How to Find Cheap Rental Cars for Holiday Road Trips
Save on holiday rentals by timing your booking and comparing all-in totals with membership discounts.
To find cheap rental cars for holiday road trips, book about one month ahead and compare all-in totals with taxes and fees. For peak holiday demand, book two to three months ahead and check membership discounts that lower the base rate. Base rate means the daily rental charge before taxes, fees, and options.
Pay Later means you pay at pickup, while Pay Now means you prepay. The choice affects discounts and cancellation costs.
Verification note: Program terms and availability can change. This page was checked against linked sources on November 04, 2026.
When should you book?
KAYAK rental data finds booking about one month ahead is generally cheapest, with two to four weeks before pickup as the sweet spot. That window saves about $10 per day versus booking six or more months early, according to the KAYAK rental booking guide. For peak summer, spring break, and major holidays, KAYAK advises booking two to three months ahead.
Demand spikes raise prices and shrink vehicle selection. Early booking matters more when many travelers want the same pickup dates.
Can trip dates lower the daily price?
KAYAK identifies January as the cheapest month to rent. A holiday road trip extending into early January can price lower per day than a December-only rental. This does not require a long trip.
Shifting return by a few days can change the daily average. Compare both date ranges before you commit.
How do AAA Hertz benefits reduce costs?
Hertz gives AAA members up to 20% off the pay-later base rate when the AAA discount code is included, with the discount varying by date, location, length, and car class and excluding taxes, fees, and options, as described on the Hertz AAA partner page. Through Hertz, AAA members also get the Young Renter Fee waived for ages 20-24, saving about $25 per day, plus no charge for an added AAA-member driver and free use of one child, infant, or booster seat, according to the AAA holiday car rental article.
- Add the AAA discount code to the reservation.
- Check age, driver, and car-seat rules for your location.
- Compare the discounted base rate plus taxes and fees.
What should you check before paying?
Hertz U.S. Pay Later rentals cancel free before scheduled pickup, with any no-show fee capped at one day's charge. Pay Now prepaid cancellations cost $100 more than 24 hours before pickup and $200 within 24 hours.
Hertz excludes airport facility use, customer facility, concession recovery, licensing recovery, government surcharges, taxes, and optional items from prepaid quotes for payment locally, so travelers should compare all-in totals and check off-airport branches, as stated in the Hertz cancellation terms. Pull the final total to the payment screen. Then compare an airport branch with a nearby off-airport branch for the same dates.