Since you asked. Every rate has multiple tiers. The first tier is for off season rates. Second tier is for ascending and descending season rates. Tier three is for peak season rates, etc etc.

Certain rate codes work fantastic on some tiers, crappy on others. Also, certain rate codes ignore the tiers altogether and give a specific discount to the tier no matter what tier the dates you are requesting are in. Other codes just make the rate the same nationwide within tier structures.


Costco rates, for example, is a nationwide negotiated rate as x% off the current tier rate, but in off peak its x+5%. So if Honolulu is in tier one, the rate will be killer. If you go to Las Vegas during new years, that city may be in tier 3, so its only the x% off and another code might do better.

Also, certain rate goes dont do jack at specific cities.

Example. Hawaii and alaska do not get XM radio. (or sirius for that matter). A fact that pissed me off on my last trip there. So XM radio execs have their own Discount code for Avis rent a car for when they do business around the country. The rate code is fantastic for their needs, but in the state of hawaii, since they do not have any business there, the rate code is crap.

When a company sets up a rate code, one of the things they do is provide a list of "most likely" use cities to the Avis Bean Counters. Based on that information, they provide them stronger rate cuts in cities that they specifically do business in. A good example is the above florida tourism board code. It sucks outside of florida. But in florida, good rates can be had.

So its a good idea to try multiple codes at any location at any date, even crappy ones.