Travel Manager car rental tips

Recent years have changed many things about the business travel experience, and renting a car is no exception. You may have seen reports of rental car shortages due to reduced fleet sizes and a global shortage of semiconductors or microchips, a car manufacturing component affecting the production of new vehicles.

Corporate Travel Management (CTM) spoke with industry-leading car rental companies to understand the impact on business travelers – providing a list of Travel Manager car rental tips to deliver the best booking and traveler experience.

Book car rental as early as possible – particularly in cities and states with high demand

Car inventory in the US has had some improvement in recent months however, inventory can be challenging during late spring and summer when leisure travel is at its peak and demand for car rental is high.

Book your car rental as soon as possible – ideally, at the same time, you book your airfare (if you are booking a flight) to avoid a lack of availability. Car rental companies recommend that you book your car rental at least three weeks in advance to prevent sold-out situations.

Additional costs to be aware of

Don’t forget to take into account add-ons or ancillary fees when booking a car rental.  These fees can add to the travel budget if not monitored. Refueling costs vary depending on whether the traveler fuels up before drop-off or whether they request the rental location to fuel the car. There may also be delivery and collection charges, mileage fees, and airport or city fees. It is also important to keep abreast of drop-off and pick-up times on bookings. Could a traveler be dropping off or collecting the hire car earlier than what has been booked; this may save time and money.

Don’t forget off-airport rental locations

If you plan to rent a car at an airport, consider off-airport locations – especially if you see limited availability at your arrival airport. On-airport rental companies also tend to be more popular, and as a result, may run out of inventory more quickly.

Check cancellation policies, fees, and penalties before your book (and check back on rates as your trip approaches)

Be sure to check cancellation penalties and the overall cancellation policy beforehand. If you don’t find a rate suited to your travel policy, your best bet is still to make the reservation and pre-pay if possible.

In most cases, if you decide you no longer want the rental, check with the car rental company to determine if you can cancel the car for a refund. Cancelling can help car rental companies have an accurate account of what’s available for fleet planning purposes which means availability will be more accurate for all travelers. Travel Managers should be sure to process cancellations as well for the same reason.

Check back on rates as your trip approaches. As car rental employees come back to work and the rental companies can release additional vehicles, you may find a better rate. However, be sure to keep your existing reservation until you find a new one to avoid losing it.

Be aware of length or rental restrictions, especially where demand is high

Some car rental companies have a length of rental restrictions, essentially mandating minimum rental days. This may translate to a minimum of two (2) days per rental in some locations. However, in others where demand is high, the rental minimum can be as long as five (5) or seven (7) days.

What does this mean for you and your travelers? Be prepared that 1-2 day rentals may be challenging to find, at least for now, especially in places where demand is high. The length of rental restrictions should be available to view at the time of booking.

Consider loyalty programs with car rental providers

While it’s not a guarantee, being part of a car rental company’s loyalty program or having “status” with a car rental company may help secure a rental. Some car rental providers are even giving priority to renters with “status.”

Travelers should ensure they are signed up with at least one of your preferred providers’ loyalty programs. Travel Managers should ensure top priority travelers have “status” with their preferred car rental suppliers.

It may also be a good idea to consider a co-primary (or at least secondary) car rental agreement if you only have one agreement currently.

Travel Manager car rental tip takeaways

• Book early.
• Prepare in advance.
• Carefully read cancellation policies before you arrive at the airport for the smoothest possible experience.