Originally Posted by
IAHtraveler
This really depends. In my experience:
- If it's a small station that doesn't pre-print contracts, the time out usually matches the time the contract is printed.
- If they pre-print the contract, usually, they leave the time as the planned pickup (if you don't ask to swap vehicles or change anything else on the contract). I have even seen a few times where the time out is actually the time they print the contract (hours before scheduled pickup) and have to go have them adjust the contract.
- If you use the app to select, swap or confirm your car, the time out reverts to the time you hit the "confirm" button in the app. If you don't hit the confirm button before your reserved time, the time out is left as your scheduled time.
+1! This exactly.
Example: I had booked at GEG for an 11:45 am pickup and a 11:30 am return knowing that we had a departing flight at around 1 pm.
Family was ready to hit the road at 10 am and was able to delay them until around 11 am.
GEG Avis usually pre-prints their contracts so I knew that any paper i'd get would be for the 11:45 am time but I'd checked on the app to see what cars were available so was hoping that I hadn't started the contract earlier. Did not hit "confirm".
Anyway, we
selected and picked the car just after 11 am - both keys and the card stock. Checking again on the app, still said 11:45 am as the start time.
Kept an eye on the app and kept checking - Contract stayed at 11:45 am as the start for the whole trip.
Dropped the car off at around 11:15 am after getting gas. No extra full day charged - success!
David