WHY HAS HIRING A CAR BECOME SO COMPLICATED?

Recently, travellers have been arriving at their destination to find vehicles at exorbitant prices — or unavailable altogether. We look at what’s happening and how to get around it

- SIMON CALDER

For decades, car rental has been one of the simplest and most dependable aspects of booking a trip. In France, Italy, Spain and the US, a family-sized vehicle was readily available at £50 or less per day in the years shortly before the pandemic, even in peak summer months. But as many prospective travellers are finding this year, rates have increased two- or three-fold. At some destinations in August, findings were even more bleak: cars were sold out entirely. So, what’s gone wrong — and what can you do about it?

How expensive is car rental?

In popular holiday spots such as Palma, Pisa and Paris, a daily rental of £100 is about the best you can hope for this summer. In the US states of California and Florida, basic rates are lower — typically around £60 a day — but additional costs, including insurance and toll payments, push prices higher.