We all love to travel, but one of the significant expenses when vacationing is transportation costs and not just the cost to get you to your destination.
Once you arrive at your vacation spot, you still need to figure out how you plan to get around, often renting a car is the most convenient, but it can also be quite expensive.
Depending on how you budgeted for your vacation, a car rental may not be affordable, limiting your sightseeing activities. However, the great news is that several car rental agencies extend senior discounts, and many of the discounts are for those 50+ years old.
Additionally, some of the companies we’ve found have discounts as deep as 30%!
Plus, if you rent a car, you don’t have to worry about ordering an Uber or Lyft if that’s not something your comfortable doing. Also, you won’t need to deal with overpriced taxis.
Another benefit of renting a car versus using car services is that you can budget ahead. In contrast, you may not always know how much to set aside for local transportation since some prices vary depending on demand.
With discounts as high as 30%, car rentals just became more accessible for many of us. Most of the car rental companies that made our list are based on age, but some require an AARP membership.
So for the next time, you plan a trip check out these car rental places to access great discounts. Don’t forget, there are other senior discounts that relate to travel too, like discounts on your airfare and on your hotel stay.
Car Rental Discounts for Seniors
- Hertz
- Budget
- Avis
- Enterprise
- Sixt
- Payless Rent a Car
- Alamo
- EZ Rent-A-Car
- Thrifty
Hertz
- Discount: Up to 20%
- Age Requirement: 50+
Hertz’s 50+ program offers 20% off. Plus, if you sign up for their Hertz Gold Plus Rewards programs, you can take advantage of other benefits. Some of the Hertz Gold Plus program rewards include free upgrades and free rental days. Best of all, the Gold Plus program is free to join.
Hertz’s history began back in 1918 with founder Walter Jacobs, who started his car rental company with 12 vehicles in Chicago, Illinois. At the time, the company name was Rent a Ford.
In 1923, Jacobs sold the business to Hertz. They kept Jacobs involved in the business and together grew it into the company it is today. In just two years, Hertz was already posting annual revenues around $1 million.
Today, there are over 3,000 Hertz rental locations nationwide.
Budget
- Discount: Up to 30%
- Age Requirement: AARP membership
If you are an AARP member, Budget has a great deal for you! Budget offers AARP members a 30% discount, plus you will receive the following additional benefits:
- Free additional driver
- Free upgrades
- Cover me and the car peace of mind
- Discounted GPS
Morris Mirkin opened the first Budget Rent a Car in 1958 in Los Angeles, California. By 1960, with the help of his cousin Jules Lederer they transitioned the business to Budget Rent A Car Corporation in Chicago.
It was not long after that the company expanded to offer car rentals both nationally and internationally.
Today, Budget is a subsidiary of Avis, with more than 800 different locations in the US, and another 150 are located outside of the US.
Avis
- Discount: Up to 30%
- Age Requirement: AARP membership
You can take advantage of the Avis senior discount by making reservations either online or over the phone. The discount is only applicable on rentals in the US and Canada, and only by the residents of these countries. Additionally, the discount is subject to vehicle availability.
Like many other car companies, Avis offers a free rewards program, which they call Avis Preferred. Avis Preferred gives you extra benefits like:
- Earn points faster
- Expedited Service
- Receive exclusive deals
Avis first opened in 1946, by founder Warren Avis, in Detroit, Michigan, at Willow Run Airport. Avis was the very first rental car company to open at that airport.
It wasn’t long before Avis expanded, first to the Miami airport, then onto Europe, Canada, and Mexico in 1953. Today Avis has over 5,000 locations worldwide and is stationed in 165 different countries.
Zipcar
- Discount: AARP members receive up to 43% off annual membership plus $40 driving credit
- Age Requirement: 50+
Zipcar is a bit different than traditional car rental companies. Zipcar is a car-sharing company intested. The benefits of Zipcar are:
- Short notice rentals
- Zipcar covers gas
- Zipcar covers insurance
- Available all over the world
- Book 24/7
- Variety of vehicles
To become a Zipcar member all you need to do is sign up online. Once your driver eligibility has been verified you will receive the Zipcard that gives you access to different vehicles.
