How to Save Money on Car Rentals

If you’re trying to tick things off your summer travel checklist before you go on vacation, chances are you’ve been thinking about getting a rental car. Now, there are plenty of horror stories out there about people being ripped off, and that’s what we’re trying to avoid.

With the cost of living going up, we’re all trying to stay within our budget without sacrificing great experiences. Here’s how to save money on car rentals so you can enjoy your next vacation road trip for less.

Check Your Credit Card Partners

First things first: check any credit card portals or memberships you have for discounts. AAA memberships, student, military, and educational discounts, AARP benefits, and more are all great options for earning a discount at most car rental companies. This is an easy way to cut at least 10% off your car rental costs that many people forget about.

If you have a rewards credit card, then there’s a decent chance that you can also get discounts on car rentals. Rentals discounts are popular with many travel reward cards, such as Chase or American Express. You can also use your credit card points to pay for the car rental altogether!

Know Your Insurance Rights

One of the reasons why car rentals get so expensive is because of the additional insurance costs. The initial cost of a car rental with a budget-friendly company is usually pretty cheap, but it’s the add-ons that get you!

Check your own insurance

Before you buy any add-on insurance for your rental car, check your own insurance. Some standard car insurance policies include rental car coverage. You definitely don’t want to be paying extra for duplicate coverage, so be prepared to turn down offers of extra coverage if your policy already covers rentals.

Film the car before you take it out

Taking a video or multiple photos of the rental car before you take it off the lot is standard practice nowadays. This ensures that you don’t get scammed or charged for any scratches, dents, or issues that were already on the car. Essentially, this covers your back and makes it less likely for less scrupulous companies to squeeze more money out of you.

Document any existing issues

In addition to filming the car before you take it out, flag any scratches or issues to the rental company employees. If you can, film this too, so you can say that this was already raised to an employee. Sometimes companies will say that the video was filmed after you’ve scratched the car, and this helps mitigate that.

Check the base level

Despite what car rental companies may say, most cars come with a base form of insurance already baked into the rental cost. This probably won’t be comprehensive insurance, but it’ll cover third-party damage to a certain degree.

Ask the agent for a sheet about the base level of insurance included so you know what the existing excess is, what it covers, and any other details. You’ll probably find that this is a good enough level for your trip. Take a photo or get a copy of this for future use, just in case.

Book In Advance

While cheap flights and hotel flights fluctuate through popular booking periods, car rentals don’t really work in the same way. Car rentals simply get more expensive closer to the date. The exception here is if you’re in town for a big event where everyone needs a car.

Either way, you need to book a car as far in advance as you can. As soon as you know your concrete dates and general arrival times, get it booked. It’ll also mean that you have more options when it comes to picking your type of car.

Avoid Airport Rentals

Most of the time, when we arrive at a new destination, we’ll need a hired car as soon as we leave the airport. However, airports are one of the most expensive places to hire a car because they have a captive audience. If you can get a few miles away to the nearest city or town and hire a car there, it’ll likely be a lot cheaper.

Many airports have public transport links to their respective cities, making it cost-effective and easy to leave the airport behind. Once you’re in the city, find a local rental company location and pick up your car from there.

Most major car rental companies will also have outposts in international cities as well as at airports. By hiring a car in the city, it also means you avoid having to drive to the airport altogether, which can be confusing and stressful, especially at certain airports (Charles de Gaulle in Paris springs to mind).

Gas Stations on Airport Approaches

The majority of the time, you’ll have to refill the tank before you hand back your rental car (unless you’ve prepaid for fuel). However, another reason to avoid airport pick-ups is that the gas stations on the airport approaches are much more expensive than ones in and around major cities.

Gas stations off the highways near airports can charge wild amounts because people often have no alternative. Filling up at a local station before driving to the airport is an easy way to save yourself on fuel costs.

Use Comparison Sites

Many beginning travelers don’t know that the same way that you’d use a comparison site to find the cheapest flights, use them to find the best car rental deal. Websites like Skyscanner and Kayak both have car rental comparison sections where you can see how different brands weigh up.

You can also add any extra search filters that you need, such as returning the car to a different location, free cancellation options, unlimited mileage, and others.

One thing to look out for is that these comparison sites will show you prices from third-party websites alongside the rental car company’s prices. On the whole, it’s usually best to buy direct to avoid any middle-man fees or paperwork issues when you arrive.