Change Pickup Time to Lower Car Rental Price?
While trying to find a car to rent in Spokane airport, I've been bombarded by $40 per day prices. Ugh. I had been putting in a pick up time of 6:30PM, because that's when my flight arrives.
When I change the pickup time to anytime before noon that day, the price plummets to $23 per day. Wow. Same company. Same terminal location. (Thrifty)
So can I book a car at the before noon pickup time, then just pick it up later. How long will they hold the reservation? If I pre-pay like through priceline?
Thanks!
That sure sounds frustrating!
I contacted a Thrifty reservation representative... she said that the amount of time that a location would hold a reservation would depend on the particular location (it can vary from 3-6 hours).... she said that in order to get a clear answer for that you would need to contact someone at the Thrifty location in Spokane and explain your scenario.
When I told her why I was asking, she mentioned that even if the reservation was made for 11:30am and you got confirmation from the location that they would hold the reservation till after 6:30pm -- it wouldn't necessarily mean that you could keep the lower rate.
Basically, the price you're quoted is based on what you say you will do (ie pickup and return times), if you do something different (ie pickup the car later) it can change the total number of days of the reservation (as an example - based on a 24 hour day from pickup to return) which can affect the price.
For example a rental pickup on a Monday 630pm to return Friday at 4pm is a four day rental, whereas Monday at 1130am to Friday 4pm is actually a 5 day rental -- which can qualify for a weekly special -- which usually requires a 5 day minimum rental period to get the weekly rate.)
If you say 1130am but actually pickup at 630pm then you wouldn't have 5 days and don't get the weekly special.
This is just an example -- I'm not sure what caused the difference in rate for your search so she and I weren't able to try and duplicate the two pricing options. She suggested that you may wish to try contactng the Thrifty toll free line (1-800-THRIFTY) and getting a reservation rep to try and recreate your booking scenarios so they could see exactly why the different pickup time was causing the difference in the two rates -- and to see if there was a way around it.
Note: Priceline.com also states:
Listed in the Important Information section on priceline (after you select a car and are ready to enter your name, etc. before booking):
"The rate may change if you pick-up, or drop-off the car at a different date or time than you requested in your reservation."
Hope this helps!
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