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Great Deals On Rental Road Trips To Florida

October 29, 2008 at 2:04 PM | 0 Comments

Appropriately named rental car purveyor Thrifty must have a deficit of whips in Florida, says Budget Travel, because the outfit is doing one-way rentals for $1 a day as long as you're headed to the Sunshine State.

We priced out a trip leaving Chicago (current temperature, 46) with an arrival in Fort Lauderdale (current temperature, 72) two days later. (It's a pretty aggressive driving schedule, yes, but we know you can do it.) Total quoted rental cost: $14.15. Add in $114.83 for fuel, according to GasBuddy, and you're in Florida for less than $150.

Getting home? Why not check out JetBlue's new T5 with a flight from FLL to JFK before connecting to a flight to ORD? We found tickets as low as $125 one-way, including taxes and fees.

If you don't live in Chicago, no drama: There are plenty more options out there to play around with, with Thrifty offering the deal from a number of cities. Just make sure you hit the road before the bargains end on November 9.

Related Stories:
· Thrifty Dollar a Day Rentals [Official Site]
· Dollar a Day Car Rentals to Florida [BT]
· Travel Deals coverage [Jaunted]

Fossil Fuel Free Travel: Run on Hydrogen in Iceland

June 5, 2008 at 9:49 AM | 0 Comments

Americans may be frantically trying to shed gas-guzzling SUVs, but over in Iceland, they've already got the alternative fuel thing figured out. With eighty percent of the nation's energy supplied by pollution-free hydrothermal power, Iceland may be he easiest place on earth to plan a carbon-neutral vacation. (Just don't think about the flight there.)

In 2003, the world's first hydrogen fuel station opened in Reykjavik, and Iceland has set an ambitious goal of converting the country's entire transportation fleet to hydrogen power by 2050. Now, Hertz Iceland is the world's first company to offer hydrogen-fueled rental cars. You'll have to be lucky to nab one of the converted Toyota Priuses--Hertz only has three, though more are on the way.

There's no reason to start burning fossil fuels when you head out to sea, either. Just catch a whale watching tour on the good ship Elding, the very first hydrogen powered commercial vessel, which started sailing in April. Whale watchers say the €43 ($66) trip is among the best going, as the crew can shut the hydrogen engine down so passengers can easily hear the whales swim and blow--hard to do over the roar of a diesel engine.

Related Stories:
· Iceland Moves to Hydrogen Power for Ships, Cars [ABC]
· Hertz Iceland [Official Site]
· Elding [Official Site]
· Iceland Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: rooreynolds]

Futuristic Travel: Road Trips Made Easy With Folding Car

March 12, 2008 at 1:00 PM | 0 Comments

Ever notice how the waiting areas at car rental offices almost never have seats? See, they'd prefer you fall asleep on your feet so you'll be more apt to sign your life away in case someone accidentally breathes on your car in the parking lot. Well, fear us, rental-car agencies of the world!

Or rather, fear scientists at MIT who have been working on a car you can check out as easily as an airport luggage cart.

The electric City Car, a two-seater just slightly smaller than a Smart Car, folds in half for parking and is easily rechargable. The team's even contemplating installing a joystick that would allow users to steer the car. A joystick! All that and it "promotes a socially responsible and more effective means of urban mobility."

Related Stories:
· City Car [Official Site]
· Rental Cars coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Smart Cities project]

RIP East Coast-West Coast Car Rental Feud

October 31, 2007 at 2:00 PM | 0 Comments

Zipcar, the by-the-hour rental outfit from the East Coast will merge with Left Coast darling Flexcar, creating a nationwide car-sharing cabal. The old Flexcar brand is out, and members will now have the luxury of renting from both fleets in the few cities where both companies operate.

Zipcar's rates aren't as low as some daily car rental services, though you can't just rock up to a location and drive away as with other car rental agencies. (Zipcar also includes gas and insurance, making the rental process painless.) You'll first need to sign up for a Zipcard; the cheapest option includes a $25 application fee, a $50 annual fee with hourly rates that start at $10. After you get approved, all you need to start driving is your Zipcard, which will unlock the doors when you walk up to whatever vehicle you've reserved.

With the merger, the fleet is available in a bunch of cities, including New York, Boston, DC, Chicago, Seattle, Portland, LA, San Diego, Atlanta and London. The UK cars even come with the London congestion charge ($16.50) pre-paid.

