Planning a vacation or trip can be a fun anticipatory experience. Planning the transportation for the trip can take the wind out of your sails, though. Maybe you are trying to decide between getting a cheap rental car and picking something a bit more fun.
Check Aggregator Sites Sites like Kayak and Expedia can help you search multiple car rental options at once. They often present you with a grid of different possibilities and rental companies. Aggregation sites are an excellent place to get started. This will give you an idea of where the value might be in a specific market at a particular time.
Don't Forget About the Fees
When comparing multiple sources, remember to compare rentals with all the fees. Some websites quote the base price without taxes and fees. Other websites mention the total out-the-door price.
When booking a cheap car, it is essential to consider how much car you can afford. Economy cars are the lowest rate available in a car rental. Unfortunately, they are also the most likely to be completely booked. When you complete the booking, you might get an upgrade to a larger vehicle.
Consider Alternative Car Classes
Often SUVs are the most expensive option for the same relative specs. For instance, many SUVs might be the same size as a mid-sized sedan or a full-sized vehicle.
Turo is a gig economy app that lets people rent out their vehicles as a side hustle. Turo is kind of like Airbnb for cars. It allows people to rent out their cars directly to people. Often you can get better rates on vehicles through Turo than the major providers.
Avoid the Airports Airports can be convenient if you are flying into the city. However, they are also more expensive than other locations around town. Higher prices are because the airport itself charges a fee to the rental company. The rental company then passes this fee onto the customer.