Rental Car options

What kind of discounts are available for rental Cars?

Which sites or books or magazines have the best?

Any help is always appreciated thanks

I have been finding my best rates through Costco. 2 others are autoslash and carrentals. https://www.autoslash.com/

https://www.carrentals.com/

Although Costco has low rates, they require you to be a member of Costco to complete the booking. So if you are a member you typically can find the best rates there. If not I have had good luck with carrentalsavers.com, BJs website, and AARP website None of these require memberships.

Once you book (don't prepay), then keep checking rates every few days (even at the site at which you booked). Here is an excerpt from my last trip relating to car rentals:

"Began renting rental cars about 6 weeks before trip and initially the lowest rate was about $320 for a midsize at Avis for four and one-half days. Every few days I would check back at various sites such as carrentalsavers.com, BJs, and AARP checking Avis, Alamo, Dollar, Budget, and Thrifty. Every so often I would find a rate cheaper by $20 or so, so I would rebook at the lower rate and cancel the older reservation.  For a while I was stuck at $280 and then I found a rate at $240. Soon after that I rebooked at $220, $200, and then $180. In the end about 4 days before leaving, through carrentalsavers.com, I got a rate of $143.40 (all in) through Dollar."

So although the initial best rate was $320 I eventually got a rate of $143.40. But rates can go up overtime as well. So always book when you see a lower rate. You can then always cancel and rebook at the lower rate later. But If you don't book the lower rate at the time if you wait and don't book it rates could go up and you'll  have missed geting the lowest rate.

Thanks A ton, FRANK and STEPHEN I found a really great price on CARRENTALS and will keep checking back, I booked at The Flamingo address but might switch it to the Airport location.

The last time I rented from the Airport locations they had to take you there by shuttle and it took hours and a huge hassle.... ANy changes in that?

Del - you still have to take the shuttle, but it does not take that long.  One caution, under no circumstances should you book with Fox.  Not only does it require a 2nd shuttle, but then there is the envetiable long waiting as too few agents try to upsell you on insurance. 

Thanks FRANK, Ill remember that. 

What is the secret to avoiding the INSURANCE ?

If you do not rent at the airport but at the hotel, you will probably need to take some sort of transportation to your hotel which could cost you anywhere from $5 to $35 as  well as transportation back from your hotel to the airport, so In addition to your car  rental costs  you could have costs of probably another $40 to $50 for transporation back and forth to the airport, which you will not have if you rent a car at the airport. The shuttle to the rental center typically only adds about 10 or 15 minutes. I've never been delayed for any length of time. OTOH when your rent at the airport you will pay airport rental fees and taxes that you will not have if you rent at the hotel, but typically the base rate you pay will be so much higher at the hotel versus the airport that they often cancel each other out.

One other factor is that unless you are exempt from paying parking fees as a result of having high Caesars status like Diamond or higher or have their credit card (I think?), you will be paying parking fees on your rental every day.

So don't just consider the rental car costs but you may need to add in transpo costs back and forth if you rent a car at teh hotel and in either case you have to consider daily parking fees at your hotel (or not)?

Insurance avoidance? That has a whole 'notha set of variables that all depends on your own auto policy coverage and the coverage of the credit card you use as well as specific policies of the renatal car agency regarding paying for a damaged car down time loss?   I suggest calling your own insurance company and see what you are covered for and not covered for if you rent a car as well as look to see what your credit card covers if anything in their policies.

As other have said stay away from the third tier companies with regular poor reviews that  typically require two shuttle rides at the airport to a non-rental center location. Stay with Hertz, Avis, Dollar, Alamo, Budget, Thrifty, or Enterprise otherwise you more likely than not will be in for unpleasant surprises.

If you are a member of Southwest Rewards you can book through there using the Costco coupons...and then you get the Southwest points on top of that.    Did it in Florida last week.

For vets.... MLife and Total Rewards offers an automatic upgrade to their players cards. That includes free parking.

best way to rent cars I've found is to book via carrentals.com and then put that info into autoslash.com. Autoslash's initial rates aren't great but once you punch in a rate from somewhere else, they will find you a better rate. If you check every 3 days, you might do better but for ease of use, you can't beat autoslash.