admin April 18, 2018

When is the Cheapest Time to Book Your Rental Car?

The car hire prices can change frequently so it’s worth knowing the savviest time to book. You can discover the secrets of when you will find the best deal on your rental car in Uganda, the land gifted by nature.

If you are renting at a major airport or big city; in busy places, such as large airports and popular holiday’s spots, rental companies change their prices a lot sometimes several times a day. Most times these changes are tiny, but they can be substantial. In case you are going somewhere busy, it’s better to book as soon as you know what you need.

If you are renting at a smaller airport or off the beaten track; in you are renting somewhere that less busy, the prices don’t tend to vary that much. When you are renting somewhere that is less busy, the prices don’t tend to vary that much. So it’s worth booking as soon as you know your dates. That way you will get what you need. In very smaller places, cars can sell out; by this you will get what you need.

In case you are after a more unusual car; if you want a particular type of car, it’s definitely worth booking as early as you can. The rental companies tend to have fewer of these and once they are gone, they are gone. These prices of such unusual cars don’t go up and down so much.

Booking three to six months before you travel is usually best for getting a good deal. You’re booking early enough to get the car you want from the rental company of your choice, without risking any late price increases. Prices tend to be most competitive during this period. There isn’t much benefit to booking further ahead than around six months. If anything, prices tend to be higher a year ahead.

Why the prices change so much is because rental companies’ don’t want too many cars in their depots when they could be rented out. So incase fewer people are booking cars that they expect, they will reduce prices to attract more customers. And in case they are getting more bookings than they expected, they will raise the prices to maximize what each remaining car brings.

What if the prices go down after you book; here the cars hire terms and conditions vary, but many offer free cancellation. This means there is a period of time when you can cancel your booking and get a refund. So please check your Ts and Cs. In case you can cancel for free and you find a lower price, you can simply grab the new deal and cancel your old booking.

And in case you want to book at last minute; we all end up booking last sometimes, booking within a week of your safari will likely cost you more. With in the final 48 hours, prices almost go up. Though car hire in many places is still cheap, so if you book at the last minute, don’t worry too much. It’s also worth booking online even just a few hours before you travel. Then you can compare prices and choose the cheapest deal, rather than finding you’re stuck with whatever they have left when you arrive.

About the insurance and other charges; the price of anything you pay for at the counter will not be affected by when you book. That includes the additional drivers and extras but these kinds of extras and other fees don’t change in the way rental prices do.

The three timing tips for a rental bargain include; booking a car at a popular destination at a quiet time will be quieter in winter so the rental companies will have lots of cars they want to rent out. Book three to six months ahead in case you are going somewhere busy and check your Ts and Cs for the cancellation policy, you might be able to cancel for free in case you see a better deal later on.