We get lots of enquires on payment methods when renting a car and at times the options can appear to be a bit confusing! That’s not our intention (honest!) but we do try and ensure that we get the right balance between flexibility and security. The controls are there to protect your interest as our customer, so please be patient if we ever seem to be asking loads of daft questions! So this is what you need to know:
We accept the following credit cards: Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Diners Club. The payment process of these cards allow us to pre-authorise payment when you pick up your car, with the actual payment taken at the end of the rental. This provides the flexibility to add any additional extras or charges to the final bill on top of your basic rental price. For example, you may decide to pay to drive a larger car than the one you booked. Alternatively you may decide to add Fuel Up Front, Premier Cover (or alternative product in other countries), Avis GPS, additional driver and/or baby seats. This is also required in case the car is damaged or if the car needs to be refuelled and the Fuel Up Front option hasn’t been purchased.
The cards we do not accept are Visa Electron, Solo, Switch and Maestro. Their rules are different. Pre-authorisation cannot be obtained, only specific authorisations for exact amounts when you pick up the car. This means that payment would have to be made at the start of the rental transaction resulting in subsequent payment and acceptance issues if additional charges accrue.
I don’t want to complicate the payment process even more but it’s worth noting that aside from the credit cards I have listed, we do accept Visa debit cards in most countries, as their processing rules are the same as Visa credit cards. This rule does apply in every country across the world (Spain is the most notable exception).
Hope this helps but feel free to blog if you have any comments or questions! Again, safeguarding our customers interests is of primary concern to us in addition to offering you all “we try harder” style great service!
December 3rd, 2007 at 4:54 pm
We had a very sucessful rental from Avis in Spain last Summer, using our Visa debit card and are visiting Italy this year.
Since last Summer we have discovered that some car hire firms do not accept debit cards and have made contact with Avis to check the position. The email reply today states that: “Please, kindly note that at the moment our policy is to request a credit card when collecting the car.”
This would seem to contradict what the posting above says. Furthermore, our card was accepted in Spain so why should it not be in Italy ?
If this really is a problem for Avis, why can there not be some other procedure for the increasing numbers of us with debit cards ? Or does Avis not care for our custom ?
December 11th, 2007 at 10:33 am
Hi Peter, it appears you have highlighted a bit of a gap in our training. Somewhere along the lines it appears that some countries have assumed that Avis only accepts credit cards and that Visa debit does not in fact fit into this category. Having highlighted the issue you have raised with our Director of Customer Payment at Avis Europe, she has assured me that most countries across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia accept Visa debit card. She will put a communication out to the entire business to ensure that all members of staff are aware of this. When this is done I will update the blog post above to reflect this information.
Once again thank you for highlighting this to us and I apologize for any misunderstanding.
Rob
January 27th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
Hi there. A quick question, I keep my credit cards with a low limit to avoid temptation! Can I pay for my car rental in the US with a Visa Debit? Thanks, Chris
February 6th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
Hi Chris, I’m really sorry for the late reply on this. I just needed confirmation from the US! Anyway, in answer to your question, yes Avis accepts Visa Debit card in the US.
Have a great rental!
Rob
February 13th, 2008 at 10:21 pm
Thanks Rob, no worries!
One thing, if I opt for Pay Later I presume an amount will be blocked on my card for the rental? Will a deposit also be taken? If I opt for a Pay Now voucher will I pay a deposit too? If so around how much?
Thanks, Chris
February 14th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
Chris,
“Pay now” means pay now, and “pay later” mean pay later…
If you opt for pay later, nothing will be debited from your card, and you are free to cancel the booking at no charge.
If you opt for “pay now”, your card will be charged the full amount in advance of the rental.
You can make changes (if they have the availability), but you cannot cancel the booking I believe.
Advantage is, that if you know your dates are secure, you pay less using the pay now option.
Regards,
Robert
February 17th, 2008 at 9:21 pm
As I get a better exchange rate through my Visa card, I prefer to pay for my car hire in the “local” currency. How can I “default” my preferences so that I do not have to continue to opt out at each hire.
February 18th, 2008 at 11:27 am
Hi Chris,
Yes an amount would be authorised if the pay later option was chosen. The amount would cover the rental charges plus any extras and a fuel amount. It would not be billed to the card until the end of the rental. If prepay was used, an amount would again be authorised covering fuel and any extras, and nothing billed until the end of the rental.
Regards
Peter
February 18th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Thanks for clearing that up Peter.
I had it wrong then.
I thought that when one uses “pay now” the CC is debited prior to the rental.
February 21st, 2008 at 10:55 am
Hi Robert Hamilton (sorry to sound all formal with the surname but there have been too many Robert’s commenting on this blog post!). Unfortunately it is not possible to default your preferences for “local” versus “home” currency. However, you should be offered this choice every time you pick up your car. Sorry I could not be of greater help in this instance but I welcome any feedback you may have.
Rob
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Should I go away…?
February 22nd, 2008 at 3:21 pm
No, we need all your great advice and feedback! I’m sure we’ll find a way to cope with all the Roberts!
February 23rd, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Right, I will stay then!
February 26th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
Hi
So I can use Visa Debit – great! How much is the excess for a days rental in th UK?
February 27th, 2008 at 11:20 am
Yes you can Becky!
In the UK the excess is £600 although you can reduce this to £100 by opting for our Premier Cover product which is priced between £12 and £15 for the day (depending on car size). With Premier Cover you’ll also get a free additional driver and Super Personal Accident Insurance.
Rob
March 1st, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Hello,
I really need to book a car for four days in march, i have a visa debit card can i pay with this?
How does the deposit work?? is there a way to minimise the deposit as on a tight budget??
thanks
March 3rd, 2008 at 9:45 pm
Have just returned from Germany having used your Friedrichshafen airport office. I was invoiced for a “winterisation fee” of which I had no prior knowledge nor was this explained to me by your employee there at the time. I have raised this issue with your customer services in UK who have, after my protests, refunded this charge. You should be aware that on boooking there is no mention whatsoever of this potential fee and at the destination office no mention is made of this. You are simply handed a German language document “to sign for the car” without any mention or explanation of additional fees, charges etc. The English version should be the document presented for signature and thoroughly explained. After a tiring journey with young children you are not looking to delay your journey and are vulnerable to sign whatever is presented in good faith. The whole process has left a bitter taste and it is obvious that there is a lack of transparency with the booking process. I am astonished that a company such as Avis could operate such methods to capitalise on unsuspecting travellers. All that was needed was a full explanation of the rental terms. I hire cars maybe 3 or 4 times a year for family holidays and have used competitors without incident. Despite having had a refund I would certainly avoid using Avis in the future and feel completely let down by what I perceive to be sharp practice.
March 7th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
Hi Joe H, I have to admit I was a bit baffled by this one. It turns out that, in some certain regions of Germany, it is the law for certain cars to be fitted with winter tyres. However, Avis is not legally obliged to fit winter tyres to the car and it is therefore the customers responsibility to request this. For this reason it is not included when you make a booking but the fact that it is a legal requirement will be stated to you when you pick up the car. Like you, I have to admit that perhaps it is not the fairest way of doing this. As a company we have always been committed to being as fair and transparent as possible and this looks like an area where we need to do better by either, including it in the price or, as a minimum, make customers aware of this when they make a booking. I promise I will look into what we can do to make things a little more clearer.
With regards to the rental agreement, the rental agent should be performing what we call a “contract review” where the rental agent goes through each item on the agreement to explain exactly what this is. Clearly this did not happen in this case and I will feed this back to Germany.
I am really disappointed that you feel so badly let down by us. I can only assure you that this does not reflect our service in general and I strongly believe that we have the most committed, customer orientated service out there. But then that is ultimately for our customers to decide and, while you are understandably intent on looking elsewhere for your next rental, we remain committed to taking your feedback and using it to improve.
March 9th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
Hi Dan, yes you can pay with a Visa Debit card. We won’t take a deposit as such but at the start of the rental we will gain authorisation for the estimated charge that is signed for at the start of your rental agreement (the estimate is based on the rental length, the time and mileage charge, the excess waivers accepted, any additional charges and fuel). This is held against your account therefore limiting how much you can withdraw by this amount. So in many respects it could be seen as a deposit. However, your account will only be physically debited when the final amount is calculated at the end of the rental.
Let me know if you need any further clarification.
Rob
March 26th, 2008 at 10:23 pm
Hi, one quick question please:
Me and my father need a car for a week, but I’m not 23 yet, so my dad would be the driver.
But I’m the one with a credit card, he doesn’t have one(nor any other accepted cards).
Is it possible for us to rent a car next week on my father’s name but with my credit card??
Thanks!
Jonas
March 27th, 2008 at 10:47 am
Hi Jonas,
As long as you are both present to collect the car, there should be no problems. Please remind your father that he will need his full UK licence (photocard and paper counterpart) as well.
Stephen
March 27th, 2008 at 6:26 pm
Thanks for the quick reply, Stephen.
My father doesn’t have a full UK licence as we are both German.
He will bring his German licence though plus a so-called international licence, which is basically only a translation. Both licences do have a photo.
I assume that should do??
March 28th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Hi Jonas,
Sorry for the confusion. Your German and international licences will be fine.
Stephen
April 2nd, 2008 at 7:36 pm
Hi.. we need to hire a car for 3 days this weekend.. My dad will be the one driving as Im 24 and have had my licence only 10 months so believe I cant hire a car yet? My dad holds a paper licence, Is this ok to use as he hasn’t had to change to photo driving licence due to no address change. Also I need to pay by my visa debit card as we dont hold credit cards is this also ok? what ID do we need to present at time of collection if the answers to all my questions are mean we can hire a car? Thanking you
April 3rd, 2008 at 5:40 pm
Hi Karen, your Dad’s old driver’s licence is fine and it is fine to pay by Visa Debit card (although I’ll need to double check if your rental is outside the UK as there maybe some countries that do not accept it). You’ll need to present both the driver’s licence and the debit card when collecting your car.
Anyway it sounds like you should be good to go!
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Rob
April 3rd, 2008 at 7:15 pm
Hi Rob thanks for the quick reply… We will be travelling to ireland on Saturday and will need to hire at Dublin airport.. Is this still ok??
April 4th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Hi Karen, this is fine for Dublin Airport as well!
Have a good one!
Rob
April 6th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
Hi, just need clarification regarding an answer given to Dan about deposits. I am travelling to Ireland in July, and have pre-paid and have received a voucher by email.
At the bottom it says bring a credit card. I also only have a debit card but am wondering what fees are held against the card when I collect the car?
The mileage is unlimited and I don’t want any extras etc. I think the excess was £1000 or something is it this which is held against the card?? or some other amount. I am using the car for holiday purposes and need to know my withdrawal capacity in advance really.
Many thanks… Michael
April 10th, 2008 at 8:06 pm
Hi Michael, the amount held against your card will be the amount you will be expecting to pay at the start of the rental plus fuel. This amount usually includes unlimited mileage, vehicle damage and theft cover, taxes and any extras. The excess amount will not be held against your card.
I hope this makes sense but let me know if you need any further clarity!
Rob
April 14th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
I have been told twice by Avis customer services that Avis no longer accept Diners Club charge cards. I have asked Diners and they don’t know what is going on, they tell me that they have not been informed by Avis of this change. What’s going on? Do Avis accept Diners cards or not!
April 14th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
I’m going to Israel tonight – and have a PREPAID mastercard (it works as a mastercard, but with the numbers not raised off the card).
If i prepay here, how much is held on the mastercard?
April 14th, 2008 at 6:07 pm
Hi David, you can pre-pay using your prepaid Mastercard where only the cost of the rental price you are quoted will be debated. However, you will need to present a credit card (or Visa Debit card will do) when you pick up the car in case any additional costs are accrued during your rental. We cannot accept a prepaid Mastercard due to the way these cards work and the agreement we have with Mastercard.
I think this answers your question but if you are still uncertain I would suggest calling our reservation centre on 08445 81 81 81 given the limited time you have.
Rob
April 15th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
I live in Ukraine and want to hire a car in Italy. I have asked our local Avis branch if I can pay by MasterCard Electonic but they cannot give me a specific answer apart from … you can pay by MasterCard… or you can pay in cash with a security deposit of Euro 850… Please will you confirm whether I can pay using a MasterCard Electonic Card and if not what the alternatives are. I not that Visa Electronic Cards are not accepted and assume that the same applies but please would you confirm this
April 16th, 2008 at 11:49 am
Mike, Martin, I am sorry you have found it difficult to obtain the answers you need. I will raise this with our Reservation and Customer Support teams to ensure that all team members are clear on our policy on Diners Club and Mastercard Electronic. So, in answer to your questions…
Mike – We do accept Diners Club but currently only on ‘Pay Later’ bookings, not pre-pay bookings. We are in discussion with Diners Club about the possibility of making this available for pre-pay bookings as well.
Martin – unfortunately we do not accept Mastercard Electronic. We do accept Visa, Amex, Mastercard (asides from Mastercard Electronic) and Diners Club (although note what I mention above that we do not accept Diners Club for pre-pay bookings).
Let me know if you have any other questions or if you require any further clarity.
Rob
April 16th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
Hello!
I am looking to hire a car in Tenerife (South airport) from 20-29th of this month. However, I do not have a credit card. Would it be possible to use a Barclays Connect Visa Debit card please? I presume Maestro is not possible?
Another option is to use the credit card of my girlfriend as the guarantee. Would this be possible? She has a Swedish license but will not likely be driving.
As I am leaving the UK tomorrow, I would appreciate it if you would be so kind as to respond asap.
Many thanks for your time.
Kind regards.
April 16th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
Hi James C, your Barclays Connect card will be fine! Have a great trip to Tenerife and let if you have any other questions before you go.
