# Discount Hawaii Car Rental



## DaveNV

Those of you who know me also know I usually brag about the great deals on car rentals in Hawaii that you can get from Costco.com.  But I'm also frugal enough to know that a deal is a deal, no matter where it comes from. I wanted to pass along a strong recommendation for anyone who might be able to use their services.

I had what I felt was a great car rental deal from Alamo through Costco.com for our upcoming two-island trip to Hawaii.  Just for the heck of it, I asked the folks at Discount Hawaii Car Rental to see what kind of a deal they could give me.

To their credit, they came back with a much better deal through Thrifty for both Oahu and Kauai.  Same type of cars, including a convertible on Kauai, but at a much cheaper price.  By going through them instead of using the reservations I had made six months ago, I saved more than $125.  And that's enough money to go a long way toward a great sunset dinner at The Beach House in Poipu.   

www.DiscountHawaiiCarRental.com

Dave


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## DeniseM

+1
We have rented from them for 3 or 4 years - they always give us the lowest quote.


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## T_R_Oglodyte

I used them for the first time on our Hawaii trip last summer.  They gave me a quote through Thrifty that blew everybody else out of the water.


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## FlyerBobcat

I learned of them through TUG several months back, and have car rentals for both weeks (Maui & Kauai) reserved with them.  And thanks for reminding me to make a reservation for The Beach House at Poipu!!


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## artringwald

Speaking of good deals, through Aloha Toy Store you can get a Lamborghini Murcielago on Maui for only $2500/day.


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## chalucky

Used them....like them.


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## BevL

Yep, we made the switch from Costco to them for our trip in January.  Much better rate, all went well.


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## vacationtime1

We have rented through them several times and would do so again.


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## curbysplace

Discount came through for us with a great rate on Oahu for a week mid May with Thrifty and the next week on Maui with Budget.  Nobody else was close.  Will follow other advice--shop/check the rates again a week or 10 days before the trip and often the rates drop.


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## BevL

curbysplace said:


> Discount came through for us with a great rate on Oahu for a week mid May with Thrifty and the next week on Maui with Budget.  Nobody else was close.  Will follow other advice--shop/check the rates again a week or 10 days before the trip and often the rates drop.



I did that and my rates had dropped slightly.  I contacted Discount and they got me a lower rate again than I was seeing on line.  Not a lot but a dollar in my pocket is better than in Thrifty's.  They were very pleasant and offered another alternative which was cheaper still - didn't work for us as we wanted two extra drivers but the personalized service was great.


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## rpw

*priceline?*

Are they better than a "name your price" at Priceline?

I had a fullsize on Kaui Aug 26 - Sept 2, 2011 for $15 a day (total with taxes 189.09) and mid-size on Oahu Sept2-9 for $13 a day (total with taxes $148.56).

I thought that those were pretty good prices at the time?


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## rickandcindy23

I check Costco daily and have yet to get a better deal through these discount sites.  I have reserved through them and cancelled close to the date, when Costco's rate comes in lower.  We had a rental car for 18 days on Maui last month, and our total rate was $400 with taxes and fees through Costco (Alamo).  I couldn't beat that price.  

Our August trip to Kauai is coming back from my searches at $800 for two weeks.  Ridiculous.  I hope the price goes down, but I requested a quote from Discount.  I hope they come through this time, but I like that I can cancel, if I find a better deal.


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## danb

*Car Rental*

Thanks for the tip on DiscountHawaiiCarRental.com. I checked on a rental for our first week on oahu 7-30 and I saved $220.00. Couldn't do any better on Maui though bet this is a great savings. Thanks again.


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## Tiger

we used priceline name your own price for a 24 day rental and saved $150


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## DaveNV

rpw said:


> Are they better than a "name your price" at Priceline?
> 
> I had a fullsize on Kaui Aug 26 - Sept 2, 2011 for $15 a day (total with taxes 189.09) and mid-size on Oahu Sept2-9 for $13 a day (total with taxes $148.56).
> 
> I thought that those were pretty good prices at the time?




Try it for 2012, and see what happens.  Car rental rates in Hawaii are much higher this year.  I've never used Priceline, because I don't want to have to prepay the rental.

Dave


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## DaveNV

danb said:


> Thanks for the tip on DiscountHawaiiCarRental.com. I checked on a rental for our first week on oahu 7-30 and I saved $220.00. Couldn't do any better on Maui though bet this is a great savings. Thanks again.




That's great to hear!  I'm really liking these folks.  

Dave


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## DaveNV

rickandcindy23 said:


> I check Costco daily and have yet to get a better deal through these discount sites.  I have reserved through them and cancelled close to the date, when Costco's rate comes in lower.  We had a rental car for 18 days on Maui last month, and our total rate was $400 with taxes and fees through Costco (Alamo).  I couldn't beat that price.
> 
> Our August trip to Kauai is coming back from my searches at $800 for two weeks.  Ridiculous.  I hope the price goes down, but I requested a quote from Discount.  I hope they come through this time, but I like that I can cancel, if I find a better deal.




Cindy, are you asking Discount Hawaii Car Rental for a rate quote, or are you taking their published rates from the website?  I found the difference was substantial, with their quoted rate much lower than the standard "instant" rates on their website.   

Dave


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## T_R_Oglodyte

Priceline is worth checking, and Hotwire for that matter as well, if you don't mind the pre-pay non-cancellable situation.  Personally I use both of those services extensively for both business and personal travel. 

If you are traveling during a period when these is a surplus of vehicles, it's likely that you will receive the best pricing from those sites.  If you traveling during a higher demand period, probably not.  Pricing can also vary hugely between different islands for the same period - it depends on what the car rental situation is on that particular island.  

