May/June 2021 rental rates

[holyrita]

Does anyone know UT's cancellation policy for rental cars through them? I remember booking it said something like "free cancellations" but I'm having a hard time trying to find the details. Most specifically trying to find how long I have to cancel if I need to?

 

[Leigh L]

Does anyone know UT's cancellation policy for rental cars through them? I remember booking it said something like "free cancellations" but I'm having a hard time trying to find the details. Most specifically trying to find how long I have to cancel if I need to?

Someone said, either on this thread or another, that you have to call or email them. People have posted successful cancelations for theirs with no problem.

I asked at some point because I was worried about going this route. We have a UT reservation in June which it's looking more and more I'll keep because the prices are more than double for a minivan everywhere else, including Costco.

 

[staceyj2]

My check in date is tomorrow. Rates through Costco have been falling for about a week but will still considerably higher than the UT Budget rate I got when I purchased tickets. However, today they dropped further and it is only $40 higher to get a car through Avis. Anyone have experience with both? If Avis has a better track record, it would be worth it to me to switch.

 

[staceyj2]

If you have a prepaid Budget reservation, have a back up. Landed a bit ago and the budget counter line looks hours long. You can’t go to garage kiosk unless fastbreak is linked which you can’t do if you booked through UT. UT says as long as I don’t pick up car they can refund me so I’m using my backup Avis reservation through Costco. In and out of Avis preferred line in 15 minutes.

 

[emmabelle]

glad I have an Alamo one for this coming Saturday!

 

[Leigh L]

Ugh, OK thanks @staceyj2! I've stopped stalking but maybe I need to start again since we are booked with UT.

Question: If I book a Costco reservation and the UT does work out, can I cancel the Costco one last minute? (the amount difference is $600 last I checked, so it's significant). I"ve canceled Costco rentals within a few days but never same day?

 

[Leigh L]

Does anyone know if there a big difference and/or benefit (besides price) to pay at pick up vs. pre-paid?

I vaguely remember having a billing/credit card issue with a pre-paid reservation many years ago, but I can't remember the details.

I'm now looking at a pre-paid Avis reservation that's only $40 more than my UT one in a Pathfinder (we need 6 seats) instead of the mini-van we curently have booked. Not sure if I should pull the trigger or go with the pay later route.

 

[staceyj2]

Ugh, OK thanks @staceyj2! I've stopped stalking but maybe I need to start again since we are booked with UT.

Question: If I book a Costco reservation and the UT does work out, can I cancel the Costco one last minute? (the amount difference is $600 last I checked, so it's significant). I"ve canceled Costco rentals within a few days but never same day?

I made my Avis reservation for 30 minutes later than my Budget. The plan was to cancel if budget worked out. I assumed I wouldn’t be charged but maybe someone else could answer that more definitively.

 

[Leigh L]

I made my Avis reservation for 30 minutes later than my Budget. The plan was to cancel if budget worked out. I assumed I wouldn’t be charged but maybe someone else could answer that more definitively.

Thanks! Have a great trip

(I lied about my Avis rate, that was before taxes . Back to the drawing board!)

 

[disney_runner]

Ugh, OK thanks @staceyj2! I've stopped stalking but maybe I need to start again since we are booked with UT.

Question: If I book a Costco reservation and the UT does work out, can I cancel the Costco one last minute? (the amount difference is $600 last I checked, so it's significant). I"ve canceled Costco rentals within a few days but never same day?

As long as you don't pre-pay, which we don't for Costco car rentals, technically you don't even have to cancel it. If you don't show up, you just don't show up. It's of course polite and courteous if you could cancel it. But you won't get charged for anything if you don't show up, nor if you don't cancel. No worries.

 

[Leigh L]

As long as you don't pre-pay, which we don't for Costco car rentals, technically you don't even have to cancel it. If you don't show up, you just don't show up. It's of course polite and courteous if you could cancel it. But you won't get charged for anything if you don't show up, nor if you don't cancel. No worries.

This is good to know, thanks so much!

 

[holyrita]

If you have a prepaid Budget reservation, have a back up. Landed a bit ago and the budget counter line looks hours long. You can’t go to garage kiosk unless fastbreak is linked which you can’t do if you booked through UT. UT says as long as I don’t pick up car they can refund me so I’m using my backup Avis reservation through Costco. In and out of Avis preferred line in 15 minutes.

Ugh this is so unfortunate to hear but thank you for sharing. Its frustrating that some customers are able to book Budget through UT and link their Fastbreak and some others aren't. I'm glad UT is being so accommodating with their cancellation policy!

