Other Car Rental Programs/Partners (ie. Alamo, Enterprise, Sixt) - Can Anyone Help Me Get Rate Lower?

I need to get a car rental for 12 days - morning of May 22 to morning of June 2nd from Flagstaff Arizona. Not taking it out of state, it will be mostly sitting at the airport while I fly out of state. I am 23 years old with a major credit card.

The issue I am having is that I got a low base rate from Alamo of 281.68, but they charge $20/day for underage fees. I got that rate using the government corporate ID posted on a recent post.

Enterprise charges only $5/day and even with a 10% military discount their rate is $364.

Anyone have any ways I can get this rate down? I need to keep it as close to $250 as possible... already got gouged on airline tickets!

Welsome to FlyerTalk, SlimCat1984 :)

- will you be driving every day to/from airport?

- if this car is going to sit @ airport parking lot - have you considered renting different cars, only on days when you actually going to need one?

- do you have the military ID to use with this rental?
Usually enterprise is very flexible and accomodating with military renters.
They can drop you off, pick you up, bring the car to you.
They will allow to leave the vehicle at a designated location outside of office hours.

- if you are active military - are you travelling on personal or official business?
I think there is a provision somewhere under the mil. contract rules - to avoid underage fees. I'm not sure on this...

- did you look at gvmnt rate only? or did you search for other promo codes to find a better discount?

- What size car are you looking at?

- Did you look at different car companies?

- Once again, would you be willing to break this 12-day rental into 2 or more separate ones of few days each, if the total cost savings justify the effort?

Thanks for your help - Sorry for my own delayed response. I forgot where this forum was!

The car will be rented in Flagstaff and driven to PHX to pick up my Fiance and then straight back to Flagstaff on the 22nd. From Friday-Sunday we are going to be using the car each day as we are having our legal wedding this weekend. Then, on Monday we will leave the car at the PHX airport and I will fly to Texas with him. The car will be sitting in Phx from Monday to Saturday when I get back, pick up the car and drive back to Flagstaff. I will then return it Monday, June 2nd.

The phoenix airport parking fees are less than $60 as I am using an off-airport lot that I use frequently.

I'd be willing to do a one way rental twice, except that generally it doesn't pay off from Flagstaff. It cost me $200 to do a one way from Phoenix to Flagstaff a couple weeks ago and I had the car for less than 6 hours.

All that being said - I am not active military, however my Fiance is, though this trip is not for direct orders - it is so we can get legally married now before our ceremony in June due to the fact that we are being stationed overseas almost immediately and we must get the paperwork going now so I am on his orders. Given that I will have a military ID by the time I return they have said they will give us the military discount.

Anyway, I guess thats it - I hope it answers your questions. I can seem to find a better rate, and it breaks down to about $30/day... so I guess I just have to break down and book it?

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding, SlimCat1984

If you read this post - please log in to your account here on FT, and check the InBox. I sent you a Private Message. :)

Thu 5/22/8
Can your Fiance rent a car at PHX airport on arrival, drive to Flagstaff?
or
If you want/need/have to be at airport yourself -
how about you take a bus from Flaggstaff , then rent a car at airport?

Check website for details greyhound.com or here is what I found:
bus service route# 1351
depart Flaggstaff 08:00am arrive Phoenix (not airport) 10:45am 1-way adult $29.00

there might be discount on bus ticket, or other transport options like train or another bus company - need to research

Fri 5/23/08 - Sat 5/24/8 - Sun 5/25/8
using car in Flagstaff

Mon 5/26/8
drive back to PHX airport, return car, fly to TX


Tue 5/27/8 thru Sat 5/31/8
in TX

Sat 5/31/8
- you fly from TX to PHX
- at this point I'd take a bus again back to Flaggstuff

Sun 6/1/8 - Mon 6/2/8
if you need a car to use for 2 more days - just do a local rental upon return home

I realize that some folks can not stand riding bus, but to me it seems financially wise.

If you decide to rent a car 5/22 - 5/25, there is Enterprise option for 50%, plus some points
or
Alamo offer for military with $ off + 1 day free over this weekend

Please let me know your thoughts and lets try to help you out.

Once again, please check your PMessage, then wait for me to return with discount links you will need for both Alamo/Enterprise options I mentioned above.

I don't know if this helps, but the Phoenix bus station (including Greyhound) is very, very close to SkyHarbor Airport. Just FYI

Be careful which gov't rate you use. If it's the Official Biz rate you must use a Gov't CC. That one will wave the under age fee but again, the official cc comes into play....and it adds addltional gov't fees to the rental. The gov't leisure rate doesn't help much with the rates. There's no extra govt fees though. No cutting the under age fee.