A common frustration for travellers when hiring a car is all the extra costs, which add up fast to significantly increase the total price after reserving a booking. To help Irish travel planners anticipate these costs, eggheads at KAYAK have analysed data to identify the most popular car hire destinations for Irish holidaymakers as well as the best times to hire a car in these destinations.
We’ve also compared the prices of hiring a car in the city centre against those offered at the airport, as well as looking at how travellers can reduce extra costs by buying extra items outright instead of renting them for 7 days in each of the top five car hire destinations.
Wondering how to save on your car hire? Read on…
January and December: best months to hire a car in the five top car hire destinations for Irish holiday planners
In each of the five most popular car hire destinations for Irish drivers, the winter months of December or January offer the biggest savings. Orlando offers rates up to 31% cheaper for bookings in January, as compared to the most expensive month, July. However, even these savings are dwarfed when compared to those on offer in some of the other top car hire destinations. In Faro, the second-most popular destination, rates start from €12 a day in December, up to 43% less when compared to the most expensive month, while London offers the greatest savings, with its January rates of €14 a day nearly two-thirds (61%) cheaper than the most expensive month.
Hiring a car in the city is often a cheaper option than at the airport
The analysis clearly shows that it’s often more cost-effective to hire a car in the city rather than at the airport, with all of the five top destinations offering cheaper car hire prices in the city. In four out of the five destinations, potential savings reach double-digits, with Faro, at 6%, the only exception. In London, travellers can save as much as 20% by booking a car in the city-centre rather than at the airport,
Add-on charges: Is it worth it to buy your own, or should you pay to add-on? Destinations differ…
When comparing add-on costs for extras such as GPS and child safety seats, the most important factor is the destination. Looking at destinations in the United States, the low cost of GPS units can make it more worthwhile to buy one (€92 in both Orlando and L.A.), rather than pay for a 7-day rental (€105), which could save travellers up to 12%. In European destinations such as Faro, London and Barcelona on the other hand, it is a lot cheaper to rent a GPS (€84, €105, €105) rather than to buy one (€282, €190, €180).
For larger equipment like child safety seats, it might be worth looking at purchase options in certain cities, rather than adding one to a car hire. In Orlando, Los Angeles and Barcelona, an infant’s car seat can cost less to buy (€68, €68, €80) than to rent for 7 days (€84, €84, €80), with savings in Orlando and LA reaching as high as 19%. However, in London and Faro, it would cost less to add-on rather than buy. On the other hand, the higher cost of an older child’s car seat means it would cost more to buy than rent for seven days in all five of the top car-hire cities.
With so many different charges which can accumulate when booking a car hire, it’s important for travellers to keep track of all the possible ways they can avoid markups. Sometimes, simple changes in a search can make a big difference in the final cost of a booking. But it’s also nice to know there are so many ways to save…
And luckily, with KAYAK filters, it’s dead easy to narrow down your search to find the perfect car. If you want to check on prices for cars in the city, simply type in the name of your destination and select the ‘city’ option rather than the airport. Then you can narrow down your options by using the filters on the left. You can click on ‘non-airport’ pick up, type in a specific neighbourhood, or even view the possible options on the map!
It’s very easy – on KAYAK.ie.
The analysis is based on car searches and clicks on KAYAK.ie between 01.06.2016-01.06.2017 for travel between 01.01.2017 – 31.12.2017. Prices for car hire in the airport vs in the city are based on desktop research on 04.08.17 for travel 6.10.2017 – 8.10.2017. Extra costs are based on desktop research between 01.07.2017-01.08.2017. Currency conversions apply and are based on average rates for August 2017. This material is meant as a guide only. Once a booking has been made, the car make and model can vary depending on the provider and availability. Prices are subject to change, may vary or are no longer available anymore
