Vancouver car rental - return in Seattle

[KenNBarbie]

For our post cruise, I was thinking perhaps renting in Vancouver, then driving down to SEATAC, sightseeing in route, might work out for us.

 

Question being, is that legal and economical?

[Kamloops50]

For our post cruise, I was thinking perhaps renting in Vancouver, then driving down to SEATAC, sightseeing in route, might work out for us.

 

Question being, is that legal and economical?

 

Yes it is legal to do that but most companies don't want . The problem is insurance and taking the car between two countries . The rental company isn't allowed to rent a Vancouver car at Seatac . The only way is to find a company with a car from Seatac that needs to be returned. The one way surcharge is usually equivalent to a one way economy airfare between Vancouver and Seatac.

[KenNBarbie]

@Kamloops50 - thanks for feedback, makes it much less viable than I had thought.

 

Ken

[martincath]

Actually there can be a lot of very cheap one-way rentals available between cities close to the border - Seattle & Vancouver sometimes even end up with no extra fee at all for a one-way.

 

As a tangible example, on June 18th (I believe this is when OP arrives in Vancouver from Alaska) I'm seeing one-way rental fares to SEA, including ALL required fees & taxes, with Avis from their downtown Vancouver location at 9am to SEA with a same-day dropoff for $117.87 (Economy car).

 

In comparison to a one-way flight cost of over $200 per person - well, even if gas is back up to $4 a gallon and you add LDW coverage it's still a saving for one person. For a couple or a larger group, a one-way rental can be a very attractive option financially.

[Kamloops50]

Actually there can be a lot of very cheap one-way rentals available between cities close to the border - Seattle & Vancouver sometimes even end up with no extra fee at all for a one-way.

 

As a tangible example, on June 18th (I believe this is when OP arrives in Vancouver from Alaska) I'm seeing one-way rental fares to SEA, including ALL required fees & taxes, with Avis from their downtown Vancouver location at 9am to SEA with a same-day dropoff for $117.87 (Economy car).

 

In comparison to a one-way flight cost of over $200 per person - well, even if gas is back up to $4 a gallon and you add LDW coverage it's still a saving for one person. For a couple or a larger group, a one-way rental can be a very attractive option financially.

 

They are assuming that US cars will be available in Vancouver on those days . During summer there are probably cars available . Most online reservations always say subject to availability. Other companies might even take trans border reservations.

Edited January 12, 2014 by Kamloops50

[cougfan]

Hi Ken,

 

We have a one way rental, through Hertz, for May 9th when we get off of the Radiance of the Sea. We will be going to the Vancouver Airport to pickup the car and dropping off at SeaTac. The cost is $125, much cheaper than the airfare (for 2), checked luggage fees and taxi from SeaTac to our house. A fellow that I work with did this exact same thing with no problems.

 

Julie

[Langley Cruisers]

The rental company isn't allowed to rent a Vancouver car at Seatac .

 

I think you might be confused; OP wants to rent in Vancouver and return to Seattle. It is done all the time with a "drop charge" (or built into the price).

 

The one way surcharge is usually equivalent to a one way economy airfare between Vancouver and Seatac.

 

Pardon? Who told you this? I worked in a rental car agency for five years and this was never mentioned; cars went back and forth between Vancouver and Seattle all the time.

 

As a tangible example, on June 18th (I believe this is when OP arrives in Vancouver from Alaska) I'm seeing one-way rental fares to SEA, including ALL required fees & taxes, with Avis from their downtown Vancouver location at 9am to SEA with a same-day dropoff for $117.87 (Economy car).

 

Thank you for that example.

 

...The cost is $125, much cheaper than the airfare (for 2), checked luggage fees and taxi from SeaTac to our house. A fellow that I work with did this exact same thing with no problems.

 

Yep. I'm sure many people do the same.

 

OP KenNBarbie ---> please take another look at this. As you can see, it is done often and not for the exorbitant price you may have initially thought. There are many ways to get from Vancouver to Seattle and a one-way car rental is definitely one of them.

.

.

[BCHappyGal]

For your information there is an airporter shuttle bus that will take you from the dock in Vancouver (Canada Place) to SEA cost is $56. pp Canadian

A very convient and stress free way to go