Road Tripping in the USA!

[[TW]Fox]

You may be right, but currently flights to San Fran (Virgin PE) seem to be £150-£200 higher than we paid last year. Last year I booked on 27 Dec, so it could be Jan price gouging I guess.

It's all about booking time - no keen offers on at the moment (Though there were none this time last year too, I was checking daily and it was £900 to LAX this time last year ). They'll come down, I reckon this year will see the best fares for quite some time.

[quote
Re Chicago, we might not actually visit the city (would be kinda a shame though). Currently we will be flying in, and then driving straight out for an event the next day. Might do a day or two at the end. Still working on this bit! [/QUOTE]


You really do need to work some time into the city - it would be madness to fly into and out of Chicago and not see Chicago, especially as Chicago is probably the best place to visit within a good few hundred miles!

 

[Journey]

Who would you recommend for one way car hire in the U.S.A? I've got to sort a car (7 seater type affair) from Boston to Niagara, and then one the other way to NYC?

I'm more than willing to keep it for the duration if needs be, so we can nip up to Toronto, if we have the time. Looking around online, I'm not seeing the sort of prices I'd expect based on previous trips. Cheers!

 

[[TW]Fox]

Don't hire two cars, just hire one from Boston to NYC. Then you don't pay two lots of one-way fees.

Fairly tedious drive from Boston to Niagara, mind. Might be better just flying?

 

[Journey]

Don't hire two cars, just hire one from Boston to NYC. Then you don't pay two lots of one-way fees.

Fairly tedious drive from Boston to Niagara, mind. Might be better just flying?

Sadly, that is not an option due to the huge added cost for 5 people, having the car and a 6 hour drive is better for us this time.

 

[[TW]Fox]

I'd go with Alamo then

 

[Journey]

I'd go with Alamo then

Cheers, book on the USA site I assume for best value?

 

[[TW]Fox]

No absolutely not!!! Always book on the UK websites or through UK based brokers. The prices on the USA sites are exclusive of ANY insurance, the prices on the UK sites are fully inclusive of everything you need and have zero excess at a rate thats MILES better than the rate a US citizen would pay for the same rental.

 

[Joe T]

It's all about booking time - no keen offers on at the moment (Though there were none this time last year too, I was checking daily and it was £900 to LAX this time last year ).

Are you saying £900 PE to LAX is expensive?

 

[[TW]Fox]

Are you saying £900 PE to LAX is expensive?

That was the economy price, not the PE price.

 

[Joe T]

That was the economy price, not the PE price.

Wow. I booked San Fran PE for £1k in Dec last year!

 

[[TW]Fox]

Exactly - its all about booking at the right point. Too many people do a flight search and assume thats the price it is and then pay it.

£1k though for an economy product, I'm amazed you find value in PE at that sort of money.

 

[Joe T]

I'm amazed you find value in PE at that sort of money.

It's the seating that does it for me. I'm 6'2" with long legs, so I get pretty cramped in economy seating: I can barely move!

The Virgin PE is slightly disappointing though. The food and seating are very good, but the entertainment tech seems very outdated. Still worth it for me I think. If only I could persuade the little lady that she's fine in economy....

 

[[TW]Fox]

I'm 6ft and it never really troubles me - though I'm hugely fussy about who I fly with and where I sit.

 

[peter]

Flights booked, car booked with Avis premium £500 for 21 days , our Canadian friend said anything not American but how can you place a Volvo in a road trip photograph ?
Class G: Premium
Avis Example: Ford Taurus LTD
Chrysler 300
Buick LaCrosse
Chevrolet Impala
Dodge Challenger
Dodge Charger
Kia Cadenza
Lincoln MKZ
Toyota Avalon
Volkswagen CC (Avis lists it as VOLK CC2S 4DR)
Volvo S60
Volvo V60
need something to fit camping kit and a cool box in but only two occupants so can use the back seat. What would you chose?

 

[Peerzy]

Flights booked, car booked with Avis premium £500 for 21 days , our Canadian friend said anything not American but how can you place a Volvo in a road trip photograph ?
Class G: Premium
Avis Example: Ford Taurus LTD
Chrysler 300
Buick LaCrosse
Chevrolet Impala
Dodge Challenger
Dodge Charger
Kia Cadenza
Lincoln MKZ
Toyota Avalon
Volkswagen CC (Avis lists it as VOLK CC2S 4DR)
Volvo S60
Volvo V60
need something to fit camping kit and a cool box in but only two occupants so can use the back seat. What would you chose?

We got 3 weeks worth of luggage (and my wife doesn't exactly travel lightly) for 2 people into a Mustang convertible with any real problem

 

[[TW]Fox]

Flights booked, car booked with Avis premium £500 for 21 days , our Canadian friend said anything not American but how can you place a Volvo in a road trip photograph ?
Class G: Premium
Avis Example: Ford Taurus LTD
Chrysler 300
Buick LaCrosse
Chevrolet Impala
Dodge Challenger
Dodge Charger
Kia Cadenza
Lincoln MKZ
Toyota Avalon
Volkswagen CC (Avis lists it as VOLK CC2S 4DR)
Volvo S60
Volvo V60
need something to fit camping kit and a cool box in but only two occupants so can use the back seat. What would you chose?

The Impala or the 300 are the best cars in that list but you don't get a choice, it's from whatever is available. Cars at Avis are pre assigned so you will need to try your luck asking for something else.

I personally would not select Avis for a USA rental, Alamo with select your own would be a better bet.

 

[Joe T]

Has anyone used Enterprise to rent a car for a trip like this? I notice DW is extra, and paid for at the counter. Is there anything else to watch out for with them?

 

[Peerzy]

Has anyone used Enterprise to rent a car for a trip like this? I notice DW is extra, and paid for at the counter. Is there anything else to watch out for with them?

I thought DW was never an issue as you would be a UK renter and are therefor it should already included? Fox will be able to confirm.

 

[peter]

Alamo are £300 more expensive for the weeks we want from Vancouver , I know it is pot luck what you end up with but we can get to the airport early in the morning and ask nicely. As there is no rush ( we are landing two days before and staying with friends before heading down into the states) we can get there and see what is available,

 

[Joe T]

I thought DW was never an issue as you would be a UK renter and are therefor it should already included? Fox will be able to confirm.

That's what I thought until I read the Enterprise website. Odd.