Rob
++++++
Edit: Please note that since this comment was posted Visa Debit card is currently not accepted in Spain due to issues with the way payment is processed. However, we are working on a solution.
April 16th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
Thank you, good job I checked
I have forwarded your answer to Avis in Ukraine
Best regards
April 16th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
Thanks Rob!
Could I use my Maestro card to pay online for the actual car hire, but use the Visa debit card at the car rental desk for the deposit? How much would I have to have available in my Visa debit account when I collect the car at the airport?
Also, is it still not possible to use Maestro at all for the deposit?
Thank you once again for your help Rob- this blog is a very good feature!
Best regards,
James
April 17th, 2008 at 9:58 am
No problem and thank you for the kind feedback!
Unfortunately, we do not accept Maestro as a method of payment. You can pre-pay with your Visa Debit card though and present that at the rental counter. Having spoken to my colleague at Avis Tenerife, I am told that between €100-€200 will be held against your card when you pick up the car.
Does this help?
Rob
PS – these are questions that many customers are asking on this thread. Looks like you’ve inspired a topic for another blog post!
April 21st, 2008 at 11:39 am
Hi,
We are travelling to Ibiza in May and looking at hiring a car from
Avis at the Airport. Getting a really good price on the rental but, given
we have a limited budget, the website does not tell me what any
other charges are. I have tried e-mailing customer services a couple of times
and got replies but I’m not sure they understand what I’m asking.
Here we go then……..
As I understand it – we can ‘pay now’ for the rental and also pay the ‘extras’at the Airport using my wife’s
VISA debit card.
The Vehicle Damage Excess and also the Vehicle theft excess on the car are both 570 Euro.
This will be taken as an ‘authority’ on my wifes card when we pick the car up.
How much does it cost to reduce the excess on Damage and also Theft ? If I pay both of these, will
any ‘authortity’ be taken on the card ?
I really think that this sort of information should be on the website when you book….
If you can tell me the price of snowchains for Ibiza in May – why not the additional insurance options ?
Also – the rental station closes at 11.00pm but offers an out of hours drop off – is there any charge for this ?
Again no indication of this on the website.
Thanks
John
April 21st, 2008 at 1:57 pm
Hi John, the amount that will be held against your card will include unlimited mileage, vehicle damage and theft cover, taxes (i.e. the basic rental price) plus any extras and a deposit for fuel. We do not, however, put a hold on your account for the excess amount.
The price of eliminating the excess is between €16.82 per day and €29 per day, dependent on the car size. If you let me know what car size you are planning to rent then I will post the exact price for you.
Finally, there is no charge to return the vehicle outside of office hours.
I apologise that this information was not more accessible for you. It is something we are looking to improve on the website so your feedback is greatly appreciated.
Rob
April 21st, 2008 at 2:14 pm
Thanks for the prompt reply Rob !
We want to hire a small:economy car – 5 door (example is a Corsa) for 13 days – 25th May to 6th June. We plan on ‘Pay Now’ so the rental would be paid up in advance.
John.
April 21st, 2008 at 6:19 pm
No problem John. The price per day to eliminate your excess for a Small: Economy car would be €16.82 per day. Unfortunately, this product is only currently available at the counter. You can pre-pay for the price you have been quoted on our website and add this on when you arrive are at the rental counter.
Does this answer your question? Let me know if you need to know anything else.
Rob
April 22nd, 2008 at 9:22 am
Thanks for the information Rob.
Just a little disappointed that it costs 30% more than the actual rental so the baseline price is more than doubled. I would not have been a happy bunny finding that out on arrival.
Thanks again.
John
April 27th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
I will be travelling to alicante in June and intend to rent a car for 8 days. I will be paying for the rental online before I arrive plus any additional cost required. I am aware that my credit card will be swipe for a deposit. Can you let me know how much this will be if known or provide some estimate of the cost. Also would there be any other additional cost which will still requires payment at the counter.
Thanks
April 28th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Hi Trevor, as you will be pre-paying for your rental, we will only put a “hold” on your account for any additional extras you take at the rental counter plus an amount for fuel. A full explanation is available on the blog post http://wetryharder.co.uk/?p=393.
Does this give you the information you need? Let me know if you need any further clarification.
Rob
May 14th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
Hi Im going to italy and need to hire a car i have a visa electron card can i use it as the deposit to collect a car also do you know the deposit amount,if the answer is no can i use my sisters creditcard but she is a non driver
many thanks
May 19th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Hi Philip, unfortunately we do not accept Visa Electron for the reasons stated in the initial blog post above.
Some locations have a differing policy on deposits but in general we will hold against the basic rental price you would have been quoted for at the time of booking (usually includes time and mileage of the rental, Vehicle Damage Cover, Vehicle Theft Cover and any applicable taxes) plus the price of any additional extras you opt to add to your rental at the rental counter (e.g. excess waivers, additional driver, etc). We will also put a hold for the estimated cost of a tank of fuel. If you could let me know which location in Italy you are planning to rent from, then I will confirm exactly what the policy is for deposits and what their policy is on accepting a non-driver’s credit card.
Rob
May 20th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Thought I’d better just double check again !
We are paying in advance on the website for a rental.
1)Will Avis (Ibiza Airport) accept a VISA debit card in my wifes name (non driver) for payment at the counter.
2) From reading the ‘other’ blog – the amount taken/held at the counter will be for fuel and any extra’s we take but the amount of the excess (570e) will not be held against the card ?
Thanks again.
John
May 20th, 2008 at 10:52 pm
I feel the responses on here reagrding “the deposit” have been in a “beating about the bush” sort of way. Why can’t we have a direct reply. Rather than a pre-scripted comment.
I realise there is much money to be made from the extras/insurance etc, which is why we are not getting a direct answer.
The question is: If we pre-pay online, and don’t want extra insurance or anything else and the fuel is included, then there is NOTHING held on the card CORRECT YES or NO?? Please just answer with yes or no. Because all with have had so far has been a scripted comment with no direct answer, which is what has caused so much confusion on here.
May 21st, 2008 at 9:54 am
Firstly, John in comment 49, I am just waiting for clarification on our policy in Ibiza and I will post a response as soon as I get some info.
To John in comment 50, if you pre-pay online and you don’t opt for any of the extras at the rental desk then the only thing we will hold against your card is a deposit for a tank of fuel. However, I should note that this is the general rule and there are some countries/locations whose policies are slightly different. If you can let me know which location you are planning to rent from then I can give final confirmation on this for you.
Rob
PS – I’m really sorry if some of my responses sound scripted. I thought it was the clearest way to explain our policy but I appreciate that perhaps I could have been a bit clearer. We actually recently wrote a blog post that explains our policy that you might find of interest: http://wetryharder.co.uk/?p=393.
May 21st, 2008 at 11:22 am
iam desperately looking for a car at limoges airport on 9th june for 2 days, but im having the credit card problem. I have a solo card, a visa electron card, i also have a prepaid credit card with cashplus, who have assured me that they have activated the card to be used with car hire, i seem to be getting conflicting views and need some clarification before booking can i use my pre paid credit card ( mastercard)
thanks
May 21st, 2008 at 2:08 pm
For several days I have been trying to make a booking online with my Avis Shareholder discount card and having gone through all the booking process, I am unable to complete the booking because there is no “confirm/accept booking” button appearing on my screen. I have tried many times including on different computers but always the same problem. I have sent numerous emails using the Avis contact details but have no reply from Avis. What I have got is the automatic acknowledgement messages. Some of them dated from more than a week ago. Surely some one is trying to make a booking should receive better help and service from Avis. I have tried also making the same booking without using the Avis shareholder discount wizard number and it appears that the “confirm/accept booking” button did appear. What should I do ? Please response to this because now I am running out of time before I need the car. Thank you.
May 21st, 2008 at 4:01 pm
just to add to my previous comment, can I not just pay extra to eliminate the excess charge and leave a small cash deposit for fuel etc
May 21st, 2008 at 4:13 pm
and just to add again..( as you can see im desperate having already booked flights and rooms) my mother would happily pay over the phone for the rental and allow her card to be used as the deposit….please tell me this is allowed
May 21st, 2008 at 5:11 pm
like comment #53 I have had major difficulty booking over the past few days. What is the status of your system “problems”. Do you suggest I try again ? and can I be assured that I will only be billed once. Everytime i try to book i get to final screen but receive no confirmation/voucher etc. I have contacted my credit card provider in an attempt to avoid billing problems.
May 21st, 2008 at 6:27 pm
Colin, Mike, I have logged your issue with our IT Service Desk but I do not yet have a status of a resolution. In the meantime I have forwarded your questions to the reservation team and have advised them to get in touch with you urgently to help you make your booking and/or answer your reservation questions.
Tony – I am just checking up on the answer to your questions and will post a response as soon as I am clear on all the answers.
John – we have checked up on your questions and unfortunately Ibiza Airport will not currently accept your wife’s Visa debit card. On your second question, I can confirm that we will not put a ‘hold’ for the excess amount. What you say is correct, what we will ‘hold’ for is the cost of the rental (i.e. the price that you booked at plus the price of any additional extras you opted for at the rental counter) and the cost of a full tank of fuel.
Let me know if you need further clarification or if there is anything I can do to help.
Rob
May 22nd, 2008 at 8:54 am
Dear Rob,
Thank you so much for stirring up your IT Department so that I have just been able to complete the booking that I have been trying to make the whole week. You have restored my confidence in Avis!!! Best Wishes
Colin
May 22nd, 2008 at 9:35 am
Thanks for the reply Rob – it would have been useful to have been told this on 21st April when I asked the same question !
I am assuming then, that Ibiza operates differently from mainland Spain as Peter in post 1 has succesfully hired from Avis in Spain using Visa Debit.
Oh well, cash rental in resort, no cards involved as we did last year.
John.
May 22nd, 2008 at 9:49 am
Ah progress Colin! That is great news and once again I apologise for the frustrations you experienced.
Hi John, I apologise I did not make this clear before. I must have missed that part of the question.
In general we do accept Visa Debit card but there are some locations that do not. This is an area we are working on to ensure that this policy is more consistent across our locations.
Rob
May 22nd, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Hi Tony, unfortunately none of the options you suggest comply with our policy at this location. But I understand your plight. If you like I can ask someone from our reservation team to contact you and see if there is anything else we can do to help?
Rob
May 22nd, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Rob, im getting desperate now, i have used avis plenty of times using my debit card, in spain and other places and i never even considered there would be a problem in France. I thin I understand how and why a credit card is needed, although I do not see why my mother ( same surname) cannot pay over the phone and allow her card to be used as security. It would be great if somebody could contact me, but not just to tell me what you have said and tell me i need a credit card…please bear only good news :-}.
May 31st, 2008 at 9:53 pm
Hi Rob
hope you can help , I am flying to italy in september can you confirm if I can hire a car using a Visa Debit card from Rome CIAMPINO airport, I plan to prepay, and as I dont hold a credit card am a little worried to book and then not be able to pick the car up, cheers dave
June 6th, 2008 at 10:01 am
Hi Dave, yes we accept Visa Debit card at Rome Ciampino.
Have a great time in Rome!
Rob
June 6th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
Hi Rob
many thanks for your reply I recieved an email from Maxiema Lager confirming same, keep up the good work this blog is a brilliant idea
cheers
dave
June 9th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
Hi Rob
Could you advise if a Visa Debit Card will be accepted at Nice Airport for Car Hire?
(This is a standard Visa debit – not Maestro or Solo).
June 9th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
Hi Jason, yes Visa Debit is accepted at Nice Airport.
Let me know if you have any other questions. Have a great trip!
Rob
June 10th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
Rob,
Thanks for the response, it has resolved one of the holiday headaches. Slightly off this topic, could you explain why the same fleet group is quoting £298 on the UK website, and £258 on the French (avis.fr) (same location, dates etc.). Also if I live in the UK does this stop me booking directly onto avis.fr?
June 12th, 2008 at 10:11 pm
Hi Rob
Just looking confirmation that im going to be ok arriving at Nice Airport with my Nationwide visa debit card . I dont have any credit cards other than the bedit card i mentioned .
Thanks in advance
June 16th, 2008 at 11:29 am
Hi Paul, your Visa Debit card will be fine at Nice Airport.
Have a great trip!
Rob
June 17th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
I’ve been trying to use my shareholder discount card to make an internet booking for Spain but the price being displayed is without any discount. Until now (4 years or so) I have had no problem and the price has been discounted as I would expect. I’ve tried both the UK and US sites but they both do the same thing. What is going on?
June 17th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
Hi Roger, I’m sorry about this. Would you be able to email me at comments@avis.co.uk with the date/times, car category and location you are trying to book so I can run a few tests to see what the problem is? In the meantime I will forward your query on to the reservation team to see if they make this reservation for you with the appropriate discount.
Rob
June 18th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Hi Rob,
Thanks for sorting this out – although I am concerned that the AWD simply vanished from my profile. I can now make the booking and get the discount – BUT it won’t accept the Ryanair flight number FR8351. Irritating!
June 18th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
Hi Roger, I’m glad it’s been resolved although it is shame that this flight number issue seems to have arisen! I will raise this with our IT Service Desk to investigate.
Rob
June 18th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Hi
Planing a trip to Fuerteventura next year.
I dont have a cridit or debit card of any sort. Is there any way to pay and get a good deal
?pay before we go and pay extras there.
June 19th, 2008 at 9:22 am
Hi Rob,
Sorry t go back to this one but thought it may have been lost over the last few days.
Could you explain why the same fleet group is quoting £298 on the UK website, and £258 on the French (avis.fr) (same location, dates etc.). Also if I live in the UK does this stop me booking directly onto avis.fr?
June 19th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
No problem Jason and I apologise for the lack of reply Jason. We’ve been a bit inundated the past 2 weeks! The prices advertised in different countries can vary due to what the local competition is doing. Therefore a price difference in a specific market can be necessary in order to stay competitive.
