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• The name of the person that will be picking up the car.
• Credit card type, number and expiration date of the card to be billed.
• Location where you’ll be picking up and returning the car.
• Date and time you’ll be picking up and returning the car.
• Size of the car you want to reserve.
• Any special requests, such as smoking/nonsmoking, child seat or model preference.
• Any discounts or coupons that you are planning to apply to the rental.
• If you have it, some Rental Car Companies like to have your flight information. That way they can keep track of delayed flights.
• Make sure you get a confirmation number when you do make your reservations.

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• Whatever the Rental Company says it does, so ask for examples of familiar model names. Rental Companies’ classifications of models vary and this will help you to compare rates and understand the size of the vehicle you are reserving.
• The Rental Companies’ classifications usually differ from car manufactures’ model classifications. Your personal car’s manufacturer may classify your model as a midsize, while a Rental Company may classify the same model as a full size, so again ask for clarification.

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• Reserving the appropriate size car in advance is a good way to budget.
• Many will tell you to reserve the smallest class and hope for a free upgrade, but this can be risky. If the smaller car is available, and you need the bigger car, you might be in trouble. The larger vehicles might all be booked or the upgrade charge may be considerably more costly than if you had reserved the larger car in the first place. This is especially true during peak rental times, when many car and van classes are sold out.
• Remember by law every passenger must have a seat belt available to him or her so you can’t put five in a four-passenger car.
• Remember trunk space. The smaller car may hold all your passengers, but don’t forget the luggage, golf clubs and souvenirs you’ll want to bring back home. Convertibles are great, but they do have very small trunks.

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• Check on the location of that city’s particular rental facility to see if it is on or off-airport.
• Off-airport facilities can be cheaper, but transportation off the airport property will add time to your rental.
• If they use a shuttle, find out how long the trip will take you.
• You should always verify the location. Some Rental Companies will have an on-airport facility at certain airports while having off-airport facilities at others.

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• Find out where you are to meet the Rental Company’s representative. Do they have a fixed meeting place or do you need to call someone once you arrive.
• Ask if there is a shuttle service available since both on and off airport facilities may use shuttles.
• If they use a shuttle, find out how often it runs and its’ hours of operation. See if they will still be open if you are delayed, you might need a 24-hour facility.
• Find out how far your rental car will be from the terminal. Get an estimate of the time it will take for you to get to your rental car.

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Where can I find information on airports so that it will be easier for me to find the rental car counter or meet the Hotel’s airport shuttle?

Go To:  US Airport & Foreign Airport Links

This page contains web links to many major U.S. and foreign airports. Although, each airport’s site is different many contain airport layouts and other information that could save you time and help make your visit a safe one. This links page also lists many airport codes that can be helpful when making Airline reservations so you and your luggage will be heading to the right airport.

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• Get an estimate of your total charges including all taxes, fees and any mandatory charges. Unfortunately, the government gets a big chunk of rental car bills.
• Remember that this total may change based on your choices of coverage and fuel purchase options.
• Often the rate quoted only includes the per day or week rental charge.
• Unlimited mileage is often included, but not always. You'll definitely want to check on their mileage policy. Be sure to reverify their policy if you get an upgrade. Some companies that normally offer unlimited mileage do have limits on specialty or luxury vehicles

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• This is a great question and one you should ask the Rental Company in case you are delayed.
• You should notify the Rental Company if you are delayed so that they will still have a car available for you.
• If you can make it within your reservation grace period, make sure they only update the pick-up time and don’t rebook the reservation at a new higher rate.
• If your flight is coming in only a few hours before the rental car facility closes, you may want to consider a company with a 24-hour facility so a delayed flight won’t continue to ruin your trip.

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Just like the hotels, the Rental Car Companies must cover the costs of all those rude people who reserve cars, don’t cancel and never show up. This means that at certain times, especially during holidays and other peak travel times, they may get caught overbooking and have to break some reservations. Here’s a few ways to keep you at the top of the list for available cars.

• See if the reservation center will guarantee your reservation. Some do offer this service and they will usually have a much bigger penalty for themselves if they don’t have a car for you. However, to get this guarantee you are usually charged a fee if you don’t show or cancel within a certain time frame.
• Confirm your reservation. Make sure everything is correct and they are aware you’re coming.
• Update your reservation. If you’re going to be late, call to let them know.
• Rent often from the same company. Some reservation lists show high volume renters, and management will know that you are not the type of customer they want to lose.
• Join their Premium Clubs. These groups include their high volume renters and their big corporate accounts. If it comes down to who gets the last few cars, you probably won’t be seeing the Premium Club members waiting around.
• If you really fear that your chances of getting burned are high, you might call the location directly and speak with a manager. Let them know you will be there at a certain time and you want to make sure you’ll have a car waiting. If you’ve made that extra effort and they know you’ll be looking for them, most managers will also make an extra effort to have a car for you. If you do call and they do produce, don’t forget to thank them for their efforts.

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