Avis, Budget Lower Car Rental Age Amidst Rate Hike

Almost lost in the news of a coming rate hike for Cendant Corp's Avis and Budget vehicle rental companies was word that the minimum age for a renter had dropped from 25 years old to 21. Corporate travel arrangers were already grumbling on the web and in industry press about the rate change, and news that drivers previously considered to be higher risk would now be part of the company's marketing strategy was not lost on them.

Meanwhile, an August 4 article by Bill Brubaker of The Washington Post points out that city's closest airport, Ronald Reagan National Airport, is not covered by the new policy because it has a Washington, D.C. address despite being located in Virginia. Various state laws increase a rental company's liability and the new lower-age policy will not be rolled out in those states. The Post identified Iowa, Idaho, Connecticut and parts of New Jersey as areas in which the minimum age for a renter would remain 25 unless that renter is part of a separate corporate agreement.

posted by Consumer Help Web Editorial Team at 8:12 AM |