Table of Contents
Renting a car can often be a tedious and time-consuming task. From searching for the best price to deciding on additional features and debating the need for extra car rental insurance, it can be overwhelming. However, with the right websites, finding the perfect rental car at the best price doesn’t have to be a hassle. In this article, we will explore 12 of the best websites that you can use to book your next rental car. Let’s get started!
Book Directly Through the Car Rental Agency’s Website
Booking directly through the car rental agency’s website can have its benefits. Many rental agencies offer loyalty programs, and you can even choose to earn airline miles instead of car rental agency points. However, they may not always have the cheapest prices, so it’s a good idea to do a quick price search on other websites as well.
1. Expedia
Expedia is a well-established online travel agency that offers a wide range of services, including booking flights, hotels, rental cars, and cruises. It provides an easy-to-use website with various filtering and sorting options to help you find the perfect rental car. Expedia also has a loyalty program called One Key rewards, where you can earn points when you book an eligible car. Additionally, you can bundle your car rental with a flight and/or hotel to save money.
Pros:
– One Key rewards program
– Great filtering options
– Ability to book rental car as part of a travel package
Cons:
– Upfront payment required for discounted price
2. Momondo
Momondo is a metasearch engine, similar to Kayak, that shows prices from various online travel agencies. While Momondo doesn’t allow you to book directly on their site, it can be a useful tool to search for the best prices. However, keep in mind that it may transfer you to an obscure booking agency, which could have different customer service, fees, or policies.
Pros:
– Searches multiple sites at once
– Wide range of options
Cons:
– No loyalty program
– May transfer to obscure car rental agencies
3. Kayak
Kayak is another popular metasearch engine that allows you to search for cheap car rentals, flights, and hotels. It offers great sorting and filtering options, including a map to help you find a rental car by location. Kayak also has a policy filter, so you can focus on cars that offer features like free cancellation or unlimited mileage. Additionally, if you create an account and log in, you can access Private Deals, which can save you up to 35% on your car rental.
Pros:
– Great sorting and filtering options
– Easy to compare “pay now” vs “pay later” pricing
Cons:
– No loyalty program
4. Orbitz
Orbitz is a well-known online travel agency that offers a variety of services, including booking flights, hotels, and rental cars. Similar to Expedia, Orbitz provides great filtering and sorting options, allowing you to quickly find the lowest-priced options. By creating an account and signing in, you can access Insider Pricing, which can save you 10% or more on car rentals.
Pros:
– Great Deal filtering option
– Insider Pricing
Cons:
– Orbitz Rewards cannot be earned or redeemed on all car rentals
5. Priceline
Priceline is famous for its “Name Your Own Price” tool, although it has since been eliminated. However, Priceline still offers opaque bookings, where certain details are hidden until after the transaction is complete. These bookings can be a great way to save money if you are not particular about the rental agency or type of car. Priceline also offers Supplier’s Choice bookings, where you know the rental agency but not the exact vehicle until pick-up. By creating an account and logging in, you can access Priceline VIP, which can save you up to 20% on your car rental.
Pros:
– Opaque bookings
– Priceline VIP
Cons:
– Flexibility required for opaque deals
6. Skyscanner
Skyscanner, similar to Kayak, is a search engine that allows you to search for car rentals, flights, and hotels. While it can offer good pricing, it may be difficult to get detailed information about the rental at first glance. You often have to click through to find basic information like the rental agency.
Pros:
– Searches multiple websites at once
Cons:
– No loyalty program
– Hard to spot good deals
7. Travelocity
Travelocity is a popular website for searching cheap hotels, flights, and rental cars. Similar to other online travel agencies, it offers great filtering options, including a “Great Deal” filter to show only the lowest-priced options. Travelocity also displays cancellation policies prominently, which can be helpful in case your travel plans change.
Pros:
– “Great Deal” filtering option
– Easily visible cancellation policies
Cons:
– No loyalty program
8. Hotwire
Hotwire offers opaque bookings called “Hotwire Hot Rate” deals. With these bookings, you won’t know the exact rental agency until after the booking is complete, but you can save money. Hotwire states that the rental agency will be one of the major companies such as Alamo, Avis, Budget, or Enterprise.
Pros:
– Hotwire Hot Rate deals
Cons:
– No loyalty program
9. Costco Travel
Costco Travel is a website that offers a limited selection of rental agencies, including Alamo, Avis, Budget, and Enterprise. While the options may be limited, Costco Travel provides an easy-to-read chart that highlights the cheapest price for each car type. Keep in mind that you need to be a Costco member to book a car through Costco Travel, but membership perks like a Costco Shop card can cover the cost.
Pros:
– Easy-to-use table showing the lowest prices
– 2% back as a Costco Executive member
Cons:
– Only shows prices from 4 rental agencies
– Requires Costco membership
10. American Express Travel
American Express Travel offers a travel booking service that is available even if you don’t hold an American Express credit card. However, having an Amex card can sometimes provide additional benefits. American Express Travel allows you to book opaque rentals and even offers the option to pay with Membership Rewards points. However, keep in mind that the value when using points to pay for a rental car is quite low.
Pros:
– Opaque bookings
– Ability to book with Membership Rewards points
Cons:
– Low value when using points for car rentals
11. Rentalcars.com
Rentalcars.com is a search engine owned by the same company as Booking.com, Priceline, and Kayak. It specializes in rental cars and offers an easy-to-read search results page. You can quickly see information like free cancellation and whether the deal is a “pay now” or “pay later” price. Rentalcars.com also provides opaque deals, which can be a great way to save money if you’re not particular about the rental agency or car.
Pros:
– Price match guarantee
– Easy-to-read search results
Cons:
– No loyalty program
12. AutoSlash
AutoSlash is a unique website that requires you to submit your rental criteria and contact information to receive a price quote. It takes into account your rental car memberships and credit cards to get you the best price. While it may take a few minutes to receive an email with your price quote, AutoSlash can be a useful tool to find the best deal.
Pros:
– Considers rental car memberships and credit cards for additional benefits
– Provides a list of available coupons
Cons:
– Price quotes are not instant
– Comparing prices to other sites can be difficult
In conclusion, finding the best price for your next rental car is made easier with these 12 websites. Each site offers its own unique features and benefits, so it’s worth trying out a few to see which one works best for you. Whether you choose to book directly through the car rental agency’s website or use a metasearch engine, these websites will help you find the perfect rental car at the best price.