The first question you need to ask yourself if you’re planning a trip to Chicago is whether you need to rent a car. After all, Chicago has good public transportation, and the city also has several car sharing companies.
If you’re a Zipcar member, there are plenty of Zipcars spread all over Chicago.
Chicago is also home to a non-profit car sharing company called I-GO. As long as you have a current drivers license from the state in which you maintain your permanent residence and your license has been valid for three consecutive years, you can join I-GO in Chicago.
When compared with renting a car, car sharing works especially well if you plan to be in Chicago for a week or more, but don’t need a car every day.
But, if you decide you must rent a car, consider these top 5 hints:
1. You’re least likely to get the best deal at O’Hare Airport. When you compare the rates at O’Hare and Midway Airport, you’ll be astonished at the savings if you fly into Midway and rent your car there.
2. If you’ll be renting a room for your entire stay, you can sometimes get the best deal on the room and on a rental car by using a travel Web site, such as Orbitz.com or Priceline.com.
3. Be sure to have a discount code handy. If you aren’t a “member” of a rental car company, search the Internet for discount codes.
4. Use the “pay now” feature. Many rental car companies offer about 10% off if you pay at the time of the reservation. But beware: the charge is often not refundable.
5. Use a credit card that offers a rebate when you use it for travel. The maximum rebate is usually 5%.
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