Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
»
Collision Damage Waivers (CDW) reduce or eliminate the amount you'll have to reim-
burse the rental company if there's damage to the car itself.
»
Paying extra for all of this insurance increases the cost of a rental car by as much as
$10 to $30 a day.
»
Some credit cards cover CDW for a certain rental period (usually less than 15 days), if
you use the card to pay for the rental, and decline the policy offered by the rental com-
pany. Always check with your card issuer to see what coverage they offer in the USA.
Rental
CAR
To rent a car in the USA you generally need to be at least 25 years old, hold a valid
driver's license and have a major credit card.
»
Some companies will rent to drivers between the ages of 21 and 24 for an additional
charge.
»
You should be able to get an economy-sized vehicle for about $30 to $75 per day. Child
safety seats are compulsory (reserve them when you book) and cost about $13 per day.
»
Some national companies, including Avis, Budget and Hertz, offer 'green' fleets of hy-
brid rental cars (eg Toyota Priuses, Honda Civics), although you'll usually have to pay a
lot extra to rent a more fuel-efficient vehicle.
»
Online,
Car Rental Express
(
www.carrentalexpress.com
) rates and compares inde-
pendent agencies in US cities; it's particularly useful for searching out cheaper long-term
rentals.
Major national car-rental companies:
Alamo
( 877-222-9075;
www.alamo.com
)
Avis
( 800-230-4898;
www.avis.com
)
Budget
( 800-527-0700;
www.budget.com
)
Dollar
( 800-800-3665;
www.dollar.com
)
Enterprise
( 800-261-7331;
www.enterprise.com
)
Hertz
( 800-654-3131;
www.hertz.com
)
National
( 877-222-9058;
www.nationalcar.com
)
Rent-a-Wreck
( 877-877-0700;
www.rentawreck.com
)
Thrifty
( 800-847-4389;
www.thrifty.com
)
