Thrifty Car Rental

Thrifty Car Rental: car hire for every type of trip

Thrifty Car Rental is a car rental company operating worldwide, with locations at airports and in neighbourhoods. Its fleet ranges from compact cars to SUVs, and includes minivans for holidays, economy models and family sedans. The company presents itself as an option for travellers looking for a car suited to different needs, whether for city driving or a family trip.

Fleet and rental services

Thrifty's vehicle selection is designed to suit different occasions: compact cars for the city, SUVs for weekend getaways, minivans for holidays and economy models to save money. The company states that it cannot guarantee a specific make, model or colour, but it does guarantee that the class (size) reserved will be available at the rental location. It also offers a variety of extras for greater comfort, although it does not detail which ones.

Bookings and management

Bookings can be made online at thrifty.ie or by calling the reservation centre on 1-800-847-4389 (1-800-THRIFTY) from Canada or the United States. For customers with hearing or speech impairments, the email InternetHelpDesk@thrifty.com is available. The company also allows bookings to be amended and prepaid bookings to be cancelled: if cancelled at least 48 hours before pick-up, the refund is full; if cancelled less than 48 hours before, a CAD 67 charge applies (or no refund if the payment was less than that amount). Cancellations must be managed through the online portal, not at the location or by phone.

Requirements to rent

The driver must be at least 20 years old for most vehicles. In Canada and internationally, certain special vehicles (Premium, Luxury, Convertible, Minivans, SUVs and Trucks) require a minimum age of 25. Drivers under 25 are subject to a daily young driver surcharge that varies by location. US and Canadian government employees on official travel may rent while under 20 in Canada and the US. Outside those countries, Thrifty operators may impose a varying maximum age.

To qualify, the renter must present a valid driving licence and a major credit card in their own name with available credit. For prepaid bookings, they must bring the same card used for payment. Additional forms of photo identification are requested, along with a mobile phone number that is verified at the time of rental.

Payment policy and accepted cards

Credit cards must have available credit for the estimated rental amount plus up to USD 350.00 to guarantee the booking. In the Ottawa/Gatineau area (Canada), an additional USD 250.00 is held. Debit cards with a Visa or MasterCard logo, as well as stored-value, prepaid or gift cards, are not accepted to qualify. Accepted cards include American Express, MasterCard, Diners Club, Visa, Optima-Amex, JCB, Amoco Torch, Carte Blanche, Discover (Novus), Japan Airlines and TPA. In Canada, debit cards, travellers cheques, personal cheques, money orders, cash and small key-ring credit cards are not accepted. In the United States, at corporate locations, debit cards with a Visa/MasterCard/Discover logo are accepted to qualify if booking from Compact to Fullsize and additional requirements are met; at airports, proof of a return travel ticket and two valid forms of identification are required.

Frequently asked questions and discount codes

The company manages promotional codes (PC Code) and corporate or customer discount numbers (CDP ID#). PC codes cannot be combined with CDP ID#. For bookings with billing (Billing Accounts and Business Travel Accounts), thrifty.ie cannot be used; customers must call 1-800-847-4389. Coupons or certificates require entering the promotional code online and handing in the physical coupon at the counter; not all apply in all situations.

Presence and contact

Thrifty Car Rental has locations at airports and in neighbourhoods worldwide. The company does not specify in this material a particular postal address or public opening hours. The website is thrifty.ie and the main help email is internethelpdesk@thrifty.com. hcmfirstnoticeofloss@hertz.com is also mentioned for loss notifications.