Understanding Why One-Way Car Rental Fees are Imposed

One-way fees differ from company to company with deals available depending on the season and location.

Read what one-way fees are, how they work and how they affect the process of renting a vehicle. You’ll learn the reason why rental companies impose the one-way fee, as well as how to modify your drop-off location to avoid this fee entirely.

Understanding one-way rental fees during car hire

In its simplest terms, you’ll be required to pay a one-way fee when renting a vehicle from one location and dropping it off in another. Let’s say you pick up your rental in Kansas and drop it a few days later in New York. This journey will incur an additional one-way charge because of the different drop-off locations. Generally, one-way charges are a flat-rate fee, but some rental companies may charge a greater amount depending on the distance between pick-up and drop-off points.

Where to find information on one-way fees

Information on one-way rental fees will generally be provided during the booking process once you’ve stipulated your drop-off location. If you’re renting directly from a branch, you’ll be notified before you sign the rental agreement. Sometimes, the one-way fee may be included in the total price of the rental without explicit notification, so it’s always worth being proactive and clicking through to the cost breakdown, as you may be able to find a cheaper deal elsewhere.

Why one-way fees are imposed

One-way rental fees are imposed by rental companies to account for the costs of transporting the vehicle (usually owned by a specific branch) back to the original branch location. One-way rental fees in the US can amount to anything between $100–$300, while some one-way fees have been reported as being as high as $1,000 if long return distances are created. If the distance between locations is short or insignificant, say between California to Nevada, or along other popular road trip routes, rental companies will usually waive the one-way fee.

Sourcing a cost-efficient rental agreement

If you’re planning on renting a car, you should always shop around to find a deal that works for you. One-way fees differ from company to company with deals available depending on the season and location. Below you’ll find a few handy tips for securing a rental deal that is cost-efficient for you:

• Book in advance: If you book in advance online, you’ll have the luxury of shopping around and finding the best deals. The alternative is renting a vehicle on short notice directly from a branch and you'll have no choice but to pay the expensive costs and one-way fee.

• Be mindful during the booking process: When renting a car, many companies will automatically inform you about the one-way fee when you input your drop-off location. However, some may choose to include it within the final quoted price without notification. This may result in a more expensive rental when you could’ve found a cheaper deal elsewhere.

• Choose your drop-off location wisely: If you have the flexibility to change your drop-off location and leave your vehicle in a major city center, you should. Dropping your rental in a major city center is often cheaper than leaving it in an airport or train station.

• Rent during the off-season: While most rental companies offer the same one-way policy throughout the year, some may waive the one-way fee to generate more business during quieter or lower periods.

Changing your drop-off location after pick-up

Depending on the duration of your rental and the amount of prior warning you provide, most rental companies will be happy for you to modify your booking and change your drop-off point after you’ve picked up the vehicle. To do this, simply call up the rental company directly or modify your booking online, if possible. Please note that changes to your booking may result in a retrospective change in price.

We know that one-way rental fees will be charged when you drop-off your vehicle at a location different to the pick-up point and that the cost of the one-way fee may change depending on the distance between locations, country and time of year. These one-way costs can also be made cheaper by choosing to drop your car in a major city rather than a train station or an airport. As always, it’s a good idea to remain mindful during the booking process of any additional fees that may be included without notification.