Jetsettersblog

New York City has the highest car rental rate of any U.S. city, according to CheapCarRental.net, which has released a survey comparing car rental rates in 50 U.S. destinations over the past 12 months. In New York City, renters paid an average of $72 per day during the past year for the cheapest available car. The second and third most expensive cities to rent a car were New Orleans, at $64, and Honolulu, at $63.

The rest of the 10 most expensive cities to rent a car were Washington, D.C. ($59), Houston ($56), Boston ($55), Newark ($54), Charlotte ($53), Austin ($49) and Sacramento ($48). The least expensive city in the U.S. to rent a car was Milwaukee, at $27 per day. Among the other least expensive car rental destinations, according to the list, were San Diego, Seattle and Los Angeles, with the per-day rental rate averaging about $30 in each city — about 60 percent cheaper than New York City.

The Hertz Corporation has partnered with Live Nation and AAA to offer car rental discounts during concert season. The company is providing a $35 discount off of weekly rentals and $50 in Live Nation “Concert Cash,” a one-time use only voucher access code that can be used toward select concert tickets or merchandise. To take advantage of the offer, the rental must be booked on Hertz.com using an AAA club discount code (CDP) and promotional code 178474; be a minimum five-day rental; occur by April 30; and be booked with a valid email address to receive Live Nation Concert Cash code and redemption information.

SuperShuttle has partnered with Deem’s Offers Network to offer Destination Deals, where customers can purchase local and national discounts on dining, entertainment and shopping. The customized deals are sourced from Deem’s syndicated commerce network, which currently has more than 1.2 million local and national merchants in various categories, including dining, entertainment, travel, shopping, wellness and beauty.

Avis Budget Group, Inc. has expanded its Ultimate Test Drive car sales program to New Jersey, in partnership with AutoNation, Inc. Customers can shop online for previously rented Avis and Budget cars and schedule their “ultimate test drives.” The test drives are free-of-charge for two hours or can be as long as three days for a nominal rental fee. If the customer decides to purchase the vehicle, the base rental fee will be refunded after the purchase is completed through AutoNation Direct.

The program features more than 75 makes and models. Customers can choose from domestic and foreign manufacturers, including Ford, General Motors, Kia, Nissan, Toyota and Volkswagen. AutoNation Direct representatives are also available to answer questions about financing, warranties and related services prior to completing the transaction at a location that is convenient for the customer.

Airstream 2 Go, a company specializing in Airstream trailer rentals, is set to launch in May. The vehicles are custom matched to dedicated GMC Yukon Denali sport utility vehicles. The first three locations will be in Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

The trailers feature contemporary interiors designed by San Francisco architect and designer Christopher Deam. All Airstreams in the fleet are fully equipped, with many items provided through Airstream 2 Go’s relationship with Zappos.com.

Each trailer includes luxury amenities such as plush linens, towels and a fully equipped kitchen.

Airstreams are available in two sizes: a 23-foot trailer that sleeps four and a 28-foot trailer that sleeps six. Each features Ultraleather fabrics, Beauflor flooring, Wilsonart laminate furniture, flat-screen televisions, Sony DVD/CD players, iPod docks, integrated sound systems, microwave ovens and cook tops, barbeque grills, and Zip-Dee powered awnings.

In addition, Airstream 2 Go has partnered with Off the Beaten Path a travel planning and outfitting company known for outdoor explorations, which offers an insider experience to some of nation’s natural attractions.

ExecuCar has expanded its service to Honolulu, New Orleans and Albuquerque. The company now offers service at 57 airports and surrounding areas in the U.S. and Mexico. The new service is available through affiliations with Elite Limousine, Limousine Livery, and Star Limousine.

All of the new locations can be accessed and booked online. The current fleet of ExecuCar includes a combination of Lincoln Town Cars and seven passenger SUVs.

A new international destination will also be offered shortly, according to Mike O’Connor, vice president, ExecuCar.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car lowered its basic rates based on time and mileage by an average of 6.5 percent for airport travelers from 2009 to 2013. Those rates went from $35.29 in 2009 to $32.84 as of April 2013, according to the Enterprise Holdings, the brand’s parent company.

In addition, Enterprise Holdings’ portfolio, which also includes two other brands — National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car — have defied seasonal and geographic fluctuations, dropping their rates by more than 4 percent from 2009 to 2013. In contrast, the U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased approximately 9 percent during the same time period.

The Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index has ranked Avis Car Rental as the leading car rental company for the 14th consecutive year. The index said Avis was tops in each of the four drivers of brand loyalty: brand reputation, pricing discounts and options, customer service and convenience, and confidence, reliability and safety.

Avis measures and enhance all aspects of the customer experience that contribute to loyalty, including reservations, face-to-face customer interactions, written communications, billing, claims and employee training, according to the company. Avis also utilizes feedback systems, including online customer surveys.

Avis Budget Group, Inc. has partnered with Spirit Airlines in a multi-year agreement that offers discounts on car rentals to the carrier’s Free Spirit frequent flier program members. Members also can earn miles when renting at Avis and Budget locations around the world.

The partnership includes brand exposure and cross-marketing opportunities. For instance, Avis and Budget will be featured in Free Spirit membership communications and will be listed as a partner on Spirit Airlines’ website. Spirit Airlines will be included in Avis and Budget email communications and listed on the partner pages of those companies’ websites.