Alamo Car Hire

Hiring a car in Florida can be a bit daunting, with all those different packages, insurance options and companies it’s no wonder.

We’re going to take you through why our go to hire company for Florida is Alamo and the different ways you can save hundreds of pounds with a discount in our very first tip..

Always use .com

Firstly categorically don’t use the UK Alamo site, whenever we’ve compared the same rental the UK website charges the same rate in pounds as is available in dollars on the US site. That’s a massive 20% discount on Florida Car Hire just for using Alamo.com.

So is it ok for me to use the US website, the answer is absolutely yes! When you try to visit Alamo.com you will receive a prompt ‘Looking for your local website?’, simply check the ‘Remember my choice’ box and then be careful to select the option ‘No, stay here’ and you will be taken to the US version of the site and prices will be charged in dollars.

When filling out your search options remember to change the country of residence for United States to United Kingdom. This is sometimes not presented until you uncheck the ‘resident of United States’ box if it was set by default.

Don’t Become an Alamo Insider

This may seem crazy as the website states you’ll save 5% of base car hire prices, however I have always found using an insiders login costs more than the standard rate. Now as I’m willing to give the benefit of the doubt that they’re not trying to rip off loyal customers, the only assumption I can make is that it’s useful for US residents if they have existing cover and can remove all the insurance. Anyway whatever you do don’t signup or if you already have make sure you logout and don’t login at any point during the reservation process.

Skip The Counter

At Orlando International Airport (MCO) Alamo operate the Skip The Counter option. This is a life saver after a long flight and those immigration queues. Filling out all your information using the online check-in and selecting the Skip the Counter options allows you to print off a voucher and on arrival and head straight to the parking garage. Simply show the printout to a team member who will direct you to a row of cars for you to take your pick. Load up the car and drive to the exit barrier where an attendant in the booth will check you details, credit card and driving licence. Then Vroom in literally a few minutes you’re on your way. Best of all it’s totally FREE, included with your hire. Whatever you do make sure you use this option!

Bag a free hire car upgrade!

Book only the category you need as a minimum, with enough space for your passengers and luggage. Quite often the row you get directed too will have a good choice of cars to select from. I’ve seen economy bookings get to select standard cards and standard bookings get to select from mini vans and even pickups too. There’s no extra charge but it’s all a game of chance and just depends on availability of the class you originally booked. So if you’re not fussy about the car, book a lower grade and you may get a nice surprise. On the other hand if you need a Minivan book a Minivan.