

Traveling to Louisville around Derby Day? Forget about Uber. If you’re looking at a parking bill of $75 or more (in addition to your rental fee and gas), Uber often sneaks in well below that total, even if you take more than one car trip a day. Some hotels have a self-park option available or nearby but those garages, which can be just as or more expensive than valet parking, charge you a fee each time you enter.

Most urban hotels have a garage with valet parking, which will cost anywhere from $14 to $25 a night. But if you’re staying in the city center, where parking’s at a premium, think twice about a rental. If you’re staying at a hotel with its own free parking lot and you can come and go as you please, you'll almost definitely want to rent a car. More often than not, this factor tips the scales. If you estimate most of your trip will happen on foot-but you might need a ride to one spot per day- Uber wins out. As a general rule, if your longest round-trip is between the airport and the hotel, taking an Uber to and from will save you money.Ĭan you walk to a few restaurants, as well as museums and historical sites? If you’re staying in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, for instance, you’ll have easy access to the National Aquarium, a slew of tours, shopping, and eateries.
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For a short stay, travelers are more likely to explore the city and its immediate surroundings but not drive too far to attractions on the outskirts of town.

Avis better start trying even harder than it did before.īut what about when you're driving yourself on vacation, particularly in destinations that lack reliable public transportation? How do you determine whether Uber is going to be cheaper than a rental car, especially considering the unpredictable and variable pricing that affects both modes of travel? We looked at several common vacation questions and came up with these five guidelines:įor trips that last three or four days-say, an extended weekend- Uber often comes out on top. 36% who rented a car and 35% who traveled by cab. A recent study by Certify, a company that sells software to track travel expenses, found that in the first quarter of 2015, 29% of business travelers took an Uber when they were out of town for work, vs. Do you travel for business? Uber is hot on the heels of your rental-car habit.
