23 best tips for renting a car to travel

When take a tourist trip through a certain country where you are going to plan a route to see different places, rent a car It is from my point of view the ideal solution.

It allows you great autonomy, not depending on public transport, and in practice it becomes the only way to travel. visit the most hidden corners.

That is my experience and that is why I always try to use the car as a means of transportation on my trips.

Next, and based on this experience, here is a series of Tips to keep in mind when renting a car and try to get the best offer.

Tips for renting a car to travel

How to find rental car deals

La car companies offer for rent It is very broad, and the prices and availability of models that they offer can differ greatly depending on the country and location where you are going to rent it.

Therefore, when renting a car, you will need to spend some time looking for the best offer.

Which car is best to rent for your trip

The car models To rent What they offer you are the usual ones in the country you are going to visit, so you may come across a brand or model that you may not know.

But in the end what you really have to hire is a type of model with a specific size and characteristics.

Advantages of booking a rental car online

It becomes essential hire a rental car online in advance of your trip, even more so during times of high tourist season.

This way you can analyze the wide range of offers, choose the type of vehicle you need, find specific offers, and ensure that when you arrive at your destination you have a car already reserved.

If you leave it for last, and try to rent it directly at one of the destination's rental offices, it will surely cost you more and you will have to settle for the model they have at that time...if there are vehicles available.

Can you drive a rental car through different countries?

When you rent a car for a trip, it is generally possible to use it to tour other neighboring countries, except in some cases where it is not allowed.

Therefore, if you plan visit another country with a rental car, you have to make sure in advance that it will be possible.

Of course, in general you must return the car in the same country where you hired it, and if they allow you to do so in another country, they will charge you a significant surcharge on the price.

Type of car rental companies

Best international companies to rent a car

For rent a car to travel, you can do it through international companies car rental (type Europcar o Sixt), which offer a wide range of models that are usually renewed with great regularity.

They often have price deals and promotions, such as a discount if you book in advance, but generally their prices standard They tend to be more expensive.

Rent a car from a local company

You can also hire it in small local car rental companies.

The latter will offer you cheaper prices, although their range of models will be more limited, and you will surely not be able to hire them in advance via Internet.

Advantages of a car rental comparator

From my point of view, the most interesting alternative are the car rental comparators as Rental Car, which is the one I usually use.

They work with numerous rental companies and tend to offer the best prices as they can manage surpluses.

Car rental prices and conditions

The car rental prices They vary significantly depending on the country you are going to visit, the type of vehicle you hire and the company where you rent it.

Pay your car rental with a card

In general, when looking for a rental car in the websites From rental companies, although you have to provide the credit card number, payment is not actually made until you pick up the car.

Of course, keep in mind that you may have an additional charge later on the card if you have to pay the deductible for an incident or fine.

Advance online payment of car rental

There are rental companies that if you do the online payment al hire the car through their website, they offer you a best price with a discount of more or less 10 percent.

Likewise, in the case of the car rental comparison websites (kind Rental Car), you also do the online prepayment, and when you pick up the car you will only have to pay the rental company the supplements that you can hire (second driver, excess...)

What is the final amount to pay for a car rental?

Now, keep in mind that in the end the amount of said supplement can be significant, so get used to the idea that the amount you will finally pay may be almost double the price they initially offer you.

Which rental car to choose

When looking for the car, the important thing is to have the vehicle type what you need and the size that offers you enough space for the number of travelers you are going to travel with.

And, above all, don't forget about the space needed for luggage. Therefore, it is better to hire a larger vehicle than you would perhaps settle for.

Recommended rental car equipment

El car equipment for rent It is usually basic, but there are elements, such as air conditioning, that are important to determine.

There are other optional ones, such as the GPS, which can be very useful when traveling to other countries.

But in this regard I remind you that if you are going to travel through a country in the European Union, on your mobile you will have data without extra cost, which will allow you to access Google Maps, an option that, due to its effectiveness, I prefer to that of GPS that can incorporate the rental car.

What insurance to take out for the rental car

Very important is the issue of rental car insurance.

The price that the different companies advertise to you, and for which you initially hire the car, includes only basic insurance in the case of collisions and theft.

Optional rental car insurance

But this insurance does not cover you own damage or other incidents, since they have some franchises that would force you to pay, if applicable, really significant amounts that can range from 500 to 1.000 euros.

Therefore, and to avoid possible disappointments, in my case I always prefer to extend the insurance benefit by covering said deductible, with the relevant additional cost compared to the initial price.

Is it worth paying excess for a rental car?

Another different formula is the one offered by some companies, specifically, car rental marketing.

You can hire a additional excess insurance for which they will pay you the amount that the rental company can claim from you in the event of an incident with the vehicle.

The amount of this damage excess insurance It amounts to about 10 percent of the initial price. Of course, read the “fine print” carefully, that is, the terms and conditions of this insurance to find out the exceptions.

Essential requirements to rent a car

To rent a car you need to have a credit card type Visa (NOTE, not debit), since that is the means of payment with which they will charge all costs.

Both those initially contracted and possible future expenses, such as traffic fines or repair costs for possible damage suffered by the vehicle.

La minimum age to rent a car It is usually 21 years old, and if you are between 21 and 24 years old, you may be charged a surcharge.

How to hire a second driver for your rental car

If during the trip you plan to have a second or third driver, this is an additional service that you must contract in advance.

You must indicate your name and driving license number, and keep in mind that you will have to pay a small surcharge.

When can you cancel your rental car reservation?

If you are not going to travel and have to cancel the reservation, you can usually do so free of charge up to 48 hours before the scheduled pick-up time of the vehicle.

Where to pick up the rental car

The most common place to pick up the rental car is usually the airport or train station of the city where you are traveling, although you can also do so at the offices in other places in the city center.

When you arrive to pick up the car, they may not have units of the specific model you requested available, so they will give you a model of the same category (or size).

It may even happen that they give you a car of a higher category, or with better equipment than the contracted one, but they must respect the price.

Gasoline in the rental car

In general, the rental car will be delivered to you with the full tank, and you must return it in the same conditions.

Before handing it over, it is totally worth stopping at a gas station to top up the tank because, otherwise, they will charge you an estimated amount of said cost, which is always much higher.

Another option they will offer you is to pay the amount corresponding to, for example, 85 percent of the cost of refilling the tank, which will save you the time and worry of refilling the tank before returning the car.

Where and how to deliver the rental car

If you have rented the car deliver at the airportMake sure you arrive early enough to avoid missing your flight.

Even up to an hour before the advisable time for your arrival, as the delivery procedures may be delayed with the inspection of the vehicle.

Likewise, the rental car delivery offices may be located in an adjacent area of ​​the airport, from which you will have to go to the terminal by bus or internal service train, which will require additional time to reach the counter. of boarding.

For example, at JFK airport in New York, after leaving your car, you must go by train to your terminal, and at Luton airport in London you must wait to catch a scheduled bus that runs through its various facilities.

Can the rental car be delivered to another city?

If you plan deliver the car to a different location that where you have collected it, in many cases they will charge you a premium.

You must inform yourself in advance about this point, as it can significantly increase the cost of car rental.

Where to hire a car rental