Looking to hit the open road or explore a new city on four-wheels? Whether you’re planning an epic road trip or just need to get around for the weekend, we have an insider’s look at how to get the most out of renting a car.
1. Booking sweet spot
Our data still shows that booking 2 weeks ahead will help you score the best deals.
2. Magic day to get the best deal = any day
While Wednesday sees the highest median price ($38), the lowest is only $3 behind. Looks like the myth of there being a magic day to rent your car just doesn’t hold weight.
3. Road trip? Where to find the best rates
When it comes to renting a car, Florida swept the board for having the lowest median daily rates. On the flip side, our data found that renting in smaller Midwestern cities (think: Des Moines) and Alaska had the highest median rates.
4. Airport or City Center?
While our data shows that the median rental price varies by only $2 when you pick up at an airport ($35) or city center ($33), that price changes significantly if you mix-up your pick-up and drop-off locations. Picking up at an airport location and dropping off in a city center (or vice versa) drives your median rental price up from $33-35 to a whopping $65. It’s best to go from airport to airport or city to city.
5. Spring for the upgrade
Going from economy (median $31) to intermediate (median $33) averages only an additional $2 in price. Similarly, going from an intermediate to Standard/Full-size is only $4 more. So live a little and splurge on those upgraded wheels.
Put those windows down and turn up the tunes (we even made you a playlist to get through the first 250 miles of your road trip). Start your rental car search on KAYAK.
Methodology: Unless otherwise indicated, we considered car rental searches of all classes conducted on the US locale for US origins between 07/01/2015 and 08/01/2016 for travel between 08/01/2015 and 08/01/2016. Median prices are reflective of one-day car rentals.
