Planning a family road trip? You might be wondering if it is better to bring or rent a car seat. Rental car companies have plenty of car seats on hand—infant, toddler and booster. But they come at a steep cost. Happily, there are several ways to get a car seat for free if you plan ahead.
Renting a Car Seat From a Rental Car Company
The first thing you might consider when weighing whether to bring or rent a car seat is money. If you rent a car seat from the rental car company, be prepared to pay through the nose. Rental car companies charge $10-$15 per day, per seat, plus tax. These fees can add up quickly, especially if you have more than one child, and don’t forget that there’s tax on top of that as well.
Thankfully, most companies have a maximum charge per rental for each seat, with the Enterprise, National, and Alamo coming in lowest at $66 per rental, Avis and Budget at $70, and Hertz, Dollar, and Thrifty being the most expensive at $98 per rental. For that amount of money, you could buy a brand new car seat and not have to deal with the germs and dirt of a hundred previous renters.
Child Safety Seats From Rental Car Companies
- Alamo Car Seat Rental
- Avis Car Seat Rental
- Budget Car Seat Rental
- Dollar Car Seat Rental
- Enterprise Car Seat Rental
- Hertz Car Seat Rental
- National Car Seat Rental
- Payless Car Seat Rental
- Silvercar Free Car Seat Rental
- Sixt Car Seat Rental
- Thrifty Car Seat Rental
Depending on the booking channel, a car seat may be able to be requested at the time of booking, though requests aren’t guaranteed, and the fee to rent the car seat will not be included in the quote provided by the rental car company. To maximize the chance of having a car seat available for your trip, we recommend calling the rental car company directly after you book to have it added to your reservation.
Forget to book a car seat in advance? Don’t sweat it. Rental car companies tend to have a ton of child safety seats on hand because, like most services offered by commission-based agents at the rental car counter, they are highly profitable.
Note that due to the potential liability of incorrectly installed car seats, most rental car companies forbid staff from helping to install child safety seats. Really. Instead, they are likely to place the car seat loose inside the car or even on top of the car and give parents installation instructions. The bottom line: If you’re putting a car seat in a rental car, you must be prepared to install it yourself.
Complimentary Car Seats at Silvercar
Audi-owned Silvercar partners with Peg Perego to provide free car seats in its rental cars. To request a child or booster seat for your rental at no additional charge, simply contact Silvercar at least one day before pickup by emailing support@silvercar.com after you book. If a child or booster seat is available—the offer is always “subject to availability”—it will be provided at no charge.
Free Car Seats in Rental Cars for AAA Members
There are two ways for AAA members to get a free car seat with a rental car. The first is available only if you’re renting from one of the companies under Hertz Global Holdings (Dollar, Hertz, and Thrifty) in the United States and Canada. When renting from one of these companies, a AAA member is entitled to the waiver of the fee for one child safety seat. Note that your rental car must be booked under the AAA rate code, which is likely not the lowest rate available. Also, you must present your AAA membership card when you pick up the car.
Want to booked under the AAA rate code? After entering a quote request, simply contact us to let us know need to be booked under the AAA rate code and that you want a free car seat.
The second possibility for AAA members comes as a benefit at some of the regional affiliates. AAA is actually a consortium of these affiliates. Some—but not all—affiliates offer loaner car seats. You would need to confirm availability by calling the local AAA affiliate. Of course, this benefit is only available for AAA members.
Free Car Seats in Rental Cars for National PTA Members
Are you a member of the National PTA? The group also has an affiliation with Hertz that allows a free car seat when booked under the National PTA’s CDP code. Members of the organization can send us an email at support@autoslash.com when booking under CDP code 1929580. Membership in the PTA is ordinarily cheaper than the AAA, but the AAA offers a multitude of other great benefits. Be aware that the rental car company staff could ask for proof of PTA membership at the time of pickup, just like with any other membership organization that entitles a user to benefits.
Bringing Your Own Car Seat for a Rental Car
Does your trip include flying in a plane with a child under the age of 2? It may make more sense to simply bring your own car seat.
