Last Updated on December 27, 2023 by Kristin
Nobody likes to change travel plans, but sometimes it can’t be helped. However, unwanted cancellation charges can make the process of rescheduling even more unpleasant. Booked a car with Avis and need to make a change? Take some time to understand the Avis cancellation policy.
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Cancellation Policy Overview
What happens when you cancel an Avis rental car depends on the type of reservation. Let’s say you chose to pre-pay on the Avis website or booked with a travel agent. Then killing the reservation could trigger cancellation or now-show fees. A simple rule of thumb: If you provided credit card information when booking, you might be subject to a fee.
Pre-paid cancellation policy
Avis offers two options when reserving a rental car: “Pay Now” and “Pay Later.” Clicking on the “Pay Now” option usually offers a discount. But you will have to pay a cancellation fee if you decide to change the reservation.
Pay-later cancellation policy
Let’s say you click on the “Pay Later” option and do not provide credit card information. You will not be charged a cancellation fee. However, Avis still encourages renters to cancel the reservation as soon as possible for planning purposes.
Travel agent bookings
According to Avis, travel agencies “own” the reservations you make with them. So, you could be on the hook for separate cancellation fees from that company depending on their own specific policies.
Non-cancellation fees
You may run into some other situations where you’ve reserved your Avis reservation with a credit card. These could include online promotions or telephone reservations for certain types of cars during busy periods, Avis says on its website.
Fee Breakdown
If you don’t provide credit card information when making your Avis reservation, you shouldn’t have to worry about a no-show fee or cancellation fee. Avis still encourages any customers who make a reservation to cancel it as soon as possible.
However, certain fees do apply for reservations made with credit cards.
No-show fees: Avis does charge no-show fees (which it calls a “non-cancellation” fee) for reservations secured with credit card information that don’t fall under the “Pay Now” category. For reservations that required a credit card because of an online promotion or calling to reserve a specific car during a busy period, Avis says the fee can range from $10 plus taxes to a day’s rental charge. This applies if the reservation is not cancelled within 24 hours, or not picked up on time. If a flight cancellation is the cause of missing the reservation, Avis will waive this charge. Avis Wizard and Preferred members with credit card information already on file should take note when booking if there is any cancellation or no-show fee.
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Cancellation fees: Avis customers using the “Pay Now” option will be charged in full for their reservation if they do not pick up the car on the specified date without canceling first. Otherwise, the fee to cancel in advance is $50 if made 24 hours before the reservation time or $150 if within the 24-hour period of when you are supposed to pick up the car. You can request a refund on the Avis website for the rest of the reservation amount, which will go back on your card in about seven business days.
How to Cancel Your Reservation
To cancel your Avis reservation, visit the dedicated cancellation page for viewing, modifying or cancelling reservations. You’ll need to provide the country, last name on the reservation and confirmation number provided at the time of making the reservation.
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