Airport Car
Traveling for business or pleasure, odds are pretty good that you’ll need a vehicle once you arrive at the airport. Many travelers make the mistake of expecting to walk up to the airport car rental desk and walk away with a good deal, but the fact is that airport car rentals are often more expensive than you’d expect. Planning ahead is the key.
Car rental websites will sometimes offer deals, but it’s important to remember that renting from the airport location may still cost more than you’re planning. The best way to get a real deal when you’re stuck picking up a car from the airport is by booking a package deal with a travel website. Some sites that will help you book an airport car are:
Orbitz
Priceline
Travelocity
Hotwire
and Kayak
Not every travel website can offer special deals for airport car rentals, but they can help with price guarantees, problems with the dealership, or other travel related issues.
In most cases, all you can do to reduce the cost of an airport rental is to avoid extra fees. Be sure to fill up the gas tank before returning your rental car, or you could be stuck with a hefty charge. Make sure to read the fine print about mileage before heading out with your rental, and if possible opt for a dealership that offers unlimited mileage to avoid fees. You’ll also want to make sure you know exactly when the rental is due back at the dealership, and plan for traffic on your return trip.
Damage to the car is one of the most common sources of unexpected rental charges. Remember to do a thorough inspection of the car before taking it off the lot, and make sure any existing damages are noted by the staff. On returning the car, ask a member of the staff to look it over with you to confirm there is no damage before you leave. That way you won’t be seeing any surprise charges on your card later. If you cannot get a member of the staff to look over the car with you, be sure to take photos or video of the car before you leave as proof of its condition when you returned it.