When renting a car in the United States, many travelers have experienced a bill that is much larger than expected. Whether it's a well-known car rental company such as Hertz, Enterprise, Budget, Thrifty, or Avis, there may be some hidden fees that are not clearly explained at the time of booking. In this article, we'll take a closer look at these hidden fees and explain how to avoid unnecessary expenses to help make car rentals smarter and more cost-effective.
Common Hidden Fees for Rental Cars in the United States
- Airport Concession Fee
- Additional Driver Fee (ADF)
- Insurance Coverage
- Fuel Service Charge
- Early Return/Late Return Fee
- Interstate Fee
- Young Driver Surcharge
U.S. Rental Car Hidden Fee 1Airport Concession Fee
The Airport Service Fee is usually 10-15% of the base rental rate. This fee is mainly an operating fee paid by the car rental company to the airport. For example, if the base rental is $300, you may need to pay an additional US$30-45 for the airport service fee.
- Tips: Choose a non-airport location, such as an urban location, or save money by choosing Sky Horse, which does not charge airport fees and offers a personalized pick-up and drop-off at the terminal.
U.S. Rental Car Hidden Fee 2｜Additional Driver Fee
Most car rental companies charge US$15-25 per day for each additional driver. If more than one person needs to take turns driving during the trip, be sure to inform the car rental company to avoid insurance coverage in the event of an accident and possibly receiving a fine of up to US$1,000.
Tip: To confirm how much the rental company charges for additional driving, the number of days the car is rented is an accurate figure. sky horse charges only US$4.99 per person, per day.
U.S. Rental Car Hidden Fee 3Insurance Coverage
It is important to note that when booking a rental car on the Internet, some U.S. car rental companies do not include the cost of insurance, which is usually added when the car is picked up at the counter, and the cost of insurance will increase by tens to hundreds of dollars per day in addition to the original rental fee, and the payment of the fee is often only known when you get the bill.
TipsCheck if your credit card offers car rental insurance. When you pick up the car at the counter, check with the counter staff to make sure that you have the insurance you want and that you are not over-insured. Or choose Sky Horse, you can choose from three insurance plans when you book online, which is complete and clear, and you can also book online. LINE Asked at no additional cost.
U.S. Rental Car Hidden Charge 4｜Fuel Service Charge
If the vehicle is returned without a full tank of gas, the rental car company will usually charge a $6-8 per gallon manual refueling service fee in addition to the cost of the gas.
Tips: Observe how much the gas tank changes during the trip, using time and mileage to calculate. Fill up the tank some distance before returning the car, and as long as the gas gauge is full, you won't be charged for the trip.
U.S. Rental Car Hidden Fee 5｜Pre-pay fuel option
Some travelers will be pre-set to add a "prepaid fuel fee" when they rent a car at the counter, which means that they pay for a barrel of fuel in advance, but then fill it up when they return the car, which means that they have to pay double for the fuel.
Tip: When you pick up your car at the counter, check your bill carefully and ask the person at the counter to cancel it if you see this item; Sky Horse does not sell any extra services or charge extra fees when you pick up your car, and you'll know the complete total cost when you place your order online.
U.S. Rental Car Hidden Fee 6｜Early Return/Late Return Fee
Early returns are usually not refundable, and late returns that exceed a time period may result in a half-day or day charge.
Tip: Calculate your journey and remember to take into account traffic jams and parking times, and try to arrive at your scheduled drop-off point as early as possible. If you choose Sky Horse, there are flexible return locations and times that can be adjusted according to the travel conditions at the time.
U.S. Rental Car Hidden Fee 7｜One-Way Fee
Most car rental companies charge an extra fee for picking up and returning the car at different locations, also known as "Rental A, Rental B, Return B", and the fee varies according to the distance and destination. Some companies even charge extra for returning a car to a different location in the same city.
TipsSky Horse's fees are clearly indicated on the website when you place your booking, and more importantly, there are no additional fees for renting from different locations within the same city.
U.S. Rental Car Hidden Charge 8｜Young Driver Surcharge
U.S. car rental companies charge a surcharge, usually US$20-30 per day, for drivers under the age of 25, as these drivers are in a higher-risk insurance group.
Tip: Sky Horse charges $19/day for youth driving, which is lower than the prevailing market rate.
U.S. Rental Car Hidden Fees 9｜Additional Taxes (TAX)
Although taxes are not really a potential cost, they are relatively new to Taiwanese because they are usually included in the price of the product, but in the U.S., they are an "add-on", and you often have to pay 10% without realizing it, which is a significant amount of money.
Conclusion｜Choose a car rental company that has no hidden fees for peace of mind!
Considering the inconvenience these hidden fees bring to travelers and the unpleasant feeling when receiving the bill, even though the initial price comparison mechanism is relatively disadvantageous, Sky Horse still insists on presenting travelers with transparent, no hidden fees from the booking stage to help you know the final cost at the time of booking. You can enjoy your trip without worrying about the shocking bill, and avoid having to deal with the customer service of the U.S. car rental company when you return to your home country."Stalking" in English.It consumes valuable time!
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