We travel to Hawaii in August mostly, which is a higher demand period.  It's been several years since I used PL or HW in Hawaii, because over the last five or six years car rental companies have greatly tightened up on their inventory in almost all locales, including Hawaii.


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## Liz Wolf-Spada

Thanks for the link. I got a mid size car through them from Alamo for less than $500 for 2 weeks on Hawaii.
Liz


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## T_R_Oglodyte

BMWguynw said:


> Cindy, are you asking Discount Hawaii Car Rental for a rate quote, or are you taking their published rates from the website?  I found the difference was substantial, with their quoted rate much lower than the standard "instant" rates on their website.
> 
> Dave



What Dave said.  You have to actually click through and get quotes from rental company using the discount codes that DHCR autofills in when it passes you to the car rental company website.


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## Passepartout

*Holy Guacamole!*

I gave these guys a try for a bid on next December's Maui trip. It came back this morning for a mid-size(?) Corolla for $559 and change for a week! Can this be right? 

Jim


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## suzanne

I tried their site and got 14 days in November on Big Island. Compact was $443.87 thru Thrifty. This rate includes all taxes and fees with no additional charge for spouse as extra driver.  Based on rates thru other outfits this is lowest I have found so far. Thanks for posting the link. Since this is our first trip to Hawaii I did not know who to use for car rental.

Suzanne


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## mjm1

I booked one week on Maui and one on Oahu through Costco and just called this Hawaii Discounts.  They could not beat the price I received through Costco.  The rep asked me where I got it and when I told her, she indicated that approximately 90% of the times that someone beats their price it is Costco.

Initially Costco prices were a bit more, but I continued to watch and rode the price down along the way.


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## mountainguide

*priceline*

Was in Maui for the month of December 2011 and rented a nissan altima for $800 all in taxes and all for 30 days. On priceline I  booked it at $18.00 a day but after they added some weird tax or fee it came to $800. Wasn't too happy about that little extra fee. Will try Hawaiian Discount though. Thanks for the tip.


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## rickandcindy23

BMWguynw said:


> Cindy, are you asking Discount Hawaii Car Rental for a rate quote, or are you taking their published rates from the website?  I found the difference was substantial, with their quoted rate much lower than the standard "instant" rates on their website.
> 
> Dave



Yes, Dave, I did follow through and received my confirmation today: $509.68 for a compact car from Thrifty out of Lihue airport.  Best deal so far, but I will be watching constantly for a better price through Costco. I like the new search through the Costco Travel tab.  Searches four of the bigger companies at once.  Hoping to save at least $100 over the Discount deal. We will see. 

As I said before, our trip to Maui just last month, our mid-size was $400 total with taxes and fees for 18 days through Alamo (Costco codes).


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## rifleman69

Passepartout said:


> I gave these guys a try for a bid on next December's Maui trip. It came back this morning for a mid-size(?) Corolla for $559 and change for a week! Can this be right?
> 
> Jim



Well you are in December, let me guess right around Christmas/New Years?


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## Passepartout

rifleman69 said:


> Well you are in December, let me guess right around Christmas/New Years?



Yeah. I think I can reduce the cost, but then I will be the only driver. I will get a price from Costco too. 

Jim


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## slip

I've used Discounthawaiicarrental a few times now, always get a great price and
No problems. I still watch other sites for better prices but the only one that is
Usually close is Costco.


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## RSchwartz

Used Discount on Kauai for the first time for two weeks ending April 6.  There fees were $200+ less than Costco and any other we looked at.  First time we used Thrifty Car Rental......given a Ford Focus. We paid $472 for 14+ days.   Only problem with Thrifty was that we we picked up the car, they had our rental fee $400 more than the written estimat we received from them. When I showed them their written estimate, they did honor their original quote but if I wasn't paying attention, I may have paid too much.  Returning the car was easy with little fanfare from them.  If you go with Thrifty Car Rental, make sure you join their frequent rental club.......it is free and it does speed up the process.  I would definitely use Discount Hawaii again.


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## SuzanneSLO

mjm1 said:


> I booked one week on Maui and one on Oahu through Costco and just called this Hawaii Discounts.  They could not beat the price I received through Costco.  The rep asked me where I got it and when I told her, she indicated that approximately 90% of the times that someone beats their price it is Costco.
> 
> Initially Costco prices were a bit more, but I continued to watch and rode the price down along the way.



I had the same experience.  My quote for a 9 day SUV rental in Maui for late June was $175 higher with Hawaii Discounts than with Costco codes.

I personally don't like that, if you want to book online, Hawaii Discounts books the rental and you then have to cancel if you don't like the price.  I usually re-price my rental every couple of days, so this adds to the hassle factor.  -- Suzanne


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## DeniseM

SuzanneSLO said:


> I had the same experience.  My quote for a 9 day SUV rental in Maui for late June was $175 higher with Hawaii Discounts than with Costco codes.
> 
> I personally don't like that, if you want to book online, Hawaii Discounts books the rental and you then have to cancel if you don't like the price.  I usually re-price my rental every couple of days, so this adds to the hassle factor.  -- Suzanne



To cancel - all you have to do is respond to their email - it's a 30 second deal.


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## Liz Wolf-Spada

We used Priceline last December for Maui and got Dollar, terrible car selection. Absolutely nothing I could drive, (DH had to do all the driving) and they wanted $35 a DAY for an extra driver!
Liz


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## Ron98GT

Thanks for the tip about Discounthawaiicarrental.com.   $278 for a Mustang Convertible, for the last week of May, 2012.  Neither Priceline, Costco, or anyone else could come close.   

