April 2018 Car Rental Watch

[davper]

Is there any issue with getting the direct to car option through Alamo's site when booked through Costco? I usually use my Costco codes directly on the Alamo site but the Costco website was a few dollars cheaper this time.

I have rented Alamo a few times through Costco. All except 1 went smoothly. For some reason it would not let me check-in online. I had to go to the counter first instead of direct to car.

 

[emilymad]

I have rented Alamo a few times through Costco. All except 1 went smoothly. For some reason it would not let me check-in online. I had to go to the counter first instead of direct to car.

Thanks. I will keep both of my reservations for now until I do the check in.

 

[georgina]

Finally! Some price drops for my rental period of 4/18 or 4/21 to 5/1.

I have 2 rentals secured at the moment:
One from the airport at $350 for 13 days (Alamo thru Costco)
One from Hard Rock at $312 for 10 days and I won't have to pay the $66 in parking at HRH but have to pay Uber ~$30. (HRH Avis thru Costco)

I am still trying to decide if ~$75 is worth not having the flexibility and freedom of having the car for my first 3 days

Have you considered the Avis at the Doubletree? My rental there is currently half the price of the ones at the Universal hotels. It dropped again today. I will be doing the same thing, staying at Universal for 5 days without a car then renting one for my offsite Disney stay.

 

[davper]

Have you considered the Avis at the Doubletree? My rental there is currently half the price of the ones at the Universal hotels. It dropped again today. I will be doing the same thing, staying at Universal for 5 days without a car then renting one for my offsite Disney stay.

I now have a rental confirm at that avis and have one at Budget from airport. So far the net cost difference, considering parking and uber, is $50. I am most likely going to keep the airport pickup.

 

[PatMcDuck]

To checkin online, with Costco, I book on Costco Travel site (not sure why one would avoid this and enter the codes manually on the Alamo site? it is very convienent to have all pending reservations in one place for me.) Then I get a confirmation with a Costco reservation number and an Alamo reservation number. I go onto the alamo site, using their confirmation number. I am also part of their Insider club. Using that Alamo confirmation#, I can check in online, and even ADD the free second driver, if necessary. Then this lets me print out a paper with a barcode checkin thing. Pick the car and quick exit.

 

[davper]

To checkin online, with Costco, I book on Costco Travel site (not sure why one would avoid this and enter the codes manually on the Alamo site? it is very convienent to have all pending reservations in one place for me.) Then I get a confirmation with a Costco reservation number and an Alamo reservation number. I go onto the alamo site, using their confirmation number. I am also part of their Insider club. Using that Alamo confirmation#, I can check in online, and even ADD the free second driver, if necessary. Then this lets me print out a paper with a barcode checkin thing. Pick the car and quick exit.

Yuup, What she said. Only one time this didn't work for me.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

To checkin online, with Costco, I book on Costco Travel site (not sure why one would avoid this and enter the codes manually on the Alamo site? it is very convienent to have all pending reservations in one place for me.) Then I get a confirmation with a Costco reservation number and an Alamo reservation number. I go onto the alamo site, using their confirmation number. I am also part of their Insider club. Using that Alamo confirmation#, I can check in online, and even ADD the free second driver, if necessary. Then this lets me print out a paper with a barcode checkin thing. Pick the car and quick exit.

The alamo website has always allowed use of discounted contract ID rates plus coupons so you could book with the Costco Contract ID and also use a discount coupon - like the $25 ones that you often see. In the past year or more then Costco Contract rate hasn't matched what was offered if booking on the Costco website but still usually a better discount when combined with a coupon. For this April? It was increased so for us it was better just to book with Costco.

 

[wings91]

Thanks for all the heads up on the Costco savings (4/20-28). I finally pulled the trigger and became a member just for this discount. I had std SUV for $315 from Alamo and $236 from Avis (prefer Alamo a LOT). With the Costco discount I got a std SUV for $202, so my membership only cost me $25 compared to the Avis rate. I can't recall a rate this low for a std SUV in a long time, intermediate maybe, but this rate is insane!! Grab it while you can.

 

[Hopscotch]

Thanks for all the heads up on the Costco savings (4/20-28). I finally pulled the trigger and became a member just for this discount. I had std SUV for $315 from Alamo and $236 from Avis (prefer Alamo a LOT). With the Costco discount I got a std SUV for $202, so my membership only cost me $25 compared to the Avis rate. I can't recall a rate this low for a std SUV in a long time, intermediate maybe, but this rate is insane!! Grab it while you can.

Why do you not like Avis? I just rebooked on Costco from Alamo to Avis. Saved $60 and went from an intermediate SUV to a minivan which we much prefer. I thought Avis was one of the better companies. Also, any idea if I can skip the line at Avis and how to do that?

 

[wings91]

Why do you not like Avis? I just rebooked on Costco from Alamo to Avis. Saved $60 and went from an intermediate SUV to a minivan which we much prefer. I thought Avis was one of the better companies. Also, any idea if I can skip the line at Avis and how to do that?

The skipping the line is the big thing with Alamo vs Avis. I've used Alamo for so long, I haven't went to the counter in a decade. They are so easy, check in online and pick the vehicle out of the row of your car class. Love that! With Avis, sign up for the preferred. I believe you then proceed straight to the shack in the garage where they have a monitor with your name and parking space. You may need to see the attendant in the shack, but that line is only a few deep if at all. Also, look into the Avis Now app for your phone. I've never used it, but it sounds like you can change the vehicle they assign you to another one that's in the garage, so its a lot like Alamo, but now quite.

 

[BostonEd]

I got a minivan from Hertz for $369 (incl tax) for the week of April 15.

 

[Hopscotch]

I got a minivan from Hertz for $369 (incl tax) for the week of April 15.

If you have Costco, check those rates. Got a minivan for $213 for a week through Avis starting on the 16th.

 

[firstwdw]

I got a minivan from Hertz for $369 (incl tax) for the week of April 15.

Try Autoslash for discount codes. I have Hertz intermediate SUV (Rav 4, Ford escape) for $183 that week (including tax and fees)

 

[BostonEd]

If you have Costco, check those rates. Got a minivan for $213 for a week through Avis starting on the 16th.

Including taxes & fees? Unfortunately I do not have Costco.

Try Autoslash for discount codes. I have Hertz intermediate SUV (Rav 4, Ford escape) for $183 that week (including tax and fees)

That size SUV is frequently much less than a minivan. I do like Autoslash.

 

[supamaki]

I just got an SUV for $180 for the 14th-21st today with Autoslash codes. Renting from Hertz

 

[mzozzietj]

I currently have a mid-size SUV booked with HERTZ via AAA discount codes (240 for southern new england AAA) and $35 off code 204091. Total for 8-days 4/14 - 4/22 is $203 all in. Still stalking to hit my goal of under $200

 

[Missyrose]

April 21-26, Avis (Costco) intermediate SUV for $166 all-in.

 

[Hisgirl]

Is that $25 alamo code still working? I just ran the rates at the alamo site, put in that code, but it's not showing up in my final calculation. I found a $15 code at autoslash and I'll try that but would prefer the other one.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Got $9 lower this morning on Costco. Avis Int SUV at $166 from Alamo Int SUV at $175 for Apr 16-22nd.

 

[wings91]

Is that $25 alamo code still working? I just ran the rates at the alamo site, put in that code, but it's not showing up in my final calculation. I found a $15 code at autoslash and I'll try that but would prefer the other one.

AD3868JST $25 speciality
AD2823JAZ $25 good 2018
AD2834JFA $25
AD2365FDN $25
AD8382SDT Entertainment $25 suv
AD2365FDN $30