Rental Cars in Calgary

I always use Enterprise but basically, they're all the same if you rent from the airport. Check this before you go. Some places like Miette Hotsprings is still closed due to covid-19. Must see: Mt Edith Cavell, avoid Columbia Icefields, it's a huge tourist trap, especially the Ice Explorer Tour. What looks like they are driving through a river is actually a small tire wash. lol.

https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/ab/jasper ... id-19-info

If you rent with national and sign up for their club you can proceed directly to a rental car of your choice if you choose emerald aisle.

Quick check of I’d and credit card and your on your way. Might not be the cheapest option but we use them for work and it does save time though I imagine most counters aren’t too busy these days. On the flip side going to a counter you might be able to get an upgrade due to lack of business.

You can try using autoslash.com to get a better deal.

GangStarr wrote: ↑ If you rent with national and sign up for their club you can proceed directly to a rental car of your choice if you choose emerald aisle.

Quick check of I’d and credit card and your on your way. Might not be the cheapest option but we use them for work and it does save time though I imagine most counters aren’t too busy these days. On the flip side going to a counter you might be able to get an upgrade due to lack of business.

You can try using autoslash.com to get a better deal.

Most rental agencies like Avis/budget/Hertz etc have similar programs (proceed directly to get your car and skip counter)

StatsGuy wrote: ↑ Most rental agencies like Avis/budget/Hertz etc have similar programs (proceed directly to get your car and skip counter)

Sure but they are not endorsed by David Puddy!

starchoice wrote: ↑ Sure but they are not endorsed by David Puddy!

LOL... nice. I had to think who he was for a sec.

Avis has very nice cars in YYC if you manage to get an upgrade you can enjoy a fun car. I got X5, CTS, Land Rover, Challenger (!), etc.

just curious do they disinfecting car between uses?

StatsGuy wrote: ↑ Most rental agencies like Avis/budget/Hertz etc have similar programs (proceed directly to get your car and skip counter)

True, but only the bigger airports have skip-the-counter service.

I use National (my company has corporate account) and my last rental (YYC) was an Audi A5.

I use National as well. They are the same company under Enterprise and Alamo.

National is a bit more expensive, but they have newer cars. Alamo can be a bit cheaper than Enterprise sometimes because they don't (or didn't) have a rewards program. In the past, once a rental car hits 15,000 miles at National, it gets moved to Enterprise/Alamo. National also has Emerald Aisle, which lets you skip the counter and choose any car in the designated aisle instead of have a CSR assign a car to you.

Always check prices of different class. I've done many reservations where luxury or SUV rentals are cheaper than a mid-size sedan rental.

The car rental is so expensive or unavailable from Calgary to Vancouver

a16107 wrote: ↑ The car rental is so expensive or unavailable from Calgary to Vancouver

1 way rentals are generally pricier if picked up and from dropped off at a different location. Especially if it's in a different city/province.
You MIGHT get lucky if they happened to have that needed to go back to their province (ie. Alberta plated car that's been sitting in BC for while), but that's a tough call.

No harm in calling the location and asking if that's common though. They might cut you a break since you're helping them out in a sense by taking it back for them.

IceBlueShoes wrote: ↑ 1 way rentals are generally pricier if picked up and from dropped off at a different location. Especially if it's in a different city/province.
You MIGHT get lucky if they happened to have that needed to go back to their province (ie. Alberta plated car that's been sitting in BC for while), but that's a tough call.

No harm in calling the location and asking if that's common though. They might cut you a break since you're helping them out in a sense by taking it back for them.

But If I make a reservation online, the price is "as is"?

I tried Alamo from Calgary to Vancouver and the quote price for one week is C$500 all in. Is it sound reasonable??

I usually paid C$200-300 for weekly rental in same location return in US or other big city.

You're doing a one-way rental which will add (sometimes significantly) to the cost. $500 a week all-in sounds a little high but you need more quotes to know for sure.

For the folks who have driven from Calgary to Vancouver - for Mid August, do you need to have a SUV (if you're planning Banff/ Jasper)?
I hear the weather changes and you could have some weird road conditions.

I mean, is it like winter weather or you can get away with just about any car you rent?

SUV not needed. Even if you do have one, it isn't more likely to have snow tires than any other vehicle, so isn't going to be any more effective in the snow than any other car.

IceBlueShoes wrote: ↑ 1 way rentals are generally pricier if picked up and from dropped off at a different location.

Umm, what other way is there to do a 1-way rental?

Kiraly wrote: ↑ Umm, what other way is there to do a 1-way rental?

I've read about cross-country car delivery services, but I've never used one myself.

I'd think you'd have better luck/odds delivering it from YVR to YYC but you'd have to be VERY lucky for a someone else wanting your same car and wanting to drive it from YYC to YVR,
I suppose there's no harm in calling up the airport rental place to ask how often it happens.