Abby43

I will be arriving in Dallas on 9/24. Will need to rent a car from either that evening or from 9/25 in Dallas and will drop off the car in Austin on 9/27. I know it's expensive if you don't pick up and drop off from the same location. Any advice on where to start to rent this car and find a good rate? I've never used Priceline, Hotwire, etc because I am always worried I will get stuck with something I haven't chosen myself! We need a basic car for a short road trip and are trying to limit the price if possible.

I would appreciate any advice you might have to offer, and/or which car rental companies are more flexible. I have used Enterprise recently a few times and was very satisfied. Thanks!

beckytx

Where in Dallas are you arriving, and where will you be staying that night? Orbitz will compare all of the major rental companies for you. I believe Hertz is known for service, but you'll pay a premium. I have been happy with Avis, Budget and Enterprise in the past.

Abby43

We will be arriving at DFW and staying at a hotel near SMU. We could rent the car near SMU in the early morning to save ourselves a night. I will check with Orbitz. I did one search and it was $600, which seemed very high to me!

ChristieP

Why not just fly Southwest Airlines to Austin? You can get a one-way ticket for CHEAP!! The flying/airport time will honestly be about the same as driving thanks to all of the construction on I-35. And since you'll be near SMU, you'll be right near Love Field!

yk

Another vote for flying Southwest.

Abby43

Well, we are not flying Southwest because we are doing a road trip to see colleges in Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio with the final stop being Austin. This is why we need a car and will not be flying to Austin. So if anyone has ideas for how to find a not-so-expensive way to rent the car so we can get from Dallas to Houston to San Antonio to Austin and drop the car off in Houston I would appreciate the information.

ChristieP

I'd fly Southwest to ALL of those places! It would cost LESS than renting a car and it would save a LOT of time! Plus, you'd get more time to spend in each city and on campus. Believe me, drives on I-35, I-45 and I-10 are NOT the most scenic parts of the state!

kopp

Hello Abby43,

Do you have a Costco card? They have good rates on rental cars.

Checking their website, renting thru Alamo, a 3 or 4 day rate with a midsize car prices at $237 for 3 day and $290 for 3 days plus a few hours.

Remember, cars are rented on a 24-hour period, so carefully check your pick up and drop off times.

And this quote above was for a pick up at DFW and drop off at Austin.

And if you don't have a Costco card, the price would increase by $20 or $30. Either way, it's a heck of a lot cheaper than the $600 you spoke of previously.

Oh, and a nice thing to remember about renting thru Costco: the second driver is included, no extra fee!

Hope this helps.

tracys2cents

Alamo.com
Edit trip information
Corp I.D 224280
Coupon AD1035JJK

You're welcome!

Abby43

Tracy-do I just type in that information and I will get a discount on my car rental? THANK YOU!!!!

As for why we are driving-this is just how we are going to do things this trip. We want to see Texas and will have plenty of time on each campus. I actually think flying will be more expensive. Maybe the one leg trips are cheap, but how do we get to the airport? I assume taxis cost money in Texas. In addition, what happens if there is a summer storm and our flights get canceled? Driving is better for us.

Thanks for the help!

Abby43

Tracy-will I have to show an id or something that I work for your company if I use this discount number?

sarge56

Abby43, it seems you are annoyed that people keep suggesting flying to each city vs. driving. I understand. But living in TX, we have come to appreciate the incredible convenience/pricing of this very dependable airline. They have dozens of flights every day and while they do not have assigned seats, they do have some of the best customer service around and I can honestly say that in 20 years of flying Southwest, my flight was only late one time. (And the city traffic in TX is the worst!!!)

If you are near SMU, you are talking about a 20-mt ride to Love Field where you could catch that flight to Austin.

Perhaps a combination of the two? Like fly Dallas to Austin and pick up your car, then do San Antonio and Houston. You have to remember that Texas is a BIG state. Most of us have driven from Dallas to Austin and the only thing you'll see besides cows and outlet malls is Baylor University. IF that is one of your college visits, then by all means, driving would be best.

I have always found Enterprise to have the cheapest rates. Do look to see if it is cheaper to pick it a car at Love Field than say somewhere near SMU campus. Since Love is so close to SMU, might be worth the difference in price.

I don't know how long you are staying in Austin, but do try to stay long enough to get to the Congress Avenue Bridge one evening. Hundreds of thousands of bats live under the bridge and head out at sunset. Sometimes it takes as long as 45 minutes for them all to depart. A sight not to be missed. They are usually there thru October.

In San Antonio, the Riverwalk and of course, the Alamo. (It suffers from "Mona Lisa Syndrome"...it is always smaller than people see it on TV.) But it is still inspiring. Sea World would also be an excellent day of relaxation in late September.

Houston, uhm, well, let's see..uhm... you could take a sidetrip out to NASA. If you like to shop..this is the town! Westheimer/Galleria. Excellent musuems, especially the Museum of Fine Arts. And some wonderful little eateries in that upscale neighborhood. Try the Pic Cafe for lunch, at 4315 Montrose Blvd. Nice little outdoor patio; will be great in late September.

Since you didn't mention College Station, should I assume Texas A&M is not on your list? Shame... it's a great school!

No matter...Your son/daughter will have no trouble finding an excellent college atmosphere, no matter where they go in Texas.

Have a great trip. Relax. Plan a second trip to TX so you can see the beautiful piney woods of East Texas and the incredible Guadalupe Mountains in West Texas. And make it back to Austin and the Hill Country in late April/early May for the most incredible display of wildflowers you will EVER see, anywhere!

Good luck!

dfr4848

Abby - to answer your question, I've always found Budget to have very good rates within the state. You can sometimes also find discounts if you book online. As far as where to rent, compare the rates for renting at DAL (Love Field) versus picking it up near SMU. As you may know, SMU is near downtown so you might check downtown locations as well.

FWIW, while I frequently fly SWA within the state, I don't disagree with your plan to rent a car. If I'm traveling, for ex, between Houston, San Antonio and/or Austin, I've found these days that driving is often shorter considering the time it takes to drive to airport, park/turn in car, go through security, and wait for the flight. And hope the weather cooperates.

Good luck.

Abby43

Hi everybody-
For this trip it is a DONE DEAL that we are driving, so if you are still trying to convince me to fly part of the way then a response is not necessary. We are going to see colleges and that's it-ending up in Austin to attend a conference. There is no negotiating about flying! So please let's stick to the car rental plan.

I will try Alamo, Enterprise, Budget. I know Texas is a big state. I have been there several times and own a map. However, there is more than just myself on this trip and this is what we have decided to do and I am not going to keep justifying my reasons for driving!

Thank you for your continued help.

MrsJenn

Abby43,
I agree driving would fit your needs better. I went to avis.com and got a quote of $312 for a full size car for 3 days, much less than $600. Smaller cars were even cheaper, of course. So, just do more research on the rental car, it shouldn't be more than what I was quoted. We use avis all the time and have never had any problems.

tracys2cents

No I.D. required, in fact with Alamo now in major airports, you just walk up to a kiosk and punch in your confirmation number. Then swipe your credit card and off you go. Be sure to decline the insurance and gas, if the insurance is covered by your home car policy or your credit card.

Abby43

THANK YOU.

Oh and Tracy you are my new best friend.