Business-Travel Booking for Lean Times: Saving on Rental Cars

We’ve all had to get a lot meaner and leaner these past months, and one of the fallouts of all this cutting is that many of us now do for ourselves what was once done by our staff or outside contractors. A lot of these new duties are what I call “NET” work -- the Nonessential Tasks. NETs are most often mundane and always non-revenue-producing, but they must be done.

The NET I dread the most is booking travel, whether it’s airfare, hotels, or rental cars. It’s stressful because I’m trying to save money and accommodate my needs all at the same time. Chances are many of you have the same challenge; so here are some tips to take some of the frustration out of booking a rental car.

1. Don’t be lured in by all those low-price offers. Most of those are for weekend travel. For us weekday business travelers, the rental price can be twice as much or more. And remember taxes and fees add a lot to your daily rental cost.
2. Concentrate on doing business with one or two car rental agencies. Make sure you’re a member of their loyalty programs. This can reap you discounts, other promotional offers, or preferential treatment. Depending on the rental company, you can earn points or even be offered free miles on several airlines. Many car rental companies now offer programs specially designed for small businesses.
3. In years past, you paid for the convenience of selecting a car rental company with an in-airport location. Today, however, in many airports, the big-name agencies like Hertz and Avis are off-site along with the budget companies. So depending on where you fly, airport locations may no longer be a factor.
4. Some credit cards enable you to accumulate rewards points you can use on car rentals. Others, like American Express OPEN, actually give you a discount when renting cars from a particular rental agency. (In the case of American Express, it’s Hertz.)
5. Check the price difference between a daily rental and a weekly fee. Often, I’ve found if I need the car for as few as four days, the weekly rate is cheaper than the daily one.
6. Many membership organizations also offer car rental discounts. If you’re not already a member (and are eligible), consider joining The Auto Club (AAA), AARP, or your college alumni association.
7. In most cases your personal auto insurance covers your rental; so save money and don’t opt for the extra coverage the car rental agencies offer. If you’re renting overseas, however, this may not be the case; check with your auto insurer before you rent.
8. If you’re a young entrepreneur, renting a car could be a bit problematic. Many agencies won’t rent to people younger than 25, or will charge you a lot more. Shop around before you arrive at your destination so that you’re not stranded.
9. Give the car a once-over before you drive it off the lot. You don’t want to be charged for damages you didn’t cause. This is something most of us business travelers ignore, but it only takes a few moments and can potentially save you a lot of money.
10. The Web has taken much of the tedium out of renting cars. Go to comparison sites to check options and prices. I’m a big fan of Kayak.com, but BreezeNet.com, SideStep.com, Hotwire.com, and CarRentalExpress.com are worth checking out as well.
11. My pet peeve is settling into a rental only to struggle with finding something good on the radio. Now before I head out, I Google the types of programs and music I like and the city I’ll be visiting. Up pops a host of stations I can enter into the car radio before I leave the lot. Makes for a much more pleasant ride.