Avis Pay Now vs Pay Later (A Guide to Your Ride)

You’re most likely looking to rent a car through Avis. But you don’t know which kind of payment option to go for.  Well, there are two options to pay with. The Avis ‘Pay Now’ and the ‘Pay Later’.

Between Avis Pay Now and Later, you can get a much-discounted price by selecting the pay now option. Which is not available much for the pay later. But then again for unexpected cancellation, you must pay a fine. Whereas you do not need to pay any cancellation fee for the pay later option. 

In this article, we cover the comparison between the two payment methods. Stick with us till the end. It’ll surely help. 

Let’s begin.

Avis Pay Now vs Pay Later: A Quick Comparison

Avis is a car rental corporation. It is based in Parsippany, New Jersey, in the United States. The services of Avis include both the pay now and pay later option for renters. 

You could be wondering how paying now or paying later could possibly make much difference? 

In fact, it makes all the difference. The company sets two different policies for the pay now and the pay later options. These policies are somewhat similar to economy milesaaver and economy aanytime policies.

Avis will always try to lure you to make a prepaid reservation for your car. It is because even if you do not show up they will still earn some profit. As the payment was prepaid, a few bucks will be charged as a cancellation fee by them. 

Here we mention the aspects of how two of these methods are different.

Let’s have a look. 

Aspects	Avis Pay Now	Avis Pay Later
Cancellation Fee	Incurs cancellation fees	Does not incur cancellation fee
Discount	Most of the time making a reservation offers discounted rates	Usually there are no discount rates available
Payment method	Must be online	Upfront payment
Time Saver	Saves time	Takes a little while to get on the road

In-depth Comparison

By now we have a brief idea about the car rental pay now vs pay later. 

Let’s dive in for a more elaborate discussion. 

Payment Method

In the case of the pay now system, you need to pay for the reservation online. You can use a debit or a credit card for the payment method. But there are some regions that do not accept debit cards. For example, Canada prohibits the use of debit cards. 

On the other hand, the pay later option enables the renter to pay for the reservation upfront. 

Firstly, you reserve a rental car through Avis. Then you arrive at the location on the day of the reservation. And then finally just pay for the reservation at the counter. 

Avis’s car rental price is a bit higher than the cheap car rentals pay later. But Avis has similarities with Hertz pay now system. 

Avis follows a similar payment system of every car rental pay now vs pay later. 

Discount

The no-show rate of pay later car rental is about 30%. 

With the pay later option coupled with this no-show rate the company faces quite a loss. 

Many renters reserve their car and do not show up to pick it up. 

In the case of the pay later option the renter does not need to pay any fee in case of a no show. This disables the company to rent the car out to someone else. It’s a lose-lose situation for the company. 

To avoid this the company introduced the pay now option. Where the payment needs to be cleared out before. But people would still prefer the pay later option right? Because they get to pay the money upfront on the day of reservation. 

In order to avoid this Avis initiated their discount plans. They give away up to 30% of discounts if the reservation is made with the pay now option. 

Although there are a few discount options in the pay later option too. But the most significant amount of discounts is provided in the pay now option. This is a tactic to lure the renters into clear the payment as early as possible. 

Cancellation Fee

One of the defining factors of choosing to pay now or pay later is the cancellation fee. There is a pay now cancellation policy of Avis. Much like the budget pay now cancellation policy.

If you are going for the pay later option you’ll be fortunate. Why? Because there is no cancellation fee if you choose not to show up for your reservation. 

As a result, you can use this extra money to buy good quality luggage for your travel. Here are our top picks for luggage: 

• The Samsonite Omni PC Hardside Luggage are our tried and tested holy grail luggage. 
• If you’re looking for a budget-friendly option you can look into Rockland Melbourne Hardside Luggages.

However, you could be a little unfortunate if you choose the pay now option. The reason is they’ll charge a cancellation fee from you. 

Let’s say something unexpected comes up. And you need to cancel your reservation. But you’ve already prepaid for it. 

The company will charge you $25 if you ask for a cancellation. The cancellation is applicable only if you cancel it with more than 6 hours to spare. 

However, you have to pay a hefty amount if you fail to cancel with less than 6 hours to spare. In this case, the company will recognize this as a no-show. Hence will charge $100. 

Time Saver

In case you are going for the pay now option you’ll get going on the road much faster. First you just simply arrive at the location on the reservation day. 

Then you show the proof of the payment and just collect the key off you go. You could be en route to your trip between Yellowstone and The Grand Canyon in a jiffy. 

However, if you are opting to pay late you need to wait a little longer. First, you need to arrive at the location. Then you need to show your reservation proof. After that, you need to wait until someone asks you to pay. Then you pay using a card or hard cash. 

Once all the formalities are over with then you are given your key to the car. 

This entire process takes a while. It takes more time if there is a rush. 

That’s all for the comparison part. We move on to the part where we show you how to book a car through Avis. 

Final Verdict

In any case, both have their pros and cons. You need to decide which method suits your situation. 

Your situation could be unpredictable. Your plans may alter. In that case, you should avoid the pay now option. 

On the other hand, your plan could be certain. For a sure-shot plan why should you miss the discounted pricing? You should go for the pay now. 

Besides, you could also become a member of Avis Preferred Program for more rewards. 

FAQ

If I return my rental vehicle earlier, can I get a refund?

No. If you need to return your automobile sooner than intended, phone the local number. It was provided by the rental company on the documentation you received from them. You won’t get a refund for the days you don’t use. But there shouldn’t be any fees if you return the car early.

Is there a grace period with Avis?

Yes, there is a grace period with Avis. Part-day rentals are not charged by Avis. You will be charged an extra day’s rental if you delay delivering your vehicle to the Avis location. Customers who are caught in traffic, however, are given a 29-minute grace period by Avis. 

Is a deposit held by Avis?

Avis places a hold on your card for the total rental rate including the security deposit. Avis removes the hold and only collects the rental amount once you return the car. The security deposit component of the hold is effectively removed instantly.

Conclusion

Thank you for sticking around till the end. Hope now you’re clear regarding Avis Pay Now vs Pay Later. 

If you have any more queries, let us know in the comment section below.

Hope to see you soon.