Coronavirus: Rental-car age rules, fees eased for college students
Some rental car companies are offering breaks to college-age drivers trying to find a quick ride home during the global coronavirus outbreak. Among the policy changes: Young-driver surcharges are being waived and some companies are dropping the age limit to 18.
Closures include Wynn/Encore, Aria, Bellagio, Delano, Excalibur, Luxor, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, Mirage, New York-New York, Nomad, Park MGM, Signature and Vdara.
Enterprise is offering the most attractive deals, reducing the minimum age from 21 to 18 through May at all U.S. locations.
The breaks come as colleges and universities are closing early all over the nation, leaving worried students — and parents — with little time to make travel arrangements.
To be eligible, renters ages 18 to 24 will need to provide a valid driver’s license and official student ID.
Info: Enterprise College Student Travel Assistance, (844) 624-4412
Avis is also waiving surcharges for young drivers, though it hasn’t dropped the age cutoff from 21. Avis’ usual added fee for young drivers in most states is $27. The offer runs through April 30.
The Avis temporary change excludes New York, where everyday rules are different. There, the minimum age to rent is always 18 with a $52-per-day surcharge for renters ages 18 to 20 and a $35-per-day underage surcharge for renters ages 21 to 24. Those rates have not changed.
Similarly, the car company says that Michigan will continue its minimum rental age of 18 with a $41-per-day surcharge for customers ages 18 to 20 and a $28-per-day surcharge for customers ages 21 to 24.
Info: Avis Underage Fee Waiver, (800) 633-3469
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