Car Rental Online Deal Finders: Hotwire.com
When people used to say “hotwire,” they
were referring to a rather unkempt way to start a car. Now
when we say “hotwire” we mean “Hotwire.com,” an internet
site that offers discount travel tickets, accommodations,
and car rentals. Although customers can select the option
of purchasing their tickets in a more traditional way (choosing
airlines/flight times, particular hotels, etc.), the deep
discounts are available for those who choose the option
of not knowing who the provider will be and when their flights
will be taking off and landing on any particular day.
Hotwire.com is based in San Francisco,
but is part of the collection of Expedia, Inc. companies
that have their headquarters in Bellevue, Washington. Expedia,
originally part of Microsoft, is not part of InterActivCorp
and offers travel booking arrangements as well. The difference
between Hotwire and Expedia is that Hotwire has worked out
a deal with various partners to market unsold travel bookings,
like empty seats on flights, unused rental cars, etc. These
unsold products are offered at a better price, even though
the customer has little choice in the details, and only
finds out who they will be traveling with after the plans
are booked.
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What You Will Find at Hotwire.com
Hotwire says their mission
is to “offer unbeatable low prices on airline tickets, hotel
reservations, car rentals, vacation packages and cruises.”
Because of the way they approach the availability—selling
seats, car rentals, and hotel accommodations that probably
would not otherwise be sold—they can offer prices much lower
than published prices. Their providers are unable to advertise
those prices themselves, so Hotwire acts as a warehouse for
travel “seconds.”
Hotwire’s car rentals work
much the same way, and you can get deals locally, nationally,
regionally, and worldwide. All the rentals come with unlimited
miles, and the partnerships are with Avis, Budget, and Hertz.
However, you do have the option of booking with other car
rental agencies—you just won’t get the same discounts as you
would if you went with the standard Hotwire discount pricing
methods.
There is also a link to
a tool called the Trip Starter, and is a planner to use for
your upcoming vacation destination. It helps you plan your
trip, and includes useful information like the best time of
year to travel to the destination, the last two years’ pricing
trends, and other travel tips to help you keep the cost down.
There is also a list of other activities going on in that
area at the time you wish to travel, and has photos and maps
of the area and its attractions. This can help you greatly
when booking a rental car and deciding where you are going
when.
Remember when booking
your discounted travel that you will not know who you are
doing business with until you book the flight, car, or hotel.
However, this means that you can get prices you can’t get
through other outlets. If you’re interested in finding out
more about Hotwire’s partners, check their website.
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