The Best Car Rental Agencies

Taking a trip for either work or business can be a lot of fun and be very productive. When you are taking a trip, it is important to have it planned in advance, including picking the right rental car.

When you are planning your trip, you should carefully consider which rental car company you should rent from. Since there are so many different rental car agencies to choose from today, picking the right company can be a challenge.

There are five top car rental companies that have a national presence that you should consider. Each of these companies have features and rate structures that could make them a good option for you.

Enterprise

One of the largest rental car companies in the world today is Enterprise Rent-A-Car. This car company is well known for having a wide variety of locations for you to choose from as it specializes in off-airport rentals. Overall, the company has more than 9,000 locations across the world, including nearly 450 that are located on airport grounds. When you are looking to rent a car from Enterprise, you will find that there is a huge fleet of vehicles to choose from. The company’s fleet includes everything from small compact cars all the way up to large SUVs, minivans, and cargo vans.

When you are looking to save money, Enterprise can be a great option. The company has rates that start at well under $40 per day and has other incentives, such as free upgrades, that can make it a good option. For those that are frequent users of rental cars, joining the Enterprise Plus loyalty program can be a good option as this can help you earn points towards free rentals and upgrades. One unique service provided by Enterprise is that they will pick you up and drop you off at home in many situations, which adds a huge convenience.

Avis

Avis is one of the two major brands under the Avis Budget Group. Avis is one of the oldest car rental companies sin the country today, with its business dating back to the mid-1940s.

Today, Avis has more than 5,500 locations around the world, including more than 500 locations at airports. Avis has traditionally had a large fleet of GM and Ford vehicles, which include cars of all sizes including sub-compact cars, SUVs, and minivans. Overall, the prices of an Avis vehicle tend to be very competitive. The company often has promotions that will allow you to rent premium vehicles and SUVs for under $50 per day, if you are willing to commit to a week-long rental.

Customers that are looking to rent a car consistently should consider joining the Avis Preferred loyalty program. Members of this program will earn and accumulate points with each rental, which can be redeemed for cash back. Members are also able to take advantage of the quick registration feature, which helps you to avoid lines when renting a car.

Hertz

The Hertz car company is part of the larger conglomerate of car rental companies that include the Hertz, Thrifty, and Dollar brands. The Hertz brand has more than 5,000 locations across the country and the entire parent company under all brands has more than 10,000 locations.

When you are looking to rent a car from Hertz, you will find that there is a full fleet to choose from. The company often has great promotional offers on all vehicles, which include free upgrades to luxury vehicles and free GPS units when available. The company also gives additional discounts to AAA members, which can help to save up to $10 per day off a car rental.

Hertz customers can also sign up for the Hertz Gold Plus rewards program, which provides many different amenities. Customers that achieve higher levels of status with the car rental company will be able to accumulate points faster, will receive free upgrades and accessories, and will receive automated and expedited check in at airport locations.

Dollar Thrifty

For customers that are looking for discounts on rental cars, renting from Dollar or Thrifty could be a great option. These car companies are currently owned by the Hertz Group, but often offer even greater discounts than the parent company. Dollar Thrify has a standard full line of vehicles from someone to choose from. Traditionally, the company’s fleet has been made up of Ford and GM vehicles, including their line of SUVs, vans, trucks, and sedans.

Customers of Dollar and Thrifty can join the Blue Chip loyalty rewards program to earn additional savings. This rewards program offers great additional discounts and service upgrades, including free satellite radio or GPS after achieving certain loyalty program levels. Even for those that do not have access to the loyalty rewards program can still earn great deals. The company frequently offers rates that start as low as $20 per day for sub-compact cars in some select markets. Overall, the rental agencies had more than 1,000 locations across the world, including many in major airports.

Alamo

Another great option for rental cars is Alamo, which is now part of the Enterprise rental car company. Alamo is well known for its Alamo Insiders rewards program, which offers great discounts to customers and provides enhanced service features. Overall, Alamo has more than 250 locations in the United States alone, including locations at most major airports.

When you book a car from Alamo, you can typically get a good deal. The company frequently has rental promotions with rates starting at under $30 per day. Furthermore, the company is well known for having a wide variety of last-minute offers and promotions that could help anyone to save even more money. Alamo also offers a variety of different promotions to save even more, which can include saving $5 per day if you prepay in advance and $10 per day if you are a member of AAA. Overall, this helps to make Alamo one of the most affordable car rental companies available today.

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