The 10 Best Rental Companies To Rent A Car For A Week
Driving a rental car will never be the same as driving your car as there are a few rules that will guide you on how you will use the car. Some car rentals have a strict age limit of who can drive the car with some charging high penalties if the driver does not meet the requirements. That said, you need to note that the experience you will have whether renting a car or buying SUV car lease deals will vary from one company to another.
Choosing a one-way car rental with a high reputation will increase your chances of enjoying the journey. A company with good customer care will also help to increase your level of satisfaction. Good car rental should let you rent a car for a week, a month, or a day at affordable rates without unnecessary inconveniences. It should further be friendly and responsive to customer needs. In this article, we bring you the best ten car rental companies with a proven reputation.
How Much Does It Cost To Rent a Car For a Week?
Whether you are looking to rent a car for a month, a week, or a day, you will need to understand the structure of payment and fees. While some car rentals have a straightforward, transparent fee, others tend to have hidden fees that you will likely know about when returning the car. The fees vary from one rental company to another, but you should expect to pay about $50 per day and $250 per week for a standard car. However, the prices can be higher or lower, depending on other factors such as the size of the car, model, and mileage.
7 Factors That Affect Car Rental Fees
1. Size and type of car
The cost of renting a sedan will not be the same as that of renting an SUV. Equally, the fee for a five-seat car will not be the same as that of a seven-seat car. You must understand that most car rental companies have categories of vehicles they offer. The groups will most likely range from compact to family, minivans, SUVs, and luxury vehicles. Cars in the same category will cost the same.
2. Location
You are likely to pay different fees for the same car by the same company when you rent from different locations. Renting your car at an airport or other tourist destinations will likely be more expensive than when you rent from a local office.
3. Discounts and Offers
Although most rental companies will advertise their fees as the cheapest, you may need to look deeply at their website for greater savings. You can find car rental companies offering up to 15 percent or more of the base rate when you book in advance. Others will offer attractive discounts when you hire a car for a longer period. Before you can finalize a car rental deal, always ask for discounts.
4. Taxes and Additional Fees
Taxes are usually not part of the advertised rental fees. They vary from city to city and state to state. You should not agree to rental terms without understanding the taxes that you will pay to avoid surprises. It is also worth noting that some locations and cars attract additional fees. You may have to pay for an airport surcharge when picking up a rental car from the airport. Drivers younger than 25 years may also have to pay a surcharge to rent a car with most car rentals. Always make sure that you understand the applicable fees before you sign the contract.
5. Miles
While some rental companies are kind enough to offer unlimited mileage, others have a specific mileage that you should not surpass. Otherwise, you will pay a mileage charge that will make your car rental more expensive. You should not underestimate the miles you drive in a day when renting a car or buying no money down lease, as you may end up paying more than you planned. If you are not sure about the mileage you will drive, it is better to look for a car rental with unlimited mileage.
6. Gasoline
Most rentals will provide you a car with a full tank and the company expects you to return the car with a full tank. The company will charge you a per-gallon price that is higher than the ongoing per-gallon rate at gas stations. You can save money by negotiating with the company for a pre-determined per-gallon rate if you will not return the car with a full tank.
7. Insurance
The insurance fee is an important element whether you are renting a car for a day or buying $0 car lease deals for two years. The rental firm may require you to purchase a loss damage waiver as part of the deal.
The 10 Best Rental Companies To Rent A Car For A Week
- Alamo
- Enterprise
- Avis
- Budget
- Sixt
- Hertz
- Thrifty
- Ace Rent a Car
- Dollar
- Fox Rent a Car
1. Alamo
Since 1974, Alamo has been offering its customers unlimited free mileage, making the company popular with those looking to maximize their travels without worrying about the extra charge. Alamo is a leisure car rental company that offers a fun, low-cost, high-value rental experience to leisure and family travelers. The company has networks and partnerships with major airlines, making it the largest car rental provider to international travelers visiting North America.
Alamo offers monthly, daily, and weekly car rental deals with discounts, allowing you to make the most out of your family vacations. However, you need to have at least 21 years to rent a car with Alamo. You may also have to pay a $20 per day youthful surcharge if you are between 21 and 24 years. The company restricts drivers below the age of 24 to specific models. Alamo’s weekly car rental ranges from five to seven days. The fees vary by vehicle, location, date, and availability.
2. Enterprise
From humble beginnings, Enterprise is an ongoing American success story. The company has built its name by taking care of customers, communities, employees, and the environment. The founder, Jack Taylor chose the name Enterprise to honor the USS Enterprise, the WWII aircraft carrier he was a pilot. Since 1957, the company principles revolve around personal honesty and integrity. Today, Enterprise is one of the largest transportation solutions providers.
