Leading price comparison website Carrentals.co.uk is urging British travellers not to get caught out by last minute car hire bookings this summer, with the company revealing consumers can save hundreds of pounds by booking rentals early.

Carrentals.co.uk’s figures reveal that customers booking in the next few weeks can potentially save up to 50 per cent on their summer car hire, with August 2011 prices for popular destinations, such as Malaga, Faro and Nice, currently being quoted at nearly half of the price paid by customers who booked their rental in the same month as travelling in August 2010.

Car rental prices in Alicante last August reached an average daily rate of £31, which is nearly 50% more than the present rental quotes for the destination, with cars currently available from £16 a day.

Managing Director of Carrentals.co.uk, Gareth Robinson, commented: “Booking car hire early can make a substantial difference to the cost of the rental. Last year we saw some customers paying over £150 more for their summer car rental simply by leaving the booking to a week before their departure as opposed to taking advantage of more competitive prices in March and April. 

“What’s more, booking early offers a higher choice of availability. This is also true of any extras required, for example child seats and sat nav – car hire companies only have a limited number of each available at pick up locations and these are reserved on a first come first served basis, so the sooner bookings are made the more likely customers are to be able to guarantee these.”

Current prices for a week’s car hire in August start from £18* per day at Larnaca Airport, from £13* per day at Barcelona Airport, from £17* at Malaga Airport and from £18* at Lisbon Airport. 

“The best advice is to book as early as possible and shop around to compare prices to get the best deal,” adds Gareth. “Drivers should also consider looking at quotes for larger vehicles than may be required, as with demand for compact cars often being higher there can be some good deals to be had on bigger vehicles.”

Carrentals.co.uk is the UK’s leading car hire comparison site, comparing deals from brands including Alamo, Auto Europe, Budget, Holiday Autos and Sixt.  To compare the latest half term car hire deals visit www.carrentals.co.uk.