There is no reason why you cannot book on the French website although please be wary of the exchange rate and the charge your bank will apply to convert this currency into Euros. You may find this works out less favourably.
I hope this all makes sense.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Rob
June 20th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
Hi Nigel, it is possible to pay by cash at this location although I should advise that, even if put the request into your booking, various checks will still be required when collecting the car. I would suggest calling our reservation centre on 08445 81 81 81 as they can provide full advise on this and add the request into the rental.
Rob
June 28th, 2008 at 5:54 pm
Hi
We are going to Portugal on Sat.5th July 08
I have pre-paid for the car hire
through Thomas Cook
However we do not have a credit card ,can you tell me if I will need one to complete the hire details ?
I have a Visa Debit Card or cash
Thanks Carolyn
June 30th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
Hi Carolyn, would you be able to let me know which location you are renting from so I can double check whether your Visa Debit card will be fine?
Rob
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:51 am
Hi Carolyn, I got your email! I can confirm that Visa Debit will be fine at Faro.
Have a great trip!
Rob
July 19th, 2008 at 5:27 am
Hi I recently hired a car pre-payed for a holiday in Italy & switzerland in Sept, The car has to be collected from the depot in Bergamo, Italy, And I`m worried mu Visa Debit Card Will not be acceptet at this location, could you clarify this for me please
cheers.Robert
July 22nd, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Hi Robert, using your Visa Debit card at Bergamo will be fine.
Have a great trip!
Rob
July 24th, 2008 at 9:08 pm
Hi Rob
hope you can advise regarding my possibilities. . . .
my girlfriend and i are travelling to the USA , end of august. pickup cleveland hopkins, drop off chicago o’hare.
she is young driver at 21. licence held for 3.5 years
we both have credit cards, although mine only has £100 limit.
i am happy to do all the driving, if she doesn’t actually need to be on the agreement.
i would also rather ‘pay-now’ for the hire, to free up card funds.
what would be our best option as primary driver and payment means please. ??
thanks in advance
Andy
July 25th, 2008 at 10:41 am
Hi,
I hope that you can help me cos I’m at my wits end!
My partner and my family are going to spain in August 2008 and need a hire car for a week.
In the past, I have hired a car from Bilbao airport using my visa debit card even though it is my partner who is the driver of the vehicle. I do not drive myself.
This year we aare looking to hire from Alicante and I cannot find a car to hire using my card. They all say that it has to be in his name. Problem: he doesnt have a debit card.
Is there any way around this problem?
I appreciate your help.
Regards, Jessica.
July 28th, 2008 at 8:26 am
Hi Andy,
We’ve been speaking to Avis in the US for you and this is the information they have returned with:
Young drivers under 25 can rent if they have a credit card (not debit) in their own name and the additional under age fee is $25 per day per person. However, you don’t state if you are under 25 as well.
The credit card must be able to hold at least the total estimated rental charges plus 40%. This is the rental charges plus tax, surcharge, fuel options, insurance and under age fees.
From your comment, £100 may not get you where you need to be, but this would depend on car size, length of rental and other factors.
I hope this helps,
Stephen
July 28th, 2008 at 8:29 am
Hi Jessica,
I’ve spoken to Alicante and Avis Spain no longer accept Visa Debit at all. They’ve said that if you have a credit card and your partner wants to drive, there is no problem but they no longer accept a Debit card.
Stephen
July 28th, 2008 at 10:03 pm
Thanks for the reply stephen.
Do you have email address i can contact you on please ??
Regards
Andy
July 30th, 2008 at 7:58 am
Hi Andy,
You can contact me at comments@avis.co.uk.
Stephen
August 18th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
Hi I was wondering if someone could help with a really urgent enquiry. I am looking to hire a car in France this Thursday. I so have a credit card but think there is only £50 left in the credit limit. I need to know if this will be a problem when picking up the car? when they swipe the card will I need more in my account? By the time I return the car a week later I will have been paid, so in the eventuality anything happens to the car I can transfer sufficient funds.
Could someone help with this as is a major worry at present!
Thanks
Rob
August 19th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Hi Rob Mc, it depends on how we will need to hold against your card. If you have pre-paid for your hire car then we will generally only hold for the any optional extras (e.g. GPS, excess waivers, baby seats, etc) plus a deposit for fuel. If you forego the optional extras then the £50 credit limit will be able to cover the fuel deposit.
If the rental is ‘pay on return’ then we will to hold for the full of the basic rental price quoted at point of booking and this is in addition to what I outlined above. It is unlikely that a £50 credit limit will be able to cover this. If your credit card is not able to cover the amount we require to hold then our system won’t allow us to process the reservation.
Does this provide the clarification you need. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Rob
September 7th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
Hi
Can you do a comprehensive list of places that DO NOT REQUIRE credit cards to hire car next yr. Thanking you in advance
September 10th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
Hi,
I am just about to book car hire from you for 11 days and for the credit card that you need to pick it up is in my name and not my fiancés (and he is the only driver as I do not). Is this a problem? I will be paying for the car hire on my Visa credit card and will be travelling with him all the way…
Also we want to take the car to france, and i read on the main website we would have to buy additional cover, any ideas roughy what this would cost a day?
Many thanks,
Lauren
September 10th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Hi yorkshire pudding, sorry for the late response. I’m trying to see if there is a list readily available. I assume you are essentially asking which countries accept Visa debit card?
Rob
September 10th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
Sorry to expand on my question – I will be hiring from the Liverpool street office in the UK and we will be travelling to France in it, thanks!
September 11th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
Hi Lauren A, it is fine for you for to use your credit card. You just need to make sure that both yourself and your fiancés are present to sign the rental agreement when you pick up the car. I should also make you aware that, as the rental is going on your credit card, you will be responsible for all costs of the rental despite not being the driver including if the car is damaged (up to the excess of course).
Let me know if you need any further clarification.
Rob
September 15th, 2008 at 12:07 pm
Hi Rob,
I want to book a hire car from Rodez airport (Ford Focus size) picking it up on Saturday, and dropping it back the following saturday. can i reserve it on line with a visa debit, and then present my visa debit at the counter when I arrive? if so, how much money needs to be on the visa debit card?
September 15th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
Hi. My partner and I are flying to Rodez Airport, France on September 20th, and need to hire a car there until September 27th. Neither of us have credit cards but my partner has a Visa Debit Card, and we are very worried we may not get a car at all.
We want to bring the excesses for damage and for fire and theft down to 0 or the minimum possible.
Could you tell us:
A. Can we get a car booked out?
B. Who will be insurance covered to drive the car, both of us or just my partner?
C. What is the approximate amount of money that needs to be on the visa debit card?
D. Is the above sum taken off the card i.e. not accessible to teh card owner until the car is returned?
Thanks in advance.
September 15th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Hi Rob, sorry for not coming back sooner. I have maestro card only. Can I not pay cash for the excess etc also?
There must be literally thousands of people in same position. Its really stressing me out!
My son has visa electron is that any good?
September 16th, 2008 at 11:07 am
Hi yorkshire pudding, I see what you’re asking. Unfortunately we do not accept Maestro or Visa Electron. Our policy on cash really depends by the country of rental. Have you got any locations in mind?
Rob
September 16th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Hi Amy, Brendan, I’ll answer your questions combined as you are asking about similar things.
Firstly, Visa debit card is fine for both booking and presenting at the rental counter(as long as it is not Visa Electron). The amount held against it will be the cost of the basic rental that you were quoted for when you booked (unless you pre-paid, in which case this does not apply as payment has already been taken) + any extras you opt for at the rental counter (e.g. excess waivers, GPS, etc) + a $40 deposit for fuel. This amount is taken off on return of the Avis vehicle (although there is no fuel charge if it is returned back full).
Amy, I believe that answers all of your questions and Brendan that answers A, C and D. Brendan, with regards to B, you can only both drive the car if one of you is added as an Additional Driver. This costs a fixed fee of €25. Also, for your information, the price of reducing the excess to zero in France is between between €9.20 per day and €12.54 per day depending on the size of vehicle.
I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any further questions.
Rob
September 16th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
Thanks very much Rob. We are impressed with this useful and informative blog, with the high standard of customer service from Avis, and the fact that Avis will take Visa Debit cards. Most other car-hire companies fall down on both of these counts.
We will be booking the car for our holiday with Avis – let’s hope that everything goes just as smoothly in France!
September 16th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
No problem Brendan. Have a great trip to France!
Rob
September 16th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Thanks for your help Rob. Have booked the car now, and feel so much more relaxed!
September 16th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Hi Rob
Thanks. Italy (bari or brindisi), France (nice)!
I have not had good car rental experiences in Italy…:(
September 17th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Hi
I would like some help please, we have hired a car in Ireland but we do not have a credit card to pay the deposit ! we would like to pay on Visa Debit or cash…i it possible to do this on a Sunday when we pick up the car. wehave already booked the flights and the car hire for Sunday….this sunday coming
Regards Janet
September 17th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
Hi Janet, assuming your Visa Debit card is not an Electron card then that will be fine!
Does this give you what you need?
Rob
September 17th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
Hi Janet (in comment 105!), unfortunately cash is not an option in France.
It is possible in Italy but it is difficult. For cash rentals in Italy you’ll have to leave the cost of rental, 20% of the rental value as a deposit, the cost of excess reduction and the cost full tank of petrol plus you’ll have to show a plane ticket home, possibly utility bills (office discretion) and yout passport Even then it is left to the manager’s discretion to allow the rental. I appreciate that we’re asking a lot but these are required for obvious security reasons.
I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions or if there is anything else I can do to help.
Rob
September 17th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Ok
How do I go about this?
I will have to take more spends with me to leave at the airport LOL
Janet
September 18th, 2008 at 10:26 am
You simply need to book it as a ‘Pay later’ booking. However, I would strongly recommend calling the rental office directly before you depart to double check what documentations you need to bring. I can find out the office’s contact info if you let me know where you decide to rent from, or you can find the information by using the location search on our website: http://www.avis.co.uk/CarHire.
Let me know if you need anything else.
Rob
October 12th, 2008 at 10:48 am
Hello
I am flying to italy, pescara to be exact in 4 days time. I want to hire a car I’m 25yrs old, but I have no credit card, but I have a visa debit card will I be allowed to reserve my vehicle online with a debit card??
Maria
October 13th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
Hi Maria, as long as it is not an Electron card then your Visa Debit will be fine!
Have a great trip and let me know if you need anything else.
Rob
October 21st, 2008 at 11:37 pm
Hello
The blog is a great idea. But even after reading it, I’m a bit confused about your visa debit policy. Some of the answers say visa debit is OK in mainland Spain – but the intro suggests differently. i’m flying to Gerona, Spain this weekend and need a car for a week. I don’t have a credit card but I do have a visa connect debit card. Our car rental is usually arranged by my husband who does have a credit card – but he won’t be coming on this trip. He could pre-book for me on credit card – or I could prebook on debit card. But if there’s an issue at the airport I’ll be really stuck as I’ll be by myself with two tiny children
Thanks
October 23rd, 2008 at 11:44 am
Hi Kate, I apologise if the thread has become a bit confusing. At one point Visa Debit was accepted in Spain. Unfortunately, we’ve had some problems with the way payment by Visa Debit is processed in this country so we currently do not accept it.
The comments you have read are reflective of the policy at the time so I’ll look back through these and revise to avoid confusion. We are working on solution for accepting Visa Debit card in Spain but in the short-term we are not able to accept it.
The only other solution I could suggest for an Avis rental is to pay by cash. However, the deposit will be expensive and a number of forms of identification are required and even then it is left to the manager’s discretion.
Let me know if you need any more information.
Rob
October 31st, 2008 at 2:45 pm
Hi again
SO, I need a car in Bari next yr, only have mastro, are you saying I cannot have a car under any circumstances. I would prepay here, taking out extra insurances etc, I need to be able to leave cash or use my debit card at Bari…please help getting really stressed out about this,
November 3rd, 2008 at 6:08 pm
Hi yorkshire pudding, from the information you’ve provided it sounds like your only option is to select the Pay Later option when you book and then use cash when you get to the rental office.
However, I would strongly advise calling the rental office you are collecting the car from before you depart so you can double check what documentations they would need to see for a cash rental and so they can prepare you on how much cash to bring. The telephone number for Bari rental office is +39 080 5316168.
Apart from that there is nothing else I can think of in your situation.
Let me know if you need anything else.
Rob
November 12th, 2008 at 10:31 pm
Hi,
My query is that I would like to hire a car from the 16th-21st Nov from Birmingham Int. Airport. I currently do not have a credit card (wife has one but not flying over with me) and you do not except maestro from what I understand, even if you did my card has expired although I will be collecting a new one from my branch whilst back in blighty. I would like to pay cash if possible, unless there is anyway of using my wifes credit card or use account details to secure the deposit. I am a serving soldier so identity, proof of address is not a drama.
Thanks for your time,
Regards
November 13th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Hi Matthew,
Unfortunately paying cash at an office is quite restricted; you are only able to do so during the hours of 0830 – 1630 Mon – Fri. The driver must also provide 2 utility bills dated within the last 3 months and will be subject to a cash qualification procedure by the office. You would also have to leave a £250 deposit, along with the cost of reducing the excess to zero (between £11.95 – £15.95 per day depending upon the size of the car), the equivalent of $40 fuel charge along with the cost of the rental.
The quickest and easiest way for you would be if your wife was present and had her valid license and credit card. They could put her as the main driver and yourself as an additional driver (£23.50) and that way no card details would be required from yourself.
I hope this helps and if you have any more questions please feel free to ask.
Chris
February 1st, 2009 at 3:35 am
Hi Rob,
Can you please advise if i can use my barclays visa connect card (debit card) to rent a car from Reus in Spain..
many thanks!
