One-way car hire

[Darren Wheeler]

For May, I'm looking at hiring a car in Vegas, then travelling down to Palm Springs before heading LAX for the return flight.

A quick check through and the usual hire companies all seem to have one-way drop-off fees (total con in my book!) of anything up to 300.

Does anyone know of any companies who don't charge one or if they do, it's realistic?

[Neil]

Give Virgin a call. I am currently sorting out the same thing myself, and whilst you can't book a one way car hire through the VS site currently, you can with VS direct and they don't charge a one way fee between Nevada and California. The booking is with Alamo and the rates have been very good that I have been quoted for May.

Also, have a look at broker sites like USrentacar, most of those don't charge a way one drop fee between certain states.

Neil

Absolutely no need to worry Darren, none of the big companies charge for one ways within California or indeed between CA, NV & AZ so you can pickup in these states & return to anywhere without charge. Here's what we had on our Dollar confirmation last year (when we collected in LAS and returned to LAX. I think on every west coast holiday we've done we've collected and returned in different places and there's never been a charge:

ONE WAY RENTAL CHARGES
One way rentals NOT available in Alaska,Nashville or Salt Lake City. NO charge for one way rentals originating and terminating in the state of Florida and NO charge for one way rentals originating and terminating in the state of California. NO charge for one way rentals between the states of California,Nevada and Arizona.

Cheers, James

[Neil]

quote:Originally posted by Vegascrazy
none of the big companies charge for one ways within California or indeed between CA, NV & AZ


Not quite true James. Hertz charge for one ways between LA and Vegas, and I know one of the other big companies do (think it was Alamo) as I got a quote on their website.

Did you book direct or through a broker?

quote:Originally posted by Neil
quote:Originally posted by Vegascrazy
none of the big companies charge for one ways within California or indeed between CA, NV & AZ


Not quite true James. Hertz charge for one ways between LA and Vegas, and I know one of the other big companies do (think it was Alamo) as I got a quote on their website.

Did you book direct or through a broker?

Thanks for correcting me Neil. I must admit I wasn't aware that any of the biggies actually charged between these states as picking up in one location & returning to another in these bordering states must be such a common occurance. I guess it's just a case of ensuring you stick with a provider that definitely does not charge [:)]

Over the years we've always booked through one of:
Virgin Holidays
http://www.netflights.com/
http://www.transhire.com

Transhire was who we used last year. The partner hire companies have been a mixture but always between Dollar, Alamo & Budget, last year was Dollar. I don't think we have ever collected & returned to same location, it has always been a different return point.

[Darren Wheeler]

Thanks James

I've tried Netflights but their site is a bit broken at the moment.

[Neil]

quote:
Over the years we've always booked through one of:
Virgin Holidays
http://www.netflights.com/
http://www.transhire.com


Sounds about right then. If you book direct with any of the main car hire companies, they will charge one way fee's, but most brokers/agents don't seem to, so that seems to be the best way to go. We have used various ones over the years without any problems.

Neil

We've booked a rental car NYC to San Fracisco for 45 days Mid May to 1st July.
We searched all of the major rental companys, some charged this drop fee others didn't.
Eventually we op-ed to book through carhire3000.com [^], although we have to pay a $250 fee for picking up one side of the country and dropping off the other side, the overall cost is far and away cheaper than going direct.[y]

Alamo charge a one way fee between SFO and LAX. [xx(]

quote:Originally posted by woggles
We've booked a rental car NYC to San Fracisco for 45 days Mid May to 1st July.
We searched all of the major rental companys, some charged this drop fee others didn't.
Eventually we op-ed to book through carhire3000.com [^], although we have to pay a $250 fee for picking up one side of the country and dropping off the other side, the overall cost is far and away cheaper than going direct.[y]


45 days, trans-continental, awesome [y]

[Neil]

quote:Originally posted by Tinkerbelle
Alamo charge a one way fee between SFO and LAX. [xx(]


But book through Virgin (either holidays or Atlantic), who now use Alamo, and there isn't a charge [;)]

quote:Originally posted by Tinkerbelle
Alamo charge a one way fee between SFO and LAX. [xx(]

Only if you book direct with them Tinks, not through a UK broker such as http://www.transhire.com
I just double checked, using SFO as collection point & LAX as return point. It offers up a choice of Alamo & Dollar and in both cases it states:
ONE WAY RENTAL CHARGES
NOT available on sub-economy or economy OR in Alaska. NO charge for one way rentals originating and terminating in the state of Florida and NO charge for one way rentals originating and terminating in the state of California.No charge from Arizona - Nevada or vice versa. No charge from California - Arizona or vice versa . No charge from California - Nevada or vice versa

But to get my discount with them, I have to book direct! [xx(]

quote:Originally posted by slinky09
quote:Originally posted by woggles
We've booked a rental car NYC to San Fracisco for 45 days Mid May to 1st July.
We searched all of the major rental companys, some charged this drop fee others didn't.
Eventually we op-ed to book through carhire3000.com [^], although we have to pay a $250 fee for picking up one side of the country and dropping off the other side, the overall cost is far and away cheaper than going direct.[y]


45 days, trans-continental, awesome [y]


38 days on the road in reality not quite so awesome but still a big trip.Did route 66 in 28 days in 07 [:D]

