Car Rentals [master thread]
Sep 18, 2011, 12:17 pm
#106
Join Date: Nov 2009
Programs: US Air, United
Posts: 95
Too bad Keith wasn't working when I went in today! After I'd made the reservation online using the $5 US discount, the estimated AI price was $19. When I went in to pay, the guy there gave me a bill where he took away the $5 US discount and put me in a higher car class. I pointed out the discrepancies to him, and he played dumb (or perhaps WAS dumb) and spent another 5 minutes adjusting my price. Not sure if I'll go back there even if Keith is there - the place REEKED - like sour milk.
Sep 18, 2011, 12:20 pm
#107
Join Date: Nov 2009
Programs: US Air, United
Posts: 95
Nice. Try the Hertz location inside the Doubletree Southpark. In the back of the building. Last year I used the standard US CDP/PC codes and got a 24 hour rental for $6.11 a/i. Don't know if it'll work this year.
I'm trying to find those codes this year--it was on #1 on last years massive GS thread.
I'm trying to find those codes this year--it was on #1 on last years massive GS thread.
Sep 18, 2011, 12:35 pm
#108
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 20
NYC data point
I just did a one hour rental in Manhattan for $18.88 (all in, using the HOURLY code). I drove the car to the end of the parking garage (about 10ft) before backing it up and returning it. Rental contract shows that I had it for 8mins (had to wait in line to return it) and clearly shows that my US FF acct will be awarded 50 miles. I intend to "wash, rinse, repeat" when I visit NYC over the next two months for the remaining 5 hits!
Last edited by lrwelsh; Sep 18, 2011 at 12:48 pm
Sep 18, 2011, 7:07 pm
#110
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton GLD, Marriott Plat, NEXUS/GE
Posts: 2,872
Sep 18, 2011, 7:12 pm
#111
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: YYZ
Posts: 6,138
Wirelessly posted (iPhone: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_5 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8L1 Safari/6533.18.5)
If you're renting near LAX, try one of the rental car counters in the hotels near the airport.
The airport lots pass on a $10/rental LAWA (airport authority) fee, along with some other levies, the hotels are considered off-airport and do not.
I use the Hertz desk at the LAX Hilton and save a bundle. Not as much selection as the airport lot, but the guys there take care of me...
Originally Posted by savekenny
Actually I'll be in LA for a wedding for a Sat-Mon weekend in early October. Instead of getting a 3-day car rental on Hotwire or Priceline like I usually do, I went through the US Airways codes and booked three separate daily rentals (Alamo 1st day, Dollar 2nd day, Alamo 3rd day) for $30 each day a/i. I may be spending ~$20 more than I would have with hotwire/priceline and have to deal with the hassle of going to LAX each day to return old car / rent new car, but I see my "spend" for GS as the incremental cost of $20, minus 800 miles received for the rentals--so about $10!
The airport lots pass on a $10/rental LAWA (airport authority) fee, along with some other levies, the hotels are considered off-airport and do not.
I use the Hertz desk at the LAX Hilton and save a bundle. Not as much selection as the airport lot, but the guys there take care of me...
Sep 19, 2011, 2:18 am
#112
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 193
I have done two Hertz hourly rentals already. Here is some more info:
- Hertz hourly rentals can be returned to ANY location in Manhattan, not just the one you used for pick-up. Therefore I pick up my car at the garage across the street from my apartment (downtown) and drive to a Hertz garage 6 blocks from my office (midtown). This saves me the $2.25 subway fare in the morning.
- Gas is included in the rate.
- The $12 ($15.29 total with taxes) cost per rental is only valid Mon - Thurs. The Fri - Sun rate is $3 more.
- Rate codes HOURLY and HRLYD are the same. HRLYD is only valid Mon - Thurs for $12 whereas HOURLY is available any day (but will be $15 on Fri - Sun).
- Hertz hourly rentals can be returned to ANY location in Manhattan, not just the one you used for pick-up. Therefore I pick up my car at the garage across the street from my apartment (downtown) and drive to a Hertz garage 6 blocks from my office (midtown). This saves me the $2.25 subway fare in the morning.
- Gas is included in the rate.
- The $12 ($15.29 total with taxes) cost per rental is only valid Mon - Thurs. The Fri - Sun rate is $3 more.
- Rate codes HOURLY and HRLYD are the same. HRLYD is only valid Mon - Thurs for $12 whereas HOURLY is available any day (but will be $15 on Fri - Sun).
Sep 19, 2011, 7:27 am
#114
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,187
Just go to your local Hertz 'HLE' and tell them about the promo and that you would be willing to part with 15-20$ for a rental that you will not drive. Should be no biggie.