Related Stories:
· Zipcar [Official Site]
· Rental Cars coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: katmere]

Britney Travel: If You Must Drive In Los Angeles...

September 24, 2007 at 8:45 AM | 0 Comments


Sure, tooling around in a rental car on your next trip may feel like the best way to "get to know" the place you're visiting. But do you know who's out on the road with you? Drivers like Britney Spears, who could face up to six months in jail for hitting a parked car in Beverly Hills in August and for driving without a valid California license.

In fact, it's not known whether Spears has any license at all. While we can't exactly point fingers on the hitting-a-parked-car bit (Our parents eventually forgave us!), it's frightening to think how many unlicensed drivers aren't being followed around the roads by the disaster-hungry paparazzi.

If you still feel you need to get a rental car, at least get a good deal on it. MSNBC.com has some tips that will help you decide what kind of car, the insurance you'll need--if any--and how to protect yourself against any liability. And if Britney's doing it, we shouldn't have to tell you: Please, please, please don't drive without a license.

Related Stories:
· Tips to Get the Best Deals on Rental Cars [MSNBC]
· Travel Tips: Is Car Rental Insurance Worth It? [Jaunted]
· Celeb Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: The Superficial]

Travel Tips: Is Car Rental Insurance Worth It?

August 30, 2007 at 11:30 AM | 1 Comment

The frustrating answer: Sometimes.

We all know the drill. We find a clown car-sized vehicle online that can get us from Point A to Point B for $34.99. When we get up to the counter, taxes, gas, insurance and (for some of us) the under-25 fee pushes the cost well above the $150 mark. Suddenly an afternoon on the open road costs more than a round-trip flight on a budget carrier. What went wrong?

For starters, many of us insure something that's already insured. Rental insurance is a waste for car owners because most auto policies extend to rentals. Just make sure the rental car is worth about the same as the one you own. A policy on a $500 '89 Oldsmobile will only cover up to $500 in damages to that $60,000 Lincoln Navigator you rented to drive up and down the Jersey Shore. Next time, you won't let those girls in bikinis sit on the hood.

However, car-less renters need to suck it up and pay the extra $40 for basic collision and liability coverage. In the worst-case scenario, an uncovered driver could be accountable for the total cost of the rental vehicle and any other cars involved in an accident. Now that'll ruin a trip.

Related Stories:
· Travel Tips [Jaunted]

[Photo: Palm Covers Car]

Best Island to Get Your Rental Car Stolen?

June 1, 2007 at 12:21 PM | 0 Comments

Since we're in the season of those big poll-generated travel awards from the likes of Conde Nast Traveler and Travel & Leisure, we thought we could add one more category to the pile. According to Maui Time Weekly, the Valley Isle has the highest rate of auto thefts in the Hawaiian Islands. Since the State of Hawaii has very high auto theft rates in general, the Maui auto theft rates must be astronomical.

The article quotes cops and attorneys general waxing on about why drifting on Maui means lifting some poor tourists rental car. Of course, it sounds like a lot of cars get lifted from the rental lots with the help of employees who love to give their friends the five-fingered discount. Which may explain why, when you go to pick up your smokin' 'Stang convert that you end up with Dodge Neon instead.

Somehow we don't think this category will ever make the CNT Gold List issue, however.

Alex Salkever is the editor/founder of Hawaii travel blog Hawaiirama.com

Related Stories:
· Hawaii Travel [Jaunted]
· Hotels in Hawaii [HotelChatter]

[Photo: dnorman]

Britney Spears Lands at BUR, Doesn't Rent Car

January 26, 2007 at 9:39 AM | 0 Comments


It looks like Britney Spears spent at least part of this week shuttling between Los Angeles and her home state of Louisiana. She was recently snapped deplaning at Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, CA, one of our favorite airports anywhere and the winner of our 2006 award for best domestic airport.

Yes, celebs and commoners alike appreciate BUR, though probably for different reasons.

High Rollers can enjoy its convenient location to studios and Hollywood proper--like, no freeways necessary dude, all surface streets.

Plebes like us, enjoy not only the location, but also but also the proximity of the rental car facilities, and other pedestrian perks.

Insider Tip: at BUR rent your car from National, Alamo, Hertz, or Avis to enjoy this perk, otherwise you will find yourself on a shuttle.

Related Stories:
· Britney Lands in Burbank [PopSugar]
· 2006 Awards: Best Domestic Airport [Jaunted]
· Airports We Love: BUR [Jaunted]

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