Subscribe Feed (RSS)My family just returned from a quick trip back to our old home to see our family, an excursion we took by car. This year our small SUV seemed extra tight, causing me to desire a larger vehicle for our next trip.
Instead of a buying a new car, we’ll more than likely rent a larger sedan to give everyone more room to stretch out as well as space to carry all of our goods. Hotwire, the discount travel website I use to compare prices on airfare and hotel stays also offers information about car rentals.
5 Tips To Help You Save Money
In addition to checking Hotwire for great rates, here are five tips they are sharing to help consumers lower their car rental expenses this summer:
1. If you see a good rate, reserve it right away. Prices are expected to
continue rising through July and are expected to stay high all the way
through August.
2. Rent on the weekends. When business travelers have gone home for the weekend, there is more inventory and lower prices for the consumer.
3. Rent away from the airport if possible. Off-airport and local rental
centers can often be cheaper due to lower taxes and fees. Often, by sacrificing convenience, you can save money.
4. Make sure to fill up the tank before returning your car. Rental centers charge a much higher rate than you’d find at the pump for those who forget to fill up. If you don’t want the hassle, many rental car companies will also allow you to pre-purchase your tank of gas to avoid fees, but it’s still cheaper to fill it up on your own.
5. Book opaque. Although prices are expected to spike this year, by
booking through opaque sites such as Hotwire, consumers can save big.
Hotwire Hot Rates allow you to choose your car category and pick up and
drop off times without knowing the exact car rental company in exchange
for deep discounts – up to 40 percent and rates from $14.95 a day.
“Car rental firms have cut their fleets by almost 15 percent in the last year, creating an artificial shortage that has raised car rental prices,” said Clem Bason, president of the Hotwire Group. “The game has changed for consumers, so they need to be smart when renting a car.”
Source: Hotwire.com
Adv. – The season of travel is now upon us! SayFunTravel.com is your one stop travel portal offering information about US destinations with tips on overseas travel in the works. In the meantime, you can save on airfare, rail travel, lodging, special events and so much more, by comparing prices and looking for last minute deals.
Tags: car rental, cars, Hotwire, travel, Travel Tips
Five star vacations are a thing of the past. At least that is the conclusion of a recent Mintel survey which revealed that vacationers this year are more likely to visit with family members and take road trips then they are to head off to the islands or visit some other exotic destination. As the Independence holiday weekend approaches, travelers are hitting the road instead of flying away, reversing a pattern that seemed to take hold when the economy was humming along.
The most recent increase in fares is due to several factors including a rise in jet fuel costs, shrinking capacity resulting in fewer seats available, and increased consumer demand. Farecast, which is now part of Bing Travel, has noted that for some city pairs airfare has already doubled. The increase seems to have begun right after Memorial Day when airlines’ spring specials came to an end.