Vic
February 1st, 2009 at 2:35 pm
Hi…
Can someone from Avis please get back to me quickly as i need to book a car in next 2 weeks in Spain..from Reus .. if i cant use my visa connect card in Avis then please suggest me some alternative car rentals please…
many thanks!
February 2nd, 2009 at 3:59 pm
Hi Vic,
Is your Visa Connect card a Debit or a credit card? Unfortunately if it’s a Debit card you will be unable to use it in Spain.
With regards to other companies you would have to check who is based at Reues and then see whether or not they accepted Debit cards.
Hope that helps
Chris
Thanks
Chris
February 15th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
Hi Rob, I am travelling to pisa and krakow this year can I use my visa debit card to hire cars at both airports I also travel abroad a lot on business and wonder is there a corporate way around this credit card problem,
cheers keep up the good work
dave
February 16th, 2009 at 11:43 am
Hi Dave,
Pisa and Krakow both accept Visa Debit cards providing the card only says Debit on it, i.e. not Electron, Switch etc.
The only way to not need a credit card when you pick up the vehicle abroad is by using a full credit voucher issued by a travel agent on behalf of your company. This would need an agreement between your company and Avis and then the use of a business travel agent to make the reservations and authorize a full credit voucher against the booking.
Does the company you work for currently have any agreement at all with Avis? If you’d like to pass on any further details to comments@avis.co.uk, we can look at putting someone in contact with yourself to discuss any options.
With most European countries however now accepting Debit cards this should help to alleviate the need for having a credit card when you are renting a car with Avis.
I hope that helps
Chris
February 16th, 2009 at 9:19 pm
Avis folks
Can you advise.
My wife is the lead driver for out Florida trip this weekend and we have pre-paid Avis car hire.
But…we’ve just spotted her Credit Card is in her maiden name ! and we dont have time to change it – should we take Marriage Cert / CC bill as proof of address – or is it unlikely to be an issue ?
Thanks in anticipation….
February 17th, 2009 at 9:26 am
Hi Ronnie,
It shouldn’t be a problem but I would advise taking the marriage certificate and credit card bill as proof of identity, just in case.
Have a great trip,
Stephen
February 23rd, 2009 at 8:46 pm
A question about your credit card policy.
On the booking form it states that the card used for the booking must also be used at the time of rental. Thats ok as far as it goes, however what happens if the card I used to book the rental is lost, stolen or compromised (before I pick up the rental) in which case my card number will have changed?
Will my booking be refused or will I be charged a fee of any kind to change the card number on my booking?
Thanks in advance.
February 24th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Hi Doug,
Hopefully these situations are not too common but you need to explain that your original card had been lost/stolen/compromised and therefore are presenting your new card. It might also help to contact the station in advance of your booking to advise them.
This is open to some manager discretion, but in normal situations, the new card would be accepted. There would be no additional fee applied.
Hope this helps,
Stephen
February 26th, 2009 at 9:18 pm
Hi
I’m trying to organise car hire from Brindisi in July. In the quote it mentions:
Vehicle Damage Cover Excess – 850.00 EUR
Vehicle Theft Cover Excess – 1,700.00 EUR
Do these amounts get added together? Also do you happen to know if Visa Debit is accepted in Italy?
Cheers!
February 27th, 2009 at 1:11 am
Hi.. So confusing..
I am assuming I can pay in advance on line with a PRE PAID credit card.
Is this card also acceptable for anything I have to pay at collection, providing it is topped up enough.. or alternatively I have Electron or cash.
Not easy at all is this to understand.
Many thanks
February 28th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
and what extra charges can I expect to pay..??? I will have pre paid car and will return with full tank or whatever is aked of me. I am a widow on a tight budget and this is really stressing me out.. Please answer soon.
March 2nd, 2009 at 9:41 am
Hi Steven B,
The amounts are seperate and would refer to the circumstances. If the car is stolen and damaged, the higher of the two excesses applies, not both together.
Also, Italy does accept Visa Debit, but not Electron.
Stephen
March 2nd, 2009 at 9:47 am
Hi Rosalind,
Apologies for the delay…I have been out of the office for a couple of days.
While you should be able to pre-pay for the rental with a pre–paid credit card, most countries do not accept this at the counter, due to the differences in processing the payments. However, it’s difficult to be more specific as I do not know where you are renting.
I would recommend calling our reservation department on 08445 818181 as they will be able to confirm the policies of the country in question.
However, if you were paying with a credit or normal debit card, the amount held against it will be any extras you opt for at the rental counter (e.g. excess waivers, GPS, etc) + a $110 deposit for a tank of fuel.
I hope this helps,
Stephen
March 6th, 2009 at 10:48 pm
Hi,
I’m form the UK, i want to hire i car from Chicago O’Hare however i have lost my picture card license and only have my counterpart. obviously though i have my passport. Can i still hire a car??
Thanks
March 9th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
Hi Jay S,
Providing your licence clearly shows a valid from date and a valid to date, to prove that it is current, you won’t have any problems.
You will obviously have your passport with you for photographic proof so as long as the license shows the dates, you will be OK.
Hope that helps,
Stephen
May 4th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Hello.
I’m a Belorussian resident, and I’m finishing preparations for a short trip over some Italy cities for May 11-22, starting in Rome and finishing in Milan. In our country it is almost impossible to get a credit card, that is why I only posses a MasterCard Debit card.
I’ll also have my return ticket, national passport, hotels bookings, drivers license at counter. Questions:
1. Will the Avis staff at Rome Fiumicino Airport accept debit card as proof of payment in the fact of absence any credit card.
2. If q1 answer is yes, is it possible to estimate the maximum possible amount which will be held (blocked/bonded) from the debit card as a guarantee (economy car like fiat panda, Rome 11 may -> Milan 22 may)? Since that debit card is not used as my primary “wallet”, I need to fill it with required amount of euro’s in advance.
3. There are many sad stories like “my debit card wasn’t accepted at the counter due to “credit score check failed”", is there any chance of getting 99% sure in successful/unsuccessful rent in advance? Is it possible (and is it required?) to contact Rome Fiumicino Airport staff by email directly to check this?
Sorry for many questions, thanks in advance, Mikalai.
May 5th, 2009 at 9:52 am
Hi Mikali,
Rome will accept a Mastercard Debit card, providing it only says Debit on the card, not Maestro, Electron etc. When you arrive, if you have prepaid for your reservation via the internet or through reservations then they will swipe the card and hold the value of a tank of petrol (about 85€) and then any extras you choose to take, e.g. excess reduction, GPS etc. if you haven’t paid in advance for the rental then the rental value will also be held. To ensure a problem free pick up I’d recommend prepaying for the rental in advance and putting sufficient money on the card to cover all the extras you are planning to take.
If you need any more help please feel free to contact our reservation team on 08445 81 81 81
Chris
May 6th, 2009 at 9:26 am
Hi Chris.
First of all thank you for your time, patience and replies. But… Yesterday I was quite excited by your answer, but still forced myself to call to the AVIS in Rome. First I’ve called counter at Rome Termini station (+39 06 4814373), and their answer was “We are not sure if we accept debit cards, please call Fiumicino Aeroporto”. Hmm, I appreciate their logic, I’m just curious what will they do if I’ll come to them at a rent time. Whatever, I’ve called airport AVIS desk (Roma Fiumicino Aeroporto, +39 06 65011531), and their answer was: “there is NO WAY we will accept MasterCard debit card for a rent” (I’m talking about real MasterCard card, with real MasterCard logo, even without debit word anywhere on card, not Maestro or something). Strict NO, without any options.
I’m in quite complex situation now, because one representative of AVIS Company is holding one point, and the other one is telling me completely different things. Of course I like your position much more than position of Italian officials (and I’ll be happy to hear that we still can rent a car with debit card), but I probably can’t use your comment as a proof of rent at AVIS counter in Rome.
So if the final answer will be NO, then I’m quite confused with legal/official status of this blog: it’s certainly bound with AVIS company, but we see the same mistake done here in the two weeks (completely the same situation here http://wetryharder.co.uk/?p=155#comment-7472 , from my understanding, just the Portugal instead of Italy): the reservation team (at least at this blog) says debit card is ok, and when we call to the actual AVIS counter at the place of rent we are getting a strong “NO WAY”.
I understand you CAN have such company policy prohibiting the usage of debit cards for rent, may be that is just a business decision or payment system limitation (However I can’t see why the company can’t rent a car to a customer ready for the any reasonable amount to be blocked on the debit card, like equal to 2x collision damage excess (for example 2000 euro’s), since that will cover any possible claims anyway).
But fooling your customers on all their way until the actual rent location – that is a very bad business decision, in my opinion, and is not quite corresponds to your slogan “we try harder…” (“… to fool you?”. Well done than).
1. I don’t think any customer who planned, booked, etc. his holidays or workdays will be happy to find himself rejected by staff at AVIS desk, leaving him in complete chaos of missing appointments, tickets, bookings and in the need for searching for train/bus tickets to reach the final destination (if that is possible).
2. You suggested me to prepay online for my rent. Nice suggestion, even 20 euro’s is a good economy, but… When I’ll come to the counter and they’ll find I’m not possessing any credit card, they’ll probably tell me that I should read web-site term and conditions before ordering rent online. So I’m curious will I be charged with “cancelation fee” (25 euro) or a “no show fee” (95 euro) for that (http://wetryharder.co.uk/?p=414 ). And even 25 euro is very nice price for another blog comment, and more than discount for online rent (at least for economy car for a week).
3. I hope something will change with AVIS and this blog, because it is very wrong to provide customer with wrong information (if you were wrong) or keep him uninformed (if people at Rome counters were wrong, than at least your web-site and http://www.avisautonoleggio.it should reflect information about the accepted debit cards in terms and conditions, since that is completely missing at this moment, moreover it says they are prohibited).
Best regards, Mikalai.
May 6th, 2009 at 9:31 am
And I will be very happy to get the final answer to my questions, and if rent is possible then to have some proof of that, which can be presented at AVIS desk.
Thanks.
May 6th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
Reply for the same question I’ve just got:
from Reservations, IT
to
date Wed, May 6, 2009 at 3:35 PM
subject RE: Car rent in Rome with Mastercard Debit (EC/MC Standard)
mailed-by bcn.avis-europe.com
Hi,
I’m sorry but we accept only credit card no debit card
Best regards, Lorenzo
May 12th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
Hi Mikalai, I am very sorry and, to be honest, extremely disappointed and embarrassed that you have been provided mix messages about our policy on this. Firstly, let me re-assure you that there is absolutely no intention to mis-inform. As you point out, doing so will only serve to upset our customers and that is not good for business. Avis simply would not tolerate it.
Chris was correct in advising that Avis accepts Mastercard Debit card in Italy. In fact, having dug deeper, we’ve actually confirmed that Avis accepts Visa Debit card in Portugal too (in reference to the example you raised in your comment)… the staff at the rental office had misunderstood Visa Debit card to mean Visa Electron, which we do not accept. So we lost a booking through incorrect information that we should’ve otherwise have captured.
Your comments have identified a training issue we need to resolve at a select number of locations. Some rental agents seem to misunderstand the difference between a Visa Debit that we do accept and other types of debit cards (such as Switch, Solo and Visa Electron) that we do not accept and therefore, tend to just assume that we do not accept debit cards at all. Ironically, if you did turn up to the rental office with your Mastercard, then they would accept it – they would look at the Mastercard logo, see the numbers on the card are ‘raised’ (most of the debit cards we don’t accept have ‘flat’ numbers on the card so they use this as a simple guide), swipe it into the system and our system would accept it – although I appreciate that this gives you little confidence.
So to give you the confidence you need, we will ask the team in Italy to send you an email as written confirmation that they will accept your Mastercard Debit card so that they will be accountable for making sure the correct information is provided.
Then we will re-new our training in Portugal and Italy and every single rental office in these countries will be contacted to confirm that they understand exactly what cards are accepted.
You also queried why we accept some cards and not others. You can find out this information in the original blog post at the top of this thread.
Once again I sincerely apologise for any confusion this has caused and I thank you for highlighting the extent to which this is an issue. Hopefully we can better to restore your confidence in us in the future. Any other thoughts are welcome!
Rob
May 13th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
Hi, I am planning a trip to Orlando end of May and need car rental for 10 days, how would this work as far as payment etc. My husbank is USA Military stationed in UK so has access to a USA bank account, which is a Mastercard Visa, would this be accepted as with the current climate we have reduced the limit on our credit cards to avoid temptation, so would they accept the mastercard visa, and would we need to pay a deposit??
Thank you.
May 14th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Hi Lisa,
You have the option of making an advance reservation either through our reservations centre (08445 81 81 81) or through the internet http://www.avis.co.uk and then choosing to either pay there and then or pay when you arrive. When you arrive the office will hold an amount on whichever card you present, if you’ve paid in advance they will only hold $110 fuel and then any extras you wish to take e.g. GPS etc. If you have chosen to pay upon arrival they will hold the $110 fuel + the rental charge and then any extras as well. They will accept any credit card for this transaction.
I hope that helps
Chris
May 15th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
Hi, we have booked and paid for a hire car to be collected at Madrid Airport, we do not have a credit card, will they accept our visa debit card. I do have a company credit card but do not want to us this, but could this be used and then any additional payment be made using our visa debit card
May 18th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
Hi Colin,
I’m afraid that due to system restrictions Spain is unable to accept Visa Debit cards. You will need to use the company credit as they will not be able to accept any charges on the Debit card.
Chris
May 19th, 2009 at 11:29 am
I just had to confirm before going to my local avis branch to hire a car, I dont have any credit cards available. However I do have a visa debit card from my bank with an overdraft. Would that be ok to hire a car for a week in manchester? and how can I prepay for the car? any advice would be great. Thanks for your time.
