How to Get A Cheap Car Rental At The Airport [THE NEWBIE’S GUIDE]

This post may contain compensated links where we may earn money or products from the companies mentioned. Clicking on the links doesn't affect the price that you will pay. It does help us to keep the site running and offer content for free. We thank you in advance for your support.

How do I go about Finding a cheap Car Rental?

You can find a cheap car rental by simply calling one of the many rental companies in your destination city.  But that’s no fun!  I have employed several methods of renting cars. I happen to have a favorite rental company, Enterprise.

Mostly, because they will pick you up and bring you to the rental office to transact the deal.  That was particularly helpful when my car was once stolen, and there was no one available to take me to pick up my car rental.

How to use Aggregators

Also, I have used aggregators like Priceline. Go to their site and do a quick search for cheap car rentals, they will show you their best deals in your destination.  Key in your travel dates and a list of options will pop up on the screen.   While the rates may be low, the taxes and fees can bump the price up a bit.  The aggregator will collect any applicable fees and taxes on behalf of the Car Rental company.

To secure your reservation, fill out your contact info and credit card info (be sure to bring that credit card with you when you come to pick up the car).  You may decide to purchase extras like a GPS or a car seat.

Please be aware that through Priceline, rental cars are non-refundable, non-transferable, and non-changeable even if the reservation is not used.

Another big player in the cheap car rental market is Hotwire. It works pretty much the same as Priceline.  Be advised that for all “Hotwire Hot Rates,” bookings are final and cannot be canceled, refunded, exchanged, transferred, or changed, even for a fee.

So be sure that your dates, pick up location and price are correct. If not, don’t bother trying to get assistance from the rental car company.  They will only refer you back to Priceline or Hotwire.  Do search for applicable cheap car rental coupon codes for either company on sites like Retail Me Not.

Pro Tip: Be sure to sign up with and install the Rakuten (formerly known as Ebates) extension in your browser to receive a cash back allowance (currently 5%!).

Can I earn perks with my car rental?

Absolutely! Each major car rental company has a free program that rewards frequent users of their service. I am a member of National Car Rental’s Emerald Club and some of their benefits include being charged the mid-size rate regardless of what car you choose, earning free rental days with every seven paid days and the freedom to bypass the rental counter and go straight out to select your car.

Alamo Rental’s Insiders program offers a discount off weekly rentals, 10% off their published prices as well as upgrades for their members. Enterprise’s “E-Plus” Program offers email-only deals, faster reservations and rentals, members-only line in major airport counters. Whatever your car rental preference, there is an associated rewards program that you should check into.

Not all incentives are created equal

I think my favorite perk is earning airline miles whenever I rent a car. Most airlines will have a portal on their website where you can rent a car. They offer percentage discounts on rentals and typically an opportunity to earn a certain number of miles for each day that you rent a car. Delta Airlines currently has a promotion with their partner Hertz where you will earn 100 miles per day and receive 40% off of the entire rental.

However, Hertz’ Gold Plus Rewards program has an annual fee of $60.00 and for that reason, I would skip this program. Instead, check out the comparable Avis Preferred program which matches Hertz’s perks to the letter but does not charge a fee! Be sure to check out a car rental’s website for special offers and their partner offers before you make your reservation.

Remember to give your membership number when booking your reservation so that benefits are credited to your account. Always look for ways to stretch your dollar by searching for discounts which are usually available regularly.

Where do I pick up my rental car?

Car rental agencies can be located in airports or off-site close to the airport. When reserving a car, you will be asked as to where you want to pick up your car. It is usually on the airport premises or somewhere close by. If you choose the airport, usually you only need ask an airport employee to direct you to it.

Sometimes, it can be a little trickier. In Phoenix, AZ, for example, you will have to take a shuttle at Ground Transportation.  From there, you will be taken to another building on the airport campus where all car rental agencies are located.

At that point, you will be dropped off, and you can proceed directly to the agency you have reserved a car from. The most common situation for off-site agencies is that you would catch their brand specific shuttle at Ground transportation outside of the airport terminal. The shuttle driver will take you to their offices and you can pick up your car there.

How do I finalize my Car rental transaction?

To complete the transaction, the counter attendant will ask for your driver’s license and credit card used to book the reservation. After giving you the keys, you’ll be directed where to go to pick up your vehicle.

Some rental agencies will go even further. I rented a car in Fort Lauderdale, FL and drove to Miami to catch a Cruise ship. In other words, it was a one way rental with a drop-off in Miami the next day. After dropping the car off, the agency provided a free shuttle that took us directly to the Miami docks to board our cruise ship.

Is there anything I should I do before leaving the rental car lot?

Typically, the agency will fill up the car with gas before you leave.  You will need to bring the car back with a full tank. In the event that you ‘forget’ to do so, they will give you the option of pre-paying for gas at a premium price. Say no thanks because you plan to bring it back with a full tank. Make sure that you check to see if the tank is full before you leave. If it isn’t make sure that the attendant knows it and indicates it on your rental receipt and s/he should initial it.

Be sure to do a visual inspection of the car before leaving the lot

Do a thorough check of the interior and exterior of the car. Let the attendant know if you see any dents beyond the usual wear and tear that you would expect to see on a car. I prefer to err on the side of caution.  I like to detail anything that I think may be blamed on me after I return it. While the attendant may say a dent/ding is no big deal, I still like for them to take note of anything that bothers me.

In fact, you may want to take pics of anything that may concern you before you drive off the lot. I would take a pic of the dent/ding with that day’s newspaper in the frame with the date prominently shown.  Or anything else that would prove that the damage existed before you left the lot.  A cheap car rental can become very expensive, otherwise.

Should I buy some type of insurance to cover me during the rental?

You can almost set your clock by how quickly the counter attendant will try to sell you their car rental insurance. They may stoop to the level of using extreme fear tactics to get you to sign on the dotted line.

Before you do, see if you may already be covered. Check with your own insurance company to see if your current insurance will cover you while you’re in your rental. It’s a rare occasion that you will have an accident during your rental, but check that you have some type of coverage. If there is an accident, remember they have your credit card on file.

Your credit card issuer may cover you but they will clearly state that you should not purchase insurance from the rental company if you expect them their coverage. Exercise due diligence in these matters before committing to signing up for the rental car company coverage.

What happens when it’s time to return the car?

When returning your car, you would bring it back to where you picked it up. At the airport, there are usually pretty detailed signage directing people where to return their car rentals. If you picked it up off-site, you will be taken back to the airport via their branded shuttles. Try to return it in the same condition that you received it.  

Keep in mind that a rental usually has unlimited miles.  But you may have to pay extra if you leave state lines. Check with the agency if that is your plan so that there will be no surprises. Also, refill the gas tank before returning the car. Otherwise, you will be looking at paying a ridiculous rate (double to triple the current price of gas). This is essentially what you can expect should you decide to rent a car.  Follow these steps, and you should have an uneventful and hopefully, delightful driving experience while on vacation.