Car Rental Options to Save Money Traveling

Everyone loves a good deal when it comes to travel, and if you’re like most people, saving money is also the number one priority. With that in mind, we thought we’d take a look at some of your popular ground transportation options while traveling and see which offers both safety and affordability. To do this we took prices for standard rental cars from Hertz, Avis and Enterprise, for comparison. We then took the cost of a one-way trip from Los Angeles to Las Vegas on three Turo cars which are priced competitively with car rentals while also being owned by fellow travelers who have more freedom over what they charge. The last two options we tried to focus on were Lyft and Uber, which are known for their cheaper rideshare services.

Hertz Car Rentals

If you’re looking for a hassle-free travel experience, Hertz rental cars are the way to go. The company offers rentals at more than 9,000 locations in more than 100 countries around the world. Whether you book in advance or when you arrive at the airport, it’s easy to rent with Hertz. You can also reserve your vehicle with them online to save time when picking up your car.

Avis Car Rentals

Avis is a trusted name in the car rental business and has been around since 1946. Since that time, they have grown to just over 7,000 locations globally. You can also book a reservation online with Avis. There are also several ways to make a payment when you pick up your vehicle.

Enterprise Car Rentals

Much like Hertz and Avis, Enterprise is another company that offers car rentals at thousands of locations around the world. Enterprise has been operating for more than 50 years and has a fleet of more than 3,500 vehicles worldwide. They have a customer coverage network of more than 880 locations worldwide. You can even book online in advance with Enterprise. To top it all off, they have a great referral program where both the referrer and the person who books receive discounts on their car rental!

Turo Car Rentals

A newer option among travelers is Turo which allows individuals to rent cars from people in an official capacity. This company has been around since 2009 and has over 200,000 registered hosts who offer more than 150. Turo is a peer-to-peer car rental mobile app where owners can make some extra cash by renting out their cars when they’re not using them. A Turo reservation includes unlimited miles, collision and liability insurance in most states, and a 24/7 roadside assistance hotline to help with your trip.

Uber/Lyft

Both Uber and Lyft offer low prices and convenient pickup locations. They provide the infrastructure for drivers to be matched with passengers via their mobile applications. When you’re ready to leave, simply order a ride and an approved driver will arrive shortly. All rides are paid for ahead of time with the mobile application so there’s no need to worry about carrying cash or credit cards.

Comparing Affordability

When it comes to affordability, Turo came out on top for the lowest price on average compared to renting a car. This means you’ll save around $40 on average per trip by choosing Turo vs. renting a car. Then next in line was Lyft/Uber which ranked second with an average savings of $30 per trip. The most expensive option was renting a car through Hertz when you consider all five options which came in at an average of $116 more than Turo, $99 more than Lyft, $63 more than Avis and $47 more than Enterprise for the same standard rental.

Convenience Versus Cost

Depending on the city, the cheapest option is actually public transportation. However, this is not practical for travelers in most locations outside of large metropolitan cities. Moreover, it may not be the most convenient option for those that are directionally challenged.

On the other hand, if you’re planning to travel to a dense city, it may not be convenient to rent a car at all. Trying to deal with parking as well as unfamiliar streets can cause headaches and additional cost. In that case, Lyft and Uber may be the cheapest option as long as you are not making too many trips.

Other Considerations

Avis and Enterprise are only available at certain locations while Turo is car-sharing network so it can be difficult to find cars in some cities or during events such as conventions when everyone is trying to do the same thing.

Hertz is the most expensive option on average while Lyft and Uber are generally cheaper with some exceptions depending on location. Public transportation may be the cheapest option when you consider all your options, but this will only work when visiting metropolitan cities that have large subway or bus systems.

Bottom Line

Travelers can choose from a variety of different ground transportation options once they arrive at their destination. Convenience and affordability often depends from person-to-person and city-to-city. Overall, given traditional car rental services, he cheapest option available is Avis. Turo can provide cheaper options, but there is a lot more variability depending on the peer-to-peer network for your destination. I typically like to check Turo first before resorting to the traditional car rental services such as Hertz, Avis, and Enterprise. Finally, Uber/Lyft options are typically cheaper only if you traveling short distances and few trips within your destination. With so many options available, travelers have an excellent chance to save money when choosing how they get around their destination.