May 20th, 2009 at 9:52 am
Hi there,
Yes Manchester will accept a Visa Debit card providing all it says on the card is the word Debit. You can prepay for your car online or through the reservations team on 08445 818181.
Chris
May 23rd, 2009 at 9:02 pm
Hi Rob
I am due to pick 2 cars up from malaga on Tuesday. The cars where booked by my gilfriend and we are driving a car each. I do not have a credit card however my girlfriend does, will they accept the one credit card? Also am I right in thinking spain do not accept debit cards?
May 25th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
Hi,
I would like to rent a car. I intend to pre-pay. I do have a credit card but with not much on it and am worried about anything being taken off there. Is there anyway to pay for the fuel aswell to elimanate the need for the credit card?
Can you pre-pay with a debit card, my debit is maestro, where do I stand with this?
Thanks
May 26th, 2009 at 10:16 am
Hi Mark,
Spain don’t accept Debit cards I’m afraid however I’ve spoken to Malaga and they would be happy to let your girlfriend be the main driver (as the main driver must have a credit card) on both cars and then add you onto the other car as an additional driver, this will be a charge of €9.28 per day up to a maximum of €92.80.
I hope that helps
Chris
May 26th, 2009 at 10:34 am
Hi Holly,
We don’t accept Maestro cards I’m afraid. If you do prepay for the car you can also choose the fuel up front option when you get to the office which works out about 5% cheaper. The office will still need to swipe your credit card to hold the fuel cost and any extras that you choose to take I’m afraid as this is standard practise.
I hope that helps
Chris
June 3rd, 2009 at 9:44 pm
3rd of June 2009
Hello there,
i am wondering if i can rent a car at the Barcelona Airport with you, using my Visa Debit card?
Thanx
June 4th, 2009 at 11:58 am
Hi Dimitris,
I’m afraid that Debit cards are currently not accepted in Spain.
Chris
June 10th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
I wish to hire a car from Nice Airport from 09.30 on Mon 29/06/09 until 1530 on Wed 08/07/09 for onward travel to my holiday destination in Italy. I only have a VISA Debit Card and do not own a credit card. Do you accept Visa Debit cards as payment for both the hire, deposit and any surcharges.If so how much would the pre authoriasation be.
June 10th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
Hi Simon,
France do accept Debit cards (providing it only says the word “debit” on it not Switch, Solo, Electron, Maestro etc) for all payments e.g. hire, surcharges and extras. The amount held on the day would depend whether you had paid in advance for the rental or not. If you had they would only hold the equivalent of $110 fuel (about £67) and then any optional extras that you’d decided to take e.g. excess reduction, GPS, additional driver etc.
I hope that helps
Chris
June 10th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
Hi
If I want a car from Toulon airport 18th Aug, can I pay upfront here using maestro and pick up using my credit card. It only has £250 limit on. Will this be sufficient if I pay for excess waiver etc? THanks
June 11th, 2009 at 9:40 am
Hi Yorkshire pudding,
I’m afraid we don’t accept Maestro cards at all so you would be unable to use it to prepay the reservation. A £250 limit should be OK but would obviously depend upon the cost of rental and then any extras you decided to take. How long are you planning to rent for?
Chris
June 11th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
Hi
I would hire for a week. I suppose I could pay up front using that card, and clear it immediately so the funds are free for pick up. You say it ‘should’ be OK, but I need to know for sure, thanks again. Would it be any different if I fly to Milan Bergamo?
June 12th, 2009 at 9:32 am
Hi Yorkshire pudding,
I said “should” as it will depend upon the price of rental, type of car and then any extras you decided to take as all these will affect the amount the office will try to hold open the card. If you able to provide me with these details then I can give you a definitive answer.
Thanks
Chris
June 16th, 2009 at 4:28 pm
I picked up a car, i had prepaid for, from your branch at Bergamo airport last week.
I had booked with AVIS based on the confirmation (from this page) that a large hold would not be placed upon my card as it is nearing its limit, even though the cost of rental with you was higher than some of your competitors. I read here that they would take the cost of fuel only.
When i went to pick up the car they insisted on taking a hold of over 400euro. I even pointed them at this site but they insisted. Luckily my Girlfriend was able to put this hold on her card otherwise i would have not been able to get the keys.
Please ensure that you do not provide false information to your potential customers.
The service was good apart from this but could have ruined my holiday.
Please correct your advice on this site in case the next person that is assured here that no large hold will be taken is not lucky enough to have a backup plan like i did.
Thanks
Oliver
June 17th, 2009 at 11:00 pm
Hi Oliver, I appreciate your frustration. I must stress though, that responses posted on the blog are correct at time of publishing and, if it is a local policy in question, then these will have been checked with the rental office prior to being approved for the blog. I should also stress that the one blog post which does specifically focus on explaining what is held against a credit card states that the advise given is a general rule of thumb but can differ by country/location.
Your case highlights the problems that can occur from reading customer questions in an open environment. We answer these questions and write blog posts about these policies because we have an overwhelming amount of customers who prefer to interact in this way. But, as your case suggests, these types of policies can change occasionally so, if there is any doubt, I would always suggest re-asking the question to avoid any potential misunderstanding. I have also added a note to the blog post you are referring to that advises customers to double check if in doubt.
As always any further thoughts or feedback are welcome.
Rob
June 28th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
Do Avis in Malta accept VISA debit cards?
Thanks.
June 29th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
Hi Nicholas,
I’m afraid Avis Malta don’t accept Debit cards, only credit cards.
Apologies
Chris
June 29th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
Thanks Chris. We have a credit card in the name of the passenger. Is it possible to use this for the deposit upon arrival at the airport or alternatively to leave a cash deposit? I understand it is possible to pay the car rental fees with Visa Debit online.
June 30th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
Hi Nicholas,
I’ve checked with the airport and whoever has the credit card would need to be the main driver. If the passenger isn’t planning to drive then you wouldn’t be able to use their credit card I’m afraid. They did say that they would accept a cash deposit though of €250 which would then allow you to be the main driver.
I hope that helps
Chris
July 1st, 2009 at 9:13 am
Hi Nicholas,
Sorry I forgot to add that yes you can pay with a Visa Debit online.
Chris
July 3rd, 2009 at 8:04 pm
Hello,
I have prepaid a car for 5 days at the beginning of August 2009 at Stansted. I have paid online by my Visa debit card without any problems. Then I spotted somewhere on your website that I should have the same card with myself when picking up the car. For me this is not possible because in one week I am receiving a new card of the same type because of expiry date. Should I expect any troubles related to this situation? I am travelling with my three little children and don’t want to be surprised by anything like this…
Thank you,
Vasek.
July 8th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
Hi
I am quite confused on the Visa debit card issue. I have booked to hire a car for my holiday in Halifax in Canada at the end of this month. I only have a visa debit card, will they definately accept this? I should have no problem getting a credit card if I need one but I would rather not.
July 10th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
Hi Eleanor,
Just to let you know that I’ve emailed Canada to double check this for you. As soon as I have the answer I’ll post it on the Blog for you.
Chris
July 13th, 2009 at 8:25 am
Hi Eleanor,
I’m afraid that Canada do not accept Debit cards at the time of pick up, you would need a credit card.
Chris
July 13th, 2009 at 9:07 am
Hi Chris
I have already emailed Canada, they said they will not accept my Visa debit card. Probably running out of time now to get a credit card so will have to cancel my reservation.
Perhaps Avis could publish on its website what cards it accepts where or just have one rule for all because it makes it confusing for customers.
July 15th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
My credit card arrived this morning so I won’t need to cancel!
July 16th, 2009 at 4:28 pm
Hi Eleanor,
Fantastic! news!
Have a great time.
Chris
July 19th, 2009 at 12:13 am
Hi I was thinking of booking a hire car for future holiday in Orlando Fl, then realised that on picking up a car i had to use a credit card for a hold to be put on to it. I have never had a credit card and never will, i do have a prepaid card (mastercard)can this be used and how much required to be on card
July 20th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
Hi,
I’m afraid that Avis are unable to accept Mastercard prepaid card. Some offices do accept Mastercard or Visa Debit cards but the prepaid cards unfortunately not.
Apologies
Chris
July 20th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
Hi We need to rent a car in larnaca cyprus for 2 weeks next month. Can you confirm we are able to pick the car up using a Visa Debit card s we do not have a credt card. We will be pre-paying for the car online before we arrive. Your respnse would be most appreciated.
Many Thanks
July 21st, 2009 at 11:36 am
Hi Mike,
I’ve spoken to Larnaca and they’ve said they do accept Visa Debit cards providing it isn’t Switch, Electron or Maestro etc.
I hope that helps
Chris
July 25th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
Can you tell me if Calgary airport in Canada will accept my Barclays Connect Visa debit card as payment at time of pickup? I also have a Matercard pre-pay – it’s not an electronic card, it’s a ‘proper’ card (with raised numbers on the card etc).
Why isn’t there a list of offices that accept these?
July 27th, 2009 at 11:45 am
Hi Chris,
I’m afraid that Debit cards aren’t accepted in Canada. Also, are you able to clarify what you mean when you say that the Mastercard is a prepay card? Does this mean that credit is loaded on to it in advance? If so, then I’m afraid the system used at the office would not allow this card to go through either.
With regards to a list of offices that accept Debit cards, it isn’t actually down to the office but the country. Debit card is accepted in most European countries with the exception of Spain, Luxembourg and Belgium.
I hope that helps
Chris
August 31st, 2009 at 7:09 pm
hi i am due to be flying out to limoges airport in france in 4 days time and i just wondered if they would accept visa debit as neither me or my partner hold credit card
September 1st, 2009 at 5:50 pm
Hi Catherine,
Providing it is just a Visa Debit (not Solo, Switch etc|) then Limoges will accept the card.
I hope this helps.
Chris
September 2nd, 2009 at 8:46 pm
Ok maybe i missed it? if so let me know which thread # ….anyhow im going to london and have payed now with my debit card and the amount has been taken from my bank,now my question is how does the security deposit work? does avis put it on the debit card ? or will they take a cash deposit if i have no credit card?
September 3rd, 2009 at 2:03 am
I am travelling to the UK and Ireland from Australia in 2 weeks time. I will be pre-paying for car hire through my travel agent prior to travel. I do not hold a credit card, only a Visa Debit card (with the Visa logo and raised lettering). My travel agent has advised that whilst Avis will accept a Visa Debit authorisation on vehicle collection at London Heathrow, Avis will not accept a Visa Debit authorisation on vehicle collection at Cork Airport, Ireland, even if the card displays the Visa Logo. Can you please confirm that this is correct. Thanks.
September 3rd, 2009 at 12:04 pm
Hi Anita,
I’ve double checked with the Cork office who confirmed that they would be happy to accept your Debit card providing it has the raised numbers on it.
I hope that helps.
Chris
September 3rd, 2009 at 12:10 pm
Hi Paul,
Being a non UK resident then you can use whichever card you wish on the day. As we accept Visa Debit in the UK you will be able to use the same card that you’ve paid with if you wish when you arrive.
When you come to collect your car we will hold an amount on your credit/debit card for fuel. The amount held will vary however normally it is the equivalent of $110. This amount is unblocked when you return the car full of petrol. If you decide to take any extras e.g. GPS, excess reduction etc then these quantities will also be held.
Most offices are very reluctant to accept cash deposits and will generally only do so for UK residents who can present proof of address etc. If you are thinking of paying in cash then this would need to be pre-checked with the office to see whether they would accept it or not.
I hope that helps
Chris
September 3rd, 2009 at 11:20 pm
Thanks Chris. How do I go about getting confirmation directly from the Cork office, so that I have something to show them on the day if I have any trouble? Thanks, Anita
September 7th, 2009 at 2:21 pm
Hi Anita,
I’m afraid the only way to get this would be by calling them yourselves. The number is +353 1 6057500 if you wish to call.
Chris
September 16th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Hi
We are in Tenerife for New Year and want to hire a car for 3 – 4 days for myself and my husband to drive – He is 59 and I am 52 – he will be the main driver – neither of us have credit cards but I have A VISA debit card – can I prebook with this card please in my name for my husband to drive? Also do you have offices in the Fanabe beach area?
Thanks for your help
September 19th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
Hi Alison, I am afraid that Visa Debit card will not be accepted when collecting your car in Tenerife. While you can of course pre-pay for your rental we do still need a valid card at pick-up to “hold” for the event that any additional costs are incurred during the rental (e.g. fuel, damage or if the rental is extended). Unfortunately Visa Debit card is not accepted for this purpose in Spain (although for customers renting in other countries it is generally accepted). It might be worth calling our reservation team on 0844 5 818181 to see what other options are available.
As for the nearest location, we have a few in Tenerife. I don’t the area well enough to know for sure but I do know we have a location in Playa de las Americas which is just a couple of miles from Playa de Fanabe.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Rob
October 4th, 2009 at 8:38 am
Hi there,
Could you please clarify that a Visa Debit Card will be accepted in Brisbane Australia.
Many Thanks
Ang
October 7th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Hi Ang,
Brisbane are happy to accept Visa Debit cards.
I hope that helps
Chris
October 19th, 2009 at 9:12 pm
sorry if to repeat this question, but am i right in thinking you can use a visa debit card to rent a car in south africa? and if so are you the only company that does this?
thanks!
November 11th, 2009 at 11:03 pm
Hi, im 23 but i have not had a liscence for 1 year. is there no way i can hire a car for a few days somehow?
thanks
November 12th, 2009 at 11:16 am
Hi James,
I’m afraid that you need to have held your licence for at least 12 months, if you haven’t then unfortunately we are unable to rent a car to you.
Apologies
Chris
November 12th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
Hi there i have reserved a car for tomoro morning but i only have a prepaid mastercard will this be accepted.
