Car Rental Prices?

I've booked flights for my annual Las Vegas trip for March Break in 2016. The good prices for direct flights came up at the end of May so I jumped on them.

Now I just need the hotel and car rental.

Coilman put me onto Dollar Rental Express to help avoid the lines at the car rental place, but the prices currently sit at $30/day for an economy car for March Break 2016. When I checked against carrentals.com it also listed most places at $30/day. I'm used to $20/day.

If I look at the 3rd week of July for this year carrentals.com does offer $20/day so I assume there is an optimal time to book. What do people think that time is? Three months ahead? Two? Or am I stuck checking in periodically for deals?

--helpmespock

Quote: helpmespock

I've booked flights for my annual Las Vegas trip for March Break in 2016. The good prices for direct flights came up at the end of May so I jumped on them.

Now I just need the hotel and car rental.

Coilman put me onto Dollar Rental Express to help avoid the lines at the car rental place, but the prices currently sit at $30/day for an economy car for March Break 2016. When I checked against carrentals.com it also listed most places at $30/day. I'm used to $20/day.

If I look at the 3rd week of July for this year carrentals.com does offer $20/day so I assume there is an optimal time to book. What do people think that time is? Three months ahead? Two? Or am I stuck checking in periodically for deals?

--helpmespock

I'm not sure you're going to do better than 30/day. March Break (because of spring break, March Madness, etc.) is completely prime time for LV. July, by contrast, is not, mostly because of the heat. I could be wrong.

FWIW, I looked at delta.com on your behalf. Not sure exactly what dates you're going, but rates for Mar 10-17, and Mar 17-24, were astronomical. Best rates they offered were still around 60/day (economy/compact) for a weekly rate, without adding taxes and fees. I guess they might improve around 3 months prior to 2 months prior, but I wouldn't expect to do better than 30/day personally for that time frame.

Quote: beachbumbabs

I'm not sure you're going to do better than 30/day. March Break (because of spring break, March Madness, etc.) is completely prime time for LV. July, by contrast, is not, mostly because of the heat. I could be wrong.

Around our neck of the woods March Break for 2016 falls March 14-18th, and we're doing the Sunday to Thursday trip so we should be flying out when things get really rolling for March Madness on the 17th.

Quote: beachbumbabs

FWIW, I looked at delta.com on your behalf. Not sure exactly what dates you're going, but rates for Mar 10-17, and Mar 17-24, were astronomical. Best rates they offered were still around 60/day (economy/compact) for a weekly rate, without adding taxes and fees. I guess they might improve around 3 months prior to 2 months prior, but I wouldn't expect to do better than 30/day personally for that time frame.

I *think* I can cancel the reservation if I make one now. If so then I'll book it and watch the prices 2-3 months out and see if I can get the $20/day. Total price difference is about $60-70 when you include taxes and fees, but I'd rather have that in my pocket than theirs.

--helpmespock

book it now with DOLLAR save the confirmation number on your phone/ pin it on your emails/whatever way to have it so you can book a cheaper deal later on and cancel the old one

like it was said MARCH is MADNESS in Vegas....not going to get the prices say Nov/Dec bring


you did join the club with dollar to avoid the line? and in MARCH the lines will be long long long

https://www.dollar.com/Express/Enroll.aspx

Quote: coilman

book it now with DOLLAR save the confirmation number on your phone/ pin it on your emails/whatever way to have it so you can book a cheaper deal later on and cancel the old one

like it was said MARCH is MADNESS in Vegas....not going to get the prices say Nov/Dec bring


you did join the club with dollar to avoid the line? and in MARCH the lines will be long long long

https://www.dollar.com/Express/Enroll.aspx

I have indeed joined and won't be wasting any of my vacation time standing in those crazy lines. Thanks again for that tip!

We took the kids to Grand Canyon in 2009 and did it staying in Las Vegas. We waited 50 minutes in the car rental line with 3 kids at 10:30 at night Las Vegas time so 1:30AM Eastern time. We were not happy as they tried to haggle us into upgrades and whatnot.

I'll book it and cancel if the price drops.

--helpmespock

Five is the maximum in an LV taxi, so a rental car is good for trips but be sure you really benefit from it. NO DUI or GAWKING. Drive sensibly and remember tourists are always gawking and driving or else gawking and walking.

Quote: FleaStiff

Five is the maximum in an LV taxi, so a rental car is good for trips but be sure you really benefit from it. NO DUI or GAWKING. Drive sensibly and remember tourists are always gawking and driving or else gawking and walking.