The Big Island, 3rd week of May, was another story.    I got the best deal directly thru Thrifty.  $168/week for a Premium car.  I don't need a premium car, but couldn't beat the price.  

The Discounthawaiicarrental iPhone app is really cool   for showing availabilty and getting instant prices.


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## jlr10

We used them for our recent trip and they were quite a lot lower than the other car rental options.  I also like that, unlike Hotwire, they tell you who the rental company is before you book it.  There is one rental car company I will not use, but seems to the one Hotwire always provides.  So for more choice and less money I am sticking with Discount Hawaii (which beat Costco for us.)


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## Passepartout

Well, I made a couple of modifications in my reservation. Still gawdawful expensive for mid-December, bridging Christmas, but what it is, it is. Discount Hawaii, using Alamo, came in $15 over Costco, also using Alamo, on the same full size car. I reserved with Costco for the points.

Lots can happen between now and December, so I'll keep an eye on rental prices.

Jim


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## hypnotiq

$350 for a week in Maui (Sept).

does this sound about right for Maui? I know everything is more exp. there. LOL


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## craigrow

This thread should be a sticky. I just got a quote from them for a week in Maui that is $100 less than the best deal I could find elsewhere.


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## Luanne

hypnotiq said:


> $350 for a week in Maui (Sept).
> 
> does this sound about right for Maui? I know everything is more exp. there. LOL



We just paid about that same amount for two weeks on Maui (end of March, beginning April).  We reserved a midsize, but were upgraded to a full size at no additional cost.  We rented through Costco and ended up with Alamo.  It could be prices have gone up since we rented.


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## SuzanneSLO

DeniseM said:


> To cancel - all you have to do is respond to their email - it's a 30 second deal.



Yes, but I also have to manually delete the reservation from my TripIt itinerary, which collects every confirmation e-mail I receive.  Probably not a big deal for most people, but I thought I would point it out for those for whom it might be an issue.

I probably would be more willing to continue to use them if my first quote back wasn't more than 50% higher than my existing rate (which is an okay rate, but not a great one).   -- Suzanne


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## Ron98GT

hypnotiq said:


> $350 for a week in Maui (Sept).
> 
> does this sound about right for Maui? I know everything is more exp. there. LOL



Your too far out.  You'll see better prices in August.  When your in the 30/45 day window, they know what their inventory will be and start to offer specials.


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## hypnotiq

So is it best to wait? or make a reservation and then cancel/rebook inside of that window if its cheaper?


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## Passepartout

hypnotiq said:


> So is it best to wait? or make a reservation and then cancel/rebook inside of that window if its cheaper?



Doesn't cost anything to book. I have been known to book & rebook several times.


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## classiclincoln

Just booked our week 51 rental for a Tahoe with National for $876.61, taxes & fees included.  Sent off a request for discounthawaiicarrental.com to see what they come back with; can always cancel the National one.  Lots of places were sold out.


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## Luanne

hypnotiq said:


> So is it best to wait? or make a reservation and then cancel/rebook inside of that window if its cheaper?



I always book the car as soon as I have my flights made.  Then I keep checking to see if I can find something cheaper.  Many times, close to the travel date, I'll try priceline also.


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## SmithOp

Another option that you may have is if you get a corp discount at work it may extend to personal travel. I have one and it was the best last Xmas on BI, none of the discounters could come close.


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## Luanne

SmithOp said:


> Another option that you may have is if you get a corp discount at work it may extend to personal travel. I have one and it was the best last Xmas on BI, none of the discounters could come close.



My corp discount usually gets me the best price as well.  But not this March on Maui.  I got the best price, by far with Costco.  But as you can see by these posts, YMMV.


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## barefootnAR

hypnotiq said:


> So is it best to wait? or make a reservation and then cancel/rebook inside of that window if its cheaper?


As other have said reserve now and check back. last year the prices fell alot the last week of Aug for our Sept dates. I ended up with a full size for half the original quote. Both DiscountHawaii and Alamo (we are Insider Club..loyalty members) dropped at the same time. Only a $10 difference for two week rental between the two..


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## Luanne

One thing we found at the Alamo rental location on Maui was they had about 4 or 5 computer kiosks set up for those who had rented through Priceline, Hotwire and Costco.  You could enter your rental information, get a print out of the contract and be on your way outside to get your car.  No need to wait in line.  It was a very nice feature.  Not so nice was the long wait to get on a shuttle bus from the airport to the rental car location.


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## classiclincoln

Heard back from discounthawaiicarrental.com.  Came in almost $300 lower. 

Yaayy   

And I thought National was good because others came back at $1,800!


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## DaveNV

Luanne said:


> One thing we found at the Alamo rental location on Maui was they had about 4 or 5 computer kiosks set up for those who had rented through Priceline, Hotwire and Costco.  You could enter your rental information, get a print out of the contract and be on your way outside to get your car.  No need to wait in line.  It was a very nice feature.  Not so nice was the long wait to get on a shuttle bus from the airport to the rental car location.



Luanne, if you take your Alamo Confirmation code to the Alamo website, they have a "Save Time" link.  You can pre-enter your information and get a barcode to scan at the Alamo kiosk.  All you need to do there is verify the info is correct.  You'll be out the door even faster.  Whenever I rent from Alamo I use this option.  It saves a TON of time.

I'm told the Blue Chip program at Thrifty is similar.

Dave


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## DaveNV

FYI for those who are heading for Hawaii:

I started this thread because I got that great reservation price quote from Discount Hawaii Car Rental.  Just now I was putzing around on the Thrifty website, seeing if I could squeeze a lower rate.  I entered my same Oahu dates for this June, and it gave me a so-so rate that was about the same as the DHCR quote I already had.

