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I’d always assumed that the advantage of booking via BA was cheaper prices. However, for me (no BA status, President’s Club with Avis via Amex Plat), the prices and benefits (extra driver) appear to be exactly the same, unless I’m doing something wrong.
So the choice would seem to me to be 5 Avios per £1 via BA or 8% cashback plus 10% Amazon gift card, which seems pretty straightforward.
Am I missing anything?
You’re missing all the threads I posted on the topic. The one time I went for the amazon card they never paid out.
Here’s one showing the inconsistencies and how the prices fluctuate day by day and by booking channel.
If you hire an Avis car through BA, any changes or cancellations will be chargeable.
If you book through Avis directly, either through https://www.avis.co.uk/ or through https://secure-one.avisworld.com/en_GB/CarhireBA# then you can change or cancel your booking with no fees.
If prices drop, you can cancel and rebook if you have booked directly with Avis.
After a bad experience a couple of years ago booking a car through BA, I would never book with them again.
You earn avios booking directly with Avis.
Cashback deals often apply to a limited number of countries, mainly Europe. Look out for cashback deals through banks as well as TCB.
Not 100% true Alex. I fell foul of yet another quirk of the Avis website last month. Using the Best Western code as I detailed in my other post, it transpires that forces a $50 cancellation charge which I didn’t spot until after I booked.
Oh and one othe thing I fell foul of, adding your Avis Preferred number on the exec club carhireba portal sometimes increases the rate.
Of course one way to get a (kind of) flexible Avis deal on a car is to add it to a flight and make it a BA Holiday. If you’re not bothered about the double TP offer, the flights and car hire don’t have to be within the same period, or even the same country.
@Davefl what web site did you book through?
Avis.com using AWD number K850800 and coupon number MUHA006 (Best Western up to 5000 points promo
All detailed in my Avis Weirdness post referrenced above.
QED. My post is entirely true.
If you book through Avis directly, either through https://www.avis.co.uk/ or through https://secure-one.avisworld.com/en_GB/CarhireBA# then you can change or cancel your booking with no fees.
Note to self. Stop feeding the troll.
But why would I have booked through either of those when avis.com was £133 cheaper than avis.co.uk and bizarrely a few thousand dollars cheaper than carhireba on the same day, same times for the same vehicle.
It’s you that’s trolling, every time someone mentions Avis you rant on about the bad experience you had booking an Avis car via BA themselves.
I’m just detailing that all the selling channels for Avis are odd/broken/give different results day to day. Buyer beware.
Well, for me, via the BA portal or via either of the routes suggested by @AlexG gives the exact same result. This is for a couple of weeks doing a one way trip in Portugal next month.
I did try avis.com and that was considerably lower, but it didn’t recognise my details when I tried to log in (is Preferred Plus via .com and .co.uk different?) which would have meant paying for an additional driver I presume, which would have probably have exceeded the difference. @davefl’s codes from his old post didn’t work as not a US rental.
I’m planning to pay now, which means I can cancel without penalty up to 48 hours beforehand. It’s not beyond the realms of possibility that family stuff might happen, but I’d hope not within 48 hours of arrival, fingers crossed!
Even if I don’t get an Amazon gift card, I value 8% TCB at more than 5 Avios per £.
BTW, does anyone know if we will have a problem with pre-photocard UK paper licences?
In theory it’ll be ok but you need to generate a code online before you travel, in case you weren’t aware.
@Northenlass not for Avis. I mentioned this on the forum last month. If you read the Ts&Cs on the RA from carhireba in particular they dont require the code. Paper licenses never needed one in any case.
@Louie, yes preferred US and UK are the same but different. You have the same Avis number but different passwords. Try a password reset on the US site and yes that promo was US specific.They’ll need to see photo ID so take your passport as well as your paper license but you’ll have no issue with that.
If you have a costco membership it’s always worth trying them as you get an additional driver free, and free cancellation.
In theory it’ll be ok but you need to generate a code online before you travel, in case you weren’t aware.
Errr, no. New one on me. Will have to investigate. Usually use overseas licences but Portugal would require an IDP which we don’t have, nor the time to get one.
@Northenlass not for Avis. I mentioned this on the forum last month. If you read the Ts&Cs on the RA from carhireba in particular they dont require the code. Paper licenses never needed one in any case.
Phew!
@Louie, yes preferred US and UK are the same but different. You have the same Avis number but different passwords. Try a password reset on the US site and yes that promo was US specific.Will do.
They’ll need to see photo ID so take your passport as well as your paper license but you’ll have no issue with that.
Think I might need a passport going through immigration a few minutes beforehand 🙂 Good to know the licence shouldn’t be an issue.
If you have a costco membership it’s always worth trying them as you get an additional driver free, and free cancellation.
Sadly, no.
Thanks everyone for your help.
Weird, I was sure we had to generate one when we were in Florida and used Avis in 2022! But we might have done it then not needed it in the end, I suppose. Back with Avis for the first time since then next month so I’ll remember that.
Apologies, @davefl, I only dip into the car hire thread every now and again as I usually manage to find decent deals without much help.
@NorthernLass, no need to apologise 🙂 I think I may even have posted it on one of the daily threads.
Yes it used to be on the Avis site as a requirement, but a couple of months ago when they revamped the site I noticed that they’d specifically put a note in there that the code wasn’t needed.
I”ve probably rented 30 or more cars from various companies in many countries since the photocard license and code system came in and I’ve never been asked for it a the desk. All it does is allow the rental company to see your driving indiscretions and none of them actually care if you have 11 points on your license.
If by some bizarre reason someone does ask you for it you can always jump on the DVLA site and generate one there and then.
Read a few online reviews of the likelihood of TCB posting and the Amazon voucher arriving and had second thoughts. Booked via BA for 5 Avios per £ instead.
Here we go, @NorthernLass, found the wording, it’s just for vans now.
A valid driving licence – just the photocard.
Driving licence of any additional driver you have requested.
Bring a DVLA licence code if booking a van; request this from https://www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence or by calling the DVLA on (+44) 0300 083 0013.Of course YMMV depending on rental country or booking channel.
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