How to Save On Car Rentals 

Car rentals are one of the most over looked opportunities to save money when traveling. In fact, it is possible to save fifty percent or more on rentals compared to the published rates of the big rental companies.

Use Discount Codes

Most national rental companies have discount programs such as the Entertainment Book Coupon codes. These codes are often posted to travel forum / websites and can be easily found by using a Google search. Typically, discount code will result in 20% or more off of the published rates. The reservations have to be made directly with the rental company to take advantage of the discount.

Use Expedia to Compare Rates

Use an online travel agent such as Expedia.com to find the lowest prices among the national car rental companies. It is not uncommon for one company’s rates to be 50% or more lower than the others. Make sure that the rates you are comparing include all taxes and “junk” fees. Remeber, use the travel sites for comparison only unless the rate is better than you can find elsewhere.

Upgrade at the Counter

Probably the best kept secret in the car rental business is the fact that upgrades at the rental counter can be significantly discounted or even free. The fact is, rental companies often have a very limited number of “economy” model cars available. Therefore, it is common for the company to offer a free or low cost upgrade to a better model. If you are not offered an upgrade, ask for the best deal on an upgrade. If the car is available, it is almost always less expensive to upgrade at the counter than it would have been to upgrade when making the reservation.  Obviously there is no guarantee that an upgrade will be available. However, it is worth mentioning that on a recent trip to Dallas, this author saved 20% on the rental of a standard car. Then at the counter, received a free upgrade to a Toyota 4-runner.

Check Your Insurance

Most auto insurance will also cover rental cars. Check your policy and if you are covered you should decline the rental companies pricey insurance. However, keep in mind that not all trypes of vehicles will be covered by your auto insurance. For example, moving trucks from U-Haul or similar companies are usually not covered by your auto insurance policy.

Use a Platinum Credit Card

Most Platinum level credit cards offer free secondary insurance for rental cars. This means that the credit card company will pay for any portion of an insurance claim that your regular insurance company does not cover. This author always uses a Discover Platinum card for the secondary insurance (and 1% rewards).