Last spring, airport rental counters were eerily quiet as pandemic-wary Americans canceled their vacations and stayed close to home. But as spring turned to summer and fall, customers started returning, looking for vehicles for road trips as well as longerterm rentals at home to avoid using public transportation and ride-hailing apps. Business travelers also increasingly turned to rental cars. This summer, as more people receive a vaccine and the economy reopens, air travel is likely to pick up, too. That means customers will again be lining up at airport rental car counters—and navigating a maze of prices, fees and insurance coverages.
Many car rental agencies are taking measures to help protect customers from contracting the coronavirus. For example, Enterprise is sanitizing its vehicles between every rental; other companies are allowing 24 hours between rentals. Find out what COVID-19 precautions a company is taking before making a reservation.
HOW TO FIND A GREAT DEAL
A number of factors can affect rental car rates, meaning there are a number of ways you can score a deal.
Look beyond the big chains. Avis, Hertz and other large rental car companies have more locations than smaller agencies do, but they don’t always offer the lowest rates, says Jonathan Weinberg, founder and CEO of AutoSlash, a website that helps travelers find rental deals and track rental rates. Rental companies such as Payless and Fox Rent a Car often offer cheaper rates, with rental rates of 15% to 30% less than rentals from big chains.
Bu hikaye Kiplinger's Personal Finance dergisinin May 2021 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Kiplinger's Personal Finance dergisinin May 2021 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
FREE HELP FOR COLLEGEBOUND STUDENTS
This program’s mentors assist applicants as they fill out the FAFSA, write essays and more.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT SPOUSAL IRAS
You typically need earned income to contribute to an individual retirement account, but a spousal IRA provides an important exception to this rule.
SELLING SHARES? HERE'S HOW TO MINIMIZE TAXES ON YOUR GAINS
ET'S say you've been regularly buying shares in a booming tech company over the past few years, but now you want to start taking some of those profits, perhaps to rebalance your portfolio.
Strategies for Novice Investors
AS part of a lifes kills program for young, single mothers, I was asked to teach a class on how to get on top of your finances.
ANSWERS TO YOUR 529 PLAN QUESTIONS
Thanks to recent policy changes, families have more options for what to do with money sitting in these tax-advantaged accounts.
Rate-Cut Winners and Losers
NOW that the Federal Reserve has cracked the interest rate ice, the next development will be to separate winners from losers.
SHOULD YOU BUY THESE RED-HOT FUNDS?
Covered-call ETFs are popular but come with plenty of caveats.
DIVIDEND STOCKS ARE READY TO REBOUND
Our favorite dividend payers are poised to benefit as falling interest rates lure investors back.
IS A 55+ COMMUNITY RIGHT FOR YOU?
These age-restricted developments appeal to older adults seeking abundant amenities and an active lifestyle.
AT LONG LAST, RATES ARE DROPPING
Consider these portfolio moves now that the Federal Reserve has cut its benchmark interest rate.