Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the return of the road trip has been one of the most notable travel trends. But if there is a high demand, there may not be enough rental cars available. As might be expected, rental car costs skyrocketed during the pandemic.
Although the price of renting a car has peaked and is now falling, it is still not cheap compared to what it was before COVID. Rental car prices in the United States increased by a staggering 53% in March 2023 compared to the same month in 2019, before the pandemic.
The good news is that you can enjoy your trip without draining your bank account on rental cars. There is a cheap route to follow if you need to rent a car.
Meanwhile, timing is often crucial when searching for a rental car, as you might come across a low rate but miss out on a deal if you wait.
So, whether you’re taking a short weekend trip or a month-long cross-country adventure, the tips in this article will show you the cheapest way to rent a car.
Cheapest Way to Rent a Car: Basic Tips
Begin With a Car Rental Aggregation Website
Begin your search with your preferred aggregator site (such as AutoRentals). This allows you to view multiple rental car companies and OTA options at the same time. On OTAs like Kayak, Hopper, and Priceline, you can search for companies that allow you to return the car to a country other than the one where you rented it.
Individuals under the age of 25 can also search for companies that rent cars to younger drivers, though keep in mind that there is frequently an “underage driver fee” associated with these rentals.
Always Compare Prices When Booking Directly
After reviewing your options on an aggregator site, don’t book anything until you’ve compared the rates on that rental car company’s website. In some cases, the official site may offer a special discount or deal that is not available elsewhere.
Check Costco Travel for Car Rental Rates
If you have a Costco membership, check out Costco Travel for the best deals. It’s an especially good deal if you’re splitting driving responsibilities, because Costco doesn’t charge to add a second driver.
Look Into Car-Sharing Services Such as Turo and Zipcar
While the big names get all the attention, smaller car rental companies abound—some are even local to the area you’re visiting, so you may not have heard of them before. Search CRX to see if there are any less expensive car rental companies serving your destination.
Though it is not widely known, many car dealerships across the country have new cars available for rent. Even better, the prices are usually fixed, as opposed to the inflated rates at rental agencies.
Uber/Lyft.
Normally, renting a car is less expensive than taking two or more carshare rides per day. But things aren’t the same during the Carpocalypse. If price is the primary reason you chose a car rental over a rideshare (rather than, say, infant car seats), it’s worth checking out a site like Uber’s price estimator to see which would be less expensive for your trip.
Shops for home improvement.
Pickup trucks are frequently available for rent at Home Depot, Lowe’s, and other home improvement stores. These trucks typically have fixed daily rates rather than inflated dynamic prices like those found at car rental agencies. Prices vary by location and begin at $89 per day.
Moving Trucks
Vacationers avoiding excessive car rental prices by renting U-Hauls (or other brands like Penske and Budget) may symbolize the carpocalypse more than anything else. Though seating is limited, it can be a less expensive (and more memorable) option for solo or couple travelers.
Also, depending on your destination, don’t overlook peer-to-peer and car-sharing options.
Turo allows you to “rent” a car from a private owner, similar to Airbnb, but for cars rather than vacation rentals. You can also book cars in ZipCar’s fleet by the hour or the day if you’re a member.
Imoova also exists:
When someone needs their RV relocated, they list it on Imoova. For example, at the time of writing, you can rent an RV in New York for $1 per night if you deliver it to Las Vegas within four weeks. Gas is included.
Cheapest Way to Rent a Car: Pricing and Rates
Always Book the Cheapest Economy Car Available.
Assuming you don’t need something larger for a large family group (or a 4WD for a winter trip), booking the cheapest car option available will get you the best price. You’ll be prompted to upgrade for a fee several times—don’t do it.
In some cases, no economy or subcompact cars will be available when you arrive at the rental counter to pick up your car, so you’ll get an upgrade anyway—and you won’t have to pay for it. The worst-case scenario is that you end up with an economy car, which isn’t so bad (after all, those cars cost less to refuel).
