Trips often become a hassle when you have to arrange for transportation means to follow your itinerary. Alternatively, when you have your own car, travelling becomes easier. Renting a car might feel like an expensive affair. If you start finding a rental car at the last minute or at the airport counter, you are certainly going to get pricey deals. Rather, you can get cheap rental cars available in your travel budget if you do it early. When you are securing flight tickets and booking a hotel, it is the best time to find cheap rental cars.
10 tips to find the cheapest car rentals:
1. Get your car booked at the right time
Wondering what’s the right time to get a car booked? It’s just when you are making other arrangements for the trip. Booking a car weeks or months in advance will get you the best rates. You can certainly get a car booked at the last minute, but then you might have to spend more or you may not get the car of your choice. But for some reason if you have missed booking a car rental, you can check last minute. Some rental companies offer great deals to fill the empty spots. Checking deals at the last minute might surprise you. But booking early is preferred for your peace of mind.
2. Avoid booking at the airport location
Often, travellers look for car rentals at the airport. Airport rentals are convenient and easy to find, but very expensive. Car rental companies at airports will charge you extra airport fee. Instead, look for car rentals at locations near to the airport. Or, you can book a taxi at the airport and reach a popular place in the city. You can book a car rental from any such place to save money.
3. Compare car rentals at different booking sites
Some car rentals are expensive just because there they are popular. Whereas, other companies can offer you great deals for the same car and the same dates. So when you’re trying to book a car rental, explore different booking websites and compare their prices. Also look for other features that you may need in the car. After finding a good rate on a site, call the rental company and ask for some discount. Sometimes they offer exclusive deals to clients who reach them directly.
4. Look for Membership Discounts
Sometimes, you have access to rental car discounts without even realizing it. You may have a limited offer available on any of your credit cards or maybe a membership at a supermarket that includes discounts on booking car rentals. If you have a military or veteran status, you may get a discount on booking a car rental. Even if the discount seems small at 5 to 10%, it can make a difference. Using these membership discounts, you can book cheap cars for your trip.
5. Choose the Right Car Size
Sometimes, you may feel like you can save money by booking a small car. Or, maybe you could have invested more to book a lavish car. Rental companies often adjust the prices or make the car you want available according to demand. So if you want an SUV but the rentals are high, you can always ask the rental car company to make some adjustments. Or if you want to save money on car rental, you can go for a smaller car and spend on activities that you will enjoy in the new city.
6. Avoid Extra Add-Ons
Sometimes, small add-ons seem alluring. Most of the time, we end up not using these add-ons and spending extra to get them. For instance, GPS navigation might seem like a feature that you may need while travelling around the city. However, you can always download an offline map for the city and collect information regarding how to reach the destinations included in your itinerary. Prepaid fuel is another such add-on that you may not need. You can get the tank filled up yourself before returning the car. Your personal auto insurance or credit card may already cover rental cars. So before purchasing an insurance to fulfil the rental company’s conditions can be redundant.
7. Look for Promo Codes
On various coupon websites, you can find promo codes to get a discount on car rentals. Some of these codes can give you up to 25% off on the rental cost. You can sign up for a rental company’s email list to be notified when there is an ongoing discount on car rentals. Some companies send exclusive promo codes to their subscribers. You can always unsubscribe from these emails if you no longer need them.
8. Maximize your rental period
If you are traveling for six days, extending your trip for a day can help you get cheaper car rental. There will be a small difference in pricing. For longer rental periods, car rental companies offer cheaper per day rentals.
9. Return during business hours
To avoid after-hours fees, return the vehicle during business hours. Look for the most economical combination of pickup and return times. The rental may vary.
10. Be Flexible with Pickup and Return Dates
Prices can vary significantly between travel dates. So keep your plan a little flexible to save money.
Conclusion
Finding cheap car rental should be done in advance. Follow these tips and get the best deals.
To find the best deals on cheap car rental, contact XclusiVibez. The company offers rental cars at affordable prices and in great condition.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to rent a car for a week or pay daily rates?
Weekly rates are almost always cheaper than daily rates. Rental companies offer great discounts for week-long rentals.
On which day of the week can I get rental cars for the lowest prices?
Booking on weekdays, especially Tuesday and Wednesday, often yields better rates. Booking on weekends can be costlier.
Should I book rental cars with insurance?
If your credit card offers primary rental car coverage, use this insurance. The rental company’s insurance will always add to the cost.