Enterprise offers car and truck rentals as well as car sales and car-sharing. The company offers competitively priced weekly, daily, and hourly rates. An enterprise is a good option if you are looking for a one-way car rental as you can pick up and return the car to a different location. The company offers low rates at more than 7,600 neighborhood and airport locations worldwide. It further offers great weekend car rental rates and special deals.
3. Avis
Avis has some of the best weekly car rental specials. Despite offering competitive rates, customers can use the Avis coupon and discount codes to get the best deal. You can save 15 percent on your rental fees if you rent a car for five days or more. You may also get up to 30 percent off your rental plus 10 percent back in an Amazon gift card. The company further provides 10 percent off on monthly rentals if you book early. The 10 percent offer also applies when you rent a car at your neighborhood Avis location.
Avis one-way car rental deals start at $49.99 per day, allowing you to pick and drop the car in a different location. The company provides its customers with a number of benefits that include paying now rates at most Avis locations, convenient car rental fuel plan options, flexible long-term car rentals, and best price pledges. However, the company rents cars to individuals who are 25 years or older. Clients between the ages of 18 and 24 years have to pay a surcharge fee to qualify to rent a car at Avis.
4. Budget
With a history dating back to 1958, Budget is a household name among budget-conscious car renters. Budget offers the best rates guarantee, ensuring that you do not have to spend hours browsing the internet for better deals. If you find a better deal on other websites, Budget will match the rate and give you an additional 10 percent off on your prepaid Budget rental. The company further provides extended roadside assistance, making sure that you are never stranded in the middle of the road.
The Budget’s rental car extended roadside assistance is an optional service that enables clients to enjoy a safer stress-free driving experience. The assistance includes key replacement, lockout service, jump-start, flat tire assistance, and fuel delivery. Budget has competitive prices for short and long-term car rentals. Monthly car rental at Budget starts as low as $495 per month. The long-term car rental comes with great rates, flexible contracts, loss damage waiver discounts, vehicle exchange, and one-way car rental. The company has a host of car rental discounts for greater savings.
5. Sixt
Sixt requires drivers to be 21 years or more to rent a car, but an underage surcharge will apply for all drivers under the age of 25. The company restricts the drivers of between 21 and 24 years to the economy vehicle, intermediate SUV, compact SUV, full-size vehicle, compact vehicle, and minivan. Sixt accepts up to ten additional drivers per contract. A fee will apply for each additional driver, but clients with Diamond, Platinum, and Gold status can add one additional driver free of charge.
Sixt offers short and long-term car rentals. The short-term car rentals include a one-day experience, weekly and weekend car rentals. Sixt has incredible deals on 24-hour car rentals. You choose a premium car like Volvo S60 or a family car like Toyota Camry or an SUV like Kia Sportage. When you rent a car for a week with Sixt, you get lower per day cost, allowing you to maximize your travels. The weekly contract includes car replacement in case of an accident or a breakdown. A sixt-one-way car rental service is a good option when you need to pick up a car in one city and return it to another location.
6. Hertz
Hertz is one of the most recognizable car rental brands globally. The company offers competitive daily, weekly and multi-month rates. Hertz recognizes the need to reward its loyal customers, offering the Gold Plus reward program. The program is free to join and makes it easier, faster, and more rewarding to rent a car. The reward program helps you skip the line with faster checkout, redeem points for upgrades or free rental days, earn premium status, and transfer points to other travel programs.
Hertz offers special daily and weekly discounts that let you enjoy more affordable travels. For customers that need the car longer, the company has a multi-month car rental program that lets you rent a car for as low as $549 per month. The multi-month program is ideal if you are looking for savings, flexibility, and freedom. The program does not have mileage limits, penalties, long-term lease commitments, upfront fees, or finance charges. You also get a flexible vehicle exchange option that lets you select a car that suits your changing needs.
7. Thrifty
Do you dream of driving a BMW X1? Thrifty could make your dream come true as long as you are 25 years or older. As part of its luxury cars, Thrifty offers BMW X1 at its major airport locations, including Dallas, Orlando, Tampa, Phoenix, Las Vegas, West Palm Beach, and San Diego, among other select locations. Founded in 1958, Thrifty operates in more than 4,000 locations. The company has an awesome blue chip rewards program that is easy and free to sign up for.
Thrifty blue-chip reward program rewards loyal customers, enabling them to skip the counter and go straight to the lot. You also get a free authorized additional driver and quicker reservations, pickup, and returns. The program is free to join and offers priority counter service when needed and free days. The program lets you earn points whenever you use Thrifty car rental services at one point per every qualifying $1 spent on rentals.
