National - Why is it so expensive to rent a car in Billings (BIL)?

I think every rental agency (except maybe Enterprise) charges $.20 a mile over your 200 miles/day at the Billings Airport.

What's so special about Billings where they feel the need to limit miles? Is it something to do with their location?

They are likely all licensees/ franchises at that location. You might want to try some different contract id's. With no discount a mid size for a week was $576 base with 1500 miles included. When I put in my corporate id, id dropped to $231 and included unlimited miles.

I think every rental agency (except maybe Enterprise) charges $.20 a mile over your 200 miles/day at the Billings Airport.

What's so special about Billings where they feel the need to limit miles? Is it something to do with their location?

Its to keep people from renting cars for vacation and then driving to Yellowstone. I know Bozeman and Kalispell airports also charge mileage fees in addition to the base car rental cost.

Its to keep people from renting cars for vacation and then driving to Yellowstone. I know Bozeman and Kalispell airports also charge mileage fees in addition to the base car rental cost.

Ahh that makes sense. It's similar to how Rapid City, SD charges because of their proximity to Mt. Rushmore.

Its to keep people from renting cars for vacation and then driving to Yellowstone. I know Bozeman and Kalispell airports also charge mileage fees in addition to the base car rental cost.

Any suggestion to keep the cost down of renting a car to drive to Yellowstone?

Any suggestion to keep the cost down of renting a car to drive to Yellowstone?

Some of the corp codes might help with the mileage caps - I just rented from Bozeman for a Yellowstone trip and my rate was free of mileage limits.

Any suggestion to keep the cost down of renting a car to drive to Yellowstone?

(1) Do you have legitimate access to a corporate code with unlimited miles?

(2) Don't most rental agency free day awards include unlimited miles? I know my Hertz and National ones in the past have, but I don't think I ever rented in a place where the "normal" rates didn't... I've done rentals with both solely for the purpose of driving 500 to 1000 miles in 24 hours or less.

(1) Do you have legitimate access to a corporate code with unlimited miles?

(2) Don't most rental agency free day awards include unlimited miles? I know my Hertz and National ones in the past have, but I don't think I ever rented in a place where the "normal" rates didn't... I've done rentals with both solely for the purpose of driving 500 to 1000 miles in 24 hours or less.

Most of the locations in that area will likely be franchises, so free days may not work. I just tried the DL discount code with Hertz, and while it did not lower the rate much, it did give unlimited miles. Try some of the airline discounts, which are easy to sign up for.

Most of the locations in that area will likely be franchises, so free days may not work. I just tried the DL discount code with Hertz, and while it did not lower the rate much, it did give unlimited miles. Try some of the airline discounts, which are easy to sign up for.

I redeemed a free day at Bozeman for my rental last week.

Looks like rentals at IDA are much cheaper than at BZN. And IDA is only about 10-20 miles further away from Yellowstone than BZN.

The franchisee is (I believe) the same for all of MT as well as the Dakotas and Wyoming. They didn't seem to be any more aggressive in enforcing contract Ids than a corporate location when I rented from them. Try the entertainment book ID, that got me unlimited miles in Missoula.

Just checked.. Even the generic emerald club contract ID will give you unlimited miles and cut the rate by $30 a day.

Any suggestion to keep the cost down of renting a car to drive to Yellowstone?

Rent from Salt Lake City? It's not that much further than Billings MT, especially if you were planning on checking out Grand Teton too.

Rent from Salt Lake City? It's not that much further than Billings MT, especially if you were planning on checking out Grand Teton too.

:confused:

I think you confuse me with the OP. I am not considering Billings whatsoever. Only looking at BZN, IDA or SLC.
Mileage difference between BZN and IDA is minimal, but driving from SLC to Yellowstone will take the whole day.

I am actually renting from Billings to drive to Rapid City, SD. I unfortunately can't fly into Rapid City, so the closest airport I can fly into is Billings.

I unfortunately can't fly into Rapid City, so the closest airport I can fly into is Billings.

Why can't you fly into RAP??

Why can't you fly into RAP??

Have to fly Alaska/Horizon Airlines.

Try using contract id 8572130 with National. If you haven't seen it, it's a corporate-style id that includes LDW but is available to anyone who signs up for a free Flying Blue membership.

I just tried it on a weekly rental from Billings airport and it shows unlimited miles.

Any suggestion to keep the cost down of renting a car to drive to Yellowstone?

Back in 1984 in grad school, I rented a car from DEN & drove to/from Yellowstone. Back then, I paid $40 ai for a 4 day weekend. I had a 2 for 1 coupon for 2 free day weekend with 2 days paid rental. Sweet. The reason I rented from DEN was I flew from AUS to DEN for $80RT and DEN had unlimited mileage. Put over 2K miles on the car!! Loved every minute of it.

Fast forward to the present. I would use a decent code that would give me unlimited mileage. If not, SLC may be a reasonable alternative (with some serious road miles getting there!) for less expensive rate. Now that I am alot older than in 1984, I would just find a decent code that gives me unlimited mileage closer in than from SLC.

Back to the original idea of this topic... I am flying into BIL for a weekend at the end of September/beginning of October. I was able to snag a (2 actually) reservation(s) for this trip on Sunday night. Was able to get a full size and midsize SUV for around $25 a day, minus coupons of course. Well today I check, and rates have SKYROCKETED to $86 a day for full size and even more for SUVs. What a crazy swing in prices! Glad I got so lucky!

As an aside, I have noticed a couple times that rates seem lower on Sunday evenings. I have noticed this phenomenon for several cities. Anyone else encounter this?