Sep 19, 2011, 7:42 am
#115
Join Date: Sep 2011
Programs: Delta DM, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 1,495
Not 100% sure until the first sweep next week starts posting miles. However, the receipt clearly shows 50 US miles are generated from the hourly rental. I only do one rental per day. Will post back to confirm whether these count as hits.
Sep 19, 2011, 8:06 am
#116
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: BOS
Programs: US, AA, Delta, BA, Hilton, Marriot, HYATT
Posts: 433
Sep 19, 2011, 11:15 am
#117
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Finally back in Boston after escaping from New York
Posts: 13,644
The following conversation took place this weekend:
Me: Oh, I have to run over to the Park Plaza Hotel on Monday.
DW: Why?
Me: I'm having an affair.
DW: (After five minutes of laughing): Seriously, why?
Me: What, you don't believe somebody would have an affair with me?
DW: Okay, what points scheme is this related to?
In Boston, the Hertz "hourly rental" place is across from the Boston Park Plaza hotel. The guy told me that I needed to take the car out once he did the paperwork, but once he realized that I truly had no interest in it, he just checked me back in. He understood once I told him it was a mileage promo. Total was $25.60, due to non-amortized Convention Center tax. The receipt said "50 miles awarded" and gave my DM number.
Total transaction time: about four minutes. It's worth noting that, when I told my wife that, she started to get nervous that I actually was having an affair.
Mike
Me: Oh, I have to run over to the Park Plaza Hotel on Monday.
DW: Why?
Me: I'm having an affair.
DW: (After five minutes of laughing): Seriously, why?
Me: What, you don't believe somebody would have an affair with me?
DW: Okay, what points scheme is this related to?
In Boston, the Hertz "hourly rental" place is across from the Boston Park Plaza hotel. The guy told me that I needed to take the car out once he did the paperwork, but once he realized that I truly had no interest in it, he just checked me back in. He understood once I told him it was a mileage promo. Total was $25.60, due to non-amortized Convention Center tax. The receipt said "50 miles awarded" and gave my DM number.
Total transaction time: about four minutes. It's worth noting that, when I told my wife that, she started to get nervous that I actually was having an affair.
Mike
Sep 19, 2011, 11:41 am
#118
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: On strike
Posts: 8,135
Sep 19, 2011, 12:16 pm
#119
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: AUS
Programs: Doing GS11, probably affiliated with every program out there
Posts: 188
so I was searching for cheap rental cars around where I live (MCO) and found that alamo locaion at SFB (sanford international airport) right north of orlando, actually not too far from where I live has $18.99 all in for sunday rentals (incude surcharge for credit to US DM). just in case this is helpful for anyone. I am doing a rental on 10/2 sunday for this price. This includes the 10% discount for alamo insider which I am sure you all have already signed up for GS right 
Sep 19, 2011, 12:34 pm
#120
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Purgatory
Programs: Too many to list. Status is a half dozen.
Posts: 9,235
The following conversation took place this weekend:
Me: Oh, I have to run over to the Park Plaza Hotel on Monday.
DW: Why?
Me: I'm having an affair.
DW: (After five minutes of laughing): Seriously, why?
Me: What, you don't believe somebody would have an affair with me?
DW: Okay, what points scheme is this related to?
In Boston, the Hertz "hourly rental" place is across from the Boston Park Plaza hotel. The guy told me that I needed to take the car out once he did the paperwork, but once he realized that I truly had no interest in it, he just checked me back in. He understood once I told him it was a mileage promo. Total was $25.60, due to non-amortized Convention Center tax. The receipt said "50 miles awarded" and gave my DM number.
Total transaction time: about four minutes. It's worth noting that, when I told my wife that, she started to get nervous that I actually was having an affair.
Mike
Me: Oh, I have to run over to the Park Plaza Hotel on Monday.
DW: Why?
Me: I'm having an affair.
DW: (After five minutes of laughing): Seriously, why?
Me: What, you don't believe somebody would have an affair with me?
DW: Okay, what points scheme is this related to?
In Boston, the Hertz "hourly rental" place is across from the Boston Park Plaza hotel. The guy told me that I needed to take the car out once he did the paperwork, but once he realized that I truly had no interest in it, he just checked me back in. He understood once I told him it was a mileage promo. Total was $25.60, due to non-amortized Convention Center tax. The receipt said "50 miles awarded" and gave my DM number.
Total transaction time: about four minutes. It's worth noting that, when I told my wife that, she started to get nervous that I actually was having an affair.
Mike
The post should be copied to a new topic, stickied and titled as the best post of Grand Slam 2011.