How to Get the Cheapest Avis Car Rental (2026 Guide)
Avis is one of the most discount-friendly major car rental agencies — it allows AWD discount codes and coupon codes to be combined, offers Pay Later rates that are free to cancel at any time, and carries both airport and off-airport inventory across hundreds of US locations. The key to getting the cheapest Avis rental is understanding that the big percentage savings come from AWD codes — not coupons — and that some of the best AWD rates require no membership at all.
Cheapest Avis Rental — Quick Summary:
- Book as early as possible on a Pay Later rate — lock in today's price with no payment required until pickup, free to cancel at any time.
- Apply an AWD discount first — this is where the percentage savings come from. Promotional AWDs with no membership required are available in the CarRentalSavers.com discount dropdown.
- Stack a coupon on top — Avis coupons add fixed savings ($15 off, free upgrade) on top of your AWD rate.
- Compare airport and off-airport locations — search by city and our engine shows both in one results page. Off-airport can be significantly cheaper.
- Use the rebooking strategy — if the price drops before your trip, cancel your Pay Later booking for free and rebook at the lower rate.
- Use free upgrade coupons strategically — combined with an AWD, a free upgrade coupon can give you a better vehicle at a lower price than booking the higher class directly.
- Check Last minute Specials — During non peak times rates can drop at the last minute. Check 48 hours before your rental pickup for best results.
Book as Early as Possible — on a Pay Later Rate
The single most effective thing you can do to get a cheap Avis rental is to book early on a Pay Later rate. Avis pricing is dynamic — rates fluctuate based on demand, and the cheapest rates are most often available weeks or months before pickup, not at the last minute.
Why book early?
- Lower base rates — Avis prices increase as inventory decreases. The earlier you book, the more vehicles are available and the more competitive the pricing
- Peak period protection — holidays, spring break, and summer weekends sell out fast at popular locations. Booking early secures both the vehicle class and the rate before demand drives prices up
- Promotional AWD availability — the strongest promotional AWDs may not be available closer to your travel date. Booking now locks in today's best available combination
Why Pay Later specifically?
- No payment until pickup — your credit card is not charged when you book. You pay at the counter on the day of pickup
- Free cancellation at any time — Pay Later rates can be cancelled or modified at no cost right up until pickup. No deadline, no fee
- Enables the rebooking strategy — because cancellation is always free, you can rebook at a lower rate whenever the price drops. See Step 5
- Cheaper than Pay Now — by combining discounts and coupons our pay later rates are typically cheaper than Pay Now rates.
Apply an AWD Discount — This Is Where the Percentage Savings Come From
At Avis, the significant percentage discounts — such as up to 40% off — come from AWD codes (Avis Worldwide Discount), not from coupons. This is the most important step in getting a cheap Avis rental, and the most commonly skipped by renters who focus exclusively on finding coupon codes.
There are two types of AWD available on CarRentalSavers.com:
Promotional AWDs — No Membership Required
Avis issues promotional AWD codes for seasonal campaigns, partner promotions, and booking channel discounts. These are available to any renter with no membership required — and no proof is needed at pickup. The up to 40% off and up to 35% off discounts at Avis are promotional AWDs, built into the discount dropdown on CarRentalSavers.com.
Membership AWDs — For Qualifying Members
Membership AWD codes are tied to specific organisations. Proof of the relevant membership is required at pickup.
| Membership AWD | Proof Required at Pickup | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mastercard | Eligible Mastercard used at payment | Must pay with the qualifying Mastercard at pickup |
| Visa | Eligible Visa card used at payment | Must pay with the qualifying Visa at pickup |
| AMEX | Eligible American Express card used at payment | Must pay with the qualifying AMEX at pickup |
| Costco | Costco membership card | Costco membership required at pickup |
| BJ's Warehouse | BJ's membership card | BJ's membership required at pickup |
| Military | Valid military ID | Required at pickup |
| Senior (50+) | Age verification | Available to renters aged 50 and over |
| Teachers | Valid educator credentials | Required at pickup |
| Nurses / Healthcare | Healthcare credentials | Also valid for first responders |
| Corporate AWD | Check employer policy | Enter at checkout — often usable for personal rentals |
Stack a Coupon on Top of Your AWD
Avis allows AWD codes and coupon codes to be combined on the same booking in most cases. The AWD delivers the percentage reduction on the base rate; the coupon then adds a fixed saving on top. Together they produce the lowest total.
Current Avis coupons and what they offer:
| Coupon Type | Can Stack with AWD? | Best Used When |
|---|---|---|
| $15 off (airport locations, $175 minimum) | ✅ Yes | Any airport rental over $175 — adds fixed saving on top of AWD rate |
| Free car upgrade (book midsize through full-size) | ✅ Yes | When you need at least a midsize — moves you up one class at no cost while AWD reduces the lower class rate |
| Free SUV upgrade (book midsize through standard SUV) | ✅ Yes | When you need an SUV — get a larger SUV at the midsize AWD-discounted rate |
- Go to carrentalsavers.com/avis
- Select your AWD discount from the discount dropdown
- Select a coupon from the coupon dropdown
- Click Search — Smart Book applies both in the correct fields simultaneously
- At checkout, enter your Avis Preferred number if you have one — it cannot be added after booking
Compare Airport and Off-Airport Locations
One of the most consistently overlooked ways to reduce an Avis rental cost is comparing airport and off-airport (neighbourhood) locations side by side. Off-airport Avis locations frequently offer lower base rates — because airport locations carry concession fees and customer facility charges that can add 10–30% to the total at many major airports.
Airport locations:
- Convenient — on-site or a short shuttle from the terminal
- Higher rates due to airport concession fees and facility charges
- Best when arriving by air and needing a vehicle immediately
- More vehicle availability, especially at peak periods
- Note: the $15 off Avis coupon is valid at airport locations only
Off-airport (neighbourhood) locations:
- Lower base rates — no airport concession fees
- Requires transportation to reach from the airport
- Often significantly cheaper for longer rentals where transport cost is a small proportion of the total saving
- Better for local rentals where you're not flying in
Use the Rebooking Strategy — Rebook When the Price Drops
This is one of the most effective and underused strategies for reducing your Avis rental cost — and it only works because Pay Later rates are free to cancel at any time.
How it works:
- Step 1: Book a Pay Later rate now on CarRentalSavers.com with your AWD and coupon applied — locks in today's price at no cost
- Step 2: Sign up for our email deals to be notified of flash sales and new promotional AWDs
- Step 3: Check back on CarRentalSavers.com periodically — run the same search with the same AWD and coupon
- Step 4: If the price has dropped, cancel your existing Pay Later reservation for free using Find My Trip
- Step 5: Rebook immediately at the lower rate
- Step 6: Repeat as many times as needed — there is no limit on how many times you can cancel and rebook a Pay Later rate
Use Free Upgrade Coupons Strategically
Avis offers two free upgrade coupons — one for standard vehicles and one for SUVs — and when combined with an AWD they can deliver exceptional value that a simple money-off coupon can't match.
How the upgrade coupon + AWD combination works:
- You book a midsize vehicle (or higher, up to full-size for the standard upgrade coupon, or up to standard SUV for the SUV upgrade coupon)
- Your AWD reduces the base rate of the class you booked
- The free upgrade coupon then moves you up one vehicle class at no additional cost — subject to availability at pickup
- The result: a higher-class vehicle at the AWD-discounted price of the lower class