November 12th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
Hi Rachel,
I’m afraid that we don’t accept prepaid credit card. In order to collect the car you will need a credit or Debit card.
Chris
November 12th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
Hi Hannah,
Avis in South Africa don’t accept Debit cards I’m afraid.
Apologies
Chris
November 12th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
Hi there with regards to your reply about prepaid cards i have just phoned up downtown leeds and the lady assistant said that a prepaid mastercard was fine to pay with???
November 13th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
Hi Rachel,
You can prepay for the rental using a Mastercard prepaid card however when you pick up the car the office would not accept this card to hold the deposit (fuel etc) and would require a credit card.
I hope that helps
Chris
November 16th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
I will be picking up a rental at Heathrow for 3 days. The car type is Group H – Volkswagen Passat Wagon or similar.
The total charge for the rental is about 101.44 GBP (includes taxes and fees). I did NOT pre-pay the rental.
I would like to purchase the full insurance package as I have never driven in the UK (I’m from the US and not used to left-side driving), so want to ensure I’m protected.
How much will I need to have available on my card for this rental? Total+Insurance+”Security Hold”
Also, I have a pre-paid visa card (similar to a Visa Debit Card I think?), will this be an acceptable form of payment when I pick up my rental?
November 17th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
Hi Tim,
OK when you collect the car they will not accept the prepaid Visa I’m afraid. You can use it at the end to pay however you will need a different one when collecting the car.
The held amount will be the cost of rental-£101 + the fuel($110 or about £65/£70) + the excess reduction (3x£15.95 = £47.85). All in all you are looking at a held amount of around £215.
I hope that helps
Chris
November 18th, 2009 at 7:30 pm
Hello.
I am planning to rent a car in Italy next April.
Pick up from Milan Malpensa Airport Terminal 2 on 5.04.2010 9:00
Delivery Rome Fiumincino Airport on 10.04.2010 9:00 am.
I have some questions.
1. Next April( before the rental) I will be 21 and I will have more than 2 years driving license.
I have called Avis offices at Malpensa airport in Milan and they have told me that I can rent this kind of car but I should pay 22 euros per day extra for the underage surcharge. But on the the avis.com website it says underage surcharge will be about 14 euros per day. So I would like to ask what I will pay eventually for the underage surcharge.
I would like also to notice that when I called terminal 1 at milan malpensa airport a very rude sir told me that there is no way that I can rent category f, only a smaller car.
2. If I make now a reservation through the avis.com website now and give my details will I be able to secure the price that I am given( It is 345 euros for 5 days). I am asking that because no credit card is needed to make the reservation.
3. If I choose the Super Cover protection how much money will be hold from my credit card? If I have a card with 1000 euros limit will I be ok?
From what I have read above the hold will be 345 euros (rental charge) + 22 euros x 5 days = 110 euros (underage surcharge) + 25 euros x 5 days = 125 euros (super cover) + fuel deposit (50 – 60 euros) Total hold 640 euros. Am I right?
Thank you very much in advance and sorry for the length of my post.
November 24th, 2009 at 6:14 pm
Hi Thomas
No problem about the length of the email I understand that you want to be 100% sure. OK first things first yes you can rent a group F at 21.
The under age surcharge is €18.80 (including all taxes) per day so you are looking at €93.96 for the total of your rental.
When you make the booking the price is guaranteed and that is what you will be charged when you arrive irrespective of whether you have paid or not in advance.
The excess reduction cover is €28.42 per day so for 5 days = €142.12. that means that when you arrive the office will hold the rental value (€345) + excess reduction (€142.12) + fuel (€70ish) + under age surcharge (€93.96) = €651 more or less
I hope that helps!
Chris
December 2nd, 2009 at 4:47 pm
Dear Staff
I have booked an Avis vehicle online using my fathers credit card as do not have my own (with his full permission of course). I will be travelling alone. Will i be required to carry his credit card with me? if so, can i get a letter authorising me to use his card. Please provide complete company policy with regard to this as i do not want to have issues upon arrival.
December 2nd, 2009 at 5:31 pm
Hi Joe,
In which country are you planning to pick up? If the rental is in the UK then your father will need to be present with you with his credit card on the day. He will also need to be added on as an additional driver at a cost of £41.25.
If the rental is for pick up outside the UK then you will need a credit card in your own name. The office will not accept a letter of authorisation from your father I’m afraid.
Chris
December 3rd, 2009 at 12:08 am
Hello
I want to rent a 7 seater in Orlando in January along with my son inlaw as a second driver. Im still confused on the insurance front as I see Florida is 0 excess mandatory. Ive always had to pay extra to get to 0 excess. I want the vehicle to be fully insured without exceptions, this includes windscreens, glass theft etc of the vehicle. We are ok for personal cover so dont need that. It says I cant add an additional driver when booking in the uk wonder why that is. What is your recommendation to have the vehicle fully insured without exclusions and excess and do you know the cost of an additional driver over 25 out of Orlando please. thank you
Nigel G
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:38 pm
Hi Nigel,
Our rates in the USA are all inclusive so there is no excess and you don’t need to pay any extra.
The additional driver would be free if that person if your partner or spouse and you present proof of shared address. If not then there would be a charge of €9 per day up to a maximum of €45 per rental. As additional drivers would be charged online this is why you cannot add it on as it could actually be free!
I hope that helps
Chris
December 3rd, 2009 at 4:15 pm
Chris Hi
Ref. Orlando 2 weeks 7 seater rental
First thanks for a quick response. Sadly the 2nd driver is my Son in law. Not sure what the exchange rates are so whats the aditional in dollars per day for him, he is over 25 you gave it in euros
I read that in Florida there is 0 excess and its a state thing not the rental companies and you say there is nothing else to pay which is great and what Im looking for so there are no exclusions other than the obvious ones of drink driving, off roading, lost keys etc.
No personal cover so thats fine as I dont need that but the “VEHICLE” is covered for accident, theft or breaking in in a glass window or lock was broken
etc etc
I have to ask again as Ive been told this by these intermediate companys who book holiday makers then found exclusions on parts of the vehicle like windscreens , glass tyres etc, its either insured or it isnt I think.
With Avis I used to have to pay extra to get 0 excess then I knew I was covered, this “extra” was a daily rate ON TOP of the rental so now its ALL included in the price.
I know its more than some competitors but Im fine with that as long as its comprehensive with no later surprises. (not totally convinced yet am I??)
So can I pay for the additional driver here in the UK as otherwise having a wizard isnt much help to avoid the queues
Thank you Chris
Rgds
NG
December 4th, 2009 at 12:42 pm
Chris Hi
By the way, I wrote to Bracknell Customer services on the 23Nov 09 and got no reponse, I called in to Bracknell at the beginning of the week, saw a nice lady from Customer services, as I wanted to ensure I booked the right thing, ref insurance add driver etc
I was told someone would ring me or email to make the USA booking and answer my questions, its Friday and nothing so WE MUST TRY HARDER is a bit of a silly statement by Avis if my experience of “customer service” is normal dont you think. If its this bad here whats it like when I pick up a vehicle
Regards
Nigel
December 4th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
Chris Hello
QUOTE
Our rates in the USA are all inclusive so there is no excess and you don’t need to pay any extra.
Well it seems that the insurance isnt all inclusive as Im finally advised that you have exclusions on the windscreen glass etc etc and its another $3 a day when I arrive in the USA which I might add is no problem
whatsoever, but why couldnt I have been told and why doesnt it advise this on the preferred website or your rental website as its important.
IF im unfortunate to have a 4×4 throw up a stone and crack the windscreen on my last day I would have to pay then approx $7-1000 dollars as Im under insured due to exclusions.?
Its never been a question of price Chris, its just knowing that the vehicle Im renting is fully insured and that means items like windscreens, glass etc
locks etc.
IF Im faced with extras when picking up the car then tell me, you mention on your website this annoys people and it does, just be transparent, if I want a cheap rental I would use Dollar or Alamo wouldnt I?
Thanks, apologies for being miffed but honestly its hard work extracting the whole facts of car rental
I have spoken to your Customer Service at last and someone is on it now for me, so with Luck by Monday I will have booked and done an dusted it
Regards
Nigel G
December 14th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
Hi Nigel,
Please accept my apologies as it is never my intention to supply incorrect or unclear information. Indeed my sources of information here imply that acceptance of standard LDW insurance covers all costs without exception. This extra cover against windscreen damage etc is not listed on our system and I will pass this on to the relevant departments to ensure that it is so for future reference.
Regards
Chris
January 4th, 2010 at 3:39 am
Hi I am going to Sicily on the 23rd of Janurary and need to hire a small car for 5 days, I only hold a visa debit card am very worried that I will be told I need a credit card? can you also tell me how much will be held against my debit card if it is accepted, and could you confirm that visa debit is accepted in writing to me as proof by email as i can take it with me please. thankyou.
January 8th, 2010 at 5:42 pm
Hi Jason,
Could you tell me which office you are looking to pick up from please?
In theory Sicily does accept Visa Debit but I’ll double check with the office to ensure you have no problems if you decide to rent.
Thanks
Chris
January 11th, 2010 at 10:58 am
Hi Chris,
with reference to not having a credit card and using my debit card for collecting my rental the office I will be using is Palermo Airport in Sicily on the 23rd of Jan 2010 @21hh
January 27th, 2010 at 8:25 am
Hello,
I am looking to hire a car from Naples Airport and drop it off at 6.00 am which is an hour and a half before the opening times. Is there an out of hours drop off? as it will only let me put in the opening time as our drop off.
Thanks
March 2nd, 2010 at 10:45 am
Good morning.
I need to one-way a car from Barcelona Airport to Benidorm on Monday.
Can you tell me if Visa Debit Card are still not accepted at Avis branches in Spain (Despite being accepted almost everywhere else in the world)?
If it is it’s a bit of an annoyance. Avis are my preferred rental company, but I rent mostly in Spain, and don’t have any other use for a credit card!
If you could help I would appreciate it.
Thank you.
Kind regards
Simon Fynn
March 2nd, 2010 at 4:51 pm
Hi Simon,
I’m afraid that Avis Spain is still unable to accept Visa Debit cards.
Apologies
Kind regards
Chris
March 29th, 2010 at 1:34 am
Hi i am going to be booking a small economy size car (corsa or equivelent) from Carcassonne airport in France returning it to Marseille airport. Please could you advise how much the credit card deposit will be? Also can this deposit still be reduced if premier cover or whatever its called is purchased? If it can be reduced how much would the deposit be then?
Thanks alot
Calum
March 29th, 2010 at 3:13 pm
Will Avis accept a US issued VISA debit card at the beginning of the rental in Milan Malpensa Airport for June 6th for 5 days? Thank you
April 8th, 2010 at 11:37 am
Hi Dmitriy,
Debit cards are accepted in Italy, but only the plain Visa debit cards, ie, not Maestro, Electron, Switch, etc.
Kind regards,
Michael
April 9th, 2010 at 2:45 pm
Hi Calum,
For a small car in France they will hold €800 on your card to cover any damage. They will release this when you return the car undamaged. You can however pay €15 a day to cover Collision Damage and €5 per day for Theft Protection. If you pay this then the branch will not need to block the €800 on your card but this is not mandatory.
The branch will also block off the cost of the rental if you haven’t pre paid in advance, (if prepaid, obviously this money won’t be taken off the card)
Next is the cost of any extras such as GPS, child seats etc will be taken. A fuel charge will be held and then released at the end of the rental as long as the car is brought back with a full tank.
I hope this helps,
Michael
April 18th, 2010 at 12:33 pm
Hi Michael
I know this question has been answered earlier in this thread, but that was back in 2008. Can you again confirm that a Visa Debit card (with hologram on the back) will be accepted by Avis at Limoges airport
Many thanks
Julian Mason
April 18th, 2010 at 8:45 pm
Hi I am hiring a vehicle in Majorca early June.
Can you advise how much the deposit will be for an eight day hire and can this be reduced by purchasing additional insurance (if so how much is it per day).
Sorry but I am a single dad with a really tight budget.
Many thanks for this site its refreshing to be able to ask questions without multiple calls.
Regards
George McQueen
April 19th, 2010 at 10:19 am
Hi George,
For a small car group(a or b) in Majorca they will block off up to €600 on your credit card. You can however reduce this by paying €25.49 per day and then they will only hold the price of a tank of petrol/diesel on the card.
Hope this helps,
Michael
April 19th, 2010 at 10:30 am
Hi Julian,
In Avis France they will accept Visa Debit, but not Electron, Maestro, Solo or Switch Debit Cards.
Regards,
Michael
April 22nd, 2010 at 5:41 am
hi,
i’m off to tenerife in june, is it possible to use my visa debit card at tfs.
also it’s for two weeks an economy size
vehicle. could you tell me how much would need to be on the card.
jim.
April 22nd, 2010 at 10:40 am
Hi Jim,
Unfortunately Debit cards are not accepted in Spain. They will only accept Amex, Mastercard, and Visa credit cards.
Best Regards,
Michael
May 7th, 2010 at 8:02 pm
To whom it may concern:
My partner and I will be travelling to the beautiful island of sardinia in June and July but we have a little problem.
Neither of us have a credit card and we have seen that without a credit card in the name of the driver its impossible to rent a car. We are both Italian residents and my partners family obtain all different types of credit cards but still no go.
We would like to know if you could help us??
Thank you
Frank
May 25th, 2010 at 8:58 am
Hello Frank,
Unfortunately without a credit card in the main drivers or the additional drivers name you will not be able to rent a car with Avis Italy. They will however accept a Visa debit card(but not Electron, Maestro, Solo or Switch Debit Cards)
I hope this might help,
Michael
June 19th, 2010 at 11:13 pm
hi
please can you help! i am looking to hire a family car 31/7-14/8 from alghero airport but only have pre-paid mastercard and a visa debit card. would either be accepted and what would the excess/ insurance amount be?
thank you so much
June 23rd, 2010 at 11:35 am
Hi Mandie,
They will accept a Visa debit card(but not Electron, Maestro, Solo or Switch Debit Cards).
