Seven ways to cut your rental car bill (most people miss number three)
The price you book is rarely the price you pay. Fees, fuel, tolls and coverage you may not need can add a third or more at the counter. Here is how to keep the price you were quoted.
1. Book a free-cancellation rate, then check again
Rental prices move constantly. Book a rate you can cancel for free, then check again a week out and a few days out. If the price drops, book the new rate and cancel the old one. It's the single easiest saving in travel.
2. Compare the whole market, then the company directly
Comparison sites show many companies side by side; the company's own site sometimes has a member or weekend rate. Compare the total with taxes and fees, not the daily rate.
3. Look just outside the airport
Airport locations usually add airport concession and facility fees that can run 10% or more of the rental. A location a short ride away can be noticeably cheaper, even after the ride. Worth checking for rentals of three days or more.
4. Know what you're already covered for
Before you accept the counter's damage waiver, check two things: your own auto policy (many extend to rental cars in the U.S.) and the credit card you pay with (many include rental car coverage when you decline the waiver and pay with that card). Find out whether the card's coverage is primary or secondary, and what it excludes; some countries, vehicle types and long rentals aren't covered. Five minutes on the phone before you travel can save $20 to $40 a day.
5. Skip the prepaid fuel, usually
Prepaying for a full tank only pays off if you bring the car back nearly empty. Most people don't. Fill up close to the return location and keep the receipt.
6. Plan for tolls before you drive off
Rental toll programs often charge a daily fee for every day of the rental, not just days you use a toll road. If you already own a compatible toll transponder, you may be able to bring it; otherwise check whether the area lets you pay tolls online by license plate, and compare.
7. Protect yourself at pickup and return
- Walk around the car and take a video of every panel, the windshield, the wheels and the fuel gauge before you leave the lot.
- Do the same at return, and ask for a closed-out receipt before you leave.
- A week is often cheaper than five or six days; price both.
Harbor members compare every major rental company in one search from their member portal, and can ask Member Services to check a rental contract before they sign it.