Lisbon car hire advice

[DTR]

Hi All

Usually hire with Avis due to the Platinum benefits – usually a good upgrade so I book one of the cheapest options. For the first time though, I need to guarantee a good size of car as we will be travellling with four adults total and a child plus a chunk of luggage. An estate would be ideal, but a large car should work.

A ‘group D’ car looks like my best bet but it’s a lot proceder than other options. But with a guaranteed upgrade from Avis, is there a way to book a lower size
And guarantee an upgrade to a large car or estate? Otherwise if I book what I need I probably miss out on the upgrade entirely

I know very little about the car rental world and the rules of upgrade and car groups are very confusing!

Thanks in advance for any advice!

[redlilly]

I can’t comment on car upgrades with Avis as we always use my OHs company discount with Avis so don’t get many perks aside from very cheap rental, but just a note that the Avis at LIS airport is very well served. So should there be an issue with any car (i.e. it is too small), they generally have lots spare (we have hired from there at least 4 times in the past couple of years).

If going in the summer, be careful going there just before lunchtime, as lots of the South American and US transatlantic flights have landed – full with some pretty pushy and grumpy people in the queue. My experience a few times is that the desk itself is not very well managed.