Anyone use Priceline for car rentals when traveling?
July 20th, 2009 at 12:58pm Thomas V. Bona
I’m addicted to using priceline.com for hotels when traveling, even for occasional weekend jaunts to Chicago. You can get some sweet deals, and the geographic boundaries are such that you have a decent sense where you’re staying.
But I’ve never tried it with air travel or car rentals. When flying, my schedule is always so tight I can’t take a chance on Priceline giving me an early morning or late night flight, no matter how cheap.
However, I’m contemplating using priceline for my rental needs on an upcoming vacation. Anyone have any experience with rentals through them?
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1. Rob | July 20th, 2009 at 7:59 pm
I’ve been using Priceline for 10 years for both hotels and rental cars. Like you, I would not use Priceline for air travel as the flights provided are usually very early or late in the day.
I’ve never paid more than $18/day for a car (full size) and typically get rentals for $15/day. I’ve received compact cars for $13/day.
In recent weeks, Priceline seems to have reduced availability in some towns due to, in my opinion, reduced fleet size. The rental companies aren’t buying as many cars as before.
When using Priceline, expect to get a car from Alamo/National, Hertz or Budget.
Before bidding, check www.biddingfortravel.com for an idea of what to expect to bid. It isn’t perfect, but you can ask for advice prior to bidding on hotels and rental cars. They list a history of successful bids from (mostly) savvy bidders.
www.betterbidding.com is another source for information.
When asking for help, be sure to read the FAQ first or you won’t get much of a response.
They also detail strategies for increasing your chances of a successful bid without over-paying.
If you want 4 star hotels in Chicago for $60 or $13/day rental cars, Priceline can’t be beat.
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