Helpful Tips on Cheap Car Rentals

The next time you are responsible for planning a trip for business or pleasure, you won't have any trouble finding cheap rental cars. With so many choices, some people may find it difficult to sort through all the various options available, but it will be well worth your time to do your homework in advance. Knowledge is power when it comes to searching for the best deals and you'll have no trouble finding them if you know where to look.

Online resources make it easier than ever to compare prices when you are looking for cheap rental cars. The car rental companies will have details included on their corporate websites that will be helpful to you when you are comparing prices. You can also find plenty of information on the various travel booking websites that are out there.

One way to save money is to consider how long you will need to rent the car and choose a rental company accordingly. For rentals lasting less than a week, you will find that the best deals can be had with the major rental companies that deal nationally. If you will need the vehicle for a week or longer, you can often do better with a local company or car dealer. The only downside to dealing with local businesses is that support services are often sparse compared to the national companies.

If you have settled on a national company, there are ways to make cheap rental cars even cheaper. Review any frequent flyer agreements that you may be involved with, and check your credit card point programs. You can often find great deals that will allow you to trade frequent flyer miles or credit card points for cheaper car rental rates. They also offer some very good deals. You'll want to avoid the huge drop-off fees often charged for one-way rentals and don't forget to account for other fees like state and local taxes, gasoline charges and airport surcharges.

Another area where you can save is on rental insurance. If you are using a major credit card to pay for your car rental, review your card agreement. You will likely already be covered for collision damage at the very least. If this is the case, you can forgo purchasing additional collision damage waiver (CDW) or loss damage waiver (LDW) insurance.

Make sure that you fully understand the rental agreement because sometimes there are hidden fees that can turn cheap car rentals into expensive propositions at the end of the day. You want to be fully aware of any restrictions or penalties that may be incurred during your rental period. Will there be an extra charge if you are late picking up your vehicle? If someone other than you will be driving the car you want to ask about fees charged for additional drivers.

With all the resources and options available, shopping for cheap rental cars really couldn't be easier. Spend some time researching all the various options because the better educated you are, the better the deal you will be able to find.