Sometimes, you have to travel around in countries like Spain, and you need a set of wheels so you can be on time for your appointment. However, who wants to pay $70 and up a day for a car rental? Fortunately, you don’t have to.
There are some tricks where you can score the best prices and cheapest car rentals for your next trip on the road. Whether you’re planning for a cross-country odyssey or just a quick weekend getaway, it’s best to follow the following tips to save time and money.
How to Find the Best Car Rental Packages?
- Forget About the Airport
If you’re in cities like Alicante, renting cars that are found in airports can be convenient. However, these kinds of convenience offered to you are something that you can get for a premium. This is because there are airport surcharges that the companies have to pay.
In many International Airports, you may have to pay about 10% of Concession Recovery Fees and a $6 per day for Customer Facility Charge on top of your daily rate. This can be higher in airports located near the cities in Spain.
You may want to shop for prices and rental locations and compare them to the rates of the ones that are near the airport. Ensure to include the costs of taxis from the rental site as well.
- Do Online Comparisons
You can find the best rates in many sites. Deals are usually shown on Goautos – Leiebil Alicante so you can compare prices and know which ones are considered the best deals. Narrow down your options and call the companies before going to learn more about their services.
If possible, go directly to the site where you may find more discounts and better rates. Steeper discounts are available if you book in advance and click the payment option today. It’s essential to keep in mind that the amount you’ve paid can be non-refundable, but you’ll have better chances of getting the car you want.
Even after the booking, you can still shop around for prices. If you can still cancel a booking and the money can be refunded back to you, try to find companies that offer better prices.
- Discount Brands are Available
Know that the expensive brands are not the only ones available in town. Some have discount brants where you can pay less that want your business. They usually offer lower rates for big-rental companies. Learn more about the membership programs on this page here.
On a given day, data is showing that the lowest-priced cars in a dollar or advantage store can be $5 cheaper than the most affordable premium car rental, especially in Alicante, Spain. These are the savings that you can look forward to, especially if you’re making multiple trips in a year.
- Take Advantage of Memberships
If you have a membership that you got from companies where you often go or have coupons from the local establishments where you usually shop, you can take advantage of these and use them for your next car rental to save some bucks.
Some shops will let you add drivers for free, and you can take advantage of some AAA memberships as nice additions of up to 10% on savings. There are frequent flier programs that can even offer up to 35% discounts, but these may need you to rent on airports.
- Get Economy Cars Whenever Possible
The economy cars are ideal for solo travelers, and they are usually the cheapest options in Spain. Therefore, they are the ones who are mostly up for grabs because tourists frequently book them. You can turn this to your advantage as you can reserve the most affordable and smallest vehicle possible. There’s always the chance that what you want won’t necessarily be in the parking lot, so it may be time for you to get an upgrade.
You just have to make sure that you don’t reserve a vehicle that’s too small for the entire party traveling with you. The whole ride can be uncomfortable if there are about five people cramming inside with their luggage on a two-door coupe. This may not exactly be the vacation that you’re looking for.
- Best to Stick with a Single Driver
Many companies will add daily fees if you are going to request two or more drivers. According to statistics, the price that you’re going to pay every day for a driver is $12 on average. However, this can vary in the country where you’re going.
Fortunately, there are ways for you to dodge fees, and this is where you have your spouse as a driver. You need to have the same address on your driver’s license to waive the extra expenses. Other enterprises could waive the said fees for your partner, immediate family, or spouse if they were enrolled in the membership programs beforehand. Leveraging other memberships like AAA, AARP, and USAA, even if you are going to another country, can be an option.
- Using Your Own Insurance
If you have a car at home, there’s a chance that the primary insurance will likely cover you and the rental that you have in another country. Read more about insurance here: http://www.nerdwallet.com/article/insurance/rental-car-insurance. For millennials that are careless, it’s best if your parents can add you as drivers to their insurance, so you’re covered with the package as well. This can be convenient, especially if you have an excellent driving record, which won’t cost extra for you.
Some of the credit card companies will include basic coverage that lets you get this for free, primarily if you use this to pay for the rental. The savings can be as much as $30/day while you’re in Europe but make sure to clarify this first with your insurance. An overseas renting may require you to purchase their insurance but not all. Check this with the company before going.
- Forget about the Extras
Many rental agents make money by offering you extras that you don’t necessarily need. Some will give you packages for car seats, toll transponders, and navigation which can be up to $115 a day. Instead, you can use the systems you’re carrying inside your pocket and save some money on gas in the process.
You can also use Google Maps and Waze instead of GPS. If you’re in Alicante, you can always plan out your journey before the trip, download directions whenever you’re in the range of Wi-Fi, or go old school and get a map. In addition to this, transponders can also be up to $25 a day, but you can purchase them for about $20 in many pharmacy stores and pay for those you’ve only used.
Comments