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If you’re booking a rental car with Budget, then take the extra step to enroll in the rental company’s Fastbreak membership program. Not only is Budget’s Fastbreak program free to join, but it’s fairly easy to quickly rack up rewards coupons called Budget Bucks, which you can then use to reduce the cost of your next rental car reservation.
What is Budget’s Fastbreak program?
Budget does not offer a typical loyalty program like what you might be used to. There are no elite tiers and you won’t earn points that you can later redeem for free rentals.
So how does the Budget Fastbreak program work? Fastbreak aims to make it easy to pick up and drop off your vehicle. The program is free to join — as a Fastbreak member, you simply flash your license, pick up your keys, and bypass the long lines. Returns are just as easy. Drop the car in the designated area and go.
As a Fastbreak member, you’ll also receive exclusive deals from Budget so that you can save more time and money.
How to Rent a Car Through Budget
Renting a car with Budget is a simple process. First, sign in using your customer ID number, then enter your pick-up location, date, pick-up time, renter age, vehicle class, and any corporate account number or offer code you have, then click Select My Car.
The search results are given with a Budget-recommended option at the very top and the rest of the options sorted in order by price from low to high. From the top panel, you can filter your results by vehicle type, price, mileage, and the number of seats.
When you select which car you’d like, you’ll notice that there are pay now and pay at counter options. The pay now option gives you a discount for paying upfront but the reservation is non-refundable. The pay at the counter option is more expensive but allows you to cancel before checking-in if need be.
Once you’ve selected a vehicle, you’ll then be prompted to add any extras for your rental. These could include insurance and vehicle protections, along with any other equipment additions like GPS, fuel plans, or a child safety seat.
Do You Need to Add Extra Insurance?
Deciding to purchase coverage through Budget will depend on whether or not you have a credit card that offers primary or secondary rental car insurance.
You may be wondering, what is the difference between primary and secondary insurance? Secondary rental insurance kicks in to cover costs that your personal auto insurance won’t pick up.
So, if you have an accident in your rental car, you still need to file a claim with your personal insurance provider and pay the deductible before any secondary coverage kicks in.
Primary rental coverage is the exact opposite, it kicks in before your personal auto insurance so you do not need to notify your personal auto insurance company and risk increasing your premiums if you have an accident.
Usually, primary rental car coverage covers much more than secondary insurance and is much more likely to cover the entire cost of the car in the case of theft or total loss from flood or fire.
Budget Locations
Budget has thousands of locations worldwide across 131 countries. To find a location, click on Locations in the top menu. To search for a location click Find a Location and search by an address, zip code, city, airport code, or attraction.
Miles, Points, and Partners
If you’re someone who would rather earn airline miles or hotel points for your car rental, you’re in luck! Budget offers 25 airline and hotel partners that give you the option to earn points or miles with that partner, instead of Budget Bucks.
Meetings and Group Car Rentals
Need to rent a car for a corporate retreat, conference, wedding, or any other group event? Budget has you covered with its Group Car Rental program. A dedicated Budget Meeting Specialist will build an exclusive package of special low group car rental rates which are valid 1 week before and 1 week after the event.
Additional benefits include:
- A personalized booking page for attendees
- Additional 5% prepay discount
- Free unlimited mileage
- Individual and corporate direct billing options
Budget Long Term Rental Program
Need to rent a car for a while? Budget will rent you a car for up to 11 months at a time. Long term renters can benefit from great daily rental rates and discounted loss damage waivers.
If you need to change your car for any reason, contact the rental location from where you picked up your car to schedule a vehicle swap.
Budget Customer Service
If you need help with the website or renting a car, you will find all of the Budget customer service information under the Customer Care tab in the main menu.
From here you can select which issue you need help with and be connected with the corresponding department. You can contact the Budget Lost and Found, reservations, or meeting and group rental services and view FAQs and share feedback from your recent rental experience.
Want to speak with someone directly? Here are some helpful phone numbers depending on your needs:
Final Thoughts
While there are dozens of car rental options out there, Budget offers competitive prices, long-term rental car options, rental car options for your business, and the option to earn miles or points with over 20 different travel partners.
Budget’s loyalty program, Fastbreak, functions more like a rebate program than a traditional loyalty program, but it can still be very helpful for those who are frequently renting cars with Budget. As always, the next time you’re looking for a rental car, make sure to compare prices of competing programs to make certain you’re getting a great deal!
