You can get a cheap car-rental rate in Florida in June if you are willing to do some driving. Combine your trip to Florida with a road trip up the East Coast, and you can save a bundle on car-rental rates.
Dollar Rent A Car is offering $1-a-day rates on midsize cars at participating airport locations for those willing to drive their rentals to out-of-state drop-off locations.
That one-way rate looks really good when you compare it with rates for pickup and drop-off within Florida. As an example, rates for pickup in Orlando on June 24 and return in Atlanta on July 1 were $45 for the week, when you added all the taxes and fees to the $1-a-day deal. However, if you picked up a car in Orlando and returned it to the same location, the cost was $415 to rent from June 24 to July 1, including taxes and fees. Even if you add in gas money, you end up way ahead.
Keep in mind that the maximum rental period is seven days and you must pick up the car no later than June 24. Cars may be dropped off at participating locations on the East Coast as far north as New York City. Pickup locations are at airports and include Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, Pensacola, Sarasota, Tampa and West Palm Beach in Florida, as well as Mobile, Ala. Before you decide your pickup and drop-off points, look at one-way fares to see which combination will be best for your trip.
If you want to spend most of your vacation in Florida, the closest drop-off city is Atlanta, where you usually can find good one-way fares. You could see the Florida coast, spend a little time in Savannah and then make your way to Atlanta to fly home. If you want to take a longer driving tour, you could spend a few days in Florida and see the sights on your way up to Philadelphia, New York or Washington, D.C.
If you will be flying out of a big city, turn in your car once you get there to avoid the expense of hotel parking fees and the hassle of navigating in a strange place. In cities it usually is easy to get around on public transportation and taxis can be cheaper than hotel parking fees.
Anytime you are taking a city vacation, check parking rates before you rent a car.
Hotel parking rates in New York can be $50 or more per day. If you are taking a weeklong vacation and need a car for a side trip, you can always just rent for the side trip. Even if the daily rental rate is higher than the per-day rates for a weekly rental, you will save on overall rental rates and parking.
For more information on the Dollar offer, call 800-800-3665 or visit dollar.com; click on “Specials,” then “Florida Mid-size car one-way for $1/day.”
