August 26, 2004 -- The car rental business is as competitive as the Olympics. Companies vie for customers by offering up deals of the week, long-term discounts, last-minute discounts, mileage specials and varying prices on different sized cars. In short, one company can best another company in a number of different categories (weekly prices for compact cars), but lose out to another company in another category (prices for convertibles or SUVs). Sifting through all the deals is as easy as learning to read hieroglyphics. Let's take a practical look at deals and see who beats whom.
Last week, Budget (www.budget.com) announced a series of deals for a number of different car sizes and rental periods. Compacts are renting for $18 a day on the weekend or $129 for the week up to $37.99 a day on weekends for SUVs or $209 for a week. Alamo offers a similar deal with compacts going for $149 per week or $21 per day ($22.99 on weekend days) and SUVs for $229 a week and $33 per day (39.99 on weekend days). Alamo also offers big savings on its "Out of the Blue" weekly specials for last-minute deals. See www.alamo.com for the details on which cars and prices are available from specific locations. These deals are available for a limited time only.
Hertz (www.hertz.com) is offering similar deals from non-airport pick-ups. Calling attention to the Hertz dealer in your local neighborhood, the company is giving AAA members a discounted rate of $18 per day and $130 per week or $19 dollars per day and $139 per for non-AAA members. Hertz's last-minute specials include some great deals like renting a compact car in Cleveland for $16.99 per weekend day or $139.99 per week. Dollar Rental Car (www.dollar.com) offers its customers a special rate on compact cars of $27.99 per day through September 22nd. Avis is offering an "Escape Rate" of $28 per weekend day with a $179 weekly rate good for travel through October 15, 2004.
If you want to rent a car and ride in style, Thrifty (www.thrifty.com) is offering its Kansas City (blues and BBQ anyone?) car renters a Chrysler PT Cruiser at an excellent rate. From now until Sept. 6, 2004, it's only $32.99 per day or $169.99 per week.
When comparing rental prices of the major car rental companies, Alamo and Budget come out slightly ahead. Not counting any corporate rates or club membership discounts, rental fee for a compact car from a non-airport Chicago location returning the car to the same location from Thursday September 9 to Sunday, September 12 costs the following for each company:
- Alamo $62.97
- Budget $62.97
- Avis $68.97
- Dollar $74.97 (From O'Hare Airport; there is no non-airport agency)
- Thrifty $80.85
- Hertz $95.25
In a smaller market, like Charlotte, North Carolina, rates for the same four-day weekend are as follows.
- Alamo $104.85
- Budget $62.97
- Avis $62.97
- Dollar $59.97
- Thrifty $59.97
- Hertz $155.35
Remember, airport rentals are always more expensive than local neighborhood pick-up centers. (See our upcoming report on the emerging trend of local car rental places, coming soon.)
The above prices do not include insurance, costs of extra drivers, or vehicle taxes (which vary per destination and pick-up location). You pay for the gas, too.