Avis - UK for US residents?

Hey guys,

Has anyone successfully booked a UK reservation for the US as a US resident? Any issues at pickup? I have a one-way coming up and the UK rates are a lot better, but I don't want to get there and be turned away.

Thanks!
Dan

I think it should be possible; my fiancé is American but we live in the UK and have had no problems turning up at the counter with a UK billing address and a US drivers license.

Just beware that the UK-facing website may have issues with you fudging a UK address for a US credit card. Unlike doing it the other way round (for instance, Priceline has long accepted my UK MasterCards with a null US address and a 99999 zip) the UK-facing website may check the credit card against the billing postcode. I don't know the technicalities of it, but many online purchases in the UK require you to enter the billing address (or at least postcode) exactly as on the card statement as an anti-fraud measure.

It's always worth checking both UK and US rates, although I've found it can go both ways. Pretty much anything from an airport in CA, for instance, seems to be cheaper from one of the many UK online brokers; while an identical long weekend rental in Detroit next month was being priced by Hertz at £77 on their UK site and $77 on their USA site!

Just beware that the UK-facing website may have issues with you fudging a UK address for a US credit card. Unlike doing it the other way round (for instance, Priceline has long accepted my UK MasterCards with a null US address and a 99999 zip) the UK-facing website may check the credit card against the billing postcode. I don't know the technicalities of it, but many online purchases in the UK require you to enter the billing address (or at least postcode) exactly as on the card statement as an anti-fraud measure.


I never had problems using the avis.co.uk site for US reservations with a Slovene address and a German credit card. But yes, it was the billing address of the CC. In any case - there was never a need to fudge a UK address.

You can use Avis.co.uk without any issues. Just beware of using AWD codes that have terms and conditions that only apply to certain nationalities.

If you mean using Avis.com, but selecting that you're from the UK, then I wouldn't recommend it if you don't have the papers for it.

Be wary - I just checked an upcoming reservation against the UK site and got a quote of GBP 835 for 7 days for a VW Passat Wagon (Estate). I booked the same car 3 weeks ago on the US site for GBP 235.

I was just wondering the same thing. The US T&C says they will check for a return ticket: http://www.avis.at/avisonline/terms.nsf/TermsByCountryAndLngCategories/US-GB-Common?OpenDocument

But I am in a complex situation: I am moving from Singapore to USA via UK. Which country can I really say I am a resident of? My licence is a UK one. But if they ask for a return ticket, I won't have one!

Also, the UK resident price is less than half the US resident price for the options I am looking at.

Hi, I just saw that the UK resident option was much cheaper for me than the US one for a Minivan for a week in Denver, but :

http://www.avis.at/avisonline/terms.nsf/TermsByCountryAndLngCategories/US-GB-Common?OpenDocument

Renters who have indicated a country of residence outside of the US or Canada will be required to present their Return Airline Ticket as well as foreign drivers license and passport at the time of rental to qualify for the quoted rate.

Do they actually do this? When I go, I'll actually be moving to the US for 3 years, so when I book I'll be answering the residence honestly, but not when I pick the car up... I'll have been an official resident for about 45 minutes by then... but if I say US resident won't they expect a US driving licence?:confused: