Why do I need to choose the pick-up time if I’m reserving the car for the entire day?
Choosing a specific pick-up time helps the supplier prepare your car and have it ready when you arrive—suppliers don't hold cars for the whole calendar day.
Step-by-Step Guide:
Rental offices often have limited parking spaces, especially at busy airports.
Knowing your arrival time helps staff move the car from cleaning and preparation areas to the pick-up zone right when you arrive.
This is the most important reason! Suppliers hold your reserved car for a limited grace period after your scheduled pick-up time. The exact duration varies by supplier, so it’s important to check the Rental Conditions for your booking.
If you arrive after the grace period without notice, the supplier may release the car to another customer.
If you’re arriving by plane, it’s usually best to set your pick-up time about a minimum of 1 hour after your flight lands. This gives you extra time for passport control and baggage claim. Providing your flight number helps the supplier monitor delays, but it does not replace the grace period policy.
💡 Did you know?
Car rentals operate on a 24-hour cycle, not calendar days.
For example, picking up at 10:00 AM and returning the next day at 11:00 AM counts as two rental days because a new 24-hour period has started.
Important: Changing your pick-up time to a later hour does not automatically extend the drop-off time—the rental duration is still calculated from the original reserved start time.
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