Deals On Wheels
Getting a luxury rental car takes planning.
Persuading a car rental agency to give you an upgrade can be as
difficult as upgrading from economy to business class on a flight.
With profits soaring at most rental agencies, managers aren't
giving up any more than they have to.
"The big car rental companies are cutting costs in all
areas--including promotions and giveaways," says Darrin Deany
of Northbrook, Illinois-based corporate travel agency BTI Americas
Inc.
That doesn't mean you should expect to get stuck in that
tiny box your travel agent booked. "There are still ways to
get an upgrade," says Lauren Garvey of Park Ridge, New
Jersey-based Hertz.
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Here are a few tips:
- By far the best way to earn an upgrade is to join a mileage
program, either the rental company's own (such as
National's Emerald Club or Hertz' Number One Club Gold) or
an airline's.
- Check newspapers or magazines for information about promotional
specials. To grow overseas business, some companies offer deals on
car rentals in places such as Europe and Asia.
- For just a few extra dollars, car rental companies will often
upgrade you to a "special" vehicle--a convertible in
California or a four-wheel-drive vehicle in Colorado, for example.
Sometimes, with a little coaxing, an agent will waive the
additional fee altogether.
Christopher Elliott is a writer in Los Angeles and a
columnist for "ABC News Online."
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