Budget - How common is it that locations don't participate in promotion(s)?

That's all. Thank you.

From what I have seen/experienced, and not just at Budget, it's the franchise locations that seem to not honor the promos as much as corporate.

Thanks, rustyr. It's probably already somewhere on this board what proportion of locations are franchises. Then one still has to find out if the location is in or out. It's just that in most cases, once we are able to find out if a location is out, the customer is already "a/i" - or at least at the counter - and it's too late. A curveball like this should not be possible.

Not in response to rustyr, but for the record...

Just completed a series of two-day rentals at tiny SBA using U093306 and MUAZ015, and everything was successful, including credit in my SkyMiles account itself. Now, trying to do the same at LAX, I get,

Your coupon MUAZ015 isn't valid at this location. This station does not participate. Valid at corporate/participating licensee AIRPORT stations in the U.S. & Canada...

Ironic. I wonder if it's true that LAX doesn't qualify...

in the case of off-site airport locations, it's really not a question of a particular franchise location, rather, it's a question of the district office that owns/manages the various franchise off-site locations which usually are bundled around the airport. For example, SJC. There's one district office that calls the shots for most of the off-site rental locations around SJC...they dictate whether or not the locations participate, even whether or not those locations will honor mileage for car rentals (i know, i know, that makes no sense cause unless you're electing a specific coupon, one would normally assume that you would receive miles for your car rental). A yellow canary bird tells me there's plenty of friction between the district offices and the various off-site locations over the policies they "dictate"...the folks who manage the locations are "customer sensitive" and they don't appreciate getting directives from the district offices that effectively "deny" benefits to customers who they serve...


From what I have seen/experienced, and not just at Budget, it's the franchise locations that seem to not honor the promos as much as corporate.

But wouldn't one expect LAX to be in on all general promotions? At least they're up front about it when they're not, even if their excuse doesn't make sense. That's a good thing.

But wouldn't one expect LAX to be in on all general promotions? At least they're up front about it when they're not, even if their excuse doesn't make sense. That's a good thing.Sometimes the non-participation in a promotion is a temporary one lasting only a few days, i.e. during a big convention, sporting event, etc.

I never thought of that. So, going forward, I won't just assume LAX is out. Thanks Mr. Roboto. :)

Hard to believe, but according to the website, Budget LAX and surrounding neighborhood stores are not corporate-owned but independent licensees.

There are some places where Avis is corporate but Budget is a franchise. The FL driveout illuminates this nicely. Budget Memphis is a franchise and so the special rate does not apply. Avis, however, does quote the special one-way rate to go to Memphis, meaning their store is corporate.

I was going to book Budget for tomorrow; going through the UA site to get miles/discount. Pick-up at 9:30am & 5pm drop-off the same day. The rate quoted for economy, intermediate, etc, was $114.99 (for 6-1/2 hours!). I thought it must be a mistake, so I call the 800#, give them the info & was told that LAX doesn't participate in this promotion. She then quotes me $114.99 & asks if I want to book it. I said no thanks, Avis is quoting me $18.99 (ie, almost $100 less) for the same type of car/pick-up/drop-off time.

Cheers.

There are some places where Avis is corporate but Budget is a franchise.
LAS is exactly this scenario, but Budget now participates in all promotions.

Sometimes the non-participation in a promotion is a temporary one lasting only a few days, i.e. during a big convention, sporting event, etc.

holtju2 reports @36 here that Budget at LAX is out of all promotions since they went franchise at the top of the year...

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/budget/1054337-q1-2010-delta-5000-mile-2-day-rental.html