8. Ace Rent a Car
Ace has been operating as a national carrier since 1966. It has over 350 convenient locations in more than 16 countries. Ace tailors its car rental services to the needs of its customers. It operates on the principles of trustworthiness and reliability. The company has a reward program that allows customers to rack up points they can use towards future reservations. Ace further offers discounts on its friendly car rental services, ensuring that you have access to the cheapest car rental near me lease deal.
Ace Rent a Car offers car rental services to drivers who are 25 years or older. Renters under the age of 25 may have to pay a surcharge to rent a car. Ace allows renters to add an additional driver, making it ideal for long trips, but you may have to pay a surcharge. The company has a customer loyalty program that lets you accumulate points for rental discounts and free rental days. Ace credits reward points eight days after the rental completes.
9. Dollar
A Dollar is a popular option when you are looking for the cheapest car rental near me. The Dollar has a host of offers and discounts for big savings on already great prices. Young renters can save up to 10 percent of the base rate with Dollar. Furthermore, you can save up to 10 percent if you rent a car for a week with a weekly car rental service. Other discounts you can use to lower your rates include 10 percent off with AAA car rental discount and 15 percent off with prepay.
Dollar further works with other partners like Alaska Airlines and Southwest Airlines to earn points that you can redeem for discounts or free rides. You will find great car rental offers if you are an AAA member, AICPA member, BJ Wholesale Club member, and Union Plus member. Dollar offers both short and long-term car rentals including daily, weekly, and monthly at affordable rates. The company has a Dollar Express Rewards program that allows members to earn a point for every qualifying $1 spent on rentals that they can redeem for free days. The dollar has a one-way car rental that enables renters to pick a car in one location and drop it off in a different place.
10. Fox Rent a Car
Fox is the car rental of choice for young drivers under the age of 25. Unlike other rental companies that restrict the age to 25 and above, you can rent a car with Fox if you are 18 years. Fox’s age limit starts at 18 years for active-duty military and 19 years for everyone else. With Fox, age will not prevent you from driving a car as long as you have a valid driver’s license. However, all underage drivers have to pay an additional fee. Fox has several car rental programs that include, fox rewards, fox choice, underage drivers, monthly rentals and the pay now program.
Fox pay-now program offers a special prepaid discount of up to 25 percent when you book today. The choice system lets you choose the vehicle make, model, and color within your reserved car class, reducing the time you stay at the rental counter. Fox offers its customers more convenience and value with a one-way car rental service at competitive rates. The one-way rental service includes unlimited mileage, low-cost 24-hour emergency roadside assistance, and easy pick-up and returns.
Conclusion
Before you can rent a car for a week, a day, or a month, you should understand the fees and additional services. Most advertised fees do not include taxes and other applicable fees. Some car rental companies have lower advertised fees but higher penalties or poor customer service. It is better to look at the holistic value of the package when renting a car as opposed to prices only.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How much is a rental car for a week at Enterprise?
The cost of a rental at Enterprise depends on several factors including, the rental location, car class selected, insurance products, and additional products selected. You will need to start a reservation to find the most accurate pricing as per your needs.
How much is it to rent an SUV for a week?
The weekly rates for an SUV vary depending on the type of vehicle, location, additional services, and car rental companies. Nevertheless, Budget has some of the cheapest rates with the group F intermediate SUV with 5 seats costing $229 per week and $999 per month. The group W standard SUV with 5 seats costs $259 per week and $1099 per month.
How far in advance should you rent a car?
Booking a car a few weeks before travel will help you qualify for discounts. Nevertheless, three to six months before you travel is the most ideal period as that is when fees tend to be most competitive. Booking a car more than six months before your travel does not add any value. You may even pay more for the car if you book a year ahead. Booking more ahead is effective when you are looking to rent a rare car. It is not a problem for most car rentals if you book closer to your trip as long as you will be using one of the more common car types.
Why you should not buy a rental car?
Buying a rental car is a tricky process as it can turn out to be a good deal or an expensive mistake. Although they are cheap, rental cars have an uncertain history, higher mileage, and lightly optioned. Since different people with different driving styles have access to the car, it is impossible to tell the driving history, which is the reason why most people will not buy a rental car. Furthermore, most car rental companies only buy the base models making it difficult to find luxury features and advanced safety equipment.
What is cheaper Hertz or Enterprise?
Both companies compete on offering budget-friendly car rentals with better value, which explains their slight pricing difference. You may need to look at what each company offers as part of its package as that will also influence the pricing. Enterprise seems to be the cheaper option, but Hertz offers better value.
