Car Hire Glasgow Airport -
Your One Stop Guide

Car Hire Glasgow Airport packages -
Learn why there's more to just booking them

Getting the best from car hire at Glasgow Airport

So here's your car hire Glasgow Airport guide:

The photo here is of exactly the type of car we locals drive in Glasgow.

Only kidding!

The tips below will help you ensure that when you're arranging your car hire Glasgow Airport package or from somewhere else in the City, it'll be pretty straightforward.

However, as you might appreciate there's more to it than that.

On this page I've set out a car rental guide (my Top 10 Tips in total - now there's a surprise!) on booking car hire at Glasgow Airport. But here's a thing...

...You might think it's just about finding the cheap deal, the great bargain car rental, but what's the plan when you exit the airport and begin making your way around Glasgow?

I remember driving in the US a few years back when I was working there, and thought at the time that all I needed to get me going was an international driving licence and a bit of celtic bravado.

Whoa was I taken aback?!!

So if you've not driven here before, here's a little guide to help you make sure not only that you get a good car hire Glasgow Airport deal, but that you will also feel safe with your car. The reason I concentrate on car rental at Glasgow Airport is that most visitors pick up their cars from here. However, the guide applies wherever you're collecting your vehicle and even if you're using your own one.

Here's your Top Ten Tips

TIP ONE - LEARN THE HIGHWAY CODE

It really doesn't take long to learn.

Having had brushes with the law in the US (shhh - stop going on about it will you!) by being ignorant of the way others drive & the rules they follow, I can say with some embarrassing certainty that it's best to take even just a little time to learn a bit before you go.

The Highway Code gives you a quick guide on how to drive here, in other words the general rules & techniques required in the UK for drivers, and all the relevant road markings & signs you'll need to know, so I won't bore you by repeating them all here.

To cut a long story short though...

Don't speed! - On Motorways, keep under 70mph, built-up streets 30mph, but always follow what the signs tell you
Don't drink & drive - penalties are strictly enforced here
You can't use a hand-held mobile (cell) phone when driving here
Unlike the US, a red stop light means stop every time
Drive on the left, give way to the right on roundabouts & junctions

Really, once you've sifted through the general guides on signs etc., it all comes down just to a little common sense & consideration.

If you're unsure at any point, slow down & think - don't do as I've done in the past and assume you're in the right (God I hope the State Troopers aren't reading this!).

So anywho, like I say, it's not just about getting off the plane & thinking, Hey, now I've got my car hire Glasgow Airport can watch me burn the rubber.

Learn the rules & everyone'll be safe!

Here's The Highway Code

And here's a little guide to visitors driving in the UK

TIP TWO - PLAN YOUR JOURNEY & KNOW YOUR CAR

Once you've collected your car hire Glasgow Airport will seem like somewhere you can leave behind without a worry, but thinking as a sane driver you'll want to know how to get out of the place & find your way to the hotel or beyond.

Maybe it's just me, but with my pitiful sense of direction I like to make sure in advance that I know how to get where I'm going.

If I'm unsure, particularly when I'm driving in other countries and need to concentrate on the road rules & a different car, I'll get out the map & make sure that finding my way around is the least of my worries.

This makes great sense in particular if you'll be driving in the City Centre, as you'll need to plan your route in advance because of the one way grid system (to be fair though, it's not complicated at all in comparison with some other cities I've driven in, and that's not just because I'm used to it here).

Here's a handy road map of Glasgow & beyond in case you like to do the same.

Glasgow Street Map

Perhaps more importantly however, you might wonder why for your car hire Glasgow Airport could charge you a pretty coin or two.

It's because a great deal of accidents happen when drivers get off the plane, head straight for the rental car & drive off without thinking anything other than getting to the hotel as soon as possible.

I think the problem lies also with the fact that unlike in the US, most cars here are not automatic, so if you're not used to driving with a gearstick and extra footpedal, it might take a while to adapt.

