Car Rentals [master thread]

Old Sep 5, 2011, 7:54 am
  #16  
 
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Originally Posted by gsch
I did the same, but the Hertz rep was kind enough to charge them every day for 5 days. 5 car rental, 5 different days, and without seeing the car.
Well done! The issue for me is that rentals at PHL are usually cheap only on Sat-Sun. So I'd have to arrange that over three weekends, at the very least.
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Old Sep 7, 2011, 7:42 am
  #17  
 
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Since I am based overseas, I am just wondering what's the out-of-the-pocket cost for renting a car?
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Old Sep 7, 2011, 9:11 am
  #18  
 
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Does anyone know if hertz posts the date you pick up the car or return it as the activity date? I usually take hertz points but I am picking up a car on 9/12 for return 9/15. If I am not going to get a hit I'd rather continue to take the hertz points.
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Old Sep 7, 2011, 1:21 pm
  #19  
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Anyone have any problems with consecutive 1-day rentals from the same agency? I do regular 2-day weekend rentals at National and I remain fairly close to the rental location, making a car-swap on a Saturday night a rather painless exercise. In my experience, the rates don't really change on 1-day vs. 2-day rentals. (Although 3-day rentals are cheaper due to 3rd-Day-Free coupons.)

Would two National rentals post as 2 hits? If not, would one booked through Nationalcar.com followed by one booked through Alamo.com count as 2? Or would I need to walk across the street and hit Hertz or Avis?

It's a semi-small station: I wonder if the National people would bristle at this idea. I know them fairly well...I'd probably just be honest and tell 'em I'm doing it for the US Airways promo.
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Old Sep 7, 2011, 1:36 pm
  #20  
 
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Originally Posted by ellinj
Does anyone know if hertz posts the date you pick up the car or return it as the activity date? I usually take hertz points but I am picking up a car on 9/12 for return 9/15. If I am not going to get a hit I'd rather continue to take the hertz points.
IIRC from last year, it was the day you picked up the car. Anyone remember differently?
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Old Sep 7, 2011, 1:47 pm
  #21  
 
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Originally Posted by pinniped
Anyone have any problems with consecutive 1-day rentals from the same agency? I do regular 2-day weekend rentals at National and I remain fairly close to the rental location, making a car-swap on a Saturday night a rather painless exercise. In my experience, the rates don't really change on 1-day vs. 2-day rentals. (Although 3-day rentals are cheaper due to 3rd-Day-Free coupons.)

Would two National rentals post as 2 hits? If not, would one booked through Nationalcar.com followed by one booked through Alamo.com count as 2? Or would I need to walk across the street and hit Hertz or Avis?

It's a semi-small station: I wonder if the National people would bristle at this idea. I know them fairly well...I'd probably just be honest and tell 'em I'm doing it for the US Airways promo.

I would do National and Hertz. National requires you to keep the car Saturday night to get the lower weekend rates so swapping early would lead to a cost greater than just duplication of airport fees. I have limited experience with Hertz but I beleive I had a same day return at weekend rates last year.

My car strategy is to take advantage of the Alamo $15 rentals on the two weekends where that offer overlaps Grand Slam and pickup 2 rentals I would have incurred naturally. The remaining 2 rentals will be easy hits if I need them at the end of the promotion.
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Old Sep 7, 2011, 1:52 pm
  #22  
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The more I think about it, I may just do a couple extra weekend rentals at my hometown HLE. For one, the swapping would nullify some 1-2-FREE credits since those need to be 2-day rentals to count. Second, the HLE rentals can sometimes be under $20/day all in since there aren't any airport fees - just local sales tax.

