Hertz has a problem and they are offering a deep discount if you can help solve it.
Too many snowbirds drove south for the winter to the Sunshine State. Hertz needs to get those cars somewhere -- just about anywhere else. Except California.
They'll let you rent a compact or economy car for a base rate of $5 a day for up to 14 days. Unlimited miles. No drop-fees (usually a killer). Just get the car out of Florida.
There's some limitations and extra costs - as always. Taxes and many fees still apply - they can add up quickly. You have to return the car at a Hertz corporate location. What that means is most airports and a few in-town Hertz operations in major cities. Some suburban Hertz locations and those in smaller town are franchises - you can't drop off there.
In reading the fine print I found that California and Nevada (no Las Vegas) are not on the list. Still, if you ever dreamed of a long road trip at a low price, think about renting in Florida and driving up the Eastern Seaboard and then flying home, or going across country to Phoenix and then back to OC by air.
Note: I tried it out early Friday and scored a 13-day one-way rental from St. Augustine, Fla. to Boston, Mass. in late May and early June for $100.54 total - including taxes and fees. A tip: Join the Hertz #1 Club and put in your AAA number if you have it. That cut my base rate to $4.50 per day!.
Book online at and use this code rate code (found under "RQ"): DRV5. The easiest way is to go to "Special Offers" on the home page and find the $5 Florida promotion. Then when you click on it, it automatically loads the right rate code while you enter your dates. If you have trouble, call Hertz at 800-654-3131 and ask them for help booking.
Here's the list of states with approved drop-off locations: Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington DC, West Virginia, Wisconsin.