When you get into the car, therefore, switch the engine on, get to know your controls, adjust any seating, let the engine warm up & only then think about driving off.

Seriously, those few minutes of getting accustomed to the car may well save you having to make a claim on that over-priced policy.

If you do have an accident, make sure you collect as much information at the scene as possible. This means the details of any folks involved in the incident and how you recall the accident happened. Then phone the police (just dial 999) if necessary & tell your rental compnay as soon as you can.

More generally, as with most other places you'll have to deal with erratic drivers, folks who get behind the wheel and change immediately into their alter-ego maniac with a gripe against everyone on the road! My advice, ignore them. You have an equal right as them to be on the road, and whilst they'll peep their horns at you and wag their fists, you're best just to slow down, keep your wits about you, and understand that you're probably a better driver than them. So you never need to rush or worry about doing the wrong thing - again, just plan your route in advance, take your time, and stay away from dirty white vans in particular (they've got a reputation in these parts!).

TIP THREE - USE AN ONLINE BROKER FOR
CAR HIRE GLASGOW AIRPORT

I've tended to find that if I get off the plane and head straight for the AVIS or Budget desks & so on, I've not got as good a deal as I thought I'd get.

The trick I've come across is really quite simple -

Go through an online car rental broker.

The reason seems to be that brokers for car hire Glasgow Airport packages, or indeed for anywhere else, sort out bulk deals with the actual rental firms.

That way they can offer car rental to customers at the cheapest price.

Sounds too good to be true, I admit, but the way I look at it is that if these brokers didn't exist, the rental firms would do less business.

So even though it seems like they're losing a little on each sale, at least they're pulling in the sales & don't have to worry.

Bottom line? It's all good for you & me!

So if you're looking for a great car hire Glasgow Airport deal, I'd suggest going with someone like Expedia as they're a particularly large company which I've saved money on a whole lot down the years. Or you could also try easycar.com as an alternative - good ol' Stelios should save you some cash!

TIP FOUR - BOOK IN ADVANCE & SAVE ££££s

Needless to say, if you follow my third tip about going through a car hire Glasgow Airport broker, you should save some pennies.

What you can take from that is that it's normally best to book online and in advance.

I might be wrong about this (and would be happy to correct myself if so advised), but common sense tells me that if you leave your car rental until the last minute, the rental desks at the airport know this & will charge you a little higher due to your last minute desperation.

Having researched this page in detail, I've found that as sneeky as this might seem, what I've said here is quite true for car hire Glasgow Airport packages - perhaps you might have had a different experience though.

Either way, I don't like to risk it.

If anything though, booking in advance will save you some time at the airport as well as keep the stress at bay!

TIP FIVE - WHAT ABOUT DISCOUNTS?

Sometimes you can get a bit off the price by looking into frequent-flyer programmes, or through membership to an organisation like the American Automabiles Association.

It's worth a try, and there's nothing to lose if there's a chance you can get an even better deal than through a broker.

One of my friends, the lucky swine, gets a deal through the company he works for, so whenever he flies & drives anywhere he's already off & running!

So I'd look around & see whether you can get a membership somewhere that'll save you in the longrun.

TIP SIX - IT'LL COST MORE THAN THE BASIC RATE

When you book your car hire Glasgow Airport I'd suggest that you watch the various charges that are being added onto the cost.

You might be able to find a great daily or weekly rate, but remember that added to that will be taxes, airport surcharges, additional driver fees, petrol bills etc.

I like a bit more clarity when I'm booking things like car rental, so usually go with Travelocity who give you the total price for the package.

And I've noticed that if you book car hire Glasgow Airport packages or deals elsewhere, and do so in advance, the rates being added onto your cost remain the same. If you were to wait until closer to the time, the rates you might have come across before will usually have changed (more than likely increased!).

So get in quick and book in the knowledge that if you find a great 'total price deal' now, you probably won't find a better one nearer the time of your trip.