But in the returned rates page was a link to "Hot Deals."  I clicked that, and got the same car, same dates, same everything, for more than $50 cheaper.  I now have a Mid-Size for a week on Oahu in June for $25.08 per day, including all taxes and fees.   

It was Promo Code 312, if you want to give it a try.  

Dave


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## dyi27308

*Maui Car rental, 5/12-5/26*

I booked via discounthawaiicarrental back in Dec 2011 and was quoted $422 for an Economy car. Today I checked Costco Travel and booked for those same dates, with a Compact car for $361.00


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## DaveNV

dyi27308 said:


> I booked via discounthawaiicarrental back in Dec 2011 and was quoted $422 for an Economy car. Today I checked Costco Travel and booked for those same dates, with a Compact car for $361.00



I just went to the Thrifty website using your dates, and got you the same car for $333, all in.  See my post #51 just above yours for how it worked. It is Promo Code 963.   

Dave


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## T_R_Oglodyte

BMWguynw said:


> I just went to the Thrifty website using your dates, and got you the same car for $333, all in.  See my post #51 just above yours for how it worked. It is Promo Code 963.
> 
> Dave



tried it for August and it said it was an invalid code.


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## DaveNV

T_R_Oglodyte said:


> tried it for August and it said it was an invalid code.



Look at post #51.  The Promo Codes it returns are different, apparently.  When you click the "Hot Deals" link, it'll show you the best deal for that time frame.  In the case of the poster above, I used his dates to get that price, and it ended up showing that it was Promo Code 963.

I can check using your dates, if you want.  A deal is a deal, right?  

Dave


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## Kal

Also check on rentalcarmomma.com and rentalcar.com

Many deals start to show up about 60-45 days prior to travel.


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## dyi27308

Thrifty Car rental, 331.00 for those dates.  Thanks


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## DaveNV

dyi27308 said:


> Thrifty Car rental, 331.00 for those dates.  Thanks




Happy to help.   

Dave


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## Fletcher921

Thank you for making me re-check our upcoming rental for Maui - ended up using codes from Costco.  Best I had found was $365 + taxes for a FCAR - but now confirmed a Minivan for $310 plus taxes - for TWO WEEKS!  $479 total.

Mahalo!


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## curbysplace

Just checked Costco and the price in Oahu just dropped to $147 for a standard car for May 19-May 26 with Alamo. The lowest price for any vehicle in Maui was a minivan also from Alamo at $189 for May 26-June 2.  Booked them both.  The savings from my earlier-made reservations with Discount Hawaii were good but not nearly this good.  This made it well worth the $55 Costco membership fee.


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## dyi27308

BMWguynw said:


> I just went to the Thrifty website using your dates, and got you the same car for $333, all in.  See my post #51 just above yours for how it worked. It is Promo Code 963.
> 
> Dave



I just checked Costco for May 12-26, and Alamo has a compact car for $237.00.  There must be some type of rental car surplus or agency pricing war.  My two week rental prices went from $422 to $331 to now $237.00.


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## DaveNV

dyi27308 said:


> I just checked Costco for May 12-26, and Alamo has a compact car for $237.00.  There must be some type of rental car surplus or agency pricing war.  My two week rental prices went from $422 to $331 to now $237.00.




That's great!  Just goes to show you have to keep checking to get the best deals.  I wonder what the numbers will be like as your trip gets closer?

Dave


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## suzanne

Wanted to update info for our rental for November. Thanks to TUGGERS I rented thru Discount Hawaii Car Rental. 

What we got for 2 weeks from Nov. 3 thru Nov. 17th, 2012 is thru Thrifty, an Economy Car the Chevy Aveo. Base Rate for 2 weeks $288.00 with all the added fees the total rate is $443.87. I went to the Thifty Website. Same car Base Rate $463.98, total with all the fees $645.91. I then clicked on the hot deals link. There I found a Compact Ford Focus Base Rate $422.98 total with all fees $600.09.

So just want to say a BIG THANKS to the OP for starting this thread. Savings are great. Has anyone found cheaper rates elsewhere? I plan to keep checking rates until our trip. I think this is a good rate but never having rented a car in Hawaii before, I'm not sure.

Suzanne


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## DaveNV

suzanne said:


> Wanted to update info for our rental for November. Thanks to TUGGERS I rented thru Discount Hawaii Car Rental.
> 
> What we got for 2 weeks from Nov. 3 thru Nov. 17th, 2012 is thru Thrifty, an Economy Car the Chevy Aveo. Base Rate for 2 weeks $288.00 with all the added fees the total rate is $443.87. I went to the Thifty Website. Same car Base Rate $463.98, total with all the fees $645.91. I then clicked on the hot deals link. There I found a Compact Ford Focus Base Rate $422.98 total with all fees $600.09.
> 
> So just want to say a BIG THANKS to the OP for starting this thread. Savings are great. Has anyone found cheaper rates elsewhere? I plan to keep checking rates until our trip. I think this is a good rate but never having rented a car in Hawaii before, I'm not sure.
> 
> Suzanne




Suzanne, I'm the OP.  Glad to give you some options to try.  You'll definitely want to keep checking around, but keep your best confirmed reservation as you go.  One nice thing about car reservations is there are no problems cancelling them.  Chances are the numbers you're seeing is due to the time of year, and as you get closer, the rates may change.  Keep checking.

I've been tweaking my own reservations for my June trip to Hawaii, and my most recent is even lower than I quoted earlier in this thread.  I now have a midsize for a June week on Oahu for $162, including all taxes and fees.  This was one of those Hot Deals on the Thrifty website.  That's the lowest I've found anywhere.

