Since 2020, car rental prices have skyrocketed. Recently, a friend told me they paid $1,200 for a 5-day rental. Yikes. But though your overall cost will still be higher, there are still a few budget travel hacking strategies that can save you hundreds of dollars on your rental car. Here are the five easy ways to save money on car rentals this summer.

Compare rates with every car rental option available.

You might think going to a site like Kayak or Expedia will give you all the options, but there are still some other rates to check outside of those sites. Recently, I used Hopper to save over $100 on a 3-day car rental with the same company, car type, and travel dates. Hopper is becoming a much better option for car rentals than other online groups – don’t rule them out. Plus, once you find the two best rental price companies, you should compare those prices with the rental website and add additional codes. (More on that later.)

Get your rental from a non-airport location, if possible.

Renting at the airport is considerably more expensive than the rental companies right down the road. With the efficiency of companies like Uber and Lyft, take advantage of a short ride to the airport and book your rental car cheaper away from the airport. Recently, I booked a rental for 3 miles from the Phoenix airport and it saved me over $150! ⁠ ⁠

Compare prices with the company website and add special offers and rates.

Once you find the best rates on Expedia, Hopper, and other sources it’s time to compare those rates to save even more on the rental’s website. There are plenty of publically available rates, such as first-time rental codes or special discounts the company is running by searching “COMPANY promo codes.” However, there are likely discount codes you don’t know you have! You can use your employer’s code, an alumni association, and credit cards are just a few ways you can find additional savings.

Use a travel credit card with primary rental car insurance coverage and decline it at the counter.

Some credit cards offer primary car rental coverage, which means that you can decline the additional coverages at the counter and use your credit card for any damages. Other than the amazing travel hacking perks, the primary coverage is one of the best reasons to have a Chase Sapphire card. ⁠To earn these savings, you have to pay with your Chase Sapphire (or another card with primary car rental coverage) and decline coverage at the counter.

Try autoslash.com to find the best rates available.

Autoslash.com is probably one of the least known tools to help you save money on car rentals. This service is free and you can compare coupons and promo codes with status, credit cards, etc. It takes a lot of the guesswork out of getting the best rate.

(Bonus) Book early!⁠ ⁠

With the lack of supply of rental cars, it’s important to book early to secure the best rate. The longer you wait, the more you will pay.

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