Although it is always best to rent a car well ahead of time, it is possible for someone to find last minute car rental deals. Because life can be so unpredictable, you never know when you will be in need of a rental car. Spur of the moment vacations and car trouble are just a couple of the more common reasons last minute car rentals are in such high demand.
If you do find yourself in the position of needing a rental car on short notice, the first thing to do is take a deep breath and relax. Most likely you are already in a hurry and the last thing you want to do is waste a lot of time trying to reserve a car. However, if you set yourself aside an hour or so, you will greatly improve your chances of not only finding the type of car you want, but also securing a good price. Nevertheless, be prepared that prices can be much more volatile than normal when searching for last minute car rentals.
The best place to start your search is online. Check auto rental rates with some of the popular booking engines like Travelocity.com, Priceline.com, and Hotwire.com. These online services are experienced in dealing with people looking to make last minute travel plans, whether it be for a last minute car rental or a flight out of town. They will be able to offer you some of the best deals from the major car rental companies.
It is also worth checking the websites of some of the auto rental companies like National, Budget, Alamo, and more. On some of these sites, you can find last minute car rental specials. You will find that the deals vary in price and availability depending on your location, the time of the year, and other factors.
Another online site to check is Last Minute Travel. Since 1996 this company has been lining up great deals for travelers all across the globe. While they are known for their last minute deals that they provide, you can also use them to book your trips in advance. You can shop last minute deals for car rentals, air travel, cruises, and vacation packages. They have another site, LMTClub.com, that you can join and find even more savings and have access to their VIP rates.
How To Save Money On A Last Minute Car Rental
There are a number of different things you can do to help you find a better rate for a last minute car rental. However, the first thing to do is realize is that it is always better to make your car rental arrangements in advance. Sure, you might find a great deal at the last minute, but it is much riskier and there is a chance that you might end up paying way more than you would have if you had reserved the car in advance.
So what can you do to save money? First, if possible, be open to renting different types of vehicles. If you are set on one type of vehicle, like a full size sedan, than this greatly decreases your chances of not only getting the car, but also getting a car for a good rental rate. For example, at some points of the year rental car companies have an excess of certain types of cars like large SUVs or convertibles. If you are willing to rent one of these types of vehicles when they agency has an excess on hand, then you have a better chance of saving money.
A second way to save money on last minute car rentals is to avoid the popular car rental locations like the ones located at airports. For instance, try to rent a car from a rental branch located in the suburbs of a larger city. Also, try checking with some of the smaller rental car companies to see what they have available. Be as flexible as possible with the car rental agency location and type of car that you are renting.
In addition those, try to find car rental coupon codes on the web or elsewhere. Unfortunately, most of them will not be eligible to use with a last minute car rental, but there are a few that you can find that will work. Also, if you do find a good deal, make sure to grab it! If you think it will be there in a few hours or even the next day, most of the time you will come back disappointed because the deal will no longer be available.
