Some reasons for big rental car price hikes

Informative "question of the day" over at LVA. Book as early as possible, folks - it's not addressed in the article, but from experiences of mine and other frequent renters prices just aren't dropping the closer we get to trip time.
Safe travels and good luck!

 

I can't agree with you more Mescalita. I have been holding a reservation with Alamo since June. Our trip is not until the end of October and I do check the rates at Alamo almost daily. I have seen the prices drop and rise. Lately they are on the up swing. I have a seven day rental of a full size for $147.06 and with taxes $176.76. i have had this since mid July. Right now the same reservation is $278.41. Believe it or not, a few days ago it was over $376.00. I have watched, changed and held reservations hoping for something a lost less but as you noted when you get closer the prices may not be the best.
My last trip in January I found the best prices seemed to be a couple of months out. I really expected a drop closer to my trip but I kept checking right up until the day of my departure and found I had gotten their best prices more that a month and a half out.
There is no charge for holding reservations from rental car companies. You are only charged when you claim your vehicle but please be kind and cancel any unused reservations.

 

I'm going to be straight forward and just say it. I think their reasons for higher car rental prices SUCK!! The rates haven't gone up $5 a day. More like $25 a day. I always stay in Vegas for 4 nights. Sunday to Thursday or Monday to Friday. For a midsize or less I would spend $80 to $100 for the 4 days. I have an upcoming trip in October which I got lucky for $125 for a Versa. The rates are now around $185. I wasn't happy reserving it for $125, but now that is a deal.

This is just gouging and larceny. It's bad enough we have all the hotel fees and airline fees and now parking fees and exuberant car rental prices. I'm still able to scratch out some deals when I go to Vegas. However, car rental prices used to be the least of my worries.

 

IMHO, yes book as early as possible but also check rental prices regularly. I have found that as it gets closer to my vacation the rental prices will drop about 6 weeks prior so I just rebook and cancel the other reservation. Many times I can find lower prices closer to my trip than booking far in advance.

Unfortunately I think it's more supply and demand. They probably have some kind of software that tracks reservations and as the supply of rentals are taken up they raise rental rates. But if there aren't as many reservations as they predicted then they will lower rates to try to get more people to rent cars. This is especially true during busy times like when there are major conventions, hotels rates and rental rates are higher than other periods.

 

I booked a compact from Dollar for my trip in three weeks. Yesterday, I canceled and re-booked a full size for the same price. (4 days: $135 all in) Renting at 9:30am, was $40 cheaper than renting at 9am. You really need to check and switch over and over sometimes.

 

I agree with Jimbuc-corporate greed and nothing else. We have been renting cars in LV for over 20 years and, within the last six months, prices have quadrupled. We always stay for at least nine days, sometimes two weeks, and I know all the tricks. Used to be able to rent a car at the airport for a week for $135; now the price for our nine day rental is over $350. Fortunately I booked before the madness began so we're paying $233 with Alamo but a year ago that would have been well under $200.

 

If you have a Costco membership I think they have the best prices on rental cars.

 

I am actually getting a lot of help from AutoSlash. For the next trip we need a minivan and they were able to find one at Hertz for $60 cheaper than I could get with Costco. And they have already rebooked it for a few bucks less.