Have just booked our car hire for California this May and am amazed at the huge differences being offered up between broker sites offering up exactly the same car hire company and identical included items. Here are the variations I've stumbled on whilst booking a mid-size SUV - collecting from Alamo at San Diego on 17/5 & returning to LAX 26/5 - all insurances included:-

virginatlantictravelplus.com --> 255 (clear winner!)

alamo.co.uk --> 374.40 PLUS mandatory additional charges paid locally of $122 (consisiting of one Way Charge & Concession Recoup Fee)

alamo.com --> $1146 (nearly three times the virgin price!!)

transhire.com --> 345 (they were the cheapest last year but clearly not in 2010)

So Virgin it had to be! The terms are very clear in stating no one way fees payable and also they're currently promoting: 'Book car hire through this page throughout the month of February and get triple miles for every 1 you spend. Plus when you show your Flying Club card at the car hire desk when picking up your car you will receive an additional 1000 miles'I also clicked through to the Virgin car hire site using the Flying Club Shopping button offering 2 miles/ and, of course, paid on my VS Amex black giving 4 miles/ so all in all stand to reap 3295 miles [y]

[Neil]

James, have you checked out USRentacar. We always use them for Orlando, and they are about 50 cheaper than everyone else got us in May, picking up in LA and dropping off in Vegas. You can pay only a 50 deposit if you wish.

quote:Originally posted by Neil
James, have you checked out USRentacar. We always use them for Orlando, and they are about 50 cheaper than everyone else got us in May, picking up in LA and dropping off in Vegas. You can pay only a 50 deposit if you wish.

Thanks Neil, thank goodness (as I'd already booked through Virgin!) - USRentacar come in 15 more at 270 [;)]

TBH even if they had been marginally cheaper I'd still have booked through Virgin purely to earn the 3K+ miles off a spend of 255.

[Neil]

I agree, nice chunk of miles you will earn. Shame VS are over 100 for us!

I've been following this thread with interest as I'm trying to book a one way between San Francisco and Seattle. I must admit to being a little frustrated by those sites that come up with a message saying 'here's the quote...but by the way you may need to pay a one way fee when you collect the car...'. Just give me the f*^&$'g price.

And those that do seem to charge as much for the one way as for the car rental. Grrrrr.

[Neil]

quote:Originally posted by pjh
I've been following this thread with interest as I'm trying to book a one way between San Francisco and Seattle. I must admit to being a little frustrated by those sites that come up with a message saying 'here's the quote...but by the way you may need to pay a one way fee when you collect the car...'. Just give me the f*^&$'g price.

And those that do seem to charge as much for the one way as for the car rental. Grrrrr.


It is so annoying I agree. I have found that it is only the broker type sites that do not charge the 1 way drop off fee's, so concentrate your time and effort on those. We tend to use them anyway and as long as it is one of the main ones you will be fine.

Neil

[Scrooge]

Just to point out a little something.

The one thing your forgetting when you complain about the one way fee's is the actual distance 'away from home' your dropping these cars off at. Your looking at 300 miles + and yes while the fee is annoying you can hardly blame the car companies for doing this.

James, great score, I have often used Avis as a quick and cheap way to boost my account balance, $25 for a one day rental nets 1000 miles and it posts in a couple of days, it really can't be beat.

[Neil]

quote:Originally posted by Scrooge
Just to point out a little something.

The one thing your forgetting when you complain about the one way fee's is the actual distance 'away from home' your dropping these cars off at. Your looking at 300 miles + and yes while the fee is annoying you can hardly blame the car companies for doing this.


Yes, but if the rental companies are offering no one way fee's to the brokers, whose rates are cheaper then direct even without the one way fee's it seems stupid that they don't do it themselves.

Also, surely the amount of one way's will just even themselves out, surely they don't take every car back to it's original location, so I don't get what the issue really is.

[Scrooge]

Do you understand how the broker system works ?

There is a reason why they do this, the broker guarantees the car rental agency x number of rentals per day, they have to pay whether they manage to rent that number of cars or not, the agency is guaranteed a steady flow of income, however in order to earn this business they have to cut the rates to the bone.

It's pretty much the same way as websites like Expedia work with hotel rooms.

quote:Originally posted by pjh
I've been following this thread with interest as I'm trying to book a one way between San Francisco and Seattle.

I'm pretty sure there's no way of avoiding a drop off fee between San Fran & Seattle but I'd be interested to know if you clinch something!

For years it has been the case with Dollar and Alamo (but as Neil says provided booked through a broker) for there to be no one way fees within & between certain states. For example Virgin Holidays have always promoted that within FL & between CA, NV & AZ there are no one-way fees. Certainly in that south-western area of USA it must be incredibly common to collect in one location and return in another, what with the LA, Las Vegas, Grand Canyon popular tour 'triangle'.

quote:Originally posted by Vegascrazy
quote:Originally posted by pjh
I've been following this thread with interest as I'm trying to book a one way between San Francisco and Seattle.

I'm pretty sure there's no way of avoiding a drop off fee between San Fran & Seattle but I'd be interested to know if you clinch something!



I don't think a clinch will be the end result...and it doesn't surprise me. What is annoying me is that my Transhire Quote has the phrase re: One way

'approx cost US$ 99 - US$500 + taxes (depending on mileage) payable on collection of the vehicle.'

I should get off my backside and phone I guess.

At least with Hertz direct the quote comes with the one way explicitly set out and built into the price.

Anyhow, whatever the price it has to be paid!

Paul