Car rental through southwest.com

[sirjeff]

I looked into renting a car through SWA using a Partner agency. However once i looked and shopped for discounted rates per the advertisements.... i actually found rates cheaper if i booked direct. Where is the advantage or benefit for booking a rental car through SWA?

[TheMiddleSeat · Accepted solution]

Yep, prices are generally better through other discount codes or specials on other sites. Booking through Southwest will typically get you more Rapid Rewards points so you have to decide if the extra points are worth the added cost.

--TheMiddleSeat

[dfwskier]

The way to shop cars using he SW website (and get the best price) is to:

1) Determine best rates across all companies by starting the car booking process.

2) Find the company (or two) that give the best rates.

3) If the company provides a special discount (normally Avis, Budget, National, Hertz, Dollar, Payless and a few others), then restart the booking process by clicking on "special offers" on the SW start page, and pick the company that previously gave you the best rate and you'll get  a discounted rate.

Further, if you find a better rate at a car copany website, note the rate code the company used. You can apply that rate code at the SW site, using the SW coupon code and you'll get both the better rate and any bonus RR  points the company might provide. Conversly, you can take the coupon code on the SW website and use it at the car company website and the same thing will happen.

[TheMiddleSeat]

@dfwskier good info! My experience is still that I find the rates through my insurance company (USAA) and AAA are better than through Southwest even without discount code, then add on a discount code that applies to bookings through either of those organizations and it's a big savings versus Southwest. Now, if you don't have access to an organization such as AAA then booking through Southwest may be the best option.

In general, it pays to shop around as one option may be cheaper for some bookings and then other options might be better for others. Lots of variables. It also pays to recheck prices after booking, just like Southwest flights prices do drop and you can rebook as long as you didn't choose a prepaid rate.

--TheMiddleSeat

[DancingDavidE]

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@TheMiddleSeat wrote:

@dfwskier good info! My experience is still that I find the rates through my insurance company (USAA) and AAA are better than through Southwest even without discount code, then add on a discount code that applies to bookings through either of those organizations and it's a big savings versus Southwest. Now, if you don't have access to an organization such as AAA then booking through Southwest may be the best option.

In general, it pays to shop around as one option may be cheaper for some bookings and then other options might be better for others. Lots of variables. It also pays to recheck prices after booking, just like Southwest flights prices do drop and you can rebook as long as you didn't choose a prepaid rate.

--TheMiddleSeat

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Costco is also very competitive, you get a second driver free all of the time, and the cancelation is about as generous as Southwest's 10 minutes prior.