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When should I rent a car?

Like many other services, renting a car directly through a rental car company or through the Rentalport platform, which gathers multiple car rental offers, is a relatively seasonal business. It has some stronger and weaker periods that define the price of a rental.


  • The first factor affecting the price of car rental is the season of the year. Summer is the strongest season because the demand for car rental is highest. Most people in summer period rent cars, especially for vacations, and weddings and moving before the end of the summer is also very popular. As demand increases, so the price increases. In the summer, count on the fact that renting a car will cost you a little more than, for example, during the winter.

Car rental is characterized by three seasons - it is a low season, which is in November, December, January and February. In this period, cars are mainly rented for winter holidays, but in the interim period between holidays, car rental vehicles are not busy and prices fall significantly. Midseason runs in spring and autumn (March, April, September and October). The high season pricing policy is also beginning to shape in this period. This means that in spring there is a time when car rental companies will adjust the prices for summer reservations in advance. The high season is in the summer months - June, July and August. This season is the most important point of view for any car rental company, as its poor pricing policy can mean a loss of revenue. According to these rules, you can plan your rental or at least find out how does the car rental price policy work. It will help you to understand when the rental will cost you more and when you can save.

  • Another factor that affects the price of a car hire is a day when you rent a car or the so-called check-out day. Out of season and holidays it is interesting to watch how the rental price curve moves from week to week. Prices are dropping from Monday, on Tuesday and Wednesday reaching lows and rising towards the coming weekend. Usually, if you rent a car for a weekend, the rental will be more expensive than on weekdays. This is due to the fact that during the weekend the demand for car rental is higher than during the working week. This rule applies to car rental companies like Rentalport mainly for regular customers. Car rentals that target corporate clients have different pricing policies. Of course, it is not always possible to adapt to all these findings, especially if you need a vehicle for a specific event, but you can visit a platform like Rentalport and try different date combination in your search. It is a really easy way to rent a car at discounted rates.

If there is a major cultural sport or other interesting event  at the time of your rental, the prices of many services will increase, even if you are renting a car. Therefore, do not be surprised if the rent is more expensive even three months before the date of the event. Car rentals behave similarly to setting the price policy for the summer season.

  • A very specific example of price cuts is crisis situations where demand is falling significantly. An example is COVID-19. Government restrictions on movement around the world have caused mobility to fall by 80%, and rental and comparison/booking platforms have been forced to lower prices practically from day to day, in addition to switching to delivery and logistics services. If renting in a crisis can help your business, renting a car will not cost you so much, as it costs a fraction of the standard price.

  • Other factors also affect rental prices. In addition to those mentioned, it is also the length of your car rental. If you rent a car for more days, daily rent will be lower. The category of vehicle you will rent is also important. The higher class of a vehicle will be more expensive. The price is also influenced by the competitive environment between car rental companies, which you can notice especially on comparators as a Rentalport where prices change several times a day. Car rental companies often try to lower the price to attract as many customers as possible. The customer just needs to capture the right moment of the reservation through the booking platform.

All of the above findings could be summarized very simply. Always try to rent a car as soon as possible. If you rent a car 3 to 6 months before, it may cost you a lot less than if you rent a car on the spot, for example, when you arrive at an airport or a certain city or destination. Car rental companies charge a fee called a “walk-in” fee for such a car reservation directly at the branch. Therefore, try to solve the rental as soon as you know that you will need the rental. It's ideal if you book a car in advance through a Rentalport platform and if you follow the seasonal rules and the price change policy according to the days of the week. If you have a demand for rent in times of crisis, then do not worry, because it certainly will not be a step beside. It is good if you also check all the information and documents you need to sign the contract in advance. This will prevent potential difficulties on the spot.

Once you know all the important details that affect the price of your car rent, you may be able to modify it so that it will cost you a little less. The most important is that you have sort out things in advance. Ultimately, it can make things easier for you.

4.4.2020