Summer 2023 Car Hire

simon_r

We have been booking our summer 2023 holiday in Portugal, but rather shocked at the prices when it comes to car hire.  The daily rate seems to be approx 50% higher than we paid for 2022.  I have firms we have used before, as well as the more general price comparison sites but it seems to be the same everywhere.

Usually I work on the basis that you get the best deals by booking early, but I am wondering whether to hold off for now in case prices come back down?  or are they only likely to increase further?

eDicky

Car hire companies had few customers during the pandemic so disposed of much of their fleets, then later were unable to replenish them fast enough to meet renewed demand, hence the higher prices in general.

You might try booking something now that's cancelable, then cancel and rebook later if prices fall.

HogMan

I am travelling to the USA at the end of November and have been tracking rental prices for a while now.

I am finding that prices are strangely going down as the date nears rather than the reverse. The cost now is probably about half what it was a few months ago.

I tend to wait till the price drops to a level that I think is okay, then I book and I will cancel and rebook if the price drops significantly.