Examine Weekly Versus Weekday Versus Weekend Car Rental Rates.
There is no rhyme or reason for the shortest period of time for car rentals. It is sometimes cheaper to rent for just the days you need the car, and other times it is cheaper to rent for a week even if you only need the car for a few days. In other words, double-check both before booking—just make sure the rental car company won’t charge you for returning the car early.
Also, because business travelers frequently rent cars and most business trips take place on weekdays, weekend rentals are frequently less expensive than weekday rentals. If the timing of your trip is flexible, changing your plans so that you rent a car over the weekend may save you money.
Consider Renting a Car Outside of the Airport
Sure, there’s no denying the convenience of picking up a rental car before even leaving the airport—but there’s a cost to that convenience. Renting a car at the airport is almost always more expensive than renting a car from another location of the same company’s rental offices, with very few exceptions (think big cities that aren’t ideal for driving in anyway).
Compare the rental rates and fees (as well as the cost and time involved in getting to the off-airport rental office) to see which is less expensive.
Avoid the Upgrades.
Aside from the vehicle upgrades you’ll be tempted with during the booking process, there are a slew of extras and add-ons to consider—all of which will cost you money. Pay attention to what is being offered and, if at all possible, simply say no.
- GPS: You already have GPS on your phone, so don’t pay the extra money for a GPS unit for your car. Just remember to bring a charger to keep your phone charged while on the road, as well as a mounting device to make it easier to read the map while driving. If you’re traveling internationally and don’t want to rack up data charges, go analog and get a good paper map.
- Toll Pass: Cars in toll-heavy areas often have windshield passes that are automatically read at toll booths, saving drivers time. Rental cars have these passes as well, but the daily fees that come with them are usually higher than if you just paid the tolls as you passed through with a credit card or cash. Furthermore, whether or not you use the pass, rental car companies may charge a daily fee.
- Car Seat: No, we’re not suggesting you leave your child in a rental car, but bringing your own car seat will save you the daily fee the agency would charge you.
- Frequent Flyer Miles: Car rentals can often earn frequent flyer miles for your preferred airline. What you might not realize is that the rental car company will sometimes charge you a daily fee for the privilege.
Cheapest Way to Rent a Car: Advanced Tips
Refuse to Purchase Rental Car Insurance
Do your homework before checking the box accepting the car rental company’s insurance coverage. When you use a credit card, many of them automatically include the required insurance coverage for a car rental, so check your credit cards to see what they offer. If you’re traveling within your own country, any car insurance you have on your personal vehicle may cover rental cars as well, so double-check.
Keep an Eye Out for Membership Discounts and Coupons
Sometimes car rental discounts are obvious—for example, if you’re a member of AAA, you can get car rental discounts. You’d think so, given that AAA is all about cars.
However, car rental discounts can sometimes be found in unexpected places. Here are a few examples, but this is not an exhaustive list. If you pay to become a member of anything, find out if they have a partnership with any car rental companies for exclusive deals.
Stick to a Single Driver
Renting a car includes one driver (except, as previously stated, when booking with Costco Travel). You can always add another driver (or more), but each additional driver usually incurs a daily fee. Leaving only one person in charge of all driving saves money as long as it makes sense and is safe to do so. (To divide transportation responsibilities, appoint someone else to be in charge of navigation, finding parking, or counting out cash for tolls.)
Remember that, while most major car rental agencies in the United States and Canada will rent to anyone over the age of 20, many car rental agencies charge an additional or higher fee for drivers under the age of 25.
Purchase a Manual Transmission (if you are capable of driving one).
Automatic transmission rental cars are becoming more scarce—and more expensive—in many parts of the world. Depending on the country, knowing how to drive a stickshift can save you a lot of money. (However, don’t try to learn to drive a stickshift in a rental car if you don’t know how.)
Pay For Your Rental Car in Advance
Some rental car companies provide a discount if you pay for the rental at the time of booking rather than when you pick up the car. This isn’t always the case, but it’s worth looking into because the discount can be up to a third off the total price.
