One Way Car Rental Fares Still Steep
It's still
possible to find some one-way fares for car rentals that are affordable,
but, in most cases it's cheaper to always return the car to the rental
city. There are some exceptions, though.
Just because
you rented a car at Miami International Airport (MIA) does not mean you'll
get socked with a penalty if you turn it in at, for example, the Fort Lauderdale
International Airport (FLL).
In many metropolitan
cities, unless the rental counters are so "franchised" that their managers
won't talk to each other, you can likely move the car around to a different
counter or suburb without a penalty.
Sometimes you
can get an affordable one-way rental with no drop off charge if you happen
to be going in a direction the agency needs a car moved. Speaking of Miami,
there's seldom a charge for bringing a rental car to Miami from Key West.
Many people rent a car in the Miami area and drive down the Florida Keys
not realizing what a long, slow drive it is. Those with money often opt
to fly back to the mainland, instead of driving. Hence, there is sometimes
a glut of rental cars on Key West.
The key is that
this is one time it may pay to call the local rental desk rather than use
the 800 number or the companies' Web sites if you're looking for one-way
bargains.
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