Update: This deal is still alive. Share your experience and read others in the comments!
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Originally posted on 08/07:
Drive the stunning PCH from SoCal to NoCal for just a buck a day with Thrifty. Just select a one-way rental picking up from LAX (Los Angeles airport), ONT (Ontario airport), or SAN (San Diego airport) and dropping off at OAK (Oakland airport), SFO (San Francisco airport, or SJC (San Jose airport).
You must pickup your car by 08/31 and you can keep the car for up to 74.5 hours at that rate.
This deal is valid on an Economy car or an SUV only.
There are no taxes but facility fees are extra. LAX charges a $10 per rental facility fee and SAN charges a $7.50 per day facility fee and then small taxes are owed on that fee. A 3 day SUV rental from LAX-SFO or ONT-SFO will run you $13.71 and a 3 day SUV rental from SAN-SFO will run you $26.18.
Plus book a car via the promo link above and include your United mileage number and you’ll get 1,000 bonus miles for a rental of 3 days.
You can use 4.5K BA Avios to fly back from SFO to LAX. The cost to cancel a BA award flight is just $5.60.
Or use Southwest points that you can transfer instantly from Chase Ultimate Rewards. A one-way nonstop flight from SFO-LAX on 08/27 is 3,386 miles and from SFO-SAN is 4,037 miles. If you have a Southwest companion pass you can fly 2 people for that rate. There is no charge to cancel a Southwest award flight.
Or paid flights start at just $67.
Be sure to stop off for a meal at Tierra Sur in Oxnard and stay a night at the Hyatt Carmel Highlands. The Hyatt Carmel Highlands is $576 with tax on 08/26 or you can use 25,000 Hyatt points (or Chase points transferred to Hyatt), a value of 2.3 cents per point. With points and cash it’s just 12,500 points plus $150 for the night, a vlaue of 3.4 cents per point. Plus the points and cash rate is eligible for stay credits and confirmed diamond suite upgrades (that you can get free by matching your other hotel elite status to Hyatt).
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48 Comments On "Thrifty: Rent A Car Or SUV One Way From Southern California To Northern California For $1/Day Plus Earn 1,000 United Miles For A 3 Day Rental!"
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Okay. I’ll be the first one to ask – do I actually need to pick up the car in order to get the 1,000 UA miles? 🙂
That sounds like the making of a lovely trip!
Could i keep the car for a fwe monts?
@Mark:
Lol, yes.
@Tdweck:
Indeed!
@mosh:
Read the post.
Tempting… But trading 4500 avios for 1k united isn’t a good deal =p
works to San Jose as well!!
First time poster.
Can you return the car in LA as part of the deal or for an extra charge? (Trying to figure out how to get back to LA. Don’t have all the different cards/miles you write about — only UA miles. With family four at $67pp, a flight would be $250+ so I was thinking driving it back could be cheaper.)
I reserved a car for Labor Day when I’ll be in LA. What if I just tell the agent that I want to return to the same location (LAX). Is this deal specifically to move cars one way or just a glitch? If the latter, then they shouldn’t object to returning the car to the same location.
very interested in taking this trip though need a starwood hotel to stay in san fran. anybody have any good ideas? @dan?
any corporate codes that waive underage fee?
does this work from any other pickup locations and returning to lax?
Thanks Dan. Going to San Francisco end of August
does it work from northern ca to southern ca?
One to SFO and another to SJC. Both from LAX. Will decide which one to take depending on the appetite that day for a long, or longer, drive. Will book the return flights ASAP.
I’m guessing this is the cheapest way for them to move some cars up north. Can’t think of any other reason for the deal.
@ben:
Westin Market Street is nice.
Thanks Dan! Will they still charge underage fee if under 25?
What is the best way to fly to LA/SD/ONT from either NY or Toronto?
VEHICLE REQUIREMENTS – SUV: Customer must be 25 years of age or older to rent or drive SUV type vehicles
when do you get the 1k united miles? maybe u can just book it and not go.
There are some deals floating around for flights from NY to LAX or Long Beach. JB, US Airways, etc.
For 2 days, do I get any United miles? Or is any other airline better? Can’t make it for 3 days, unless we go for a Shabbos. And doing this drive on a Friday is tricky.
sadly, you have to drop off at another airport, cant just tool around for 3 days and drop it back off
then again, you can do road trips, IF ( and i havent checked ) you could book multiple times, you could take weekly trips from la to san fran and back, stay home for shabbos, and repeat the next week
shame im not there to try it out
The link is not opening and when I called Thrifty I needed a promo code to get a car. I am traveling from 8/22 till 8/31. I would like to get the $1 rate for the first 3 days. Any suggestions? Is the deal dead?
looking for someone to make the drive up. i need the car local in la for 2 days, but will pay for flight back from sfo.
