How To Get a Cheap Rental Car

Odds are, you’ve been there. You plan a vacation—flights, accommodations and an itinerary–-then you go to book your on-the-road transportation only to find it’s one of the most expensive parts of the trip. Read on for ideas on how to get a cheap rental car for your next getaway.

Where to Start

First and foremost, experts say you should join car rental loyalty programs, which will save you both time and money. You can usually skip the lines and go right out to the kiosk to get your car when you arrive. You can get perks and benefits, like free upgrades or free extra days. Plus, you’ll also receive special offers and incentives via email.

Next, do an online search on the major car rental company websites, as well as the bigger travel websites, like Kayak and Priceline. One other place to look you might not think of is Costco. If you are a Costco member, you can use Costco Travel to book rental cars and travel overall.

Note too, while it might be slightly more expensive, booking a refundable rate could also be worth it. You can keep shopping right up until the cancellation cutoff date for a better deal.

Know Your Discounts, Get A Cheap Rental Car

Are you a student, veteran or government employee? These are just some of the traveler categories that qualify for rental car discounts. When booking (and this is especially true of the rental companies’ direct websites) make sure to explore whether these types of discounts are available. Rental companies also may offer better prices for members of AAA and AARP. Check your wallet, look at your membership cards and see what perks and benefits you’re entitled to. You might qualify for hotel discounts as well as rental cars.  

You’ll also want to look at one other unexpected spot–your airline loyalty program. If you’re a member of an airline loyalty program, you’ll often get discounts and other travel perks.

Insurance–To Skip or Not to Skip?

One of the things you might do to save cash is opt out of insurance offered by the rental company–but should you? The answer is it depends. If you have a credit card that covers rental car insurance or if you have personal insurance that covers rental car insurance, declining collision damage waiver can dramatically help your rental car costs. But you will want to make sure you’re insured in some capacity.

You will also want to make sure you do a thorough inspection of the vehicle before you leave the lot. If you miss any scratches, dings or other flaws and don’t report them to the company, it could cost you. Document the condition of the car with photos and videos for personal liability and proof if anything were to go wrong.

Look for Different Options to Rent a Cheap Car

There are new services like Airbnb, but for cars. Turo is one of the most popular companies where people list their vehicles available for rent. You coordinate with them on where you’ll pick up the vehicle (many will come get you from the airport or leave the vehicle in the airport parking lot) and where you’ll drop it off. This can be a great option if you’re traveling somewhere where rental cars aren’t plentiful.

Avoid Airport Rental Locations

One of the best ways to save money when renting a vehicle is to avoid airport rental locations. While airport locations are convenient, you’ll almost always find cheaper rates at car rental counters away from the airport. Look for nearby rental locations that have airport shuttles or locations that are a quick taxi or rideshare away…it may save you big bucks – especially over the holidays.

Take Care of Tolls…And Don’t Forget the Gas

If you’re traveling to a location where the roadways have a number of tolls, select the rental company’s prepaid toll option. If not, you could get a notification two months later that you violated a toll, somewhere when you didn’t even realize there was one.

Lastly, rental car companies will typically offer you the option to prepay for gas. Not only does this have the potential to save you money, but it can also be a godsend for those who always find themselves rushing to the airport and looking for a gas station to fill up along the way. If you don’t prepay for gas, avoid returning the vehicle empty at all costs. Never bring your car back with an empty tank.

When you are traveling, be sure to use your Town & Country credit card to pay for all your vacation expenses. Don’t have a Town & Country credit card? To open an account or to learn more about Town & Country’s products and services, visit tcfcu.com.