It pays to keep looking, right?  

Dave


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## suzanne

Thanks Dave. I will keep checking. I understand that Oct/Nov is slow season for the Islands so hoping as it gets closer rates will drop. Thanks again for your post. 

Suzanne


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## cgeidl

*Good rate for second driver*

We rented two weeks on Oahu and one on Hawaii over Easter vacation and ordered a mid size which turned out to be a large size on both islands .Rates were close to $250 per week but included a second driver at no additional charge. There were some lower rates but they were a bit higher with a second driver.


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## curbysplace

Initially booked with Discount Hawaii which had by far the best prices but the latest from Costco is Alamo at $95 for a standard size car for 5/26-June 2.  The best price for any location anywhere I've seen in a very long time.  Still stuck at $147 on Oahu for the prior week also for a standard car.  These rates are well worth the $55 membership fee even when considering there is no Costco in my home community. Called Discount Hawaii the opportunity to meet these prices but they didn't want to take calls or call me back to discuss them.


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## DaveNV

curbysplace said:


> Initially booked with Discount Hawaii which had by far the best prices but the latest from Costco is Alamo at $95 for a standard size car for 5/26-June 2.  The best price for any location anywhere I've seen in a very long time.  Still stuck at $147 on Oahu for the prior week also for a standard car.  These rates are well worth the $55 membership fee even when considering there is no Costco in my home community. Called Discount Hawaii the opportunity to meet these prices but they didn't want to take calls or call me back to discuss them.




Is that $147 the base rate, or does it include taxes?  I just checked Costco and they show a Full Size at Alamo for 5/19 to 5/26 for $89 plus tax, or $152, all in.  I see an Intermediate car the same week for $148, all in.  Is this what you're seeing?  $95 for a week is great, if it includes fees.

Dave


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## Wishiwasatthebeach

*Thank you*

Thank you BMWguynw and others,

I saw this post from the beginning and tried my dates on Oahu and Kauai but Alamo's rates were more than Discount Hawaii Car Rentals. I kept trying a few times and today the rates went down. 

HNL - 3 days SUV (cheaper than full size) 5/22 to 5/25 $145.51 incl. taxes. BTW, one week is only a few dollars more than this rate.

LIH - one week premium car 5/25 to 6/1 $239.97 incl. taxes.

Of course, one additional driver is free.

DHCR quoted me around $145 for full size on Oahu and $286 for full size on Kauai.


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## Luanne

Don't know if anyone has posted this information or not. 

When we rented Alamo through Costco, there was going to be an additional charge for the second driver.  We opted not to do it so dh was the sole driver.  I don't know if the rate we had gotten through discounthawaii included the second driver free.  

If you need to have multiple drivers it's just something to consider.


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## Wishiwasatthebeach

Costco Alamo - 2nd driver is always free and we've been doing this for years. I just booked today through Costco's website. The strange thing is it made me create an account to log in in order to book the rez. I went to Alamo.com to verify if Alamo got my rez and found it. I also filled in driver's license and addresses, etc and added myself as 2nd driver and the confirmation from Alamo came back with the description 2nd driver's name ($9.99/day) but the line total = $0.00.


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## DaveNV

Wishiwasatthebeach said:


> I just booked today through Costco's website. The strange thing is it made me create an account to log in in order to book the rez.



Costco has changed their car booking procedure, and you now need to be logged onto their Travel site to make the car reservation.  After you book it, as you found, you can deal direct with the rental agency.  But I think if you need to modify the reservation, you'll need to cancel and rebook rhrough Costco.

Dave


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## Luanne

Wishiwasatthebeach said:


> Costco Alamo - 2nd driver is always free and we've been doing this for years. I just booked today through Costco's website. The strange thing is it made me create an account to log in in order to book the rez. I went to Alamo.com to verify if Alamo got my rez and found it. I also filled in driver's license and addresses, etc and added myself as 2nd driver and the confirmation from Alamo came back with the description 2nd driver's name ($9.99/day) but the line total = $0.00.



This was certainly not our experience renting through Costco and using Alamo on Maui.  However I didn't go in online to add the second driver, we were either told, or the option was available when we used the kiosk to get the contract.

I had the same experience with Alamo using Priceline.  When we went to pick up the car we were given the option of adding the second driver, at a fee.


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## Wishiwasatthebeach

Luanne said:


> This was certainly not our experience renting through Costco and using Alamo on Maui.  However I didn't go in online to add the second driver, we were either told, or the option was available when we used the kiosk to get the contract.
> 
> I had the same experience with Alamo using Priceline.  When we went to pick up the car we were given the option of adding the second driver, at a fee.



Luanne, 
We've been to Oahu and Kauai many times using Alamo through Costco and the additional driver was free, even when we added myself at the kiosk. This year I decided to fill in all the information on Alamo's website to cut down kiosk time. I just clicked on Terms & Conditions in each coupon box on Costco's website and it states this "One additional-driver fee is waived for Costco members at participating Alamo locations." I am assuming Maui isn't included. Please call Costco's toll free 1-877-849-2730 to be sure.

2nd driver for free is a Costco benefit. When you book through Priceline, they charge for 2nd driver. We've done Priceline in the past and I had to forgo driving because of the extra charge. 

Each company is different as well as location. When we rented at Budget in LAX, they told us spouse is automatically included for free and spouse doesn't have to sign the agreement. Whereas on Kauai, when I had to add myself at the rental desk, Alamo made me sign the rental form in addition to DH's form.

Here is the link to FAQ http://www.costcotravel.com/#18_rentalCarFAQ
. 

Rental Car FAQs
Thank you for considering Costco Travel for your car rental. Before booking your rental, please take a moment to read the frequently asked questions provided below.

