Book Rental car for December now? Or wait
- Thread starter captain3d
- Start date
Out-to-Lunch
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
IME, you can cancel a rental car. (Not sure about the UK.) If so, why not book now and then see what happens?
Yes +1 to this, unless the UK is different.
Before COVID, I'd book two cars for the same trip trip and wait till I got to the airport counters to decide which one I'd use -- based on the length of the line. I started doing this after I had a 90-minute wait a few years ago only because the car-rental agency was understaffed (not because they were out of cars). Then I'd just use my iPhone to cancel the one I didn't use -- while waiting in line at the competitor.
But that was in the days of competitive rates and plenty of cars. After COVID things seem to be a bit different. I have a car booked for a Hawaii trip in January and got an OK rate -- $560 for a week, from a lesser-known company, Sixt, which I've had good luck with once before. I haven't seen anything comparable price-wise since booking, but if and when I do I'll book a second one.
Sunset
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Boy do I feel silly for booking a different car a week or two later because it was cheaper , and then cancelling out the original one, all weeks before my trips.
I've booked car rental reservations online before flying to my destination city. When I arrived recently the rate I booked on line was $91 per day. When I got to the airport car rental counter I asked if there were any specials that day. The agent looked for a few minutes on his computer. He then found me a rate of $59 per day. Winner winner, chicken dinner!!
Shortly before our May trip to Florida, I prepaid for my rental car. They didn't have my car class available, but did have a larger one. The agent told me that prepaying just guarantees a car would be available. There was a long line of people waiting at the counter; I suspect they had reservations but few cars were available.
For my next trip in October I have reserved a car but as time gets near I intend to prepay. Like that Seinfeld episode, I would not presume an online reservation will mean a sure thing a car will be ready for me.
For my next trip in October I have reserved a car but as time gets near I intend to prepay. Like that Seinfeld episode, I would not presume an online reservation will mean a sure thing a car will be ready for me.
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I've looked at various places recently and see that rental cars are starting to become more available at Hertz and Avis, but still very expensive. I don't think the prices are likely to drop much this year as they rebuild their US fleets.
jollystomper
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
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On our recent trip to Texas,for a Hertz rental car, we paid about $40 less for the weekly rate at the time we booked as compared to the rate we reserved 3 weeks earlier. This was even after adding the "return tank at a level level feature". So we did see a slight decrease.
PaunchyPirate
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
I have pretty expensive cars (cheapest that I can drive and fit in) reserved in Dublin and Edinburgh (via Sixt) for September in case my trip actually takes place. I check for less expensive options every few days. So far, prices are not dropping. I never pay for a car in advance of showing up.
A week or 2 ago, I had reserved a Hertz car in San Jose, CA just in case a second reservation my friend made with booking.com for a Dollar rental car didn't work out. As it turns out, Hertz and Dollar are now one company and operate at the same counter in San Jose. Once we had our Dollar car in hand, I told the agent she could cancel my Hertz reservation. She replied... "no need, it will just go away since you won't be showing up to get it." As Jerry Seinfeld found out, reservations seem to have very little to do with whether a car is there for you or not.
A week or 2 ago, I had reserved a Hertz car in San Jose, CA just in case a second reservation my friend made with booking.com for a Dollar rental car didn't work out. As it turns out, Hertz and Dollar are now one company and operate at the same counter in San Jose. Once we had our Dollar car in hand, I told the agent she could cancel my Hertz reservation. She replied... "no need, it will just go away since you won't be showing up to get it." As Jerry Seinfeld found out, reservations seem to have very little to do with whether a car is there for you or not.
Book thru this site OR send them your booking and you will get notified if prices drop- they can rebook for you and cancel the old reservation.
We have used it many times and it works great.
https://www.autoslash.com/
We have used it many times and it works great.
https://www.autoslash.com/
That habit saved me this year. Reserved a car in February for a trip to Anchorage in June. By April the prices had gone up astronomically, and by May there were no cars available at any price. But they honored my February reservation and it worked out great.
I received the following "warning" from a travel firm we use occasionally for European travel. They do/did a big volume in European car rentals:
"NOW IT BEGINS: BIG JUMP IN FRANCE RENTAL CAR RATES
The foregoing was written over the 4th of July weekend, and today we were notified that on July 9 auto rental rates in France will increase 300% to 500%. That’s right, what today is a $300 rental will soon be in the $900 to $1500 range.
This France price hike involves the very same rental companies we book in the rest of Europe—Avis, Budget, Hertz, Europcar, Sixt, Enterprise, etc. It is a clear signal that rapidly increasing customer demand is reducing the number of available vehicles, and will therefore move rates significantly higher...throughout Europe.
"NOW IT BEGINS: BIG JUMP IN FRANCE RENTAL CAR RATES
The foregoing was written over the 4th of July weekend, and today we were notified that on July 9 auto rental rates in France will increase 300% to 500%. That’s right, what today is a $300 rental will soon be in the $900 to $1500 range.
This France price hike involves the very same rental companies we book in the rest of Europe—Avis, Budget, Hertz, Europcar, Sixt, Enterprise, etc. It is a clear signal that rapidly increasing customer demand is reducing the number of available vehicles, and will therefore move rates significantly higher...throughout Europe.
zinger1457
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
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If you have a Costco membership it's worth checking out their rates, always found them cheaper than anyplace else I checked, and you can cancel if needed.
OldConch
Recycles dryer sheets
+1 The "Track a Rental" feature works great.
Oh thanks. Already moved me from $1100 on my first booking (now canceled) down to $800
phil
