April 2014 car rentals

[Hawk]

How do you book with Dollar using city special and AAA? If I put in AAA, city special link goes away. And if I do city special there is no place for AAA.

Hi DC:

Use the City Special first, then go back and add the AAA code. You will get both.

Tim/Hawk

 

[DCbride]

Thanks for the advice, Tim. My price still will not adjust, but I see both codes there.

I noticed we arrive on the same day! I am just letting you know if we are both at the Dollar counter picking up mini vans at the same time and you are paying $20 a day and I am paying $71 a day for the same van, it will not be a magical start to my vacation!

We go every Easter and I know to keep checking several times a day. We usually spend between $200-300 including fees at some point. This year we are working around new dates due to a change in school calendar and I can only hope the $598 price I have booked through dollar will all be just a bad dream.

 

[Maliki2]

Rates are disgusting right now for the end of April. I'm sticking with Firefly at 118 for a midsize for 6 days. I'm not paying almost 400 for a economy...*** happened to the car rental rates this year. Last year I got a National full size...same time of the year for $125!!!!

 

[Our2Girls&Disney]

I am not sure what happened to rates these past couple days, but they have sky rocketed. I guess I should be happy that I locked in with a rate of $154 at Alamo. Dollar is a little cheaper $145, but I am leery about Dollar. The whole proof of fill up within 10 mi radius of the airport thing, does not give me the warm and fuzzies. We always fill up on our way to the airport and return the car full, I have no idea if it is 10 mi radius. I do not want to stress over that all to save $9. I still have both reservations but, Alamo is winning.

 

[mbh106]

I've started looking for a rental the last few days out of MCO from April 20-30 and the prices for a mini van are ranging from $1000 - $2200, with discount codes! What am I doing wrong? I have checked Costco, expedia, AAA and the individual rental companies. Please help! How do I get the $20-$30 a day rates that everyone is talking about???

 

[bcuinohio]

I've started looking for a rental the last few days out of MCO from April 20-30 and the prices for a mini van are ranging from $1000 - $2200, with discount codes! What am I doing wrong? I have checked Costco, expedia, AAA and the individual rental companies. Please help! How do I get the $20-$30 a day rates that everyone is talking about???

Rates seem to be very high this week. Car rental companies are always changing their rates. Check at least once a day. Two to three times is even better.

I just checked Costco for your date. Budget has van for $737. I always book the cheapest vehicle I can find and then rebook when I find a better price. There is no charge to cancel from most rental car companies.

 

[Ranger111]

Rates are crazy this year....but...hopefully...maybe...last-minute rates might resolve all???

One thing that I have not posted before, but I am sure someone else has, is that I just changed the times on my rental.

I moved my pickup time back 30 minutes, left my dropoff the same and the price has come down 15 percent on two of the four companies I am searching.

This is nothing new. I have known that changing times a bit can change rates.

So, just something I will throw out there for you who want to squeeze Mr. Lincoln (penny-pinching).

 

[travelinggnomes]

OH SO GLAD I GOT MY RESSIES EARLIER!

I kept checking in to see if the rates went down any from when I booked, and every time they did, I would cancel the previous reservation and book it again. I finally bottomed out at $202 for 10 days of a minivan rental. Not bad! Especially considering that it just quoted me $613!!!!

 

[wdwrunner]

I have been checking rates for all the car companies for several weeks. I need an economy car renting in TPA for 4/21 - 4/25/14. Short trip but 4 days on the car.

I was FINALLY able to get down below the $100 mark and booked ALAMO today for this rental (economy) getting it (with all fees) using a Costco code (I am a member) for $96.64. I am pretty happy since that is about $25 a day.

Phew.. for a while there I thought I was going to be paying $150!

Kris

 

[Our2Girls&Disney]

I've started looking for a rental the last few days out of MCO from April 20-30 and the prices for a mini van are ranging from $1000 - $2200, with discount codes! What am I doing wrong? I have checked Costco, expedia, AAA and the individual rental companies. Please help! How do I get the $20-$30 a day rates that everyone is talking about???

Have you tried the KLM code at National? Everyone seems to get great rates using that code.

