Alaska Car Rental Prices
 

What is a fair car rental price for two weeks in Alaska (August 2008) picking up and dropping off in Anchorage? I found a $660 rate (all taxes, etc. included) for the 2 weeks for a premium car. Everything else was in the $1k plus range. Does that sound reasonable? Thanks!

that sound about right to me. We were there in July and we paid around 300 for a 4 day rental.

I have rented cars on several occasions in Alaska from anchorage and also from fairbanks. If you have AAA, Hertz is the way to go. On one occasion, I rented from Dollar and their version of a minivan and mine were different. I had to pay an upcharge for a dodge caravan even though the picture on their website is of a dodge caravan. They wanted to give me a Kia Sedona which has less room. When I returned from my vacation, I promptly contacted their corporate office and was reimbursed the difference. The following year I used Hertz again and had no problems. Check for corporate discounts such as BJ's, Costco, AAA, Entertainment book, Airline participants and try to get a discount. Alaska is amazing. Have a great trip.

I am wondering with which company and discount you got that rate? The best I found for next August is $778 (after taxes) for a mid-size car with Alamo and a Costco discount.

Just one tip on renting cars in Anchorage ... the taxes are exorbitant, I forget the exact split but maybe 15% state, 10% city and 8% airport (I remember the total was over 30%) ... you can avoid the airport tax by picking up at a location away from the airport. As one example Budget has an office near the Spenard hotel strip probably a mile from the airport and if you pick up here you save the 8% tax compared to picking up at the airport.

Bill

I got the rate with Enterprise and I am picking it up at the airport...only because the other locations are not open for my arrival after 5 on Saturday and are also closed on Sunday.

Here is the breakdown:

Premium: Nissan Maxima, Dodge Magnum or similar

458.00 USD (Weekly 2 Weeks @ 229.00)

57.68 USD (CUSTOMER FACILITY CHARGE)

515.68 USD (Subtotal)

50.84 USD (CONCESSION RECOVERY FEE)

45.80 USD (STATE RENTAL TAX)

36.64 USD (SALES TAX)

Total charges 648.96 USD

I even tried the Costco site and nothing came close.

Monica, that's over 40% add-on for taxes and fees. I think the airport tax is called 'customer facility charge' ... they really stick it to you up there :)

Well either you got some kind of special limited time deal or the site had an error at the time you booked, because I just tried Enterprise and the only car available was a Premium car (Nissan Maxima) at over $2300 for the two weeks! We are going last week July/first week August...maybe that's the difference.

I guess I'll stick with my Alamo res for now. I always keep checking.

Bill, I also am arriving late in the evening so I don't think we can do the off-airport pickup either.

If I were arriving late in the day, I would consider taking the train the next morning to Seward, and renting a car there. Hertz is located in Seward. Then return it to Anchorage on the last day. That 2300 sounds really high to me.

jczinn-

I am going the first two weeks of August. I just tried the site for the last week of July and first week of August and saw a premium rate of $229 a week. Hmmm, maybe I have the magic touch :-)

Bill H-

I know, the taxes are crazy, but the airport was the only place open when I arrive and the other locations are not open on Sunday. 40% is a ton!

"40% is a ton"

hey. I recently rented a car in Phoenix for a week. The add ons were more than 60% (with NO options or insurance chosen). Top that one if you can!

<b>hey. I recently rented a car in Phoenix for a week. The add ons were more than 60%</b>

Hey, we have to pay for the new football stadium in Glendale and it seemed like a confiscatorial rental car tax was the best way to do it. If you watch the Super Bowl this year you can see your tax dollars at work :) Thanks for the donation!

<b>Top that one if you can!</b>

I think Houston has the highest tax, over 70% ... Phoenix is either 3rd or 4th highest, depending on which site you believe.

Bill

Maybe too harsh on Houston (I *know* I saw 70% a few years back in a USA Today article though).

Here's a recent article discussing the rental taxes at some of the largest airports, the highest they found was Kansas City, then Seattle, Houston and Phoenix. Anchorage wasn't big enough to be listed (and I seem to remember painful scars from the wallet-ectomy performed on me in Hawaii a couple years ago for car rental taxes).

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/colum...al-taxes_N.htm

Kansas City, 35%
Seattle, 31%
Houston/Bush, 30%
Phoenix, 29%
Dallas-Ft. Worth, 28%;
Las Vegas, 28%

Some had a fixed daily fee (say $4 or $6) for certain earmarks, making it hard to figure a generic % since a cheap car will be hit more percentage-wise than an expensive one, but you get the drift ...

Bill

BillH has it right. I got a great deal from Dollar (weekly price booked several months ahead) on the car, but the add-ons were 60%. If I had paid double the amount for the car itself (as all of the other agencies seemed to be), many of the &quot;fixed&quot; add-ons would have meant that the percentage add-on would have been a whole lot less. I guess the bottom line is that I'd much rather pay 60% on a $129 rental than even 20% on a $258 one.

MonicaH--
wow I don't know what you are seeing...just tried again, same results--July 23-Aug 6 everything except the Premium shows &quot;sold out&quot; and the Premium is $904 a week. I could however get a pickup truck for $275! :)

My Alamo res really isn't bad at $778 for two weeks so I am not going to worry about it. Still, I really wonder what you are seeing at Enterprise!

Spiro, taking the train isn't an option--we are photographers and birders and the train is too limiting--we'll be doing a lot of stopping between ANC and Seward.

jczinn-

When I put in your exact dates, I see the same as you (whew, thought I might be seeing things!). If I changed the date to a pick up on the 25th, I start to see the $226 a week rate. I agree with you though, you still have a great rate and just might want to keep checking since there is plenty of time for before your trip.

What is your itinerary while in Alaska? Any bear viewing planned?

Monica

MonicaH, funny thing! I guess the rates drop just at that date. Oh well, we also got free airline tix so I can't complain :)

Yes we have a day bear viewing booked with Emerald Air, July 27th I think. Also a day booked on the Mariah small boat Kenai Fjord cruise(16 pax maximum.) Full itinerary: 1 night Anc, 2 nights Seward, 4 nights Homer, 2 Girdwood, 1 Palmer, 3 Denali, 1 Talkeetna. We are serious birders and photographers so plan to do as much birding/hiking as possible. Probably will do another boat out of Homer as well.