Yesterday, after uploading the post, we settled into our comfy recliners with our laptops and mugs of ice tea, ready for one of those necessary but tedious travel tasks that always seem to take longer than expected. Booking rental cars sounds simple enough on the surface, but as seasoned nomads, we know better. There is an art to it, and more often than not, it requires patience, persistence, and a willingness to dig deeper than the average traveler might.
We needed to secure vehicles for two different segments of our upcoming itinerary. The first is our four-day drive from Vancouver, Washington, to Eden Prairie, Minnesota, from May 12 through May 16. The second is a longer stretch, from May 16 through June 8, during our twenty-three-night stay at the Residence Inn by Marriott before we head off to South Africa. Each segment comes with its own considerations, and each requires careful comparison.
Finding the best rental car prices is rarely a quick click-and-done situation. Many travelers understandably go straight to their preferred company, book whatever rate appears, and move on with their day. We may have done that years ago, before the beginning of our world travels, before this lifestyle sharpened our instincts. But now, after countless bookings across continents and currencies, we have learned that prices can vary wildly from one provider to another, sometimes by hundreds of dollars for the exact same vehicle class.
For us, the process begins with casting a wide net. We typically start with the major aggregator sites to get a general sense of the pricing landscape. We often use Expedia on our website for this process because they offer excellent pricing. This gives us a baseline, almost like taking the market’s temperature. From there, we visit individual rental company websites, including Costco, directly because the direct booking price occasionally beats the aggregators, especially when loyalty discounts or limited-time promotions are involved.
One of the first factors we always consider is the total price, not just the daily rate that flashes in bold on the screen. Over the years, we have learned that the attractive low daily rate can be misleading once taxes, airport fees, concession recovery charges, and various surcharges are added at checkout. We always click through to the final total before making any comparisons. That number tells the real story.
Another important factor is the logistics of pickup and drop-off. For the May road trip, we are picking up in one city and dropping off in another, which often triggers a one-way fee. Sometimes that fee is reasonable; other times, it is shockingly high. We check multiple companies because the one-way charge can vary dramatically depending on the provider and even the specific locations involved.
Vehicle size and comfort also matter more to us than they once did. During our four-day drive across several states, we will be spending long hours in the car. We look carefully at luggage capacity, fuel efficiency, and seat comfort. Saving a few dollars is never worth it if we end up cramped and uncomfortable for days on end. Experience has taught us that balance is everything.
For the longer Minnesota stay, our priorities shift slightly. Since we will have the car for over three weeks, the weekly rate becomes very important.
We closely monitor the cancellation policy. Flexibility is golden in this nomadic life. Plans change, flights shift, and unexpected opportunities appear. We strongly prefer reservations that allow free cancellation up to a reasonable cutoff time. Locking into a rigid, non-refundable booking for a small savings rarely feels like a wise trade. However, it’s a rare occasion that we’ve canceled a rental car, except most recently, when we stumbled across better pricing and were able to cancel the previous booking with no penalty.
Insurance coverage is another piece of the puzzle. Because of our credit card benefits and existing coverage, we typically decline the rental company’s insurance, but we always carefully double-check the terms. International travel has taught us never to assume anything about coverage details.
By the time we finished our research session yesterday, a few hours had quietly slipped by, as they often do during these booking marathons. Still, there is a certain satisfaction that comes from knowing we have done our homework thoroughly. This lifestyle has taught us that a little extra time spent researching today often translates into meaningful savings and fewer surprises tomorrow.
It may not be the most glamorous part of traveling the world, but it is certainly one of the most practical. And for long-term nomads like us, those practical wins add up in ways that truly matter over time.
Please check back tomorrow for our list of “do’s” and “don’ts” regarding car rentals.
Be well.
Photo from ten years ago today, February 24, 2016:
