FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - How to handle open return due to medical emergency w/ rental car company
Old Apr 4, 2018, 12:23 pm
  #7  
jackal
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All else being equal, I would err on the side of reserving for longer than you'll need and returning early. With the companies/locations that do charge penalties for early/late returns, the penalty for an early return is usually less (a flat $10-15 or so) than the penalty for an extension (which can be $10-15 per day). And with the rest of the companies (the ones that don't have a return change fee), it's less hassle to just return it early than it is to keep calling and extending your rental and hoping they let you keep the same rate plan every time you call to extend.

The major things to be aware of when returning early are:

-Losing out on a weekend rate by not satisfying the minimum keep requirement
-Screwing up a weekly rate to a higher daily rate; not commonly an issue but it can happen

Otherwise, the rule of "you only pay for however long you keep the car" generally applies, and you'll get charged less when returning early.
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