Thrifty - Surprise one way rental surcharge?

Looked up a rate online and got a rate of £394 for a one way rental of an SUV LAX back to LAS for 18 days. Rate marked as payable on arrival.

Called Thrifty to see if there was a cheaper pre-pay option, but was given the same rate, with the insistence that it was pre-pay. Then was suddenly told that a one way rental charge could be added. I said that was strange, since a) that should be included in the rate, and b) no mention was made of it anywhere in the online quote.

She said she'd call LAX office direct for me, which she did and came back with the news that I'd be charged an extra $225 locally for the one-way rental.

So what would happen if I book online? The online quote clearly says "Total price for rental: £394" so its a bit odd that they'd jump in and spring an extra charge on me.....

Have never rented with Thrifty before, but this time they were much cheaper then anyone I've used before but this is just bizzare....

So what would happen if I book online? The online quote clearly says "Total price for rental: £394" so its a bit odd that they'd jump in and spring an extra charge on me.....

Before they hand you the keys, they will make you sign a contract with the drop-off fee included.


Have never rented with Thrifty before, but this time they were much cheaper then anyone I've used before but this is just bizzare....

If you're doing a one-way rental, then Thrifty is not the company for you... and I say this as someone who almost always rents with Thrifty.

If you're doing a one-way rental, then Thrifty is not the company for you... and I say this as someone who almost always rents with Thrifty.

They can be competitive on one-ways for short distance, long time. They also sometimes offer the $1/day one-way specials, like the FL driveout.

Before they hand you the keys, they will make you sign a contract with the drop-off fee included.


Its quite amazing that they get away with that!

Can't get a fully accurate comparison for you without your exact dates, but I did find a prepaid fully-inclusive rate of GBP636 on http://worldwide.thrifty.com/. That price includes the one-way cost and all the insurance/coverage you need.

Be aware that if you book a retail, pay-upon-arrival, non-inclusive rate, you will need to purchase the LDW and SLI when renting at LAX, unless you procure an alternative form of insurance coverage that covers both damage to the rental vehicle and third-party liability. That, plus the one-way drop fee, could bring your total to above the GBP636 figure quoted above.

Not sure where you got your GBP394 quote. I tried a bunch of sample 18-day periods for the next several months on the non-prepaid sites and the lowest I got WITHOUT coverage (though with the drop fee) for an SUV was GBP767. Nowhere was I able to find a rate even close to GBP394, and every booking channel I tried did show the drop fee in the final total when fed the information to pick up at LAX and drop off at LAS.