Reserving a rental car when the return date is unknown
Feb 26, 2013, 1:19 pm
#1
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2001
Location: MSY; 2-time FT Fantasy Football Champ, now in recovery.
Programs: AA lifetime GLD; UA Silver; Marriott LTTE; IHG Plat,
Posts: 14,519
Reserving a rental car when the return date is unknown
I'm looking to reserve a rental car at the best rate. Domestic US airport.
I'll be picking it up on a Saturday at noon, but I don't know when I'll be returning it, and may not even know by the time I pick it up. I'd estimate there's a 50% chance I'll return it Thursday at 5pm, 25% chance of Thursday at 6am, and 25% chance of sometime Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.
For now, I have an Avis car reserved via Costco, with the most likely return of Thursday 5pm. But nowhere during the reservation process did it show the "extra day" rate. Can I assume it will be the same as the daily rate for the reserved rental? If I return it early, would I pay for one less day? Will it automatically change to a weekly rate if the rental is log enough? Is there a good way to verify this?
Are some rental companies better than others in cases like this? I seem to recall Alamo charges penalties for early or late returns.
I'll be picking it up on a Saturday at noon, but I don't know when I'll be returning it, and may not even know by the time I pick it up. I'd estimate there's a 50% chance I'll return it Thursday at 5pm, 25% chance of Thursday at 6am, and 25% chance of sometime Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.
For now, I have an Avis car reserved via Costco, with the most likely return of Thursday 5pm. But nowhere during the reservation process did it show the "extra day" rate. Can I assume it will be the same as the daily rate for the reserved rental? If I return it early, would I pay for one less day? Will it automatically change to a weekly rate if the rental is log enough? Is there a good way to verify this?
Are some rental companies better than others in cases like this? I seem to recall Alamo charges penalties for early or late returns.
Feb 26, 2013, 1:42 pm
#3
In Memoriam
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: dallas texas usa
Programs: aa plt 4.9MM LTAC
Posts: 14,828
call avis.....
noon sat would be a week....check that rate vs what you see for thr....5 hrs the is prob another day, so noon fri should be the same $...
be sure you know what happens if you turn it in early...
noon sat would be a week....check that rate vs what you see for thr....5 hrs the is prob another day, so noon fri should be the same $...
be sure you know what happens if you turn it in early...
Last edited by clacko; Feb 26, 2013 at 1:57 pm
Feb 26, 2013, 2:21 pm
#4
In Memoriam
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Easton, CT, USA
Programs: ua prem exec, Former hilton diamond
Posts: 31,801
It doesn't matter.
Most all those times you stated will price out to a week, as long as you return it the same time you rented it on Saturday. If you keep it till Sunday, it will be a week and a day.
So reserve it for the full week and the day, and if you bring it early there should not be any problem in changing the reservation.
If you need to know the extra day charge just do the reservation till Sunday, it should break out something like this (example from Hertz)
Rate Details
1 week at 260.49 USD 260.49 USD
1 extra day at 37.21 USD 37.21 USD
The assumption that it would be the same as a daily rate is a very bad assumption, it can be significantly higher, and a daily may not change into a weekly, they may go for the much higher per day rate. You need to call and confirm. If you hold the car later than you reserved it for, the could charge much more than if you just reserved it that long.
Most all those times you stated will price out to a week, as long as you return it the same time you rented it on Saturday. If you keep it till Sunday, it will be a week and a day.
So reserve it for the full week and the day, and if you bring it early there should not be any problem in changing the reservation.
If you need to know the extra day charge just do the reservation till Sunday, it should break out something like this (example from Hertz)
Rate Details
1 week at 260.49 USD 260.49 USD
1 extra day at 37.21 USD 37.21 USD
The assumption that it would be the same as a daily rate is a very bad assumption, it can be significantly higher, and a daily may not change into a weekly, they may go for the much higher per day rate. You need to call and confirm. If you hold the car later than you reserved it for, the could charge much more than if you just reserved it that long.
Feb 2, 2020, 2:39 pm
#5
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 1
Rental cars - open return date?
I'm looking to reserve a rental car at the best rate. Domestic US airport.
I'll be picking it up on a Saturday at noon, but I don't know when I'll be returning it, and may not even know by the time I pick it up. I'd estimate there's a 50% chance I'll return it Thursday at 5pm, 25% chance of Thursday at 6am, and 25% chance of sometime Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.
For now, I have an Avis car reserved via Costco, with the most likely return of Thursday 5pm. But nowhere during the reservation process did it show the "extra day" rate. Can I assume it will be the same as the daily rate for the reserved rental? If I return it early, would I pay for one less day? Will it automatically change to a weekly rate if the rental is log enough? Is there a good way to verify this?
Are some rental companies better than others in cases like this? I seem to recall Alamo charges penalties for early or late returns.
I'll be picking it up on a Saturday at noon, but I don't know when I'll be returning it, and may not even know by the time I pick it up. I'd estimate there's a 50% chance I'll return it Thursday at 5pm, 25% chance of Thursday at 6am, and 25% chance of sometime Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.
For now, I have an Avis car reserved via Costco, with the most likely return of Thursday 5pm. But nowhere during the reservation process did it show the "extra day" rate. Can I assume it will be the same as the daily rate for the reserved rental? If I return it early, would I pay for one less day? Will it automatically change to a weekly rate if the rental is log enough? Is there a good way to verify this?
Are some rental companies better than others in cases like this? I seem to recall Alamo charges penalties for early or late returns.
Feb 2, 2020, 10:44 pm
#6
Moderator: Delta SkyMiles, Luxury Hotels, TravelBuzz! and Italy
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 26,562
Welcome to Flyertalk,
Marianne Collins
I am moving your thread to the Forum which is dedicated to Car Rentals. There is a general topic area as well as specific car rental agencies.
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator
Marianne Collins
I am moving your thread to the Forum which is dedicated to Car Rentals. There is a general topic area as well as specific car rental agencies.
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator