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AutoRentals.com

AutoRentals.com

We are a 100% independently-owned website, not run by any auto rental company. We launched AutoRentals.com in 2012 with an ambitious vision: to make booking an auto rental simple, fast and easy. We've continued to improve and invest in AutoRentals.com to help you save time and money.

Cleaning Rental Car
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Car Rental | The Safest Travel Option

by AutoRentals.com January 8, 2021
written by AutoRentals.com

Rent Sure Series

In these COVID-impacted times, everyone has developed a sense for what they deem “safe.” A quick assessment of a situation is often all that is needed to determine one’s comfort level. For many travelers, one mode of transportation stands out above all others in eliciting an immediate sense of safety: renting a car. According to a recently released 2020 North America Rental Car Satisfaction Study from J.D. Power, 60,000 airport travelers rated the rental car portion of their trip as the least concerning from a safety standpoint, with only 2% of respondents expressing worries over the safety of the car rental process. Michael Taylor of J.D. Power points to many reasons for this, primary of which, according to Taylor, is “The rental car experience is inherently socially distant.” Jennifer Corwin of J.D. Power agreed, adding that those who choose to travel via rental car get the “ability to control the environment around them and to have limited interactions with other people.”  This experience stands in sharp contrast to alternative ground transportation options, including taxis, shared rides and public transportation.

Notwithstanding the socially distant nature of car rental, travelers still want to confirm that enhanced cleaning measures are being taken by car rental companies. “The question of vehicle sanitization became the most asked question of us as customers were looking for assurances that these steps had been taken,” said Richard Lowden, CEO of the U.K.-based car rental agency Green Motion.

Hertz Gold Standard Clean

Hertz Gold Standard Clean

Car Rental companies have responded to the consumer demand for a safe and clean rental experience in various ways, including enhanced sanitization process, mask requirements and contactless pickup and return. For Hertz, and the Dollar and Thrifty brands it also operates, the development of the Hertz Gold Clean Seal is one of the most visually prominent displays of the expanded cleaning procedures.  According to a Hertz representative, the seal is representative of “an enhanced 15-point cleaning and sanitization process that concludes with each vehicle being sealed before each rental to give customers total confidence when they rent a car. Key steps in the 15-point process entail cleaning and sanitizing the interior and exterior of the vehicle, including all contact surfaces, with an EPA-approved disinfectant for use against the virus that causes COVID-19. Sealing each vehicle is a first-of-its-kind practice in the car rental industry and one we believe will give customers added peace of mind knowing they are the only person to enter the vehicle after it’s been thoroughly cleaned and sanitized,” the Hertz spokesperson said.

Contactless rental options have soared in popularity in response to COVID concerns. At Green Motion, renters are encouraged to use a contactless rental service that, according to Lowden, “dramatically reduces the number of contact points which in turn dramatically reduces the risk of cross contamination.” Hertz, on the other hand, offers what one Hertz spokesperson characterized as “a low touch rental experience through our Hertz Gold Plus Rewards loyalty program, which is free to join. Members can skip the counter, go straight to their vehicle and drop off their car and go when they return with our eReceipts and eReturn service.”

While a rental car is no doubt a safe choice for an upcoming trip, many destinations are too far flung to reach by car. In those cases, a flight might be necessary. Fortunately, there is good news on that front too. Recent studies have shown that the interior cabin of an airplane contains one of the world’s safest ventilation systems. In fact, a recent US Defense Department study revealed a near zero risk of virus exposure where masks usage is enforced. The study found only 44 suspected cases of on-board transmission, relative to a billion pandemic-era enplanements. Airlines are enforcing mask requirements, as well as many leaving the middle seat open for further distancing.

While traveling may not be in the immediate plans for some, travel planning will hopefully return with more force as vaccines are rolled out and travelers look forward to returning to their favorite destinations.

Various studies, research and general questions have been presented around the risk related to renting a car.  MIT, Good Housekeeping and Business Insider, among others, are good resources to learn more.

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January 8, 2021 1 comment
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Rent Sure

The Case for Reserving Your Rental Car Now

by AutoRentals.com December 15, 2020
written by AutoRentals.com

Rent Sure Series

The effects of 2020 will impact the travel industry for some time, particularly throughout 2021.  For rental cars, one major impact could be that the daily rates increase over their historical averages.  There have already been some instances of this happening in the United Kingdom, San Antonio, TX and even in Tasmania.

Our advice?  Reserve your rental car as soon as possible for any potential upcoming travel plans.  There is a good chance that the prices will increase as the date draws near and most rental car reservations are flexible and have free cancellation policies.

Why would this be with travel demand at a lower rate than before?

Rental fleet is drastically depleted.  Car rental companies have adjusted to changed landscape and level of demand by reducing their fleet size.  Reports indicate that the number of rental cars currently in active fleets at the major operators may be 50% lower than last year.  This decrease makes sense as rental car suppliers have adjusted to flight throughput of 40% of last year’s activity.  The fleet comprises of the largest cost factor for rental car companies and the global pandemic called for many cost cutting actions.

Car rental companies became experts at selling their fleet directly to consumer.  Usual fleet cycles include returning leased vehicles, offloading owned fleet wholesale at auctions and selling directly to the public.  The last method was heavily focused on early in the pandemic.  That focus led to some great internal improvements in processes for rental car companies.  They now know that if needed, the fleet can be more quickly disposed by utilizing the direct to the public route.

Acquiring new fleet may take longer than normal and need to overcome higher risk avoidance.  Car Rental cancellations spiked in March and April 2020 and operators are wary of being too aggressive in advance fleet increases until circumstances  normalize.  So, many fleet planners will wait and see before committing to fleet purchases and leases.

Finally, pent up travel demand may spike by Summer 2021.  The roll-out of effective vaccines and other measures will allow and encourage the public to travel again.  And, travel they will.  The level of pent-up travel is sky-high with many considering once-in-a-lifetime trips while others are considering visiting their favorite locations again.  In any case, the demand for travel could explode and the supply of rental fleet may not be able to keep up with it.  

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UPDATE 12/23/2020:  More concerns are arising across the globe from suppliers increasing fleet to meet sharp demand curves in 2021.  In Ireland, fleet size has been cut in half compared to 2019 levels and acquiring additional vehicles when needed will be difficult because companies may not have the financial resources to do so.

December 15, 2020 0 comment
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Flexible Car Rental Reservations
Rent Sure

Flexible Bookings and Free Cancellations

by AutoRentals.com December 14, 2020
written by AutoRentals.com

Rent Sure Series

Having a sanitized and clean rental car is vitally important, but another aspect of your rental car booking ranks just as high.  The flexibility to modify your auto rental reservation or even cancel that booking is absolutely necessary in 2021.  So, make sure when reserving that rental car online that the modification and cancellation policies have been reviewed.  

Here are some of the most common types of rental car reservations.

  • Email and/or phone number required:  Simply provide your email address and/or phone number to confirm the reservation.  A confirmation email will be sent and any changes or cancellations can be made through the links provided in the email.
  • Credit Card required:  For this reservation, a valid credit card must be providing at the time of booking.  The card will not be charged, but may be authorized.  In some cases, a cancellation window will be provided (like 24 hours before pickup) before any penalties would occur from the car rental company.
  • Deposit required:  At the time of reservation, a deposit will be made.  This deposit is applied to the rental once it is picked up, but usually is refundable if the reservation is cancelled within the appropriate window ahead of the pickup.
  • Pre-paid:  The entire estimated total of the rental is paid at the time of reservation.  This is usually results in a discounted rental car rate and can be refunded if cancelled within the pickup window.
  • Hidden Supplier:  Some rental car offers are represented by the website’s brand and the underlying car rental supplier is hidden.  That supplier is then revealed once the reservation has been completed and paid for fully.  This type of reservation usually includes a steeper discount but is also more strict in cancellation policies.

While cancellation policies can change from time to time and vary based on the type of reservation you made, here is a summary of some of the current car rental cancellation policies.

***Be sure to look for any booking fees.  AutoRentals.com does not charge for any booking or cancellation fees.  

 

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December 14, 2020 0 comment
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Let's Go Everywhere

Drive-Thru Holiday Displays, Great for 2020!

by AutoRentals.com December 11, 2020
written by AutoRentals.com

The Holiday season this year will look different for many of us this year.  But, one thing that remains constant are the festive decorations throughout the United States.  What better way to experience these twinkling lights and displays than a 2020 approved, socially distant and family friendly drive-thru experience.   Check out some of these fantastic vehicle accessible holiday light displays.

Photo Credit- Gabe Ginsberg

Glittering Lights at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Located less than 10 minutes from Downtown Las Vegas, the Glittering Lights at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is celebrating its 20th year in operation.   Prominently displaying more than 5 million LED light throughout the 2.5 mile course, the Glittering Lights benefits the Speedway Children’s Charity.  Prices range from $25 per vehicle to a Season Pass for $85.  Catch the over 500 animated displays November 13, 2020 through January 10, 2021.

Check out AutoRentals.com if you need a Las Vegas rental car to experience the Glittering Lights!

