Before the advent of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus pandemic, rental car companies offered excellent rates on an annual basis for anyone who wanted to drive a rental vehicle to Florida from dozens of destinations in much of the eastern United States in order to reallocate their fleets — and if you were hoping to once again position yourself to rent a car from Florida and drive it out at a special rate, now is the time to do so, as the great rental car return to Florida returns in 2023…
The Great Rental Car Return To Florida Returns 2023 — But…
If you were nostalgic for years ago when rental car companies offered a rate of as low as $4.95 per day for rental vehicles returning to Florida one way from such destinations as Atlanta, Kansas City, or Hartford, you will be severely disappointed.
The good news is that Hertz is offering discounts of up to 35 percent to move vehicles — economy car class through full size car class groups — from 17 select airports and markets in the United States to seven locations within the state of Florida this year…
..but unfortunately, the bad news is that compared to similar promotions in past years:
- Rental car rates are not nearly as inexpensive
- This promotion period only lasts a duration of 32 days
- The maximum period with which you can rent a car is ten consecutive days
- The maximum limit of travel is 1,500 miles per rental day
- You can save up to:
- 25 percent on rental vehicles
- 35 percent on electric vehicles
The lowest price which was found at the time this article was written was $39.99 per day for a Manager’s Special from New York on Thursday, January 11, 2024 to Tampa on Monday, January 15, 2023 — rates were more expensive for larger cars — and renting that mystery car for four days resulted in a grand total of $173.19 if paid in advance, which is more than twice as expensive than the total of $83.60 you would have had to pay for four days in autumn of 2019 at $14.99 per day.
Hertz Pick Up Locations
Vehicle pick up locations subject to change — contact Hertz for details — but you can pick up your vehicle at the following 17 locations:
- Baltimore — BWI
- Washington National — DCA
- Washington Dulles — IAD
- Philadelphia — PHL
- Boston — BOS
- New York — LGA
- Newark — EWR
- Cincinnati — CVG
- Cleveland — CLE
- Chicago — MDW Electric vehicle rentals are not included
- Chicago — ORD Electric vehicle rentals are not included
- Indianapolis — IND Electric vehicle rentals are not included
- Saint Louis — STL Electric vehicle rentals are not included
- Douglas International Airport — CLT Electric vehicle rentals are not included
- Milwaukee — MKE Electric vehicle rentals are not included
- Minneapolis — MSP Electric vehicle rentals are not included
- Detroit — DTW Electric vehicle rentals are not included
Hertz Drop Off Locations
You can drop off your vehicle at the following seven locations in the state of Florida at the absolute latest:
- Fort Lauderdale International Airport — FLL
- Fort Myers Southwest International Airport — RSW
- Jacksonville International Airport — JAX
- Miami International Airport — MIA
- Orlando International Airport — MCO
- Palm Beach International Airport — PBI
- Tampa International Airport — TPA
Select Terms and Conditions
Discount applies to the base rate only. Taxes, fees and options are excluded. Age, driver, credit and qualifying rate restrictions for the renting location apply. Minimum one day rental required. Rate will vary depending on car class rented; discount will not apply in all cases.
This offer:
- Is valid on economy size class cars through large size sport utility vehicles class
- Is valid on one-way rentals at select corporate locations only
- Is not valid — and rate change or additional fees may apply — in the event of:
- Reservation modification
- Early vehicle return
- Late vehicle return
- If not returning vehicle to the designated location
- Has no cash value
- May not be used with other discounts, promotions or special rates
- Is subject to availability, while supplies last
Other terms and conditions apply.
Final Boarding Call
Strangely, the end of this promotion is not revealed in the offer. Assume that Monday, January 15, 2024 is the last day of this promotion.
I tried using Rentalcars.com to find the lowest prices on vehicles similar to the parameters of the aforementioned offers — but I was unsuccessful with that method as well.
Still, saving up to 35 percent on renting a car one way to Florida is better than no discount at all…
All photographs ©2018 and ©2022 by Brian Cohen.