Thank you Dan! Leaving in 2 weeks to take my daughter to college and this is unbelievably good timing. Just booked it and instead of a 9 hour solo drive home to SD, a tissue and an in flight cocktail and I’ll be good to go.
@yankee:
I would consider, what day do you need it driven up?
I’m so lost, as I don’t see the $1 a day deal. I actually NEED a car for this exact trip 8/24 – 8/27. Please help!
Figured out the issue – need the car for 3.5 days. So instead, I will just rent for 10 hours from LAX and then return for the Jeep Grand Cherokee for $1. I had already planned the exact trip up the coast and am already arriving at LAX and leaving SFO. This is AWESOME! Thank you, Dan.
If i cancel my reservation is it refundable?
Made a booking today at 10am, 3 days LAX-SJC in full size SUV.
At counter elderly Indian agent was very pushy with upsells and insurance while I waited. My turn he refused my rate and said they can only offer mid size at such a low rate. I repeatedly explained I will get the vechile I booked on thrifty.com. called 1800Thrifty to get support. After 3 supervisors LAX manager finally relented and offered a Nissan pathfinder with bald tires or a newer Chevy traverse. I declined all optional coverage and used amex premium car coverage for piece of mind. Be ready to fight for your booking at LAX.
@Andrew R:
Thanks for the update!
Funny thing is this deal is still bookable.
Agent and presumably assistant manager (no one wears name tags) both initially said and I quote “no way you are leaving the lot with full SUV at this rate”
Reservations agent and her supervisor Ashley on the phone, both verified the rate and said it is a corporate promotion and should be honored.
Not sure if it was a modification by said global reservations, but when the LAX manager saw “SFAR” vehicle rate code on screen, he relented a bit and finally got through to a regional or local manager that could give him permission. All the while reservations was very helpful and willing to go the extra distance to make it happen no matter what.
I had to agree an early or late return would be fined at $79.95 per 24hr period. The early return thing sounded odd, but it won’t be an issue.
@marlene, the max reservation is 3days and 3 hours, with the 3 hours billed at $0.17 per hour. I was not able to exceed this total time of 75hrs at the promotional rate.
Added feature for maximizing miles… (if you add 1 hour to the 3 days for $0.17 more, your rental is actually seen as a 4 day rental, giving you a 4th day of points.) I personally selected @AS Miles 4x 150 (with AS Promo code) for a total of 600 Alaska Miles.
@Andrew R: don’t see this on the terms?
@Marlene: just add 1-3 hrs, will price 17 cents
If I try to book for after midnight they take me to hertz or enterprise. What do you think will happen if I book for earlier but don’t show up till after 12am when they close in SAN?
I initially booked the 3 day special then called thrifty rent a car and asked if they could extend it one day for the same rate. I now have a four day rental one way from LAX to San Francisco. Three questions: from the comments above, will I have to fight tooth and nail to get this deal ? Also, will I be able to modify my reservation to have a drop off at Oakland Airport? Anyone know the cheapest way to get from San Francisco to LAX so I can pick up my Israeli cousins there with my Jeep Grand Cherokee ?
Ontario does not have the SUV deal, only the Economy.
@thingy:
Works for some dates at least.
@terri: thursday or friday (august 21 or 22)
Wondering if car can be dropped off at Sacramento, which is equally far north in CA… just a little to the east.
Booked a SUV 29th – 1st. Hopefully I’ll get my Jeep Grand Cherokee without hassle. Thanks Dan!
Still alive. Asked rep what if I need to drop off somewhere else, like long beach. Says will only incur a $10.12 drop fee!?!? Is this possible? Am I going to regret doing it this way?? Anyone with experience please advise. Thx much. KT.
Then also spoke to supervisor (phillipines) who confirmed $0 fee for returning to LAX !!?!!?!?!? Got sup name and ID. Go for it and dispute with CC if need be? Need advice of seasoned DDlers since this is my first. Thx. KT.
Just an update!
Rented a Jeep Compass from LAX for Labor Day weekend and drove up the coast on PCH and I have to say it was one of the best trips I’ve taken. I usually dislike road trips and would rather fly but I’m glad I went ahead and booked the rental. A weekend where I had nothing for us planned turned into a weekend we all will never forget!
Thanks again!