Car Rentals when You're Only 24
 

My daughter will be less than one month from turning 25 when she goes on her Hawaii vacation, yet Hotwire will charge a premium for her age, as will a few other car rental cmpanies. Does anyone know a company on Oahu, Kauai, and Maui that won't charge a "penalty" because she's not 25 yet?

I recently rented a car for my daughter who is also 24 when she came to visit me on Maui. If you book through http://www.hawaiidiscountcarrental.com/ you can save some of the young rental fee, you still pay a bit more. I did a test through this company booking the same car for the same dates first for myself and also for my daughter. The reservation came back through Dollar and hers was a few dollars more a day, but not as high as the price I got directly through Dollar.

There are also several local rental companies who rent to under-25, but you take your chance as they rent older cars. I have found Island Car Rentals in Wailuku to have better cars than some of the other little guys on Maui, but their rates are not great. We rented a 2005 Mustang Convertible through them for 4 days for my daughter and it was the same price as the daily rate on 2007 convertibles from the big guys. But they saved that $25 young driver penalty. She did have to have her proof of comprehensive coverage when she picked up the car.

I already have a request in with Hawaii Discount Car Rental. If the rates are too high, I guess her older boyfriend can rent the car instead. So far no one has come within $10 per day of what Hotwire is offering. Thanks for your help!

Tradewinds is another company that supposedly doesn't charge extra for underage. I heard Thrifty also doesn't however I can't say for sure and it may depend which island.

It really depends. Thifty dinged me for 20 bucks a day, while my friend rents from Enterprise (off-site, not the airport) and has the under-age fee waived. Call them up and ask.

You can call the companies listed here for rates. They all have toll free numbers.

On Airport Companies

Avis Rent-A-Car
Airport
(808) 834-5536
1-888-897-8448 Toll free

Budget Rent-A-Car
Airport
(808) 836-1700
1-800-527-7000 Toll free

Dollar Rent-A-Car
Airport
(808) 831-2331
1-800-800-4000 Toll free

Hertz Rent-A-Car
Airport
(808) 831-3500
1-800-654-3131Toll free

National Rent-A-Car
Airport
808) 831-3800
1-800-227-7368 Toll free

Off Airport Companies ( these have shuttles to locations near airport)

Alamo Rent-A-Car
Airport
(808) 833-4585
1-800-462-5266 Toll free

Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Airport
(808) 836-2213
1-800-325-8007 Toll free

JN Car &Truck Rentals (don't know if this one has a shuttle)
Airport
(808) 831-2724

Thrifty Rent-A-Car
Airport
(808) 831-2277
1-877-283-0898 Toll free
1-800-367-2277 Toll free

Tradewinds U-Drive
Airport
(808) 834-1465
1-888-388-7368 Toll free

The above are from:
http://www.hawaii.gov/dot/airports/h...ound_trans.htm

There are several other companies listed in the phone book that will rent to under 25. Most ads do not say if there is an extra charge for under 25.

Here are ones with ads that say no additional fees

Tradewinds
Drivers under 25 no additional fees
www.tradewindsudrive.com
e-mail: [email protected]

Cheap Rent A car
21 &older - No underage fee
e-mail: [email protected]

Here are others that will rent to under 25. Ads don't say anything about fees:

V.I.P
Under 21 O.K.
www.vipcarrentalhawaii.com

Alamo
Rentals available to qualified drivers age 21 &older
1-877-603-0615
808-947-6112 Waikiki-Ilikai Hotel
808-833-4585 Honolulu Airport

Adventure on 2 Wheel
Jeeps, compact cars, mopeds
Age 18 &up okay
(808) 921-8111 Lemon Rd. Waikiki (not toll free)
(808) 944-3131Ala Moana (not toll free)

Others with 800 numbers that you can try. These are out of phone book. Most have multiple locations on Oahu:

AA Aloha Cars-R-Us
1-800-655-7989
www.hawaiicarrental.com

Avis
1-800-831-2847

National
1-888-868-6207

Enterprise
1-800-736-8222

Dollar
1-800-800-4000

Budget
1-800-527-0700

Thrifty
1-800-847-4389

Hertz
1-800-654-3011
1-800-704-4473

I know some of these are duplicates as they were copied from several places.