rental car shortage alert

If you weren’t aware of this before, we’re here to tell you about it, now. During COVID-19, rental car companies sold off their fleet of vehicles. That means that availability is limited, and what is available is super expensive.

Unless you’re working with a professional travel advisor, you probably had no idea that this was an issue. But we’re on top of it, and we’re here to tell you that this shortage is no joke. A weekly rental might have been $400 two years ago, but right now, it’s in the thousands…if you can find a car to rent at all.

So, what’s the solution? Here are our tips:

Book it now.

Time is not on your side. There’s never really been such a thing as a last-minute deal, but on rental cars right now, “wait and see” is definitely not a winning strategy. Lock everything in as soon as possible, deal with the airline schedule changes, and call “dibs” on that rental car.

Choose your destination wisely.

For some destinations, you really don’t need a car. If you’re doing a simple beach resort getaway, we can build a package for you that’s as easy as airfare-transfer-hotel. Keeping the rental car out of the equation eliminates a lot of the expense, but, let’s face it — if you’re just sitting on a beach somewhere, or you’re at an all-inclusive resort, do you really need a car?

Book a tour instead.

If you want to be out and about, and you’re looking to see the sights (and the sites), what about taking a day trip group excursion. Sure, you’ll be with other people, but for one (or more) days, you can have someone else do the driving, and you can sit back and enjoy the experience. Just this week, we had a client ask about renting a car for a day so that they could explore Oahu. But when we showed them some other options, they realized that they could see all of the island in one (pretty long, but do-able) day. So, they saved a ton of money by doing a full-day tour, rather than driving and navigating themselves.

We can help you sort through those options. Just let us know when you’re ready to book it. And if you don’t need the rental car, or you’re looking for a strategy to avoid the additional expense…well…that’s why you’re working with a professional travel advisor, isn’t it?