The Best Time to Rent a Car for Max Savings in 2026

Most advice on the best time to rent a car is too simple. It says book early, lock something in, and move on. That works for flights more often than it works for rental cars. Car rental pricing behaves more like airline yield management than most travelers realize. Rates shift with inventory, season, vehicle type, pickup location, and how much uncertainty the company is pricing into your reservation. If...