 

[mbh106]

Have you tried the KLM code at National? Everyone seems to get great rates using that code.

I just tried the KLM code and got $1182 for a minivan for 9 days. I used 8572130. Is that the right code?

 

[Our2Girls&Disney]

I just tried the KLM code and got $1182 for a minivan for 9 days. I used 8572130. Is that the right code?

Yes, that is the KLM code. I am sorry it did not work for you.

 

[Mousemom234]

Everybody is insanely high right now - Dollar is over 400, National is running a close second - even Enterprise is 3 times what I'm willing to pay.
I have a decent rate, looking to do better, but unless the last minute rates kick in, I'll be happy with $212 last week of April into May.

 

[wdwrunner]

Yesterday I posted that I got what I thought was an awesome rate with Alamo for Tampa 4/21 - 4/25 for a compact car. (there are just two of us). So this is a reservation that does NOT include a Saturday night stay,. The Alamo price was $96 which I could live with. (all taxes and fees).

Today I was doing my daily check of the rental companies and was able to rebook a DOLLAR compact car for the same 4 days, all taxes and fees for $81.93!!!

I used Promo code from Mousesavers of KISS2. (KISSE and OCVB always get the same price).

I am stoked. I hope this helps someone else.
Happy hunting.

Kris

 

[rbrainerd]

The prices are once again so inflated. We went in January for 2 weeks and the prices were high then also. In the past it seemed you could get the best prices around 3 weeks out, now it seems the early you reserve the better. We have a 11 day rental with upgrade through Alamo for the first week of May for $209. Booked this back in early February. Now the prices are up to close to $400 plus! We also have a week rental in Alaska we booked back in December for this upcoming July for $290...now over $650. Seems time of booking plays a key like never before...just have to figure out what time is a good time to book.

 

[Fern]

Seeing outrageous prices today! Best Ive found so far is $151 total for a week (4/24-5-1) through Dollar for a standard. Costco rates have been through the roof. I'll keep trying and hope that we see a reduction!

 

[ren451]

I made a reservation with Sixt car rental back in December for our trip at the end of April and got a rate of $360 for 8 days for a minivan. I saved a bunch of money on our flight by leaving a day earlier and I didn't think about changing the car rental until yesterday. OOPS! I got pretty frustrated when Sixt wouldnt let me add a day at the same rate, they were basically cancelling my original and rebooking at current rates, over $750 for 9 days. Ouch! The cheapest other rental I could find was with the USAA discount through Avis but that was still almost $500.

But thanks to this board, I was able to use the Flying Blue contract code (8572130) with National and got 9 day rental for $390 and I don't have to catch a shuttle to the rental desk. Nice! I went ahead and signed up for the Emerald Club and just in case I signed up for the Flying Blue too.

 

[Ranger111]

Just got a $20 discount coupon from National.

So, immediately went to try it out. It WORKS!

Funny thing, though.

Last night I checked prices on National...Cost was $206.

With today's $20 coupon applied, cost was $226

Of course, today, without coupon, cost was also $226

And, yes, in big bold red "coupon was applied"

Oh, the games they play.

I'd share the code, but I think it was an exclusive to me code sort of thing --- since I am a super special, more than 50 rental days per year customer -- and you see the special it got me.

But, often times, variations are available for anyone, so check their coupon page....me....I am too disgusted with car rentals at the moment. ;>

Oh, O.K., just to be fair, because I do like National, I should say, that the coupon might have saved me actual dollars on a different itinerary -- but on this one, it did not.

 

[wdwrunner]

My Dollar reservation (Tampa 4/21 - 4/25) continues to decrease almost daily. Today it is down to $79.09 for a 4 day economy rental using just the City Special.

Not bad at all..
Kris

 

[andrews_dad]

April 17-27, need mini van. SOOOOO glad I locked in at about $300 all in a couple months ago via Dollar City Special, as same dates now quoting at $2,200!! Unreal. I would probably have to cancel our trip and eat the downpayment on the house we renting if not for that rental rate. That extra $1900 for a car rental is NOT in the budget! Whew.