Having a rental car on holiday gives you freedom and flexibility to explore the region you are travelling to, and gets you off the beaten track. The cost of renting a car can be very reasonable, however we have learnt a few valuable, and expensive, lessons regarding renting a holiday car over the years which I will share with you below.
Using affiliated companies
Check whether the airline you are flying with is affiliated with a car rental company. We have found that buying flights and hiring a car as a package through the airline has often been cheaper. British Airways’ affiliation with Avis has saved us a lot of money in the past.
Shop around
It is worth looking at car rental comparison websites, such as Holiday Autos, before booking to ensure that you are getting the best deal. If you decide not to use a car rental company affiliated with the airline, or there is not a significant cost saving, you may benefit by saving time once you get off the plane at your destination. We have noticed that most people will head straight for the affiliated car rental company which can create a large queue. You may be the only person in line at an alternative rental company.
Check airline membership perks
Look to see whether becoming a member of the airline gives you any perks such as free additional driver. We are members of British Airways’ Executive club which is free to join and provides this benefit, plus the option of collecting and using Avios points.
Children’s car seats
Car seats from rental companies are expensive to rent and, in our experience, have been in fairly poor condition. After a few trips we realised that it was cheaper to buy our own car seats and take them with us. We bought two high back booster seats for £70 (the same cost as renting one car seat for a week) and take them with us. The financial benefits are actually outweighed by the peace of mind we have knowing that the car seat conforms to current standards, our children are comfortable and we know how to put them into a car (we have wasted hours trying to fit rented seats into hire cars in dark airport garages late at night – the last thing you want to be doing!)
To keep the car seats clean and undamaged we bought Zohzo car seat travel bags, through Amazon, which can be worn as a backpack. The car seats are not heavy to carry on your back and your hands remain free to carry your other luggage and/or control your excitable children.
Additional insurance
Taking out additional insurances when you collect your rental car always increased the price of the rental drastically. To avoid this we have taken out yearly comprehensive insurance which covers multiple trips for just £40 through icarhireinsurance.com. Take a copy of your insurance policy with you when you collect the car so that you can decline their offer to add insurance on.
Hiring a Sat Nav
Don’t waste money renting a Sat Nav as quite often these are in the car as standard. If travelling in the EU you are able to use your mobile data as you would at home and access Google Maps to find directions. See Ofcom for more information on using your mobile abroad.
Purchasing petrol
When returning the rental car it usually works out cheaper to refill the petrol tank before dropping off. Check with the rental company what their policy is, and look at how much you have been pre-charged for a tank.
Do you actually need a car?
This may seem obvious, but there are holidays where the use of a car is more of a hindrance than a help. It is worth adding up the approximate cost of public transport for your holiday vs the cost of a rental car. On our trip to Ibiza over half term, we caught a taxi from the airport to our hotel for €30 each way. Nearby our hotel there were good bus and ferry links to various parts of the island, as well as a well-stocked supermarket a short walk away.
We have found that the children get far more excited about a day trip when we are using public transport than when we are jumping in the car. They integrate more with the local community and have an opportunity to practice a few words of the local language.
If you do decide to rent a car make sure you find out whether your accommodation has parking. If not research nearby car parks and their cost.
Inspiring Adventure 
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