subject: Does It Pay To Rent A Vehicle One Way? [print this page] Whenever you make a purchase, it is always wise to do your homework and find the best price. Renting a car is no different. It pays to shop and get the best price but did you know if you rent a vehicle for a one way trip its probably going to cost you more than a round trip rental and that is based on the assumption you will return the car at the same location you rented it from.
While it is always a good idea to shop your alternatives there are occasions where the situation will dictate what avenues to pursue. If an emergency arises and a one way rental is your only option, be prepared to discover you may have to pay more than the cost of a round trip rental.
Most companies won't tell you the secret to one way rentals because they want their fleet of vehicles to stay at their location and switching them around with other rental agencies that could be hundreds of miles away can be a real hassle. Essentially this is why they charge you a lot extra for one way rentals, because in the end they will have to arrange to get that vehicle back from the location that you dropped it at. This will not only cost them the amount that they will have to pay someone to drive the vehicle back but will cost them extra in fuel and wear and tear on the vehicle itself. So while these fees may seem to make the rental too expensive it is honestly the cost of getting that vehicle back.
There is a very simple way to avoid paying through the nose for a one way rental. That is you need to pick up and drop off the rented vehicle at an airport location. Since airport locations service people from all around, they can be more flexible with their fleets and have a little more leeway in providing you with a one way rental for less.
Most companies won't tell you that if you rent from the airport you can save money on a one way vehicle rental since they don't want to send you to their competition. This is where making calls to get the information you need is necessary. Whether you actually rent from the airport or local agencies, only you can determine whether the cost saving is worth the inconvenience if the airport isn't close by.
