Check the Car Rental Price After Booking
Should you buy insurance? Should you buy a sports car? Am I really getting the best grade? If you’ve ever asked yourself these questions, chances are you’ve been dealing with an existential crisis caused by car rental websites.
It might seem like no one is interested in continuing to browse after you’ve already booked your ride, but JohnnyJet.com offered one important tip that you should keep in mind the next time you go through car options online: keep checking rental car fees even after you made the order. While you can rest assured that you are getting the best price, rents can change dramatically right up to the day of your trip.
According to Sam Zeid , CEO of Getaround , a car-sharing service , this is due to changes in inventory; if there are many cars available, car rental companies lose potential profits and cut prices to attract customers.
“The general rule of thumb for the consumer is to either book in advance (for example, several weeks in advance) when there is a lot of stock and the market is highly competitive, or wait until the very last minute when the car rental companies are ready to sell stock at a discount, because otherwise they will not can budge, ”he said in an email.
However, if you are planning a trip in the middle of a vacation, such as a long weekend or vacation, Zayd recommends booking your tickets especially early. “If you wait, you will probably end up paying more as the car rental companies know the likelihood of a sale is high and will set the price accordingly.”
If you find a better price when checking online, you can easily cancel your reservation and book a better price, although this depends on how you paid for your trip. When booking a car online, you can choose to pay now or pay later.
Typically, if you agree to pay now, you will be offered a small discount. The catch is that if you change or cancel a trip, you may incur a “handling” fee; If you cancel 24 hours before your prepaid trip, rental services such as Avis or Budget may charge you $ 50. If you cancel your subscription within 24 hours, this fee can go up to $ 150. But if you agree to pay later, you may be able to avoid cancellation fees altogether (although the rental service may charge you a reservation fee for a “popular” car make or model).
If you agree to pay now, then the change fee to update your booking may outweigh the possible discount. a big difference. If the handling fee of $ 50 or $ 150 is cheaper than what you saved by changing your car, then that is also worth it.
You can also save some money by booking your car anywhere other than the airport. Some local governments impose additional fees and taxes on car rental companies at airports. Instead, consider booking in-town or near your hotel, and be sure to weigh that price against any additional money you will spend on transport between the airport and your rental car.