Credit Lights Under Louisville

Lights Under Louisville

This truly unique drive-thru holiday light display includes a trek through the MEGA Cavern!  Lights Under Louisville traverses through part of the 17 miles of underground passageways as part of the 30 minute car ride.  3 Million points of light and over 850 characters highlight the only underground light show in the world.

Need a rental car to explore Louisville and Kentucky?  Check out AutoRentals.com to compare all the car rentals!

Photo Credit Hershey Parks

Hershey Sweet Lights presented by T-Mobile

Over two miles of wooded trials await your family’s enjoyment at Hershey Sweet Lights presented by T-Mobile.  An add-on to the overall Hershey Park experience, Sweet Lights presents nearly 600 lit, animated displays throughout the journey.  Check out the display on select nights during the holiday season from 5 PM – 10 PM starting at $25.15.

Photo credit Austin Trail Of Lights/Facebook

Looking for more?

A fantastic holiday light drive-thru experience is close to you whenever you might be this year.  Check out some more options throughout the country here and here.

December 11, 2020 0 comment
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Florida Beach
Recent Car Rental News

Updated, Lighter Travel Restrictions for New York

by AutoRentals.com November 9, 2020
written by AutoRentals.com

Starting November 4th, New Yorkers wishing to venture outside the Empire State have some additional travel options.  Until now, with only a few exceptions, those who visited states deemed “high risk” for COVID-19 had to quarantine for a period of 14-days upon their return back home to New York.  What’s changing is that now, you can visit any state in the Union – even those warm Sun Belt states – and limit your quarantine period to as few as four days if you:

1) get a negative test result within 72-hours before coming home;
2) quarantine for 3-days; and
3) get another negative test result on the 4th day.

So that trip to see family and friends for the holidays that might have previously been out of the question for some New Yorkers because of the 14-day quarantine period may now be more within the realm of possibility.  Less time in quarantine means less time away from work and other daily obligations that aren’t so quarantine friendly, which just might justify a week in say, sunny Florida enjoying the beach as the days here in the Northeast get shorter and the temps dip lower.  

The changed rules, announced by New York’s Governor Andrew Cuomo, come at a time when more data is emerging that, contrary to what one might assume, air travel presents an extremely low risk of COVID-19 transmission. This is due to several factors, including how air makes its way through an aircraft cabin, how air is filtered and exchanged, and how an aircraft itself is physically configured so that everyone is seated facing forward toward the natural barrier of a seat back and not facing one another, as might be the case on a train.

New Yorkers visiting states that share a border with their home state are not subject to travel restrictions.  The states that share a border with New York are Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont.

For additional details on the new requirements, you can read the official New York State published Guidance at https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2020/11/interm_guidance_travel_advisory.pdf

For more information on the risk of COVID-19 transmission aboard an aircraft, you can check out https://www.iata.org/en/youandiata/travelers/health/low-risk-transmission/

November 9, 2020 0 comment
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beach vacation rental home
Recent Car Rental News

Accommodations Growing Again, Vacation Rentals Leading

by AutoRentals.com July 20, 2020
written by AutoRentals.com

While the COVID pandemic has by no means been favorable for travel, a certain type of experience seems to be on the upswing. According to Phocuswright, Airbnb, the accommodation provider, is seeing a surge in demand, having on July 8th attained 1 million nights’ worth of bookings in a single day.  That’s a level that Airbnb hasn’t attained since the first week in March.  Two thirds of the bookings were for non-city destinations.

Although Airbnb did not report on the reasons for the increased demand, an Airbnb accommodation starts to look more desirable than a traditional hotel accommodation in COVID times. Health authorities around the world tell us that indoor public spaces present heightened risk.  The common areas of a hotel – reception area, restaurant, bar – resemble those spaces much more so than does an Airbnb single family home or condo.  The hotel has a fair number of people pass through, the Airbnb not as much.  Also, while Airbnb locations are interspersed in all of the places people live – city and country and everything in between – hotels tend to be located in population centers, precisely the locations more and more of us are seeking to avoid in a pandemic.  

So if you’re feeling cabin fever and want to escape the city or your own home for a little while, you might want to consider joining the ever growing crowd looking to travel, but to travel safely.  And, as always, a car rental from AutoRentals.com is a way for you to get wherever you want to go, whenever you want to go, safe and sound.

 

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July 20, 2020 0 comment
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  • Rent Sure | Safe and Flexible Car Rental Bookings
  • Car Rental | The Safest Travel Option
  • The Case for Reserving Your Rental Car Now
  • Flexible Bookings and Free Cancellations
  • Drive-Thru Holiday Displays, Great for 2020!

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