Last Updated on December 27, 2023 by Kristin
It’s smart to look for one-way car rentals with no drop-off fee if you want to save money. Picking up and dropping off at different locations can make a car rental significantly more expensive.
You might need a one-way car rental for a variety of reasons, including. Perhaps you’re taking a long road trip and don’t want to put miles on your own car. Or maybe you need to connect between two airports on an extended trip.
Ask AutoSlash for a Quote on a Cheap Car Rental
Drop-off fees can vary wildly, depending on the rental car company, distance traveled, drop-off locations and time of year. Sometimes there is no drop fee at all. The fee will be disclosed in the list of taxes and fees you see before confirming an online rental. You’ll pay it at the counter when you pick up the car.
How to Slice Drop-Off Fees on One-Way Car Rentals
One way to land car rentals with no drop-off fee is to book a special one-way promo where the drop-off fee is waived. These can be seasonal drive-in or drive-out specials, city-to-city promos and airport-to-downtown offers. Don’t assume that the drop fee is waived with a one-way promotion; always read the fine print to make sure.
Another trick is to widen your search to include airport and off-airport locations. Playing around with nearby location options can end up shaving off a lot from your rate and often it turns up a one-way rate with a smaller drop fee or no fee at all.
How to Avoid One-Way Drop-Off Fees
If you need a one-way car rental with no drop-off fee, ask AutoSlash for a quote and we’ll scour the Internet to find the best possible deal. Our quotes always include fees and taxes, so you can clearly see when a drop-off fee is pushing up your price. After you book your rental car, we can track your reservation and let you know if there is a price drop, so you can cancel and rebook at the lower rate.
Alamo and One-Way Drop-Off Fees
Alamo may implement a drop fee for one-way rentals, which is sometimes disclosed as an “inter-city” fee. This fee is disclosed when you book online, and you pay when you pick up the car. Even on one-way special offers, Alamo may charge a drop fee.
Avis and One-Way Drop-Off Fees
Avis offers a one-way airport-to-downtown rate of $9.99 between selected U.S. airports and nearby city locations with a maximum keep time of 12 hours. The deal also includes a free tank of gas and 150 miles.
This offer is available in about two dozen U.S. cities: Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Dayton, Houston, Kansas City, Knoxville, Lincoln, Memphis, Milwaukee, New Orleans, New York City, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Raleigh, Savannah, St. Louis, Tulsa and Wichita.
Budget and One-Way Drop-Off Fees
Avis’s sister company, Budget, also offers a one-way airport-to-downtown rate of $9.99 between selected U.S. airports and nearby city locations with a maximum keep time of 12 hours. The deal also includes a free tank of gas and 150 miles.
This offer is available in the following U.S. cities: Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Dayton, Fayetteville, Houston, Knoxville, New Orleans, New York City, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Raleigh, Savannah, St. Louis and Tulsa.
Enterprise and One-Way Drop-Off Fees
Enterprise offers several one-way special offers on its deals page. However, a quick search reveals that drop fees are imposed and vary by the rental location, return location and time of year.
Let AutoSlash Track Your Car Rental for Price Drops
Don’t be fooled by suggested routes. For example, the rental company recommends New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Washington. D.C. as an ideal one-way road trip route. However, a search in February for a day-long, one-way rental yielded a $94 drop fee on a rental with a base price of just over $60.
Hertz and One-Way Drop-Off Fees
Hertz sometimes offers good rates for one-way rentals on its deals page.
Related:
