So, you’ve booked your flights and you’re already dreaming of exploring a new city. But how are you going to get around once you’re there?
We’re making travel even easier by now offering car rentals for students via our website! We’ve partnered with the biggest rental cars brands around the world to offer you an easy way to compare and select the car rental you need, whether you’re traveling across Italy or just taking a road trip across the state. Curious about how it works? Keep reading for all the information you need on finding and booking a cheap car rental for your next trip.
How do I rent a car?
Renting a car is similar to booking a flight or a hotel room.
- Put in the location you want to rent a car from. So, say you’re going on spring break to Los Angeles with some friends. Enter the LAX airport, so you can easily pick it up once you arrive. Most rental companies will assume you want to return the car to the same location, but you can change that if needed.
- Set your pickup and drop off dates and times.
- Enter your age. If you’re under 25, your car selection may be a bit smaller (not all companies allow you to rent if you’re under 25) and/or you may have to pay a young driver fee. But don’t worry! It’s still possible to rent a car even if you’re under 25.
Then just search for your results!
In your results, you can sort by type of car at the top, or filter by our best or cheapest car rental deals. If you want to rent from a specific company, or have other specifications to set, you can do so using the sidebar menu.
In each results box: You can see the car type and specifications (i.e. how many seats, if it has AC or not), the pickup location, the total price and more. Make sure you check the additional terms and conditions (listed under “Rental Terms” near the car rental company name or “Terms and Conditions” under the Book Now box) before booking to be sure you know all the details.
Booking: Once you’re ready to book, just click book now! Then you can review your car and the pickup location, review the amount of damage protection you’d like, and add any extras. After that, just fill in your details and payment information and you’ll be all set to go!
Some things to look for when you rent a car:
Manual vs. automatic: This is super important! In many other countries, the default is manual transmission. However, if you don’t know how to drive stick-shift, you don’t want that! Make sure the car you’re renting has an automatic gearbox, or transmission, before booking (unless you’re okay with driving manual).
Fuel policy: What’s the rule on fuel? “Full to Full” is the standard, which means that you’ll start with a full tank and you’ll just be responsible for returning with a full tank as well. Some brands have other policy options as well, such as paying a set price and returning with any amount of gas. You can often discuss fuel options when you’re picking up your car rental as well.
Mileage: For long road trips, or just to make your life easier, make sure your car rental includes unlimited mileage. Otherwise, you’ll get charged for additional miles over their mileage limit (usually about 200 miles per day).
Seating: How many seats does the car have? Obviously, make sure it has enough for all your passengers!
AC: Do you need or want AC? It’s usually a given, but doesn’t hurt to make sure.
Pickup location: Often, there will be plenty of pickup locations at the airport, but be sure to check! Sometimes you may have to take a shuttle bus to the pickup center or pickup somewhere in town, so be sure to take that into account.
What’s included: Different car rental companies include various things in the cost of their rental. What kind of damage protection is included? Will you be able to cancel or make changes to your reservation if needed? Are there any additional charges for young drivers?
How old do you have to be to rent a car?
Generally, you can rent a car once you’re 18, but certain restrictions and additional fees may apply until you’re 25. Some companies won’t allow you to rent a car at all until you’re 25, but most do for a small fee.
When you’re looking at car rentals for students on our website, you can set your age and it’ll show you cars that you’re eligible for. Be sure to always check the terms and conditions anyways to be sure you understand the requirements for young drivers.
What do I need to rent a car?
The basics of what you need:
- Passport or ID (if you’re in the US)
- Driving license (if you’re in another country, you may need an international driver’s license or a translation of your US license)
- Credit card
Can you rent a car with a debit card?
In short, yes, but it may be more difficult.
Most rental car companies require a credit card to make a reservation and rent a car. This is especially true if you’re traveling internationally. Typically, this is because the rental car company wants some assurance that if you wreck the car, they’ll have a card on file to charge for the damages. With debit cards, they can’t do that with as much security. Some US car rental brands will allow you to use a debit card provided you have enough in your account to cover a security deposit.
Need a car rental? See how easy finding a cheap car rental near you can be by searching on our website!
