Is it better to book a car rental in advance, or once I'm in South Africa?
I'll be traveling to South Africa this spring, and we're in the midst of planning our itinerary. Because we have items on our to-do/to-see list that span a large geographic area, friends have recommended that we rent a car for part or all of our trip.
My question is: as an American, are there any advantages to waiting until I am actually in South Africa to rent a car? I imagine we'll be picking up and dropping off cars at an airport (we're flying in and out of Johannesburg, but may fly down do Cape Town and work our way back north by car). Is it possible to negotiate prices, or simply get better deals, by waiting until we arrive? Or should we book rental cars well in advance? Would we be in danger of not having cars available if we didn't make an advanced reservation?
Our trip is 10 days long, so it's a short term rental rather than long-term/mini-lease.
Best Answer
if you plan to visit South Africa between February & March, I would strongly suggest that you reserve a vehicle in advance as that is a very busy time for tourist to SA. You can also get in contact with us if you require a detailed quotation on
info@atlanticcarhire.co.za - All the best with your planning.
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Is it cheaper to pre book a rental car?
NerdWallet found that customers pay on average $75 more to book a weeklong rental car three months in advance compared with booking the same rental just a week in advance. That translates to an extra cost of around 15%, simply for booking early.Should I book a rental car now or wait?
When's the best time to book your rental car? Booking three to six months before you travel is usually ideal. Prices tend to be most competitive during this period. There isn't much benefit to booking further ahead.Should I rent a car in advance or at the airport?
Therefore, it is recommended to consider the early reservations. So, when wondering if is it Cheaper to Rent A Car at the Airport or Online Ahead of Time\u2026 well, the answer is to rent a car online ahead of time. Definitely!Is it better to wait last minute to rent a car?
But when it comes to rental cars, this might surprise you: The best time to rent a car is last minute, when they tend to be cheaper. That's according to a NerdWallet analysis conducted in March 2022 of 360 rental car prices from eight major car rental companies in the United States.How far in advance should I book a rental car for best price?
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