Bason notes that "opaque" travel Web sites like Hotwire.com and Priceline.com — so-called because they hide the identity of their suppliers until a deal has been booked — are offering deeply discounted vehicles that rental car companies are not able to book at higher retail prices.
Travelers with firm vacation plans may want to consider paying up front for a cheaper rate. Avis' Budget brand, for example, is offering a discount of up to 40 percent to customers who pay for their rental cars in advance.
The strength of travel demand will help determine how high rental car prices will go this summer.
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Alseth expects demand to be solid. "People still want to take a vacation," she says. "They just may take a more modest vacation."
Bason, however, is more cautious: "I don't think anyone knows how the consumer is going to travel this summer."
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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