Car Rental Prices Doubling (March 2021 thread)

[jmhpsu93]

If you work for a large company, check if you can use their corporate rate for leisure use.

^^^This. I still use my corporate code from a job I haven't had in seven years. it's even better than my current company's.

Random data point...I'm going to San Diego the last week in September (Four Seasons Avaria). Searching with no code is about $70/day, with my corporate rate it's $27/day.

 

[MULTIZ321]

Planning a post-vaccine vacation? Don't wait to book a rental car and be prepared for sticker shock.

A $750 car rental for three days? Don't wait to book a rental car and other tips to avoid sticker shock

Rental car prices are higher than usual due to surging travel demand and a shrunken fleet of cars due to the COVID pandemic.

www.usatoday.com

Richard

 

[artringwald]

If you work for a large company, check if you can use their corporate rate for leisure use.

Corporate rates for employees may also be available for retirees. I got 8 days in Maui last August for about 1/3 of the current rates.

 

[Talent312]

Thanks to Weila's first post ever, this dormant thread's been revived.
Since it has...

I'm holding a reservation I made last Spring for SLC for December.
I get 30%-Off offers from Avis... Even so, it's higher than my booking.
Their discounted rate is seems ~30% higher than the rate I booked.
I just hope to God they don't find a way not to honor it.
.

 

[Luanne]

Thanks to Weila's first post ever, this dormant thread's been revived.
Since it has...

I'm holding a reservation I made last Spring for SLC for December.
I get 30%-Off offers from Avis... Even so, it's higher than my booking.
Their discounted rate is seems ~30% higher than the rate I booked.
I just hope to God they don't find a way not to honor it.
.

I keep getting those offers from Avis. I try to use them and I keep getting the message that the discount can't be used with my reservation. I'm guessing it's because I'm already getting a pretty good rate with the discount I already have.

 

[MrockStar]

Bummer.

 

[moonstone]

We were very happy with our car rental prices out of MCO. When I first started looking a few months ago, when it was apparent that we would not be allowed to drive to Florida and needed to fly, the cost for 3 weeks in a compact car was anywhere from $1800. to $2100.Cndn. We decided that we could use the Orlando public transit bus to get from MCO to VV@Pkwy and walk or bus where we wanted to go for the week. Then we could take the Greyhound from Kissimmee to St. Augustine where we could also walk where we needed to go for the week. We were going to split the cost of a car with our DD who was going to fly down to MCO and join us for our last week at Palm Coast then we were going to fly home together.

I kept checking discount car rental sites and found a 3 week compact car rental on Economy Bookings with Dollar for $738.Cndn. just 10 days before we were leaving. We were thrilled and booked it since it was less than $100. more than what our DD was going to pay for 8 days. A few days before we flew down we got an email from Economy Bookings that the price had dropped a further $70. and they were putting the refund on our credit card.

When we got to the Dollar location at MCO they guy told us he had upgraded us at no charge. We ended up with a nice KIA Forte that DH liked so much he is considering buying one!
I will be checking Economy Bookings first the next time we need a rental car.


~Diane

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

BTW - if you're looking for car rentals in Hawaii, be sure to check pricing and availability at DiscountHawaiiCarRentals.com.

 

[Luanne]

BTW - if you're looking for car rentals in Hawaii, be sure to check pricing and availability at DiscountHawaiiCarRentals.com.

I keep trying them each time we go to Hawaii and so far they have never had the lowest price. But, I'll keep checking.

I just checked for our rental March 2022. The lowest for the vehicle we want through Discount Hawaii is $1715 for 2 weeks. Our current reservation with Avis is $677.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

I keep trying them each time we go to Hawaii and so far they have never had the lowest price. But, I'll keep checking.

I just checked for our rental March 2022. The lowest for the vehicle we want through Discount Hawaii is $1715 for 2 weeks. Our current reservation with Avis is $677.

I wind up using them about half the time. About the same frequency as CostcoTravel.

 

[Luanne]

I wind up using them about half the time. About the same frequency as CostcoTravel.

Back when we were traveling, BC (Before Covid) I was getting the best prices through AutoSlash. The price we have for Maui with Avis was made using a corporate discount.