We've rented a car now in Las Vegas for our last several trips and had good experiences. One round trip to the Premium Outlet Mall was $20 each way with tip. Take two trips and that's $80. I've rented cars for $140 for the Sunday to Thursday trips so I figure it's worth it.

This past trip we got to Hoover Dam and the bridge to get pictures. We'll probably try to get to Red Rock Canyon in March 2016 to get pictures as we didn't make it out last trip. We also try to get to a fancy restaurant in the area. It's been Marche Bacchus most of the time, but this last time it was Raku. Having a car for those off-strip of excursions is very convenient.

--helpmespock

Hi Folks,

Just an update. I've been checking on and off for the last few weeks and lo and behold I saw carrentals.com had hit the $20/day mark for March 13-17, 2016.

Then I jumped on the Dollar site and saw that they too were at the $20/day mark so I cancelled my current reservation and booked a new one at the lower rate through my Dollar Express account so there won't be any waiting in those crazy lines either.

--helpmespock

Nice!

Check out the website Autoslash.com. They apply coupons and discounts everyday and if a cheaper rate comes up they will automatically re-book it. I have not used it yet so I can't vouch for it.

https://www.autoslash.com/how-it-works

The hassle at the Dollar counter after the hour long line will take all the bargain out of the bargain.

Quote: Sabretom2

The hassle at the Dollar counter after the hour long line will take all the bargain out of the bargain.

ZERO Wait at SIXT on a Friday morning, approx 11:00 am.

AND got a good rate.

AND got a great free upgrade ( Infinity Q50 ).

AND because they charged a nominal fee for an extra spousal driver, I had Mrs. Q chauffeur me around all week so I could drink as much as I could, up to the point of her noticing how much I was drinking.

- Downside: She does make me nervous when she drives. We survived.

Quote: DRich

Check out the website Autoslash.com. They apply coupons and discounts everyday and if a cheaper rate comes up they will automatically re-book it. I have not used it yet so I can't vouch for it.

https://www.autoslash.com/how-it-works

Thanks for the tip, but this time I specifically went with Dollar as I just signed up for Dollar Express.

In many of my previous trips, I've spent a ton of time waiting in line to pick up my car. Coilman, a member here, told me about Dollar Express where you give them all your information ahead of time and then you head right to the booth and pick up your car rather than waiting in line.

Coilman's post on Dollar Express

--helpmespock

Quote: Sabretom2

The hassle at the Dollar counter after the hour long line will take all the bargain out of the bargain.

I'm hoping Dollar Express helps out here. I'll let you know how it goes next year.

--helpmespock

Quote: helpmespock

I'm hoping Dollar Express helps out here. I'll let you know how it goes next year.

--helpmespock

Been to VEGAS 5 times since spring of 2012.... rented every time from DOLLAR and the only complaint I have about those 5 rentals was the first time where I didnt belong to the club. Cars have always been very clean and in very good shape and running condition

Off the bus into the building turn left walk towards the DOLLAR counter but head down the escalator outside into the parking garage...straight ahead is the DOLLAR booth.... drivers license and credit card you booked with ....use the line on the left if they are lined up on the right,... usually no line as the bottle neck is the inside counter people

Look the car over mark the paper showing any dents or scratches check fuel level and report it if not full,return that paper on your way to the final gate... show paperwork and drivers license get bar code on car scanned ...it goes real fast

return is easy also ...they are one of the last entrances for returns.... have your fuel receipt available as I have always been asked for it...quick glance at car they print you receipt and away you go....crying that the vacation is almost over

Quote: helpmespock

...you give them all your information ahead of time and then you head right to the booth and pick up your car rather than waiting in line.

--helpmespock

I think more than one car rental company at LAS offers this type of quickie car pick up. I have definitely done it with Alamo there before. National has an "Emerald Aisle" program for their frequent user club where you pick out the car you want out of what's available from the whole aisle (I think intermediate class).

With car rentals, I always book in advance and keep checking back for price drops. Most offer no penalty cancellation policies. Do not pre-pay though because if there are situations where you won't get some or all of your money back, it's cases when you gave it to them in the first place. >.<

$20 a day sounds like a pretty sweet deal! It will only cost you a little bit of time once a week to check back for any price drops. :) Also as your trip date gets closer, there may be coupon codes you could apply to your reservation. I've had prior luck getting Budget email customer service to apply a coupon code to my existing reservation and preserve my locked in price.