Q: Why do I have to register with Costco Travel to book a car?

The savings Costco Travel provides is intended for Costco members. To ensure we are offering the best rate, we ask members to register to verify their Costco membership. Prices can be viewed without registering, but before confirming a rental you will be required to register by providing your membership number, last name and email address, and creating a password.
Q: How many times will I have to register?

You only have to register on Costco Travel one time. After you’ve registered, you can log in to your profile to view past bookings made with Costco Travel. You also will be able to view itineraries and print them at any time.
Q: Can I use the same profile and password I use when shopping on Costco.com?

No. You must create a new profile on Costcotravel.com.
Q: Can I add insurance to my car rental?

You can add optional insurance with the rental car company when you pick up your vehicle. The cost is the same as if you were to prebook the insurance.
NOTE: Car rentals do not qualify for Costco Travel Trip Protection through Travel Guard.
Q: Is my Costco discount being included?

Yes. All prices on our website reflect the Costco member discount plus any applicable taxes and fees on the car rental. If you select optional services such as GPS, child safety seats, ski racks, etc., the cost for that service will be included in your rate. Please note that the taxes for these optional services are not included in the rate. Also, if the driver is younger than 25, there may be an underage driver fee that is not included in the price shown. Any additional fees for optional services and underage drivers will be charged by the car rental company at the time of pick up.
Q: Will I be able to view my reservation on the car company’s site?

Yes. After making the reservation, you will be sent a confirmation email. There will be a confirmation number in the upper right-hand corner of the email you receive. This will be the same confirmation number you use to view your reservation on the car company’s website.
Q: How do I cancel or change my car rental reservation? Will I be charged any fees?

You can cancel your reservation online at Costcotravel.com by logging in and selecting “Your Account,” or by calling the car company directly. If you want to change a reservation, it is recommended that you cancel your current reservation and book a new one. Typically, car rental companies do not charge to cancel a booking unless you have booked a prepay promotional rate (currently not available on Costcotravel.com).
Cancelling your car reservation is quick and simple:

Log in to your Costco Travel account.
Your account profile will show the order number, description and departure date of your reservation.
Select the order number you wish to cancel.
Click “Cancel Booking.”
A pop-up message will ask if you wish to cancel this rental car reservation. Click “Yes.”
You will then be returned to your account profile where the cancelled reservation will no longer appear.
Q: How can I speak to a Costco Travel representative?

Reservations agents are available to assist you Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Pacific Time. Call toll free 1-877-849-2730.


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## Eagle7304

I found that Costco could save us almost $100.00 on a car in May. The only problem is that Alamo closes at 10:30pm. Our flight arrives at 9:40pm from Sacramento. Not sure I want to chance that our flight will not be delayed and we will get there before they close at Alamo. Dolllar closes at 11:00pm


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## curbysplace

BMWguynw said:


> Is that $147 the base rate, or does it include taxes?  I just checked Costco and they show a Full Size at Alamo for 5/19 to 5/26 for $89 plus tax, or $152, all in.  I see an Intermediate car the same week for $148, all in.  Is this what you're seeing?  $95 for a week is great, if it includes fees.
> 
> Dave



The $147 for Oahu and $95 for Maui include base rate and all the taxes & fees.  The Maui fee just blew me away.  It dropped about $110 from my reservation with Discount Hawaii made in January.  The Oahu price is about $50 lower.


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## DaveNV

curbysplace said:


> The $147 for Oahu and $95 for Maui include base rate and all the taxes & fees.  The Maui fee just blew me away.  It dropped about $110 from my reservation with Discount Hawaii made in January.  The Oahu price is about $50 lower.




$95, all in?  That an amazing score!  Congrats!

Dave


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## nalismom

I booked with DHCR in December for September 2012 and received confirmation from Alamo.  Today when I go to the Alamo site to view my reservation with their confirmation number it will not bring up the reservation and says I need to contact the Tour Operator.  Anyone have this experience?  Does this mean I no longer have a reservation?


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## artringwald

nalismom said:


> I booked with DHCR in December for September 2012 and received confirmation from Alamo.  Today when I go to the Alamo site to view my reservation with their confirmation number it will not bring up the reservation and says I need to contact the Tour Operator.  Anyone have this experience?  Does this mean I no longer have a reservation?



We used DHCR on our last trip and noticed the same thing. The reservation is good, but if you need to cancel or make any changes, you need to do it through DHCR. We didn't have any problem when we went to pick up the car, and we got the low rate that DHCR had promised.


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## DaveNV

nalismom said:


> I booked with DHCR in December for September 2012 and received confirmation from Alamo.  Today when I go to the Alamo site to view my reservation with their confirmation number it will not bring up the reservation and says I need to contact the Tour Operator.  Anyone have this experience?  Does this mean I no longer have a reservation?




I believe it's because DHCR gives you its corporate discount rate, so changes for the reservation need to be made through them.  You may want to double check the rate you're quoted by trying to make a new reservation, either through them or through another site directly.  As you're probably aware, car rental rates tend to change frequently.

Dave


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## Luanne

Wishiwasatthebeach said:


> Luanne,
> We've been to Oahu and Kauai many times using Alamo through Costco and the additional driver was free, even when we added myself at the kiosk. This year I decided to fill in all the information on Alamo's website to cut down kiosk time. I just clicked on Terms & Conditions in each coupon box on Costco's website and it states this "One additional-driver fee is waived for Costco members at participating Alamo locations." I am assuming Maui isn't included. Please call Costco's toll free 1-877-849-2730 to be sure.



All I'm saying is, if we'd wanted a second driver we would have been charged an additional fee.  At this point I'm not going to call and check.  

