Nine popular car rental perks that actually pay off
Most travellers think car hire is just about getting from A to B. Wrong!
Savvy travel bookers know there are brilliant benefits hiding in plain sight: perks that can transform your business trip in South Africa from ordinary to exceptional.
Does your finance team think they're saving money with that basic car rental policy? Here's the uncomfortable truth: you might be overspending on car hire significantly while making business travel harder than it needs to be. A feeling you'll be familiar with if you've ever been stuck in a car rental queue at OR Tambo in South Africa while a client meeting looms.
"It's a situation that's easily avoided," explains Nelius Vermaak, the National Sales Manager for Europcar South Africa. "Companies that focus purely on upfront costs often miss the hidden car rental expenses: lost productivity, stressed employees, missed opportunities. The real cost isn't just what you pay for the car."
Smart companies have cracked a different code of car hire hidden perks. Ready join the car rental inner circle?
Perk #1: Skip the car hire queue entirely
Who has time for a 40-minute shuffle after landing? Europcar's Ready Service, WhatsApp updates and tokenised payments (Ready2Go) are the ultimate car rental time-saving hacks. Check-in online and pre-authorised payments slash collection time at major airports to minutes, not hours. Arrive, collect keys, drive away. Boom!
It's this kind of seamless convenience that has earned Europcar the trust of thousands of South African business travellers who refuse to waste precious time on airport logistics.
Add in after-hours service: After-hours return options and secure key safes at major branches in South Africa mean you're never held hostage by closing times. Drop off your vehicle whenever it suits your schedule.
Perk #2: Trust that’s personal, every time
Ever had a travel hiccup spiral out of control while your rental company played pass-the-problem? Not with Europcar. When things go wrong (and now and then, they do), you’ll have a single, real-life point of contact... someone who knows your name, gets your business, and sorts your issue there and then.
No call centre run-around. No repeating yourself. Just one call and it’s sorted, so you can get back to what matters.
It’s this kind of dependable backup that keeps business travellers coming back, time and again. Simply put, Europcar is more than a car; it’s people you can rely on.
Perk #3: Rate protection that actually protects
Worried about "special car rental deals" evaporating when demand spikes? Corporate rate structures include relevant inclusions upfront, and fenced rate setups ensure negotiated pricing remains secure and protected.
Your hard-negotiated car rental rates stay locked tight, regardless of market chaos or demand spikes. Budget predictability? Sorted.
Perk #4: Cash flow magic
Europcar offers 30-day billing facilities for approved clients, and continues to support credit and debit cards for travellers.
Wave goodbye to immediate payment pressure. This billing flexibility aligns perfectly with your business cycles, turning expense management from headache to harmony.
Perk #5: Tech integration that just works
Car rental bookings are supported through corporate platforms, GDS and API integrations and consolidated invoicing, with exception reporting for control. And for travel bookers who want oversight with zero hassle: MIS reporting across cost centres, travellers, routes and periods helps you track spend and spot trends in travel behaviour.
Perk #6: VIP treatment from touchdown
Many corporate clients make use of priority queues at airports and delivery and collection services at agreed locations to limit downtime.
Skip standard queues entirely. Have your vehicle delivered to your doorstep, then whisked away when you're done. Time saved equals meetings made and stress avoided. It's the kind of reliable, white-glove service that builds lasting business relationships.
Perk #7: Flexibility when life happens
Plans changing at the last minute? Vehicles can be amended or dropped at the closest branch if itineraries shift. Because business rarely follows the script. Your rental shouldn't box you into rigid arrangements that cost precious time and sanity.
Pre-loaded driver profiles and stored payment details make repeat rentals a breeze: set it up once, and breeze through every future booking.
Perk #8: Go anywhere, drive anything
Europcar supports one-way, multi-city, Namibia and SADC travel, with suitable vehicle choices based on route and road conditions. After-hours return options and key safes at major branches add extra flexibility and service.
Need vans for the annual conference? People-movers for team transport? Cross-border capability for regional expansion? Consider it handled.
What's really happening in corporate travel in South Africa right now
Here's the inside scoop on how South African business travel is shifting beneath everyone's feet: executives still want their premium car for hire, but finance teams are steering everyday travellers towards smarter, cost-conscious choices. Meanwhile, soaring vehicle costs have sparked a rental revolution in South Africa: companies are ditching ownership for flexible 30 to 90-day arrangements that protect cash flow.
The non-negotiables haven't changed : speed, security, and reliability at airport branches remain every traveller's holy grail.
The smart money approach
Smart companies are getting ahead by spotting these shifts early and choosing partners who deliver solutions, not just vehicles. Stop thinking about car hire as a commodity purchase. Start viewing it as business infrastructure that either supports or undermines your corporate objectives.
When you choose a trusted partner like Europcar, you're investing in the kind of reliable, convenient service that lets your team focus on what really matters: growing your business.
About Flight Centre Travel Group
The Flight Centre Travel Group is one of the world’s largest travel retailers and corporate travel managers. The company, which is headquartered in Brisbane, Australia, has company-owned leisure and corporate travel business in dozens of countries, spanning Australia, New Zealand, the Americas, Europe, the United Kingdom, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, and Asia. ASX listed Flight Centre Travel Group (FLT) also operates the global FCM corporate travel management network, which extends to more than 100 countries through company-owned businesses and independent licensees, along with Corporate Traveller, the flagship business specific to the small-to-medium-sized enterprise sector. For more information, visit fctgl.com.
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