Online Travel Booking and Bidding Agencies - Priceline car rental name change?

Hi everyone,
Hoping I can get some advice.

My husband and I are going to Whistler, B.C. for two weeks in August. We'll be hosting friends during that time so we always go up one day early to be ready when our friends arrive. We pricelined a car for Friday, 7/31 and I put it under his name since he usually drives.

Now we have found out he has a professional licensing exam on 8/1 in our hometown, so he will be flying out the afternoon of 8/1 instead. I will still be going up on 7/31 and would like to drive this car to Whistler. He can ride up on 8/1 with friends who are arriving.

Will priceline ever allow a name change? I know their FAQs say no, but thought there may be some wiggle room. We have the same last name.

I guess our only other option is for me to do a one day, one-way rental and ask Priceline to make a note that he will picking up the car one day late, or contact Avis, the car rental provider.

Should I try to contact Avis directly to do the name change? I'm guessing they won't do it, but maybe they'd make a note.

All advice welcomed, thanks.

I believe a spouse or coworker is allowed to drive the car and it's already paid. If he's registered with Avis then they have his information and you should be able to drive it. Call the agency on site ahead and tell them that you are picking it up.

I believe a spouse or coworker is allowed to drive the car and it's already paid. If he's registered with Avis then they have his information and you should be able to drive it. Call the agency on site ahead and tell them that you are picking it up.

Fantastic! Thanks for your input.

IIRC only the person listed on the reservation can pick up the car. I would contact avis to check. Maybe if you get his DL you can get get away with it.

I don't think the name is important escpecially with a wife, husband. Having the card that made the reservation is important. most car places allow another driver but may charge $5 a day or so.

IIRC only the person listed on the reservation can pick up the car. I would contact avis to check. Maybe if you get his DL you can get get away with it.

That can't be true in general as I've done exactly what the OP needs to do with no problem. The reservation via Priceline is treated as any other prepaid reservation would be. So they have no reason not to give you the car if your spouse is the driver. You can simply say that he made the reservation for you if there's a question.

Each car rental company has vastly different rules for extra drivers. You gotta check the fine print reservation T&C. Some are free but most charge an extra $5/day or more. Ditto for corporate or other special rates. I usually book with the Costco rates and they permit adding family and same company employees at no extra cost.

MisterNice

I don't think the name is important escpecially with a wife, husband. Having the card that made the reservation is important. most car places allow another driver but may charge $5 a day or so.

Usually they check your driver's license and compare it with the contract as you exit - I have no idea what would happen if the names didn't match.

Hertz once refused to give my wife a car that was booked under my name when I was arriving late on a different flight but that was several years ago.
For all practical purposes there was no way for them to know if she was related to me at the time so it's understandable.

The issue here is not the extra driver (that's not a problem) but being able to pick up a car reserved under someone else's name when that "primary" driver is not present.

In this case, I believe the only way to see if you can do anything is to contact the local AVIS facility that "won" your bid.

Otherwise, you risk showing up with no alternative available.

From Priceline's Car Rental FAQ:

Can I add a driver to my rental car reservation?

You can add a driver to your rental car reservation at the rental counter. There may be additional fees which will be disclosed at the rental counter. The primary driver on the reservation must arrive at the counter to pick up the car and add the additional driver to the rental agreement. We are unable to add a driver to your rental reservation or change the name of the primary driver originally entered on our web site.

I think it will be up to Avis whether they want to enforce Priceline's rules or not.

Echoing wharvey, I'd clear your spouse picking up the car with an Avis manager in advance, rather than just showing up at the counter and hoping for the best. Especially since this is a two-week rental.

If Avis says no can you delay your own flight by a day, so that you and your husband arrive together?

From Priceline's Car Rental FAQ:
I think it will be up to Avis whether they want to enforce Priceline's rules or not. Echoing wharvey, I'd clear your spouse picking up the car with an Avis manager in advance, rather than just showing up at the counter and hoping for the best. Especially since this is a two-week rental.

If Avis says no can you delay your own flight by a day, so that you and your husband arrive together?
I would not mention Priceline if you call. State that the car was reserved by your spouse and that you're picking it up. If they ask if you booked it with Avis say that it was through a travel agency. If you get too specific then they might start looking it up and so on. Or they might say that if the agency was Priceline then.... They would not know if you bid for it or got it through the open site.