How modifying your reservation affects price and availability?
If your travel plans change, you can request to modify your booking. Changes aren’t always possible, and when they are, the price or available car may be different from your original booking.
This article explains why the price may change and why the same car may not always be available.
If you’re looking for instructions on making changes, see how to modify your booking.
Why may your price change?
The price of your original booking is guaranteed only for the exact booking you made at the time. If you change the driver's name, dates, times, or locations, the price available when the change is processed will apply.
This is because the car rental supplier processes a change by replacing your existing reservation with a new one. The new reservation is based on the prices available at the time the changes are made.
When you request a change, the prices may be:
- Higher: The car rental supplier's daily rate has increased.
- Lower: The car rental supplier's daily rate has decreased.
- The same: The car rental supplier's daily rate hasn’t changed.
How does rental length affect your total?
Your rental price depends on the daily rate and the number of rental days.
This means that shortening your rental doesn’t always reduce the total price. For example, if the new daily rate is higher, a shorter rental could still cost more than your original booking.
The opposite can also happen. If the daily rate is lower, extending your rental could result in a lower total price.
Why you may not be able to modify and keep the same car?
Because a booking change creates a new reservation, the same car or car category can only be kept if it’s still available for your new dates, times, and location.
Cancelling your existing reservation won’t make the same car available again right away. Car rental suppliers update their availability at different times, so a cancelled car may not immediately return to the search results.
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