What the heck is going on with rental rates?

[Maxwell]

Forget the codes. Car rental rates are terrible and getting a 10 - 15% discount still isn't a good deal.

I have found that nothing beats using Priceline.com. Try it within 10 days of your trip and bid wisely and you can get come incredible deals.

I will be using Priceline again in October.

can you get a guaranteed on airport company?

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I got a decent rate from Alamo for Aug 29 to Sept 7 (9 nts) using a code that was emailed to me from SWA for quadruple rapid rewards. It gives the same rate the Costco code does but no free addl driver.
http://luv.southwest.com/servlet/website/ResponseForm?lPHpkE7sHth.25VT7eplm.25VTew

I added a coupon emailed from Alamo for $30 off
AD2123JMC
(which is also available at their website I believe)

to get $237 total for a midsize. Not too bad for 9 nts. and I'll get 2 more Rapid Reward credits!

 

[Lewisc]

can you get a guaranteed on airport company?

Hertz partipates with PL. Hertz customers take a short shuttle ride to the Hertz lot. JMO but not a big deal.

Most of us can find a code/agency/program that waives the charge for an additional driver. Use PL and you'll have to pay.

PL reservations may have very high charges if you need to keep the car an extra hour or so. Many people don't use PL for a rental car until a few days-week before their trip. At that point your pickup/drop off times should be firm.

 

[mommy2jack]

Try here:

http://www.carrentalsavers.com/florida-car-rental.html

The Avis deal comes out to about $150 after taxes and fees if you use the coupon.

Is this really an ok site to book thru? I just checked here and found some ok rates (under $200 for a compact for a week) for the week in December we'll be going. I check both Orbitz.com (which we booked our plane tickets thru) and the Alamo and Budget websites using coupons from Mousesavers.com and this site still seems to have the best prices that I've found so far...

 

[mommy2jack]

Try here:

http://www.carrentalsavers.com/florida-car-rental.html

The Avis deal comes out to about $150 after taxes and fees if you use the coupon.

Is this really an ok site to book thru? I just checked here and found some ok rates (under $200 for a compact for a week) for the week in December we'll be going. I check both Orbitz.com (which we booked our plane tickets thru) and the Alamo and Budget websites using coupons from Mousesavers.com and this site still seems to have the best prices that I've found so far...

I'm considering just using Advantage also, but having to catch a shuttle makes me nervous. We have an early going home flight and I'd be afraid we wouldn't get to the airport in time.

Edited to add: sorry for the duplicate post. My computer had a hiccup!

 

[MRussell]

I booked in May for our December trip with Dollar using the OOAG code and got a Mini-Van for $199.00 plus taxes.

I just entered the code and checked rates for Sept 12-19 using the code and came up with $319 including taxes. Without the code it's $550.00.

They are advertising a small SUV for $39.00/day using the 9COM7 code. I usually get great deals through Dollar. I book early and just keep checking.

Good luck.

 

[Tickled Tink]

Is this really an ok site to book thru? I just checked here and found some ok rates (under $200 for a compact for a week) for the week in December we'll be going. I check both Orbitz.com (which we booked our plane tickets thru) and the Alamo and Budget websites using coupons from Mousesavers.com and this site still seems to have the best prices that I've found so far...

I'm considering just using Advantage also, but having to catch a shuttle makes me nervous. We have an early going home flight and I'd be afraid we wouldn't get to the airport in time.

I'd like to know if this is a good site too. We got a great rate for a minivan with Thrifty. Do you need to supply the coupons? Thanks for your help.

 

[ge0rgette2]

Dec 22 thru 29/30th - is over 700.00 per week for an Economy car... Unreal the prices they get - but it is the holidays - they know ppl will pay it. I'm not, lmao, but someone will .

 

[drakethib]

It is still nuts right now.

 

[bgdiznee]

I haven't read through the whole thread, so if someone else has already said this sorry-

I feel like the car rental rates have slowly been creeping upwards since DME was initiated. I think we are seeing higher prices secondary to more people using DME = less rentals = decrease overall volume for the car rental agencies. Which of course means higer prices to make up for decrease volume.

If you travel to other markets, rental cost are not as out of whack as they are in FL. Just IMHO.

 

[springandmac]

If you travel to other markets, rental cost are not as out of whack as they are in FL. Just IMHO.

That's true, we went to Vegas for a week in August and got a full size car from National for under $150.

I can't find a midsize at Alamo or National for my November trip for under $250. I'm sorry but I'm just not paying that!

 

[madge]

I haven't read through the whole thread, so if someone else has already said this sorry-

I feel like the car rental rates have slowly been creeping upwards since DME was initiated. I think we are seeing higher prices secondary to more people using DME = less rentals = decrease overall volume for the car rental agencies. Which of course means higer prices to make up for decrease volume.

If you travel to other markets, rental cost are not as out of whack as they are in FL. Just IMHO.

that's not exactly true, IMO .. in our experiences, rental rates dropped quite a bit after DME started. No one was renting cars, and the agencies had to do something to attract business.

 

[mommy*RN]

I'm banging my head over this! Does anyone know the penalty for keeping a car past the return time? I have a ressie with Alamo that I booked in late December...and I didn't know flight times or anything so I did a noon - noon. Now I need to keep the car until 5pm. Any idea what a 5hr penalty will cost me? When I try to modify my ressie it shoots up over triple what my rate currently is.

Thanks for any help. I tried looking online and saw nothing and when I emailed Alamo -- my email went unanswered. I guess I could call them directly...

 

[winterman]

Try modifying your rental on the website. Use the proper pickup and dropoff times and see what happens. You get to see the new results before accepting the changes.

Have a great trip.

 

[SamSam]

I'm banging my head over this! Does anyone know the penalty for keeping a car past the return time? I have a ressie with Alamo that I booked in late December...and I didn't know flight times or anything so I did a noon - noon. Now I need to keep the car until 5pm. Any idea what a 5hr penalty will cost me? When I try to modify my ressie it shoots up over triple what my rate currently is.

Thanks for any help. I tried looking online and saw nothing and when I emailed Alamo -- my email went unanswered. I guess I could call them directly...

The extra 5 hours will cost you an extra day. If you have a daily rate, I would think it would be at that rate, but I'm not positive about that.

 

[heatherj]

Funny . . .I would love to know about the late return too. Same issue. Got a good rate before our flights were booked. Now we have a 2 hour difference in when we will be returning it. I haven't called yet though to check. If anyone finds out please post - I will too.



Heather

 

[mtblujeans]

We will be at USO from Oct. 22 - Oct. 27 and I would like to rent a car just to get back and forth from the airport to USO and drive one evening to DTD. I can't see paying $300.00+ for that but I am not finding a decent rate....

 

[kddlm]

Forget about Easter 2010 rates!!! Going to OKW 3/30-4/3, then driving to Vero Beach and departing from PBI on 4/6. Rates are crazy.....at first I thought it was due to different drop off location, but have played around with all different scenarios and the rates are just untouchable!! Totally eating up the savings I got on airfare! Plus, coupon codes are blacked out for that week! Any thoughts??

 

[Lewisc]

Forget about Easter 2010 rates!!! Going to OKW 3/30-4/3, then driving to Vero Beach and departing from PBI on 4/6. Rates are crazy.....at first I thought it was due to different drop off location, but have played around with all different scenarios and the rates are just untouchable!! Totally eating up the savings I got on airfare! Plus, coupon codes are blacked out for that week! Any thoughts??

Wait too long and many agencies will show no cars available, at any price. Book something and hope you can get a better deal later, maybe PL or Hotwire.