Also, they will not accept the pre-paid Mastercard.
Excess on cars in Italy goes from €850 for small/medium cars and to reduce it down you pay €19.17 per day. Obviously the higher up you go in the car catagories the excess/insurances go up as well.
Hope this helps,
Michael
June 27th, 2010 at 9:51 pm
I have just booked my car for 12 days from Charles de Gaulle (end of July)
I have paid online, partly with air miles, and partly with visa debit card.
Can I use the visa debit card when I collect the car as the payment is already paid upfront?
I do not have a credit card.
Thank you
June 28th, 2010 at 9:39 am
Hi Helen,
Debit cards are accepted in France, but only plain Visa debit cards, not Maestro, Switch, Electron, etc.
July 6th, 2010 at 10:47 am
Hi
My sister does not have a credit card, but needs a car urgently whilst her motability car is not available. Can I book a car for her on my credit card and let her pick it up if I am not there – I am based 450 miles away from her ( Bournemouth v Glasgow) I could go into the glasgow office at the same time my sister is in the bournemouth office – any thoughts – Kind regards Gary
July 7th, 2010 at 11:59 am
Hi Gary,
Unfortunately the person who books the car must be there to pick it up and present the credit card it was booked with at the office. There is no way around this, apologies,
Regards,
Michael
July 7th, 2010 at 8:56 pm
Hi
I am picking up a 4×4 from Avis in Munich Airport. I have a prepaid booking on my Visa Debit Card. How much will my deposit be? and can you guarantee that the counter can secure this deposit on my Visa Debit Card as I do not use credit cards.
Also I am considering to add an additional driver, can this be done at the desk and how much does this cost per day?
Thank you very much
Chris
July 8th, 2010 at 11:30 am
Hello Chris,
I would need you to supply me your reservation number so I can give you a clear and accurate answer on the deposits.
In regards to the additional driver, the cost is €17.00 per day, maximum 7 days charged. Obviously the additional driver must be there to show their licence on pick-up of the car.
I hope this helps,
Regards,
Michael
July 12th, 2010 at 9:55 am
Hi,
I have a car booked for Madrid next week for 13 days. Could you advise if a Visa Debit can be used as a deposit. Also, how much would be reserved on my card for a rental for this period.
Thanks in advance.
Mike
July 12th, 2010 at 1:23 pm
Hello Mike,
Unfortunately in Avis Spain they do not accept Debit cards, only credit cards,
Regards,
Michael.
July 12th, 2010 at 5:40 pm
Hi Michael,
Thanks for the prompt reply. Could you also answer my second question. How much is ‘reserved’ off a credit card for a 13 day rental.
Thanks again.
Mike
July 13th, 2010 at 10:24 am
Hi Mike
I can give you a rough guide on a group C, Seat Leon or similar. In Spain they can hold up to €730 on your card to cover any damage. They will release this when you return the car undamaged. You can however pay €19.88 per day a day to cover Collision Damage and Theft Protection. If you pay this then the branch will not need to block the €730 on your credit card but this is not mandatory.
The branch will also block off the cost of the rental if you haven’t pre paid in advance, (if prepaid, obviously this money won’t be taken off the card)
Next is the cost of any extras such as GPS, child seats etc will be taken. A fuel charge will be held (roughly €50-60) and then released at the end of the rental as long as the car is brought back with a full tank.
Please be aware that if you want to rent a larger car the excess/insurance may be slightly higher.
I hope this helps.
Michael
July 22nd, 2010 at 5:20 pm
Which countries in Western Europe would it be possible to rent a car from based on the following circumstance:
I have a valid California driver’s license but no credit card, no debit card, no card of any kind. My girlfriend has AmEx and Visa cards but no driver’s license of any kind.
We have unsuccessfully tried to rent a car all over London and Paris but would still like to go somewhere we can rent a car and enjoy the autonomy of out own vehicle but everywhere I’ve checked requires that the primary driver also be the credit card holder.
Thanks.
July 29th, 2010 at 11:00 am
Hi Brett,
Unfortunately with Avis as well, the primary driver needs to have a major credit card in their own name.
It’s normal practice in most car hire companies.
Regards,
Michael
August 2nd, 2010 at 12:27 pm
Hi, we have booked flights to Rome ciampino airport, as we go every year to see my grandparents. We have never had problems hiring a car but this year no one will hire us one without a creditcard. My dad would be driving and has a visa debit card, could we hire one using this ? Or even a cash deposit ? I am so fed up feel like cancelling my flight now! Please sombody help ! Thanks
August 3rd, 2010 at 1:36 pm
Hi Danielle,
Avis Italy will accept Visa Debit cards providing the card only says Debit on it, with the raised numbers, i.e. not Electron, Switch/Solo etc.
I hope this helps,
Regards,
Michael
August 4th, 2010 at 2:41 am
Sorry to ask for confirmation that if I prepay on line with a visa debit card for a rental at Charles de Gaulle and pay for collision and theft, I will only be charged for fuel and any extra (child seat ect..) at the time of pick up. Does AVIS at Charles de Gaulle charge also a deposit? if so can it be put on a different card than the one used to prepay? thank you your blog has convinced me to use avis on this trip
August 4th, 2010 at 1:20 pm
Hi Catherine,
At the counter you can pay for collision and theft insurances. If you pay for these then they should not hold any deposit on your debit card except the extras you may want (such as fuel, child seats etc..) Just a reminder, they will accept Visa Debit, but not Electron, Maestro, Solo or Switch Debit Cards
Also, the branch will block off the cost of the rental if you haven’t prepaid in advance, (if prepaid, obviously this money won’t be taken off the card)
Lastly, a note on the payment card, you must show the card you paid with on-line at the branch. I don’t see any reason why you couldn’t use a different card(in your name of course) for the extra payments.
Please let me know if you have any more doubts, it can get quite complex with these themes.
Regards,
Michael
August 4th, 2010 at 6:06 pm
I am so sorry to tell you that I called the 800 number listed on the AVIS website to make my car rental reservation and tried to pay with my visa debit card and was turned down. the call (made from the US)was handled by Reservation AVIS office in the Philippines I spoke to a supervisor called Lois and was told no. absolutely no debit cards allowed. I read her the list of debit cards allowed and not allowed as your message to me stated and no go. She referred me to the AVIS policy on the avis web site.
What do you make of that? If you have the number of AVIS at Charles de Gaulle T1 I would also appreciate it so I can talk to them ahead of time. I don’t know what to make of all this.
August 4th, 2010 at 7:29 pm
I also called car reservation at Charles de Gaulle Avis office listed on the web site and I was told no debit card. The problem is I cannot take a chance of being charged a “caution” if I cannot use my debit visa card.
August 5th, 2010 at 3:25 pm
Hi Catherine,
I am sorry for the conflicting information you have received both from the call centre and Charles de Gaulle but we have an official communication from the Avis management in France and they will accept VISA debit cards. Avis France must and should accept VISA Debit.
If you want please send me your email address to comments@avis.co.uk and I will send you back an attachment with the pictures of the cards they accept from a communication we have from Avis France.
We also spoke to the Avis Charles de Gaulle manager and she told us if it had the raised number and they could pre authorise money from the card that they will accept it.
So, just to clarify, VISA debit, with the raised number is accepted in France, but NOT VISA Electron, Solo or Switch cards.
We will also send out a communication to the Philippines call centre and Charles de Gaulle to re-inform them to accept Visa debit.
I hope this will clear it up for you.
Regards
Michael
August 5th, 2010 at 4:41 pm
Thank you so much for your help.
Catherine
August 13th, 2010 at 11:21 am
Hi Rob,
im looking to hire a car in Ibiza, i dont have a credit card, but do have a Visa Debit card, is there a way of pre paying for the car through the reservation office over the phone, and then leaving a cash deposit at the rental office on picking up the car?, how much would the deposit be ?
Regards
August 14th, 2010 at 8:12 pm
hi were off to bordeaux france in two weeks and really need to know a few things my boyfriend will be driving the car but has no credit or debit cards. but i will be paying online fro the car with my visa debit card can we use this for the deposit? also what will be held against the card as i read on an earlier post that if you had paid online it will just be the fuel and any extras but a bit further down you said it would be quite a lot ? thanks
August 16th, 2010 at 12:40 pm
Hi,
Regarding the bloq question about Visa debit/credit and cash deposits, unfortunately without a major credit card Avis Spain will not release a car to anyone. They will not take a cash deposit or accept a debit card either.
Regards,
Michael
August 16th, 2010 at 12:54 pm
Hi,
Just the first thing to be careful with in France, they will accept Visa Debit with the raised numbers, but NOT VISA Electron, Solo or Switch cards.
As the card holder you will have to be added as an additional driver(€30 per rental), you must be 25 years old or more to avoid further underage fees, also full licence held for at least a year.
Fuel and any extras will be held against the card, plus if you do not reduce the excess(€9.20 per day), then they can hold a minimum of up to €800 in case of damage or theft.
I hope this makes it all a bit clearer, if you have any more doubts I will do my best to clear it up for you,
Regards,
Michael
August 16th, 2010 at 9:29 pm
SO DOES THAT MEAN WE WONT GET ONE AS IM 21 AND DONT HAVE A LICENCE?
August 17th, 2010 at 8:59 am
Hi,
We are flying into Trapani(Sicily) in september, we originally were getting picked up by the rental agent, he has now slapped a hefty charge onto this, so have looked to hire a car, but we only have a visa debit card…can we hire a car with avis with the debit card?
August 17th, 2010 at 2:27 pm
Hi Tasha,
I am afraid so, but those are not the only reasons. You cannot book a car through Avis in Spain without a credit card.
Vicki
August 17th, 2010 at 3:35 pm
Hello Rachel,
Avis Italy will accept a Visa debit card(with the raised numbers,but NOT Electron, Maestro, Solo or Switch Debit Cards)
I hope this helps,
Michael
August 17th, 2010 at 5:36 pm
Hi Michael,
Hopefully you can clear up a couple of questions about our rental. We’ve booked a car to pick up from Ibiza Airport on the 25th Aug, returning 2nd Sept. The price we’ve been quoted is very reasonable.
Excess means that should our car suffer any damage, we are liable for costs up to that excess amount, right?
Assuming that is correct, I’m assuming that Excess Waiver means we pay an amount per rental days up front, and in the case that our vehicle suffers damage, we are then not liable for any further costs? If the Excess Waiver fee is approx. 15EUROS, for an 8 day hire, our Excess Waiver amount would be 120EUROS?
Also, I’ve applied for a credit card in the case that my Visa Debit card isn’t accepted in Ibiza. Hopefully it’ll come through in time, but should I not receive it by the time we fly, could you tell me if Ibiza Airport will accept my Visa Debit card for payment?
Thanks so much for your help.
August 17th, 2010 at 6:59 pm
Thanks Michael, I presume I just go ahead with booking online opting visa where it asks which card? even though its a visa debit(it has raised no.s),also… do I pay the excess damage waiver/fuel when I go to collect car in Trapani? Last question..Do Avis offer a key drop for out of hours drop off in Trapani? (our flight is 7am on a sunday, so we would have liked to have been able to drop the car off around 5am, but online it says ofice closed..so this means we would have to drop off day before and make alternate arrangements to get to airport)
August 17th, 2010 at 7:13 pm
Hi Michael
I am traveling with m,y girlfriend to Genoa on Saturday and we need to rent a car for 3 days
I cannot find my licence but she has a full, clean licence. She is 29 years old. Problem is that she doesnt have a credit card but I do (American Express)
Please could you confirm whether there is any way we can rent, I will be with her at all times and will do the guarantees on my card. Id this possible
Thank You for your help
August 19th, 2010 at 9:39 am
Hi Adam,
Firstly just so it is clear for you before you go, Avis Spain do not accept debit cards, you must have a major credit card to get the car released.
Your interpretation of the excess is correct, if you pay the excess waiver then any damage is covered.
The excess waiver (Super insurance-Theft Protection and Collision Damage) costs €19.97 per day, so for eight days works out at €159.76. This would be for a group A or B (small economy, a Lancia Ypilson, VW Polo for example.
Any other doubts please don’t hesitate to ask.
Regards,
Michael
August 19th, 2010 at 10:27 am
Hi Rachel,
Yes, you can click on the Visa as payment method, no problem. You can pay for the excess damage/fuel at the office when you get there.
As for the last question, Trapani offer a key box service so when you go back early with the car you just drop the keys in a box. When you pick up the car they will explain where the box is etc. You will however have to book it online to drop off at 0700am as it won’t take the 05.00am time.
I hope this helps,
Michael
August 19th, 2010 at 10:39 am
Hi Mark,
In this situation it will be possible to rent a car but your girlfriend will have to be the main driver and you can present your credit card. Unfortunately as you won’t have your licence with you, you won’t be able to drive.
Best Regards
Michael
August 20th, 2010 at 9:50 am
Many thanks Michael for your help
August 31st, 2010 at 9:56 pm
Hi Avis people,just a quick question from Bonny Scotland,I booked with you a couple of years ago in The South of France and successfully used my Visa Debit,and had a perfect hire car experience,so my question is,I take it I can use my Visa Debit for pick-up from Pisa airport in September.Dont say I cant cos I’ve actually just booked it(lol)
ps I so want a Fiat 500,can you fix it Jimmy?
Cheers, Iain
September 2nd, 2010 at 10:04 am
Hi Iain,
Avis in Italy will accept the Visa Debit(like above, with the raised numbers, but NOT VISA Electron, Solo or Switch cards).