Does anyone have any insight into about what time the Budget line starts to get long? I have an MCO pickup at 9am but could adjust it earlier if it means waiting in a shorter line

 

[Leigh L]

Does anyone know how you can tell if your Fastbreak is linked? I put our UT/Budget reservation # in the Budget app and the reservation is recognized. But I don't know where to look beyond there?

 

[EACarlson]

Does anyone know if there a big difference and/or benefit (besides price) to pay at pick up vs. pre-paid?

I vaguely remember having a billing/credit card issue with a pre-paid reservation many years ago, but I can't remember the details.

I'm now looking at a pre-paid Avis reservation that's only $40 more than my UT one in a Pathfinder (we need 6 seats) instead of the mini-van we curently have booked. Not sure if I should pull the trigger or go with the pay later route.

You gave them an interest free loan and it's much more difficult to get money back from a company if you need to for any reason.

Does anyone know how you can tell if your Fastbreak is linked? I put our UT/Budget reservation # in the Budget app and the reservation is recognized. But I don't know where to look beyond there?

Log into your Budget Fastbreak account and see if it shows in your upcoming trips? Also, if you view the reservation on the Budget site, it should have a place that would show you your Fastbreak number if it is attached.

 

[Leigh L]

You gave them an interest free loan and it's much more difficult to get money back from a company if you need to for any reason.
Log into your Budget Fastbreak account and see if it shows in your upcoming trips? Also, if you view the reservation on the Budget site, it should have a place that would show you your Fastbreak number if it is attached.

Ok thanks so much. When I search for a reservation on the app or website view/modify/cancel page with the # from UT I can find it. Otherwise, it's not linked at all. When I view it on the Budget site it says it's a Fastbreak site but our number is nowhere on it. Appreciate the guidance on where to look!

(Also realized the Budget acct is in DHs name/email address, but UT reservation itself is under my name/email address. I booked the car in his name. On Budget's search results I can see the reservation and says a confirmation was sent to my email address, not his. I'm sure that doesn't help things! lol)

 

[EACarlson]

Ok thanks so much. When I search for a reservation on the app or website view/modify/cancel page with the # from UT I can find it. Otherwise, it's not linked at all. When I view it on the Budget site it says it's a Fastbreak site but our number is nowhere on it. Appreciate the guidance on where to look!

(Also realized the Budget acct is in DHs name/email address, but UT reservation itself is under my name/email address. I booked the car in his name. On Budget's search results I can see the reservation and says a confirmation was sent to my email address, not his. I'm sure that doesn't help things! lol)

You can try calling Budget and see if they will add the number. Sometimes they can/will with third party bookings, sometimes they can't/won't.

 

[holyrita]

Ok thanks so much. When I search for a reservation on the app or website view/modify/cancel page with the # from UT I can find it. Otherwise, it's not linked at all. When I view it on the Budget site it says it's a Fastbreak site but our number is nowhere on it. Appreciate the guidance on where to look!

(Also realized the Budget acct is in DHs name/email address, but UT reservation itself is under my name/email address. I booked the car in his name. On Budget's search results I can see the reservation and says a confirmation was sent to my email address, not his. I'm sure that doesn't help things! lol)

I can let you know, as someone whose reservation with UT and Fastbreak account has the same information, it did not link for me

Please let us know if you have any luck if you wind up calling Budget!

 

[bookbabe626]

glad I have an Alamo one for this coming Saturday!

Us too!

 

[Leigh L]

I can let you know, as someone whose reservation with UT and Fastbreak account has the same information, it did not link for me

Please let us know if you have any luck if you wind up calling Budget!

DH is calling now, and I'll circle back. The line went dead silent but didn't disconnect. It took a bit to convince the AI we wanted a human lol

Edited to add:
Two different phone numbers hung up on DH when he chose to speak to a representative. One hold stayed silent for 10 minutes, the other he go the "hold music" but then the line hung up on him as soon as it started ringing. Will try again after 8:30 a.m. CT (they seem to open 7:30 CT but the numbers we called said call anytime.)

On the plus side, the Budget AI did recognize our UT reservation from his phone number and the car, dates, and times were all correct.

 

[Leigh L]

DH finally talked to Budget - no go on adding Fastbreak, the CS rep said she didn't have the ability to add it. They suggested trying to do it with UT.

This is the number that didn't hang up with us (we tried 2 other numbers first)

Customer Service

800-214-6094

7:30 AM - 7:30 PM CST Mon - Fri, 8:00 AM - 6:30 PM CST Sat - Sun