Why You Should Book Your Car Rental Before Flying
When you budget on a pre-travel spreadsheet , you probably book flights first. Flights are usually the most expensive aspect of travel, and it’s instinctive to buy them first before planning your car rental and hotel. However, this order of operations can cost you money. The smartest way to book a trip is to start with the one that fluctuates the most and then plan for that. Here’s the best way to book your flight, hotel, and car rental to make the most of your next trip.
Block your car rental first
Assuming you know the airport you’re arriving at, it may actually make more sense to book your car rental before departure. Car rental prices vary greatly depending on the day of the week, the time of year (prices skyrocket on public holidays), the type of cars available, and the demand of the company. If you have several months’ notice and some flexibility on the exact days you’ll be traveling, it makes sense to lock in the lowest fare as soon as possible.
Be flexible with your travel dates and find the cheapest combination of days to rent a car. You will buy plane tickets corresponding to this route. Even if it seems like you might be paying more for airfares, you can still get a better deal by saving on your car rental. Look for different rental agencies and combinations of days before booking anything to make sure it’s the most cost effective move for you.
Some sources , such as Nerd Wallet , report that you can save money by going against the grain and booking at the last minute, but this is a risky move. Your best bet is to book your car now, choosing the option that allows you to lock in the rate but pay in person. Then check the rental price regularly. If the price drops closer to your travel date, cancel and rebook . Win-win.
Finally, consider car rental discounts available from membership clubs such as AAA, Costco, or USAA. The savings can be significant enough to justify membership fees.
For your flight, timing is everything
Here are rules of thumb for timing ticket purchases to ensure the best airfare offer:
- When to book depends on the season. The cheapest summer rates are available an average of 42 days before travel. In spring and autumn, flights are cheapest when booked 76 and 77 days before departure . Meanwhile, to get the best winter holiday rates, you need to book your tickets 110 days in advance. (At the time of this writing, Christmas is 102 days away, so don’t delay.)
- Avoid days of the week with heavy traffic. If possible, don’t fly on Friday, the most expensive day of the week to fly. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are usually the cheapest days of the week to move around the country.
- Research the cost of all nearby airports, not just the one closest to you.
- Consider adding a free or cheap stopover to your travel plans. Flights with transfers are on average 20% cheaper than direct flights. Just make sure you’re cautiously wrong when figuring out if your transmission is going to be too hard.
It’s also a good idea to set price alerts on sites like Google Flights , KAYAK Price Alerts , and Scott’s Cheap Flights as soon as possible.
Hotel section
For the most part, cheap hotels are better than Airbnb these days . Just like with a car and a flight, you can save money when booking a hotel , but the destination matters the most.
For major cities: Consider last-minute bookings for large cities with a lot of travelers. In places like New York and Chicago, hotel rates fluctuate slightly three to six months before your arrival, with the best rates often available days before your stay.
For smaller towns: book as early as possible. For destinations with fewer travelers, prices are lowest about three months before check-in and are likely to rise after that.
Bottom line: explore all options
While counterintuitive to many travelers, it often makes sense to book a rental car first, then a flight, then a hotel to lock in the lowest prices before they go up (or after they go down). However, it all depends on how flexible you can be with your travel dates – if you just need to travel on certain days, your savings will naturally be limited – and how far in advance you give your booking. Tools like the travel table can help you explore all your options and map multiple routes until you find the best deal for you.