Last Updated on January 16, 2021 by Michael
Prepaid car rentals often have a well-deserved reputation for being inflexible. In most cases, including with Priceline’s Express Deals, you pay in advance with no option to cancel or change the reservation. You are locked into the dates, times, location, and price without the potential for a refund—even in an emergency.
At AutoSlash, we wanted to rethink prepaid rates to help renters take advantage of the money-saving benefits along with some flexibility. That’s why you can cancel Slash Deals prepaid rates up to 48 hours before pick up with no penalty.
The discounted pay-at-counter rates we’ve found for you since AutoSlash launched didn’t go anywhere. These Slash Deals are an additional option available side-by-side with the same Free Cancellation rates we always provide, so it’s truly always the renter’s choice.
Renters have a choice when making a discounted AutoSlash reservation:
- Booking a Free Cancellation / Pay Later rate and paying the rental car company directly
- Prepaying for a Slash Deal, which you can cancel up to 48 hours before pickup.
The penalty-free cancellation component is a notable point of difference, and Slash Deals always include unlimited miles. Our prepaid rates are more flexible than many of the prepaid rates offered directly by the rental car companies themselves.
How to Book a Slash Deals Rate?
Booking a Slash Deals rate is as easy as booking any other rate. Simply enter a quote request and you’ll receive a combination of Free Cancellation / Pay Later rates and prepaid Slash Deal rates. Sometimes you won’t see any prepaid rates—this is because some companies don’t offer prepaid rates, and sometimes the pay-at-counter rates are lower than the prepaid rates. (When pay-at-counter rates are the cheapest option, our system will only offer them.)
Let AutoSlash Track Your Car Rental Price for Price Drops
The quote will clearly signify which rates are Free Cancellation / Pay Later rates. The prepaid Slash Deals are significantly cheaper than the Free Cancellation / Pay Later rates.
When Should You Consider a Slash Deal?
A prepaid car rental rate is especially attractive if:
- The prepaid rate is lower than the regular pay-later rate.
- You have a definite plan at least 48 hours in advance.
- You do not want special products and services based upon memberships.
- The renter is willing to forego frequent renter program benefits.
Those last two items are the trade-offs. You cannot add special discount codes to discounted prepaid rates to help avoid service fees like additional driver fees or child safety seats. Similarly, memberships to groups such as AAA or Costco can’t be used with prepaid rates. Prepaid rates also count as discounted industry rates so you cannot add a frequent renter number for benefits.
In contrast, our pay-later rates are standard rates that allow you to enter your frequent renter program number.
What Are the Rules for Slash Deals?
Before you rent any car or sign a contract. the rental policies will be disclosed as with any other rental car reservation.
Those policies include driver license verification, checks against the Do Not Rent list, requiring a credit card in the renter’s name at the time of rental, and geographic restrictions.
Slash Deals are another money-saving option for renters, especially those who are certain of their travel plans.When Slash Deals are available, the renter still holds the final choice of a rental car company and the type of rate booked. To get started, just make a quick quote request to receive the best prices available today.
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