Hot Wheels

Looking for a cheap way to travel? If you’ve already realized renting a car is the least expensive and most efficient option, you might be able to save yourself extra money by NOT renting a car from the airport.   I’m talking discounts greater than 50%.Airports are easy to get to and around, but they are also costly. Car rental companies charge additional “Airport Service Fees” of around $10-15, to say nothing of how much it costs you to get there.   At the airport, the companies are all competing with one another and with such high consumer demand, they can all pretty much agree to charge the same high prices. Off-site rental companies are looking to do business and might have a special discount in addition to much lower standard rates.

For a weekend rental (Noon Friday-Monday) of the same Standard car, at the same company in the New York City area, here are a few calculations…

Pick up at JFK - $306.79. Pick up at EWR - $283.15. Pick up at LGA $333.88.
Pick up Off-site, only 2.5 miles from my job, $129.70. That’s over 60% in savings!!! And get this, some car companies like Enterprise, will even pick you up from your location.

It always pays to research all your options. Don’t forget to include your transportation to and from the car rental site when calculating the true costs. Look for the special details such as local taxes, or any other possible hidden fees. Remember that most credit cards provide liability insurance of around $50,000 for car rentals, but find out what your specific card offers. Do the math and hit the road!