Renting a vehicle can be costly if you aren't familiar with what is
standard in the industry. Renting a vehicle is more cost effective if
you rent it as a round trip rather than purchasing it one way assuming
you drop off the vehicle off at the same location the rental was issued.
Renting a vehicle can be costly if you aren't familiar with what is standard in the industry. Renting a vehicle is more cost effective if you rent it as a round trip rather than purchasing it one way assuming you drop off the vehicle off at the same location the rental was issued.
If you find yourself in a situation with a dying car or in a circumstance where you are moving and only need transportation for one way travel you may find that the additional amount the car rental agency will charge you in drop off fees exceeds even the amount of a round trip rental. Calling around does not usually help you find a lesser price, it just supplies you with some extra headaches.
Most companies won't tell you the secret to one way rentals because they want their fleet of vehicles to stay at their location and switching them around with other rental agencies that could be hundreds of miles away can be a real hassle. Essentially this is why they charge you a lot extra for one way rentals, because in the end they will have to arrange to get that vehicle back from the location that you dropped it at. This will not only cost them the amount that they will have to pay someone to drive the vehicle back but will cost them extra in fuel and wear and tear on the vehicle itself. So while these fees may seem to make the rental too expensive it is honestly the cost of getting that vehicle back.
If you want to minimize the cost for a one way vehicle rental consider getting it from an airport rental agency. It may not be close to where you are but the cost maybe worth it. Airport rental agencies usually have larger fleets and only have the major rental companies that have economies of scale and pass the savings to the consumer.
Most local rental agencies will not tell you if you go to the airport it may cost you less for a one way rental because they don't want to loose your business. This is where you need to call around and make some inquires as to who will provide a vehicle for the best cost. If you are traveling to another state and need a car, renting from the airport you landed in isn't a big deal. However, if you are driving to another place and plan on flying back, then going to an airport as your starting point may be inconvenient depending on where you live. A decision between cost and convenience will be debated but at least you now have the information to make that decision.