If you want to send me your reservation number to comments@avis.co.uk I will check it but I think Avis Pisa do not have the Fiat 500 available in the fleet.
Regards,
Michael
September 8th, 2010 at 6:28 pm
Hi,
We are going to Cyprus & wanted to rent a car. We have a visa debit card but do not have a credit card. We have been told that we need a credit card to be able to have a car.Is this correct?
Thanks
September 8th, 2010 at 8:04 pm
Hi,
Further to my earlier message, we are going to be staying in Paphos, Cyprus.
Thanks
September 9th, 2010 at 10:32 pm
I am looking to book a car at Treviso Airport Italy 16/09/10 for 1 week but only have a visa debit card, Ido not have a credit card – is this possible to book with just a visa debit ?
Thanks
September 10th, 2010 at 10:50 am
Hello, need to book a fiesta from treviso airport for 1 week from 17/09/10. Would be grateful if you could confirm whether this is possible if I only have a visa debit card I do not have a credit card, if its possible whats the easiest way to book and pay for the hire up front,
Thanks in advance
September 13th, 2010 at 10:26 am
Hi Linda,
In relation to Cyprus, you must have a major credit card, they will not accept a debit card.
Regards,
Michael
September 13th, 2010 at 10:38 am
Hi Janet,
Avis in Italy will accept the Visa Debit(like above, with the raised numbers, but NOT VISA Electron, Solo or Switch cards).
Best Regards,
Michael
September 22nd, 2010 at 10:02 am
Hello,
I just wanted to check whether visa debit cards are accepted in Gozo, Malta?
Thanks for your help. Probably fed up of these type of questions!
Tom
December 1st, 2010 at 1:21 pm
Hi we have a car booked in the uk being dropped of to our home address, we have pre paid for the car and just wanted to clarify that we can use a visa debit for the cost of delivery and any xtras from the information on this page iguess the answer would be yes but just making sure thanks
December 2nd, 2010 at 11:17 am
Hi Lisa,
Avis in the UK will accept the Visa Debit(with the raised numbers, but NOT VISA Electron, Solo or Switch cards)
Regards
Michael
December 9th, 2010 at 3:57 am
i rented a car and the athorised my credit card and i checked the credit card a few days later and te money was off the card i checked a week after and all the money is back on my card and i can spend as much as i want the credit card company says why is this and when i bring the car back ive already signed so i will just drop it off how will they get there money.
December 13th, 2010 at 12:52 pm
Hi Dan,
If you send me your reservation number to comments@avis.co.uk I can have a look at the booking and see if I can help.
Regards,
Michael.
February 11th, 2011 at 6:41 pm
We have just booked a hire car with you for Cyprus but have found out our visa electro is no good when collecting the car, we do not have a credit card…HELP what can we do?
February 13th, 2011 at 10:57 am
Just a confirmation. I have e-mailed your customer service and been told “Nay” ….BUT from what I read above I gather we may be ok.
We are looking to reserve an economy/compact car. Pre-paid. From May16th-22nd in Italy. Driving from Venice and returning to Pisa. We have a credit card (Visa) with a low limit which is only in our possession for emergencies. BUT we do have a Visa Debit card with loads of funds in the bank. Will the Debit card be accepted on pickup? If not how much of a deposit will be put against the credit card ? (I need to know pretty accurately since to judge against the limit). Correspondence from your customer service team says that they will NOT accept the Visa Debit.
Please advise we’re in a crunch
February 16th, 2011 at 5:45 pm
Steve:
Hi Steve,
With Avis you must hold a credit card or Visa Debit card in order to rent with us. As a general policy Visa Electron are not accepted.
In Cyprus there is a special Electorn Card policy which is rather complex.
When collecting a car, you are unable to pay with a Visa Electron, it must be a credit card or a Visa Debit card.
However you are able to put a deposit down in cash and when you return the car, they return this deposit to you and then you can pay for the whole rental with your Visa Electron card.
The reason why this happens with Visa Electron is because these cards will not allow us to block a security deposit like the credit cards or the Visa Debit do, therfore a cash deposit is required for security purposes. As soon as the vehicle is returned, the cash is refunded and the whole rental can be paid using the Electron card.
Hope this helps Steve.
Desiree – Reservations UK
February 16th, 2011 at 5:51 pm
Dear Troy ,
There has been some confusion over Visa Debit cards being accepted accross Europe as the policy has changed recently.
Let me quickly clarify the new policy regarding Visa Debit cards:
When renting with Avis in Europe, Visa Debit Cards will be accepted in all countries with the exception of Spain, Switzerland & Luxmebourg.
It must be a Visa Debit card and not Solo, Maestro or Electron. Providing this is a Visa Debit card, they will accept it upon collection.
Hope this helps Troy.
Desiree – Reservations UK
February 17th, 2011 at 4:43 pm
Thanks Desiree…you rock
February 21st, 2011 at 8:53 pm
Hello.
Question #1. I’m a US citizen, renting a car in Aberdeen at the airport, and returning it to the airport in Manchester. Can I use my US Visa Debit card for this transaction?
Question #2. If not, I can perhaps reserve with a credit card, but I’d like to settle the bill on my debit card. (I prefer to pay cash for everything right now in my life)
I’d prefer to go with option #1 but I’d like to be prepared and not show up at the airport not knowing the policy.
[A competitor] tells me no, so I won’t be renting with them.
Kind thanks for your answer.
February 23rd, 2011 at 9:23 am
Dear Louise,
Providing you use a Visa Debit card, which follows the Debit criteria, they will accept this as a method of payment at Aberdeen Apt.
The sebit criteria is as follows:
1.The long number at the front starts with the digit 4
2.The numbers are raised on the card
Hope this helps Louise.
Desiree – Reservations UK
April 20th, 2011 at 11:24 am
Hi
I am looking to book a car at Rimini airport but when I try and set the return date it says the office is closed on a Sunday.
April 22nd, 2011 at 10:08 am
Dear Allen,
Unfortunately the office at Rimini Apt is not open on Sundays, see below the office’s opening times:
Sunday: 00:00 – 00:00
Monday: 08:00 – 12:00 14:00 – 19:00
Tuesday: 08:00 – 14:30 18:00 – 22:00
Wednesday: 08:00 – 20:00
Thursday: 08:00 – 12:00 13:00 – 20:00
Friday: 08:00 – 12:00 13:00 – 19:00
Saturday: 08:00 – 15:30 17:00 – 22:30
Desiree – Reservations UK
April 22nd, 2011 at 1:30 pm
Hi , i’m going to tenerife (south airport) from 11 to 18 may 2011 and wish to hire a car. I am worried that my only means of payment and deposit is a VISA ELECTRON DEBIT card. Would this be accepted? If yes can i have a written / email confirmation of the ruling to produce at the time of rental. IF not accepted could you recommend any car hire companies in tenerife who DO accept such deposit/payment methods. thanks
April 26th, 2011 at 11:50 am
Dear Steve,
When renting with Avis Spain, you can indeed pay using your Visa Electron Debit card, but at time of collection you will need to present a credit card as well as the Visa Debit card.
Generally all car rental companies have the same regulations regarding Visa Debit cards.
Regards,
Desiree – Reservations UK
August 6th, 2011 at 12:26 pm
Hola!
We’re traveling from UK to Portugal at the end of March 2012.
I know that I can use my Santander Visa Debit card for payment of the car rental beforehand.
Can you tell me if the Avis branch at Faro airport will also accept my Visa Debit card on collection of the rental car?
I note that “Desiree – Reservations UK” posted in Feb 2011 that when renting with Avis in Europe, Visa Debit Cards will be accepted in all countries with the exception of Spain, Switzerland & Luxembourg.
Is this policy still in place, and if so, is it likely to change in Portugal – Faro airport in particular?
Many thanks in advance,
Lesley
August 24th, 2011 at 1:30 pm
Hi,
I am travelling to Phoenix Arizona in October and am renting a car with British Airways & Avis on the fly drive for 10 days. Could you please clarify for me again if I can use my Visa Debit Card as I am having a little trouble understanding all this.
Thank you,
Hannah
August 30th, 2011 at 6:49 pm
Hi
I am travelling to los angeles from the UK and I want to rent a car with British Airways.
My father is travelling with me although I will be driving. Can we use my Visa Debit Card to pay as I do not have any credit cards.
Alternatively can we use his credit card to pay he will be with me at the time of hiring.
Sorry to ask but the British Airways website sais I will need a credit card for the deposit do not want to get there and be turned down.
thanks
September 1st, 2011 at 3:02 pm
Hi Colin,
Thanks for your comment.
The general terms and conditions do say you need a credit card for legal reasons but in the USA and Canada we do accept Visa Debit Card so you are ok to do this.
I hope that helps.
Sabrina
September 2nd, 2011 at 6:57 pm
I’m hoping you can help me with a question dealing with debit cards and licenses.
I have a U.S. drivers license, still based in Arizona, but am in Scotland for about a half year. I still drive on the U.S. license but have deactivated all my U.S. cards (worried about identity theft).
Question: Can I rent in, say, Aberdeen with my U.S. drivers license and a U.K. (Barclays) Visa debit card with raised numbers starting with the number 4?
Thanks for your help.
September 6th, 2011 at 10:34 am
Dear Ed,
I have spoken to the depot regarding your query, and I can confirm you will be able to rent using your USA licence and paying with your UK Debit card, the only requirement is you take proof of address in the UK. I hope this helps.
Desiree – Reservations UK
October 10th, 2011 at 1:59 pm
Hi there,
I have a big problem. I have booked my car rental for Edinburgh Airport with my Mastercard (Credit). Someone has misused the card so that I had to block the credit card.
As my rental will be on September 24th my bank will not be able to send me a new one. (German banks are really slow!)
The only card I have is a Mastercard (Debit). Will it still be possible for me to pick up the car? (I can bring the credit card which I used for booking the car).
Thank you for your help.
October 10th, 2011 at 9:27 pm
Hi there,
Im slightly confused as to whether or not I can use a debit card o hire a car in Ireland. I’m from Ireland and Im planning to hire from Dublin Airport from 24th – 30th October. Will I be able to use my UK visa debit card to prebook online and swipe for the deposit to pick up at the airport or does it have to be a credit card on pick up? I’m steering away from credit cards at this time so don’t hold one myself and am reluctant to get one for this end. My partner who is travelling with me has one with a smallish limit but she does not feel confident driving on the Irish roads at this time of year. Will we be able use hers or does it have to be in my name as I’ll be the driver.
Thanks a lot, Jim
October 12th, 2011 at 8:17 am
Hello Jim,
I can confirm that when renting from Avis in Ireland, Visa Debit card will be accepted(NOT Electron)for payment but not for collection of the vehicle, as a credit card is then needed in order to secure a deposit.
Desiree – Reservations UK
November 23rd, 2011 at 7:47 pm
Hello,
I am renting a car in Venice on the 2nd of December. Can I use my Visa debit card for the deposit??
November 24th, 2011 at 11:49 am
Hello Bianca,
When renting from Avis in Italy, Visa Debit card will be accepted for payment but not for collection of the vehicle, in this instance a credit card is required in order to secure a deposit.
I hope that helps.
Desiree – Reservations UK
November 28th, 2011 at 1:09 am
Hi there,
I will be renting a car from Faro Airport on the 13th of December. Can my VISA Debit Card issued by NatWest be accepted for the deposit?
Thanks!
December 1st, 2011 at 10:54 am
Hi Ben,
Avis in all countries except Spain, Belgium and Luxembourg will accept a Debit Card instead of a Credit Card. The Debit Card must be a Visa Debit or Mastercard Debit but not Delta, Solo, Switch, Maestro, Electron etc. The card must have the word DEBIT written on it and the numbers will be embossed (raised). Avis does not accept the “prepaid” debit cards at all.
Hope this helps.
January 10th, 2012 at 10:10 am
Can you clarify whether a Visa Debit card will be accepted to collect a car at Calgary airport? Travel will be in September 2012 and hire will be prepaid in the UK. I called Avis UK customer services last week and they said only credit cards were accepted, and the website seems to back that up, but an earlier post on this blog seems to suggest that a Visa Debit card will be OK. I don’t currently have a credit card so need to be sure.
January 22nd, 2012 at 1:41 pm
Hi, I am going on a trip to Fuerteventura and have booked a car with avis through Thomas Cook. Will i be able to pay the deposit on my Visa debit card when i go to collect the car?
Also i have been given differing information from AVIS IN Fuerteventura in regards to this question and am now totally confused.
The first person i spoke with informed me that they would require a valid credit card but that he
“was’nt to sure”, the second person i spoke with said that i could use my debit card but that i would need to take their insurance. Could you please clarify for me which of these is correct. Thank you.
January 24th, 2012 at 4:36 pm
I will be travelling to Milan, Italy soon and will need a car rental at Malpensa airport. Since I retired I got rid of my credit cards and only use a Visa debit card. Will I be able to use my Visa debit card for car rental at Malpensa airport?
January 27th, 2012 at 11:07 am
Hi there,
can confirm that a Visa debit card will be accepted in Catania airport this year, April/May? Our Visa debit card has raised numbers and debit printed on it.
We are travelling with 4 small children and need assurance. Also, will we need to leave a deposit of some form? If so how much?
Finally, is it possible to get this in writing? Many thanks.
Shellie
February 2nd, 2012 at 11:20 am
Hello,
Hello, Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I have had to get the information corroborated before giving you conflicting information.
Ade: I have double checked with Fuerteventura and Debit Cards are only accepted as method of payment , they can’t accept these to block the securtity deposit, for this they would require a credit card.
Phil & Shellie : In Italy the same policy applies; Visa Debit cards are accepted as method of payment but in order to pick up the car a credit card is required.
I hope this helps.
Desiree – Reservations UK