Air Programs Offer Free Rental Cars

Complimentary rental cars are available in several European countries by flying there on certain airlines. In some cases, air bookings have to be through specific tour operators and car-rental companies.

Ft. Lauderdale-based Cosmopolitan Tours is offering a free Kemwel or Eurorent car for one week in Italy.

To qualify, one has to buy round-trip tickets from Los Angeles to Italy on Pan Am from Cosmopolitan Tours. The only fare you can’t use for the program, which runs until Aug. 31, is the carrier’s Eurosaver nonrefundable fare. In addition, two people have to travel together.

The car offer includes unlimited mileage, but not the 18% value-added tax in Italy. You can, however, pick the car up in one city and drop it off at most major cities without an extra charge.

Among the participating Italian cities are Rome, Milan, Bologna, Turin, Genoa, Florence, Pisa, Naples and Palermo.

Cosmopolitan makes the car reservations, which have to be processed at least seven days before departure. Contact Cosmopolitan Tours at (800) 783-0973.

If Spain or Portugal is the destination, Kemwel Rental Car has programs with Iberia and TAP Air Portugal. Two people can get a free Kemwel car for a week flying to either country on those carriers.

The Kemwel-Iberia tie-in runs until March 31, 1991. The promotion with TAP Air Portugal ends Dec. 31. Air tickets have to be issued by Kemwel.

Both car offers include the VAT, unlimited mileage and full collision insurance.

There is a drop-off charge of $50 if you want to return the car to a different city than where you picked it up. Solo travelers can get the car for a single-supplement fee of $75.

In Spain, cars are available in Madrid, Barcelona, Malaga, Seville, Valencia, Granada, Torremolinos, Alicante and Santiago de Compostela, as well as Palma de Mallorca in the Baleric Islands and Lanzarote, Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the Canary Islands.

Kemwel cars in Portugal are available in Lisbon, Estoril, Faro and Porto.

These car reservations also must be made at least seven days before departure from the United States.

Contact Cosmopolitan Tours at (800) 783-0973, Iberia at (800) 772-4642, TAP Air Portugal at (800) 221-7370 and Kemwel at (800) 678-0678.