Using your Zipcar phone app you can check to see which cars are available in your area, how much gas is in the tank, and the hourly charge. Hourly charges start as low as $6.
If you need to fill the tank each car comes with a gas card, so there’s no need to be concerned about incurring additional costs for fuel.
Sixt
- Discount: Up to 5%
- Age Requirement: 50+
To receive the senior discount with Sixt, simply book your reservation online and show proof of age when you pick up your vehicle. Discounts are applied immediately.
Sixt has over 2,200 offices in more than 100 countries. Plus, there are no restrictions on their senior discount regarding locations, dates, or vehicles. Also, if you are looking to travel in style, they have a variety of luxury vehicles to choose from, such as BMW, Mercedes, and Cadilac.
Additionally, Sixt is not just rental car service. They also offer car-sharing and car services so you can sit back and enjoy the ride. Their driving service is easy to use and is certainly worth trying.
Payless Rent a Car
- Discount: Up to 5%
- Age Requirement: AARP Membership
Payless offers AARP members a 5% discount, plus a free vehicle upgrade and a free additional driver on the rental agreement.
The first Payless Car Rental opened in Spokane, Washington, in 1971. Since then, they have opened 120 different locations spanning the US, Canada, South America, and Europe. Many of their offices can be found at major airports.
Payless Car Rental is part of the Avis Budget Group company. However, before booking, check out their other great deals to ensure you are receiving the maximum discount possible. For example, they sometimes run pay in advance promotion for 20% off your rental, be sure to shop around.
Alamo
- Discount: Contact for discount information
- Age Requirement: Contact for the age requirement
Alamo offers the Senior Circle discount. However, discounts are dependent on:
- Date
- Vehicle
- Location – Discount is only available at participating locations
The website indicates that this discount can not be combined with other offers and in order to be eligible the renter must meet the required age. Unfortunately, the required age is not listed on their website, so it would be best to call and verify.
Though you can sign up online, it may be best to call ahead and confirm the discount amount before booking.
Alamo has rental locations in the following countries:
- United States
- Canada
- Mexico
- Central America
- Caribbean
- Europe
- Middle East
- South America
- Saipan
- Guam
- Australia
- Africa
EZ Rent-A-Car
- Discount: 10% off
- Age Requirement: 50+
The EZ Rent-A-Car senior discount program is available on all vehicles and all pickup days. They limit locations, but there are 21 available pickup sites that honor the senior discount, all of which are at international airports:
- Albuquerque
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Boston
- Dallas/Fort Worth
- Denver
- Ft. Lauderdale
- Houston Bush
- Chicago O’Hare
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Maui
- Miami
- Nashville
- Orlando
- Phoenix
- Raleigh Durham
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- Seattle
Though the offices that offer discounts are all in the US, EZ Rent-A-Car does have rental services worldwide. Plus, EZ Rent-A-Car has a rewards program so you can earn points towards your next rental.
EZ Rent-A-Car, founded in 1994 in Orlando, is owned by Advantage Rent a Car.
Thrifty
- Discount: 5% off
- Age Requirement: 50+
Thrifty‘s 5% discount can not be combined with other offers and is limited to vehicle availability. It is a good plan to book early to ensure you receive optimal pricing.
Thrifty offers a Blue Chip rewards program. The plan is free to sign up, and you’re able to start enjoying the perks immediately. Some of the advantages of being a Blue Chip member are:
- Skip check-in and go straight to the car
- Ability to earn points towards future rentals
- Free additional driver
- Priority service
Thrifty first opened in 1958 under the name Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group but was later purchased by The Hertz Company.
Today Thrifty has more than 4000 different locations jointly owned with their parent company. They are headquartered out of Estero, Florida, and are now one of the largest car rental companies in the world.
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