TIP SEVEN - SAVE TWO DAYS OFF YOUR CAR RENTAL

I've heard it said that when you're booking car hire Glasgow Airport and beyond, (and I think this must apply everywhere else), if your hotel offers a shuttle service or if you're willing to pay the lowly fair of about £3.30 in & out of the City on the bus, you can shave two days off the cost of rental.

In other words, if your first & last journey in the rental car will simply be from the airport to your hotel & vice-versa, do you really need the car then?

This is an important question given that these days you can specify your pick-up & drop-off sites as being somewhere other than the airport.

TIP EIGHT - PRINT OFF & REMEMBER YOUR DOCS

This is a must, and once again I'd have to say that whilst it seems like common sense to do this, I've forgotten to do it in the past & run into difficulties.

That said, I remember one of my mates telling me that he'd done the same, turned up at the rental desk without his documentation but ended up getting a better deal. When he'd got to the desk he'd found it empty, and a guy from the desk next to it asked him how much he was paying.

My mate couldn't remember & quoted a pretty low price. And before he knew it the other car hire Glasgow Airport rep had booked him up on a rental for the same low price.

Easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy!

But back to the plot. If you forget your documentation, not only will you run into trouble in the representative at the desk finding the policy you paid for etc., you'll have a long wait on your hands at the airport when you could have been on the road to your hotel.

TIP NINE - INSPECT THE CAR BEFORE YOU GET IN

I'm pretty sure that when you arrive to collect your car hire Glasgow Airport staff will likely be checking the car for scratches, dents & so on.

If there isn't, you can be equally sure someone from the rental company already has.

Whatever's right or wrong with the car will have been marked down for future reference, so you might want to do the same before you even get in the car.

That way, you'll be in a better position to argue against any charges being applied if the car hire Glasgow Airport staff get it returned with dodgy marks on it.

I'd recommend checking the outside and the inside of the rental car.

Check to see if it's got a spare tyre & jack in the trunk, & whether there's a full tank of petrol if you've paid for it.

The trick again is taking your time.

Don't hurry into the car & assume you're getting a good service, because doing so might trip you up if you return the car hire at Glasgow Airport or to your destination with problems.

If you've had problems with the car during the rental period, document it!

To cover your back for future reference it's best to be able to show copy letters of dissatisfaction you've handed to the manager, rather than trying to remember what you said to the company if they're denying everything. Boy do I make them sound nasty!

TIP TEN - KNOW THE LINGO!

To make sure you don't get confused reading all the ins & outs of your documentation for your car hire Glasgow Airport package, here's a few phrases to clear things up.

Automated Terminals are a great time saver when you need to quickly drop off your rental car. However, you may have to be a returning customer to take advantage of this service. They operate in a similar fashion as automated bank machines. With these kiosks, you can pay your fees and receive a receipt without dealing with a sales rep.

Express Pickup allows you to pick up your car hire Glasgow Airport package without checking in with a representative. This service might be convenient if you're a frequent renter.

Express Return is usually a drop-off box for the car keys, or a representative waiting for you in the parking lot, so have a look out for this. This convenient service will save you time if you are in a hurry.

Drop-off Boxes are provided by some car rental agencies to return keys and rental forms. A receipt is usually mailed the next business day.

Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) can also be referred to as a 'loss damage waiver'. It's basically a form of optional insurance that completely releases all responsibility from you, in the case of damage to the car, so make sure this one's in there.

Liability Coverage is a form of insurance that protects you and/or the rental agency from legal action involving an injured party in an accident. A superb idea!

Personal Accident Insurance is another type of insurance that will protect you against most medical bills. PAI does have a tendency to be more expensive though than standard accident insurance.

Personal Effects Insurance will protect you against any damage to your personal property. Again, PEI is normally more expensive than other property insurance, and is normally unnecessary.

So I hope that this little guide to car hire Glasgow Airport packages helps you along a little.

Any more queries, just contact me & I'll be happy to help where I can.