At what time do I need to arrive to pick up my rental car?

You should plan to arrive at the car rental supplier’s office or meeting point at the pick-up time shown on your confirmation voucher. If possible, arrive 10-15 minutes early.
 

If you are running late, most suppliers allow some extra time after the scheduled pick-up time. This is known as the waiting time or grace period.

Arriving after the scheduled pick-up time

Most car rental suppliers will hold your car for 60 to 120 minutes for late arrivals, but the exact amount of waiting period depends on your booking. You can find the applicable grace period in your rental conditions.
 

If you arrive after this period has ended, the car rental supplier may mark your booking as a no-show. This may happen automatically in the supplier’s system.

Picking up your car at an airport

Choose a pick-up time that gives you enough time after the scheduled flight arrival. 

As a general guide:
 

• Allow at least one hour between your scheduled flight arrival and car pick-up time.
• At larger airports or on routes where delays are common, consider allowing 90 minutes or more.
   

This gives you time to collect your baggage, go through any possible document check, take a shuttle if required, find the rental meeting point and allow for possible flight delays or other unexpected issues.

If you know you will arrive after the late arrival waiting period has expired

If you expect to arrive after the grace period, update your pick-up time as soon as possible.
 

You can request a change through the "Manage Booking" page. 
If you can’t update the time there, contact the car rental supplier and ask whether they can hold the car for you. 
 

If you are unable to arrange this, contact DiscoverCars.com through Help Center chat or a call.

If your booking is marked as a no-show

If you arrive at the rental desk and find that your booking has already been cancelled or marked as a no-show, contact DiscoverCars.com immediately. We’ll help you with the next steps.