If you missed out on Hertz and Alamo’s no-dropoff-fee promotion for rental cars driven out of Florida this spring, Budget Car Rental has just started a similar deal, good only for the next two weeks.
These promotions are aimed at snowbirds headed home to cooler climates but also offer a way for Florida residents to take a road trip without putting hundreds or even thousands of miles on your own car. You drive the rental car out of Florida, drop it off at the end of your trip (only certain destinations are eligible) and fly home without paying a dropoff fee – which can be huge. I took advantage of Alamo’s promotion in April and drove one of their cars from Miami to New Orleans. I paid only $163 for the week, taxes and fees included.
In addition to Florida, there’s a similar deal for driving cars out of Arizona.
Rental car companies offer these short-term deals now because so many cars have migrated to winter/spring vacation spots like Florida and now need to be moved back to other states.
The Budget deal is good for pick-up at multiple locations in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe counties (as well as many others throughout the state) through June 15. Prices start at $9.95 a day for compact and economy cars and unlimited mileage; prices don’t include fees and taxes.
There are only 32 eligible destinations, so be careful in making a reservation that you’re headed to one of those cities. Not included, for example, are such South Florida favorites as Savannah, Charleston or Asheville. For details, go to this website. Click on “participating Florida airport location;” at the end of the Florida list, you’ll also find the list of eligible destinations.
