars with higher miles, isn't what they planned. Reducing inventory so the supply of cars available approximates the number or renters willing to pay a profitable rate is an ongoing process.

Higher price of gas and jet fuel may mean fewer people are traveling. Rental agencies have to cover their fixed costs over fewer rentals.