Warm or Cold: Holiday Season Travel Tips

As people begin to wrap up their everyday tasks and prepare for the holiday season, we bring you some last minute tips for your holiday car hire. Whether you are going somewhere warm or cold, there are certain aspects of renting a car you should keep in mind, in order to avoid any surprises during your travels. We hope you have a relaxing stay wherever you go, and wish you happy holidays!

Warm Destinations

Want to escape the cold winter breeze to somewhere sunnier? Here are a few things to bear in mind when hiring a car in southern Europe, Spain in particular.

1. Fuel policy

The suppliers we work with have varying fuel policies. The fuel policies available for hires on our website are either 'full to full' or 'full to empty'. A 'full to full' fuel policy signifies that the rental car's tank will be full when you pick it up from the supplier, and that it should also be full when you return the car. Suppliers often take a deposit for the tank of fuel, which you would have to pay if you do not refill the tank.A 'full to empty' policy, on the other hand, means that the tank is full when picking up the car, and the you must pay for this tank of fuel at the pick-up. The car should then be returned as empty as possible, as no cost of remaining fuel will be refunded. Suppliers may charge more for the initial tank of fuel than you would pay at a local petrol station.We now provide the opportunity to filter search results on our booking engine for many destinations based on fuel policy. On the left-hand side of the page, you can either tick 'Pre-purchased Fuel & Return Empty' to find rentals with a 'full to empty' policy, or 'Pick up Full & Return Full' for 'full to full' policies. This is shown in the image above. More information on fuel policies can be found here on our blog.

2. Opening hours

Make note of the opening hours of the pick-up and drop-off locations. If you are arriving by airplane at an airport pick-up location, please give us your flight number so that this can be passed on to the supplier. If you think you will require an out of hours pick-up service, please call us to find out if this service is available with the supplier, and at what cost. Similarly, if you need to drop-off the car out of hours, make sure before making the booking that the supplier has the required facilities, and make arrangements with the supplier.

3. Zero excess, refundable excess, and deposits

The difference between zero excess and refundable excess rates is crucial. Zero excess rates do not have an excess, whereas refundable excess rates do include an excess. However, if you have booked a rate including refundable excess, should you have pay any of the excess to the supplier (for damage that is covered by insurance), you can claim this back from Auto Europe after your rental, provided you have all the relevant documents proving your claim. It is important to note that for all rates, even rates with zero excess, most suppliers will require a deposit to be blocked on the main driver's credit card, because some types of damage (such as negligence) are not covered by insurance. This information, specific to each rental, can be found in the Terms and Conditions on our booking engine and on your voucher.You can find more information on excess in our blog post here.

Cold Destinations

Now is the perfect time of year for an unforgettable ski holiday! Make sure you can enjoy it fully by being aware of the following extras you may need, and how to make sure you get them.

1. Winter Tyres

When the snow starts to fall and roads become icy, you want to make sure that you are driving safe, and also obeying the law. Different countries have varying rules and regulations relating to the use of winter tyres, and we have gathered some of this information here. For your convenience, Auto Europe provides rates which include winter tyres, so you no do not have to worry about taking the extra step of adding them to your booking separately. These rates are seen in the search results on our booking engine as shown in the image on the right.

2. Snow Chains/Spikes

If you are going to be travelling in an area where you think you will need snow chains, or are required to have them, you should contact the supplier directly to arrange them. Please be aware that there will be an extra charge for this service, paid locally to the supplier, which we aim to indicate on our booking engine and in the Terms and Conditions.

3. Ski Racks

Don't forget that you'll need somewhere to put your skis! If you need a ski rack, be sure to add it to your booking on the booking engine, and include the amount of skis you have, so that the correct rack can be reserved. An additional charge will need to be paid locally, the size of which is again indicated on the booking engine and in the Terms and Conditions.

If you have any questions about your rental, do not hesitate to contact our reservation agents. Wherever you go this festive season, we hope you have a wonderful time and enjoy your holidays to the fullest!