Tips for Business Travelers: How To Save Money On Rental Cars

Car rental agencies have been charging high these days, and it is indeed a bad news, especially for business travelers.

Abrams Consulting Group President Neil Abrams said that car rental business is not doing good nowadays.

So this is why the rates have increased, given the fact that the demand is not that frequent.

People do not travel that often anymore. Some companies would normally sell used cars at a lower price, thus they earn less from what they usually make.

Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group Chief Executive and President Scott Thompson said that the current problem is expected to continue until this year.

Here are 7 strategies to avoid spending too much on car rentals:

  • Car rentals at the airports charge 3 times higher, so if you want to save more money, go to an agency that is located outside the airport vicinity.
  • Avoid paying for extra fees like travel insurance. It is not necessary to purchase because it is already included.
  • Make a price comparison because rates among outlets and companies vary. Websites such as BreezeNet, Orbitz, Travelocity and Expedia can make the comparison easier. Check the full rate that includes fees and taxes.
  • Bid on Hotwire.com or Priceline.com. They charge only half of what the car rental agencies in the airport do. However, bidding in these websites are non-refundable.
  • Make sure to bring card at all times, as members of Costco, some credit card holders, AARP and AAA may be eligible for a 5% discount and up.
  • Auto Rental News Editor Chris Brown advised to return the car on time. Avoid the late fees and do not depend on the grace period.
  • Check the locations and prices of gas stations that are near the rental place. Business travelers or anyone renting a car must return it with full tank, unless they would want to pay for a per-gallon raise in price for the company’s refueling.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 28th, 2009 at 5:37 am and is filed under car rentals. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

One Response to “Tips for Business Travelers: How To Save Money On Rental Cars”

  1. jerry Says:
    January 29th, 2009 at 11:42 am

    There are so many more discounts available; not just AARP, AAA, Costco, etc. There are hundreds of membership programs and professional associations that offer car rental discount codes to their members. You can find a list of car rental discount codes for 8 major car rental companies, at http://www.best-car-rental-tips.com/discount-codes.html