We were able to upgrade from a midsize to a fullsize car at no extra cost however.


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## johnfornal

*Look at the Last minute deals*

Hi,

I am leaving Sunday back to the islands again...Kauai this time.

Used Costco many times before and always compared with Hotwire....

This time I used these guys but didn't get the word (email) this morning that last minute deals had dropped prices by $130 at Alamo and Enterprise, so do your own research each day to catch the best deals...

I know what I have paid in the past and the new price is less than $25/day for standard car all in....thats about right.  Hope it helps.

Aloha,

John


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## rifleman69

Price should be closer to $19.00 including taxes for standard (Nissan Altima or similar).   Do your due diligence!


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## toby9116

We have used them for years. The only time we do not use them is if we can catch a good deal thru Delta vacations air+car(but you have to be careful with Delta Vacations because price does not include taxes and fees). Some times we get air+car close to or cheaper than air only price from MSP to LIH


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## klpca

FYI, I don't know what's up with Costco, but I received great deals on both Maui and the BI for car rentals through them. Both were about $50 per week less than what Discount Hawaii quoted. Right now I have an intermediate car for 8 days on Maui for $185 including an extra driver, and 6 days in the BI in an intermediate SUV for $135 (mid June).  It's worth checking out.


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## Luanne

Not Maui, but I just checked Costco for a rental car out of ABQ for an upcoming trip. My gosh!  I'm saving over $100 for the week! :whoopie:   My reservation using Avis with a corporate discount for a midsize was abour $320.  With Costco we're getting a Budget car (not my favorite, but for the savings I'll take it) is $205.  And yes, that includes all fees.  I checked priceline and tried bidding and I doubt I'm going to get something cheaper.


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## DaveNV

Since starting this thread I've been keeping tabs daily on car rental rates.  Things are hopping all over the place, and it's been an interesting chase, trying to find the best deal.

I've ended up with a convertible for a week on Oahu through Enterprise from HNL for $236 all-in.  I got it through Costco's website.  With the $44 I saved by not using the transfer company to Waikiki from the airport, that makes the convertible less than $200 for a week.  I can definitely live with that.  I could have gotten a hardtop car for less money, but it's Summer in Hawaii, so why NOT have a convertible?  

The convertible on Kauai is still cheapest from DHCR.  That was through Thrifty.  I'm staying with that one.

Vacation is just a few weeks away, so my focus is shifting away from car rental, and closing in on things-to-do tickets.  Fun times!

Dave


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## Quimby4

BMWguynw said:


> Since starting this thread I've been keeping tabs daily on car rental rates.  Things are hopping all over the place, and it's been an interesting chase, trying to find the best deal.
> 
> I've ended up with a convertible for a week on Oahu through Enterprise from HNL for $236 all-in.  I got it through Costco's website.  With the $44 I saved by not using the transfer company to Waikiki from the airport, that makes the convertible less than $200 for a week.  I can definitely live with that.  I could have gotten a hardtop car for less money, but it's Summer in Hawaii, so why NOT have a convertible?
> 
> The convertible on Kauai is still cheapest from DHCR.  That was through Thrifty.  I'm staying with that one.
> 
> Vacation is just a few weeks away, so my focus is shifting away from car rental, and closing in on things-to-do tickets.  Fun times!
> 
> Dave



Thanks for posting Dave.  I had looked at Costco over a month ago and the rates have changed for us also.

7 nights in a mini van on Maui is cheaper through Budget on Costco, than the price I got through Discountcarrental, Thrifty. A midsize with them was $239.58 incl taxes.

Base Rate	$143.54	
Taxes & Fees	$80.64
Rental Price	$224.18

Basically $15 bucks cheaper for a 7 passenger vehicle...kids will love the van, hubby will hate it:rofl:


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## DaveNV

Quimby4 said:


> Thanks for posting Dave.  I had looked at Costco over a month ago and the rates have changed for us also.
> 
> 7 nights in a mini van on Maui is cheaper through Budget on Costco, than the price I got through Discountcarrental, Thrifty. A midsize with them was $239.58 incl taxes.
> 
> Base Rate	$143.54
> Taxes & Fees	$80.64
> Rental Price	$224.18
> 
> Basically $15 bucks cheaper for a 7 passenger vehicle...kids will love the van, hubby will hate it:rofl:




Ah, but $15 is $15!  Remind Hubby of that next time you're buying gas.  

Glad you found a better bargain.

Dave


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## brianfox

The place I have used for the past few years has been unbeatable: www.carrentalhawaii.com.
I have a 3-week rental for end of June through mid July on Oahu, made in January of this year.  The price for a Full Size was $588 ($792 after taxes).
I just checked the site and they have the exact same price today.  
90% of the time, they give you Alamo.  The only negative is that the confirmation number they give you is not valid at the kiosks for some reason.
The BEST thing about this place is that you can get the quote instantly without having to give them any personal information.
No other site I have seen even begins to approach these prices.


Even so, I just requested a quote from Discount Hawaii Car Rental, and will let you know the results.
I will say that I am put off by having to enter so much personal information this site requires me to put in just to get a delays quote.  Were it not for the rave TUG reviews, I would have skipped the site for this reason.


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## lakeshearers

We are going to Maui in July, and I thought I had a GREAT rate already - checked Costco today and have a minivan for 9 days for $338 all inclusive!  That is over 1/2 off where I started when I orginally booked, and $119 over the rate I got a month ago when I got the best rate I could imagine!  This is crazy for Maui!!!:whoopie:

Oops - should have said this is with Avis.


