Get a Discount on Your Rental Car

When you’re traveling on a budget, you can spend days searching for discounts on your airfare and hotel room. But if you forget about your rental car, you’ll still end up paying a premium to get around.

Wondering how to get a discount on a rental car? If you know what to do, it’s not that hard.

Search Online

The Internet is your friend here. Before you make a single reservation, see what sort of discount codes you can find online. Don’t just search the company website; sites like Rental Car Momma list dozens of coupon codes. If you’re a member of AAA, a student or a senior citizen you might also be able to get an extra discount on top of any coupons.

Rent from a Non-Airport Location

Rental companies at airports generally tack on a concession fee, which can add 10–20 percent to your rental rate per day. If you can, pick a location that you can get to by foot, cab or public transit. It’s a little less convenient, but if you have more time than money it can save you a bundle.

Pick Up the Phone

Most of us like to make our reservations online — it’s quick, easy and you can do it before bed. But sometimes a person is more likely to give you a break than a machine. Try calling the company and asking a representative what sort of deal they can offer you on a rental car. If you’ve been a customer before, be sure to mention that — businesses love to reward loyalty.