Use Autoslash to Monitor Prices and Cancel and Rebook When They Fall
In other cases, reserving a car without paying allows you to keep checking rental rates (or use Autoslash, which tracks prices and notifies you if the price drops for your dates), and if a better deal becomes available, you can cancel the original rental and book the cheaper one. However, keep in mind any cancellation deadlines for the original booking, or you may be charged a cancellation fee.
Car rental rates, like airfare, are extremely volatile. However, unlike airfare, car rentals do not require advance payment. This means that if you book and the rate drops the following week, you can cancel, rebook, and save the difference. The best way to increase your chances of a price drop is to book your rental as soon as you book your flight. Even if the rental rates are high, this is still a win-win situation. If rates rise, you’ve already secured a lower fare. If rates fall, you can cancel for free and rebook for a lower price.
You Must Pump Your Own Gas
Most of the time, you must either return rental cars with a full tank of gas or pay the exorbitant rates charged by the companies for fuel. Getting gas before returning the car is one of the simplest ways to avoid an absurdly high extra fee, but gas stations near the airport frequently have higher prices. To find the best fuel deals near you, use the GasBuddy app (or website).
Also, depending on where you’re going, diesel may be less expensive than gasoline. Check GlobalPetrolPrices to compare the costs of various types of fuel so you can choose an appropriate rental car.
Cheapest Way to Rent a Car for a Week
Unlike when looking for weekend or monthly car rentals, there are no insider tips to help you find a cheap weekly car rental.
Booking a weekly deal is usually very simple. There is no day of the week when you can get a better deal on a rental car. The same goes for the time of day. There are no obvious stumbling blocks to be aware of, such as a mileage limit or other restrictions and fees.
When a traveler only needs a car for five or six days, it may seem logical to book a great weekly rate and simply return the car early—but this can backfire. For example, if we apply a coupon for a discounted weekly rate and you do not keep the car for the entire week, the coupon may be invalidated when you return the car, causing the price to increase.
What if you can get a low weekly rate because of a special offer? In most cases, rental car systems are set up to charge the lower of the weekly rate or the daily rate multiplied by the number of days the car is kept. When it comes to weekly rates, there really isn’t much of a way to game the system.
Cheapest Way to Rent a Car for a Month
Understanding a few golden rules about how rental car prices are set will help you get the most bang for your buck out of a longer rental, whether you’re on a long trip or your own car is out of commission.
Get a Long-Term Rental Car Deal
Long-term rentals from major car rental companies may appear to be expensive, but many offer long-term deals that can significantly reduce weekly rates. Remember that your insurance company or credit card may have time limits on how long they will cover rental cars.
Obtain a Lease
When you take over a lease that another driver is trying to get out of, you can sometimes get the best bang for your buck. LeaseTrader works similarly to Match.com for car leases, allowing drivers to search for existing leases based on price, brand, car type, and location.
Swapalease is yet another lease-takeover platform that lets users search for leases by make, model, and zip code. It also shows the vehicle’s current mileage as well as how many miles and months are left on the lease.
Use Someone Else’s Wheels
Turo, a car-sharing website, also provides a new perspective on leasing, with over 170,000 listings for cars whose owners are willing to rent them out for short periods of time. The search process is similar to Airbnb in that you enter a location and desired dates, and the website returns options for available cars and daily prices. Turo is great because many car owners offer weekly or monthly discounts, making long-term rentals more affordable. In addition, the company has formed a partnership with Liberty Mutual to provide insurance coverage.
The most important thing to remember about long-term rentals is to shop around—not just at major car rental companies, but also on websites like Canvas, Turo, LeaseTrader, and Swapalease. Prices will vary greatly depending on the type of car, insurance options, and additional fees that the driver may accrue, so it’s important to consider all options before committing to a long-term rental.
Cheapest Way to Rent a Car: Related Articles
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Cheapest Way to Rent a Car: References