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## JulieAB

Yikes, I'm just seeing almost $400 for a midsize! We're looking at the end of Aug/Sept, flexible on the island but lean toward Oahu. Thoughts? This is Costco even!


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## kherbold

*cheap cars hawaii*

Afte many years... he best place to book a car is www.hotwire.com

Beats any car rental and intermediary ever.

If you think you are getting a good deal some where... book it.. make sure you can get a refund if you cancel.. hen go to hotwire.. with the same dates and type of car..... get quote.... dont book it..... but have it monitored or watched..... unless of course its lower right away... you may see price go up, but eventually its lower than the origional quote..... never failed yet...

same with hotels...... they are great.

karl




BMWguynw said:


> Those of you who know me also know I usually brag about the great deals on car rentals in Hawaii that you can get from Costco.com.  But I'm also frugal enough to know that a deal is a deal, no matter where it comes from. I wanted to pass along a strong recommendation for anyone who might be able to use their services.
> 
> I had what I felt was a great car rental deal from Alamo through Costco.com for our upcoming two-island trip to Hawaii.  Just for the heck of it, I asked the folks at Discount Hawaii Car Rental to see what kind of a deal they could give me.
> 
> To their credit, they came back with a much better deal through Thrifty for both Oahu and Kauai.  Same type of cars, including a convertible on Kauai, but at a much cheaper price.  By going through them instead of using the reservations I had made six months ago, I saved more than $125.  And that's enough money to go a long way toward a great sunset dinner at The Beach House in Poipu.
> 
> www.DiscountHawaiiCarRental.com
> 
> Dave


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## T_R_Oglodyte

kherbold said:


> Afte many years... he best place to book a car is www.hotwire.com
> 
> Beats any car rental and intermediary ever.



This is not true.  I am a frequent user of both Priceline and Hotwire.  I check them for every rental I do.  Suffice to say that I have seen many occasions where Hotwire is not even close to being the cheapest option.  I have seen situations where Hotwire has actually been the most expensive option.

It always pays to shop around, and Hotwire is certainly one site that is always worthy of checking.


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## MuranoJo

Over on the Travel Forum, there are several recommendations to use Costco.  I've used them myself with good results, but as Steve says, it also pays to shop around Priceline, etc.


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## Stressy

I recently booked cars for a 3 island trip for June. I had never used Costco before. My experience is that Costco pricing changes daily just like Hotwire. I'd always been a staunch Hotwire supporter. Not anymore. I'd look everyday and go back and forth between the two to see who had what when. Of course with Costco-you can book/cancel..book/cancel.

My final bookings are :

Oahu 2 days Premium car 55.00 (Costco)

Maui 7 days Premium car 173.00 (Hotwire)

Kauai 8 days Premium car 250.00 (Costco)

All ended up being Alamo.

All in 478.00 for 17 days. Not too shabby! My only wish is that is was actually me who was going!


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## Stressy

Wishiwasatthebeach said:


> Costco Alamo - 2nd driver is always free and we've been doing this for years. I just booked today through Costco's website. The strange thing is it made me create an account to log in in order to book the rez. I went to Alamo.com to verify if Alamo got my rez and found it. I also filled in driver's license and addresses, etc and added myself as 2nd driver and the confirmation from Alamo came back with the description 2nd driver's name ($9.99/day) but the line total = $0.00.



When you did this..added the second driver...did you have to show ID at Alamo? I ask because I have booked a car on Oahu for a family of 5-however the husband will not arrive until a couple hours after the family. The wife will need to pick up rental car and then pick him up. She really doesn't want to drive all the time-so I told her to pick him up and take him back to Alamo to add him. They have a Costco Rez-which says 2nd driver free. It sure would make things simpler if I can add him via Alamo.com and she can just use the Kiosk and get on her way. Do you think I can do this?


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## curbysplace

Why not give Alamo in Honolulu a call.  They may allow you to bring a copy of the 2nd driver's license and get him listed on the record.  Otherwise when you pick him up at the airport just stop by Alamo and get him signed in.


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## rickandcindy23

Our son arrived 8 hours after us, and we added him when we picked them up at the airport.  You have to go to the counter and not use the easy kiosk, but they will add the second driver later.


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## DaveNV

I just updated my Honolulu reservation yesterday, (after finding a killer deal through Costco's website -- best rates yet), and the reservation included the second driver.

Dave


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## Negma

I had a two week standard car reserved for June 30-July 14 for $466 though Discount Hawaii Rentals in Maui, just checked Hotwire, $366, booked through hotwire and cancelled other rental. Car through Alamo.


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## Quadmaniac

*Peak Periods*

For peak periods like Christmas where they gouge you, try using your American Airlines account for a cheap rate. When you book using your points, you can decide how many points you want to use. 

I always use the minimum of 1000 points and the resulting "cash" balance I have to pay for the rental is much less than what I would pay otherwise. Last year I went to Maui and it would have been $1200 for the week, I paid $350 plus 1000 AA points. 

It sometimes gives you a lower rate during regular periods as well, but you have to compare. It worked for Oahu two weeks ago to get a rate $100 lower than everyone else.


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## jtp1947

I had a reservation through Costco for a standard size car, July 1-8 @ $250 and Alamo.  I checked Costco today and the same car through Enterprise is $188 including taxes. So keep checking as your dates get closer.


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## fillde

I was notified today by Autoslash.com that my rate in the Big Island has come down even further for my stay in mid July. I'm very surprised. Either they have a glut of new cars or a lack of tourists.


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## rifleman69

fillde said:


> I was notified today by Autoslash.com that my rate in the Big Island has come down even further for my stay in mid July. I'm very surprised. Either they have a glut of new cars or a lack of tourists.



The latter, not the former.


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