How to Find the Best AARP Car Rental Deals
“Wisdom doesn’t automatically come with old age. Nothing does – except wrinkles. It’s true, some wines improve with age. But only if the grapes were good in the first place.”–Anon
AARP, or the American Association of Retired Persons, is a United-States interest group dedicated to looking out for the special needs of the retired. AARP members are entitled to discounts on various goods and services, including car rentals.
Retired people have the time and freedom to do things you may have never had the chance to do before. And one thing you’ll probably be needing during your travels is a rental car. But renting a car can be expensive.
Here’s how to find the best AARP car rental deals.
1. Access the AARP website – For retired persons and AARP members, the AARP website is an invaluable tool. It’s easy to join and find out about discounts. You can join AARP on their website.
To find information specifically about car rentals on the AARP website, click on “Leisure” and then “Travel” at the top of the web page. On the right-hand side, you will see a box labeled “AARP Travel Center”.
2. Determine what type of car you need – First, type in the name of the city you’re traveling in or to in the box provided. Then, select “car” and then choose the type of car you’ll be wanting from the drop-down menu. Of course, what you choose here depends on how you’ll be traveling and where you’ll be going.
If you’re traveling alone and need the car just to get around the city you’re traveling to, an economy or mid-sized vehicle will probably suffice. If you’re taking a road trip with friends you’ll be spending a longer time in the car, so you’ll probably want to be more comfortable and go with a full-sized or luxury vehicle. In addition, if you’re taking a more rugged trip to a place where road conditions may vary, make sure and get a 4-wheel drive vehicle such as an SUV or a Jeep. Also, remember to account not just for passenger space but for any luggage as well.
How to Find the Best AARP Car Rental Deals
3. Enter when you need the car – Once you know what type of car you want, type in the dates and times you want to drop off and pick up your car. If you click in the box marked “pick-up on,” a small calendar will pop up and allow you to select the dates you want. The website will also ask you to select the time of day you’ll be picking up your car.
If you’re taking a plane somewhere, it’s important to keep in mind when your plane is arriving. Give yourself time to land, pick up your baggage, and find the car rental terminal at the airport.
The website will ask you similar information for when you will be dropping off the car. Mmake sure to take into account when your flight departs and how long it will take you to make it through security. It would be a no-fun end to your trip to spend the last few hours stuck at the airport waiting around for your flight to leave because you dropped off your car too early.
4. Compare car rental rates – Once you’ve entered all the relevant information, click “Search.” The website will display a chart showing the rates of various companies and various models of car. Each of the six companies shown (Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, and National) will provide you with an AARP discount from five to up to 25 percent. The chart will tell you both the daily rate and total price for the vehicle, and will allow you to view images of the various makes and models available in each category (although keep in mind that these are just approximations. Exact years and colors will probably vary, so don’t get your heart set on that red convertible because when you arrive it might be a white one instead.)
5. Get a second opinion – As with any product or service, it’s best to shop around. Expedia powers the AARP online car rental service, but there are other online travel booking services available, like Priceline and Travelocity. Both websites use procedures similar to that listed above to find rates. Double-check these sites to make sure the AARP discount is what’s best for your budget.
Now that you know how to find the best AARP car rental deals, you’re ready to start planning that dream vacation. Remember, these are the best years of your life. Whether you’re striking out on your own with a new sense of freedom and adventure, or using your time to reconnect with family, you’ll need a vehicle to help you get there. Following the steps above will take the worry and hassle out of the process of booking a car rental and let you focus on what’s most important about your vacations. Enjoy your trip.
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This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 27th, 2009 at 7:02 am and is filed under Cars, Travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.