I'll probably be at 4 or 5 hits without doing anything unusual anyway.
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Old Sep 7, 2011, 2:30 pm
  #23  
 
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Originally Posted by Exiled in Express
My car strategy is to take advantage of the Alamo $15 rentals...
Thanks for the $15 rate reminder. I like the sound of it. One potential issue is the rate requires a Saturday overnight, and I was planning on the rent-and-return-in-one-motion trick at the counter without driving. $15 is a great rate but it means I'd have to KEEP an actual car for a night?! Heavens, the things they ask of us.
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Old Sep 7, 2011, 3:27 pm
  #24  
 
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Originally Posted by NewArrival
Thanks for the $15 rate reminder. I like the sound of it. One potential issue is the rate requires a Saturday overnight, and I was planning on the rent-and-return-in-one-motion trick at the counter without driving. $15 is a great rate but it means I'd have to KEEP an actual car for a night?! Heavens, the things they ask of us.
Have you (or others) done the "rent and return at the same counter trick" successfully in the past? This is my first time going for the GS promotion and I was planning on trying to do this, but I wasn't sure if they'd go for it or not. Does anybody actually put up a fight about it? You'd think that they'd be more than willing to do it since they just get free money, right?
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Old Sep 7, 2011, 3:48 pm
  #25  
 
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Originally Posted by SkinsFan0521
Have you (or others) done the "rent and return at the same counter trick" successfully in the past? This is my first time going for the GS promotion and I was planning on trying to do this, but I wasn't sure if they'd go for it or not. Does anybody actually put up a fight about it? You'd think that they'd be more than willing to do it since they just get free money, right?
Yes, I did this last year, as did several others. It depends on the counter agents' willingness and how long the line is -- and busy the office is -- but most FTers reported no problems, or very few. In my case I told the agent about the promo in a friendly, almost silly way, and they ate it up and were very nice about processing everything.
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Old Sep 7, 2011, 6:47 pm
  #26  
 
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Originally Posted by SkinsFan0521
Have you (or others) done the "rent and return at the same counter trick" successfully in the past? This is my first time going for the GS promotion and I was planning on trying to do this, but I wasn't sure if they'd go for it or not. Does anybody actually put up a fight about it? You'd think that they'd be more than willing to do it since they just get free money, right?
Originally Posted by NewArrival
Yes, I did this last year, as did several others. It depends on the counter agents' willingness and how long the line is -- and busy the office is -- but most FTers reported no problems, or very few. In my case I told the agent about the promo in a friendly, almost silly way, and they ate it up and were very nice about processing everything.
Ditto. Had 4 fifteen minute reservations on four different Saturdays. I incorporated a stop at my Hertz city edition office into my weekend errands. Never got in a car. Counter guys thought it was both silly and amazing - 100,000 frequent flyer points ~is~ a big deal to most people.
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Old Sep 7, 2011, 7:24 pm
  #27  
 
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Can you receive promotional miles from car rental and a "hit" as well.

Do you have to go through the link with U.S airways website to book for the car? I believe I have perks with my Amex Platinum card on car rental.

Am I able to receive the perks on using AMEX and promotional miles as well.

Thanks very much.
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Old Sep 8, 2011, 6:45 am
  #28  
 
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car rental procedures

I have what I hope is an easy question. Can I book a car rental anywhere and just use my Usair Div. Mile number on the reservation or do I need to book through the Usair website? I noticed that they put a code in the reservation (maybe US10?). Can I use a coupon code like Costco's and enter my DM number and still get a hit?

TIA
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Old Sep 8, 2011, 7:12 am
  #29  
 
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for Hertz I know that you can put in your DM# and all is okay.

Perhaps you have to check on your bill/order that your number is printed on.
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Old Sep 8, 2011, 7:45 am
  #30  
 
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Originally Posted by farbster
I have what I hope is an easy question. Can I book a car rental anywhere and just use my Usair Div. Mile number on the reservation or do I need to book through the Usair website? I noticed that they put a code in the reservation (maybe US10?). Can I use a coupon code like Costco's and enter my DM number and still get a hit?

TIA
What do you mean by anywhere? I've had problems getting miles on Hotwire and Priceline reservations.
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