According to FAA guidelines, a child under 2 may be held on the lap of an adult—however the recommendation is for the child to be restrained in a car seat with two labels stating the following in red lettering:
“This child restraint system conforms to all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards,” and “THIS RESTRAINT IS CERTIFIED FOR USE IN MOTOR VEHICLES AND AIRCRAFT”
Even if you don’t plan to use your car seat on the plane, every U.S. airline will allow you to check your car seat for free.
When considering whether to bring or rent a car seat, the advantages of bringing your own car seat are obvious. Your child has access to an appropriate seat from the start of the trip to the end. You, the parent, are familiar with the seat and your child knows the seat. Also, your seat may be of higher quality than one offered by the rent car company, which will not have bought the most expensive option.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you need to rent a vehicle in Europe?
A variety of websites can help you find affordable European rental cars. These include Alamo and Sixt, Europcar or Hertz. Also, you should consider booking online.
Before you rent a vehicle, it is important to have all necessary information.
- Your full name, including any middle or additional names (if applicable).
- The address at which you are staying
- Date, time and place of pickup
- Name and model of the vehicle that is rented
- Name of insurance company and policy number
- Requests for extra equipment
- Rental agreement details (e.g., duration, rate, deposit, balance due at end of trip, excess charges, limits of liability, cancellation penalties, etc.)
- Payment methods (credit card or debit card, cash, personal cheque, or cash)
Once you have all of the information above, you can book your vehicle at one of these companies.
How can I rent an automobile in another country?
A rental agency like Europcar, Avis or Hertz is the best way to accomplish this. These companies offer both short-term rentals or long-term leases. They have offices across Europe.
They provide customer service 7 days a semaine, 24 hours per day.
You don’t need to have any prior experience when renting from them. They take care of everything, including providing insurance and breakdown cover. All you need to know about where to go, and when to expect to arrive is
Can you rent a car from one European country to return it to another?
A way to make travel more convenient is to rent cars in multiple countries, but have them returned from the country they were rented.
However, this idea might not be very practical because people don’t want to pay for extra mileage. Rental agencies often charge more to return a car to an area other than the one it was originally rented.
You may not want to travel frequently so it is best to only choose one country you will be staying for a while.
Statistics
- American Airlines, for example, offers AAdvantage members 35% off Budget and Avis — but you need to rent from an airport. (nerdwallet.com)
- For example, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express earns 3 percent cash back on purchases at U.S. gas stations (terms apply), and the Citi Premier® Card earns three points per dollar at gas stations, too. (afar.com)
- The perks vary from partner to partner, but you can expect discounts of up to 35 percent on some rentals and the ability to earn anywhere from 50 bonus American AAdvantage miles per day or 500 per rental. (afar.com)
- Save up to 30% on your rental car in Europe when you book with us today. (autoeurope.com)
- If you’re a member of AAA, you might also be able to snag discounts of 10 percent at Thrifty, and 8 percent at Dollar. (afar.com)
External Links
autoslash.com
sixt.com
enterprise.com
avis.com
How To
How to ensure that I am not charged for pre-existing damage on a rental car
Consider, for example, what happens to the rental vehicle if you drive it for only a few minutes before returning it back to the rental agency. What happens if your rental car gets scratched? This is a common issue among those who rent cars from different companies. Even if customers do not cause damage to the rented car, some agencies charge customers for it. Avoid these charges by asking whether you will be charged for scratches or dents on the vehicle. These are ways to ensure that rental cars don’t have pre-existing damage.
- Request a copy of this agreement.
- Make sure to read the description carefully.
- Read the fine print carefully;
- Ask for a free cleaning service
- Take care of the car’s condition.
- You should not leave anything in your car.
- Cash is a must when you rent a vehicle.
- Keep receipts for all payments.
- Don’t allow anyone to touch your car without you allowing it.
- Never accept a gift from the company;
- Only use a reliable rental agency
- Make sure to take the contract with.
- The car must be returned in good condition.
- Please provide your contact information to the agent.
- Try to avoid using the same company more than once.
- Make sure to note all details about the car: such as mileage, model and engine size. ;
- Photograph the damage.
- You can clean the car yourself
- A third party should inspect your car.
- Never accept additional fees.
Did you miss our previous article…
https://rentacar24.org/car-rental-news/the-very-best-road-trips-from-seattle/
