emcampbe

Anyone know how one-way rental availability works, and if it is common to be told this is 'unavailable'?

Specifically, looking for a one-way rental, picking up at CVG and returning to CMH 3 days later. While the website shows me options from either of these locations returning to the same location, it gives me a message in red saying there are no cars available when I ask to return to a different location.

Is this a largely post-pandemic issue where they are restricting one-way rentals? I haven't tried to do this a ton in the past, but have searched for something like this before and never had an issue. I initially thought it might be an issue with a discount code, etc., but even taking all those off, it still says no availability. Haven't looked at other rental companies...yet, but I tend to favor Hertz because as a AAA member, get a free car seat which really helps with the AI rate since this trip will be with a 4yo, and a real PITA to travel with a seat.

guv1976

Is a one-way rate being offered for your desired dates if you remove the AAA CDP?

emcampbe

Nope. Tried that, and still no dice.

guv1976

If you don't mind disclosing, what dates? And did you try pricing a pick-up from a Hertz HLE location, instead of from CVG?

rp350

CMH airport (along with other HLEs in the Columbus/Dayton area) are not Hertz corporate locations, they are independent licensees. Perhaps that could affect whether Hertz is willing to do one-way rentals from CVG (which is a corporate location) to a non-corporate locations.

guv1976

This is probably a date-specific issue. I'm finding availability for some three-day periods, but not for others.

lincolnjkc

When did CMH go licensee? Relatively recently (but I can't remember if it was before or after the Hertz bankruptcy and the resulting mass conversion of locations) I did a CMH-CLE one-way without issue.

FOr the OP...I've done a number of other OWs pretty recently (but not CVG or CMH) in the Midwest/East coast and can't say I've had an issue trying to book...but it's entirely possible I've just gotten lucky going corporate to corporate and haven't paid attention to corp vs licensee

rp350

I don't know when exactly it went to a licensee, but for my November rental, the receipt stated "Byers Car Rental LLC Hertz System Licensee". But as guv said, there was availability for some one-way dates, so I'm not sure it's a blanket rule regarding corporate vs franchise one-ways.

jerry a. laska

CMH has been a franchisee location for many many years.
Hertz at CMH

goodeats21

I used to be able to get one-ways between CVG and a location either in Dayton or the Dayton airport (Pre-COVID). But after trying many times over the past couple years, no dice.
Interesting that guv1976 was able to find some availability on some dates. I had almost given up trying at this point.

kumarshah

All non-airport locations in Miami suddenly showing me:

• No one way rentals are permitted from this location, please make another selection [NRX012]

"
Even though they are corporate locations.

Last week it was there and had found a non-airport location where cost was 500$ less than from airport too. Wonder why Hertz changed this.

guv1976

This also appears to be date specific:

Herb687

I've encountered occasions when OW rentals are available for longer rentals but not shorter ones for the same city pair with same pick up date and time.

Hertz got its car back nice and early in those cases!

Tafflyer

There seems to be a worldwide trend here.

London Heathrow one-way to London Gatwick. Feb 21-25 "not available". Both locations have plenty of inventory and LGW to LHR will price but LHR to LGW not. This is seriously screwy, I use these airport-to-airport one-way rentals a lot since different airlines serve different airports.

view-with-a-room

Doesn't returning a car early open up the opportunity for the rental company to re-rate the rental? A weekly rental is 5+ days so bringing a car back prior to five days could result in a 1-4 day rental, not a weekly rental.