Traveling in a rental car is always a little adventure. Whether it’s a leisure or business trip, you expect high-quality service, affordable prices, and reliable vehicles. Well, Alamo rent a car has all these features, which is why many travelers choose it for their road trips.
Alamo’s main service standard is to provide a smooth and comfortable travel experience, so easy booking and fast pickup are what the company prides itself on. Yes, reservation and pick up are very important steps in car rental. However, you also need to be fully informed about a car rental return. No worries! Alamo rental car return is also a fairly simple and hassle-free process. The main thing is to follow some key tips and tricks.
Table of content:
- Alamo car rental return step-by-step
- Alamo rental late return policy
- How to return Alamo rental car if they are closed?
- Is Alamo one way rental possible in the USA?
- Important FAQ about Alamo rental drop off policy
Alamo car rental return step-by-step
You’ve had a great road trip and it’s time to return your Alamo rental car. What to do and how to plan a smooth and fast drop-off? Check out a few important tips before heading back.
- Clean the car
We mean the interior, not the exterior. While washing the car body is the company’s concern, cleaning the interior is your task. So, clear out wrappers, crumbs, leaves, and other trash from footwells. Then check out other places dirt tends to accumulate and brush away any collected dust.
- Have plenty of time for your return trip
The most important point is not to be late to hand over the car before the appointed time. Otherwise, Alamo rent a car late return charges may apply. Therefore, leave a little more time than necessary for the trip in case of traffic jams or other unexpected situations.
- Find out the exact location of your drop-off point
It’s great to specify the car’s return point when picking it up. However, if not, study your car rental contract and find a drop-off location clause in it. This can be airport parking or a dedicated Alamo parking garage at a car rental center. If you picked up a car from the city office, you will probably need to return it to the same place.
- Follow the signs when approaching a drop off location
How to find the exact location to return your vehicle? Look for the “Car Rental Return” sign and follow the directions.
- Give the keys to the employee or leave them in the dropbox
If you return the vehicle during office hours, you will need to hand over the keys to the employee. After that, he completes the paperwork and if all goes well, unlocks your deposit. It’s different when you expect Alamo rent a car out of hours return. In this case, find the dropbox in the parking lot and leave the keys in it. An employee will check your car on the next business day and will also unlock your deposit.
Alamo rental late return policy
In the previous paragraph, you have learned what to do for a successful Alamo drop off. However, you need to fulfill some important company requirements besides this as well. Otherwise, you may be subject to additional fees.
Return the car on time
Remember that you must not be late when returning a car. According to the Alamo car rental return policy, you have a 29-minute grace period for daily rentals, so it’s okay if you meet this time. The next checkout period is within 2 hours from the estimated drop-off time. In this case, the company may apply hourly charges. And if you are more than 2 hours late, you will probably pay for an extra day of rental – it’s all indicated in Alamo early return policy.
By the way, returning the car too early will also incur fees. For example, in case you rent a car for 2 weeks but return in 10 days, the agency will apply an Alamo return car early surcharge.
Refuel your car before returning
This only applies to those using a Full-to-Full fuel policy, not the Prepaid Fuel. So, find the gas station closest to the drop-off location, and refuel the car. If you forget to do this, you will need to pay for the missing fuel. Unfortunately, you run the risk of overpaying, as the price of fuel per gallon at the supplier is often higher than at the gas station. Therefore, try not to forget to refuel before returning the car.
Take a photo of the car after you arrive
First of all, take a picture of the fuel indicator and the mileage. Then get out of the car and take photographs of the front, rear, and sides of the car. This will allow you to have proof if Alamo car rental asks you to pay unexpected mileage, fuel, or damage charges.
Drop the keys
After you have taken your belongings from the car, it’s time to complete the Alamo car return procedure. For this, find a company employee who will inspect your car. If all goes well, he will complete your paperwork and unblock the deposit on your credit card. Please note that the actual deposit amount will become available to you again within 2-5 days.
How to return Alamo rental car if they are closed?
While Alamo offices at large international airports usually operate 24 hours a day, city pick-up points and counters at small airports don’t. Therefore, expect Alamo rent a car off hours return if you arrive at the drop-off parking lot between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.. The procedure for returning a car during non-business hours has its specifics. What do you need to do to avoid problems and avoid Alamo car rental late return fee? Check out the following important steps:
- Examine your contract
First of all, make sure that Alamo after hours return is allowed in your location. For this, find the appropriate clause in your contract.
- Come to the drop-off parking lot
If possible, park your car near a light source and within the reach of security cameras. Perhaps this will save the car from being stolen or damaged by third parties. But even if this happens, the cameras will show that you are not to blame.
- Take a photo or video of the car
According to the Alamo car rental return policy, you are responsible for the vehicle before the employee checks it. However, if you return it during non-business hours, you are not sure what might happen before that time. So, it’s better to take several photos/videos of the interior, the front, rear, and sides of the car. They will come in handy if the company presents you with claims for damages that you didn’t do.
- Lock the car and leave the keys in the dropbox
After you have taken your belongings from the car and closed it, find the drop box. Then, put the keys there.
- Wait for confirmation
In the case of Alamo rent a car after hours return, the company must send you an email confirmation that they’ve checked in the vehicle. If there’s no letter within 2 days, contact the company directly by phone and clarify this issue.
Is Alamo one way rental possible in the USA?
Yes, a one-way Alamo rental car return is possible. Plus, you can enjoy no drop fee in many locations across the US. This makes the Alamo a great choice if you want to return your rental car to a different location. Indeed, a one-way car rental is a suitable solution for your road trip. It can give you a huge advantage if you:
- don’t plan to return back due to changed plans;
- have a cross-country trip followed by a return flight home;
- want to save time and not go back by car;
- use the car as a nice alternative travel option due to flight delay or cancellation;
- need a car for interstate moving or moving between cities.
You can use the one-way Alamo rent a car return in most US company’s locations, but some of them are the most popular. Let’s take a look at them.
One-way trip from Miami, Florida
Travelers often pick up a car in Florida’s most famous city to travel to Orlando, Tampa, or Jacksonville. Also, one-way Miami car hire is great for a long interstate trip along the US East Coast, or a cross-country trip to California.
One-way trip from Atlanta, Georgia
When starting your trip in Atlanta, you can head south to neighboring Florida. Many travelers choose alternative destinations such as Dallas, Washington DC, New York, or even San Francisco.
One-way trip from Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is a great place to start your interstate journey to Los Angeles, San Diego, or San Francisco. If you don’t want to travel that far, head to Phoenix and explore incredible desert landscapes along the way. Long-distance travel enthusiasts will be happy to enjoy a one-way trip to Florida or any other eastern state.
Please note that returning a car to another location is more expensive than the original one. Plus, drop-off fees can apply to certain one-way destinations. Its amount varies by pickup and drop-off location, as well as the time of year.
Important FAQ about Alamo rental drop off policy
How late can you drop off a rental car from Alamo?
As we have mentioned above, Alamo grace period (return without fees) is 30 minutes.
Can you drop off a car rental at Alamo a day early?
Yes, you can, but consider any possible early return fee.
What is Alamo hourly rate on late rental return?
Usually, this sum is equivalent to the hourly rates of your current car rental deal, but you should always check this info at the rental counter before you can start a trip.
Does Alamo car rental have a one way drop off fee in the same state?
Alamo drop off fee varies depending on multiple factors such as a drop-off location or season, more info you can find on their official website. In order to know, whether you will have to pay this surcharge when returning a car to another state, check out your confirmation voucher.
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