So, you are planning a vacation or a road trip, or you are in a foreign country. Obviously, you are going with the car rental, after all, it’s safe and convenient. But, in all that planning, there come a few questions about car rentals.
Questions like “When is the best time to reserve a rental car?” and “What time of day is best to pick up a rental car?” comes to mind. Well, don’t worry, we are going to cover everything you need to know about car rentals.
What Is the Best Time to Book a Car Rental
Let’s take a look at a car rental company, Realcar.nyc for example, that specializes in luxury cars. They have a delivery system where the car can be delivered wherever you like. Because they specialize in luxury cars you are less likely to get a car rental “now for now”
With that being said, when is the best time to book your rental car? Well, here are three things to look for so you can save your money and get the car you want when you want.
Book Early
The only guarantee that you can get the car that you want is to book it as soon as it’s available. This might sound redundant but, if you are planning your vacation months in advance and you already took your leave from a job, it’s okay to book the car too.
Not only is the car guaranteed but it’s also a lot cheaper to book it early. This is because car rental companies have their cost per day per car and they want their cars to be rented as much as possible. Because of that, they would give you a discount if you booked in advance.
Avoid High Season
In car renting, summer and spring break is the worst time to rent a car. Chances are that all of the cars are already rented, and those that aren’t are very expensive. Of course, if you book a few months in advance you are going to get a better price but it’s still going to be high.
So, if you are planning a vacation or a business trip, you should avoid summer and spring break. This of course is a tip for saving money, if you must go then just be sure to book it a few months in advance.
Rent in City
If you want to sacrifice a little luxury to save some money you should only rent in a city and not in an airport. Also using the option of delivery that now most car rental companies offer is going to be a little bit more expensive.
If you are in this situation you are most likely in another country looking for a rental. So, it’s important to do your research and book the rental in advance and pick it up at the city in which you are going. This of course is a method to save some money.
We are sure now that you know when is the best time to get a rental car and save a few bucks along the way. By doing these three you are for sure going to get the car you want and you are going to get it for the best price there is.
Also, keep a lookout for promotions and special deals because in the mix with everything above you can get some rental cars for really cheap.
Booking Last Minute
There of course are instances where it’s okay to book at the last minute. But, prices may rise if you try to book something 48h before, so don’t really wait until the last minute.
If you are traveling alone or with your significant other and don’t have any special requirements about the car chances are that you can find a car whenever you want. Also, if you know the date you need the car rental isn’t going to be busy, or it’s off-season, you can book it last minute without any repercussions.
Short trips are a brainer, you don’t want to book 3 months in advance to have a car for two days. Also, if you get some promotions from the car rental company, you can use it to book last minute and save yourself some money.
Closing Thoughts
If you want to get the cheapest car rental you should book around one to three months in advance and stick to common category cars like compacts and sedans. Also, to get the best price you will want to pick it up somewhere in the city and of course try to book it during a slow season.
If you use all of this we are sure you will figure out what is the best time to book a rental car for you.