Discover the Convenience of Turo Car Rentals

Turo Basics

Turo isn't your typical rental car company; it's a car-sharing service. Car owners, or "hosts" in Turo lingo, loan their cars to travelers, or "guests," for a specific period. The experience is somewhat similar to traditional car rentals. Through their app or website, you input travel dates and destination to get a list of relevant results. You'll see the daily rental rate and total cost (excluding taxes and fees). Turo is available in over 12,000 cities across the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, and France, making it easy to find the right car without long lines at the rental counter.

For a direct comparison, renting a full-size SUV (Chevrolet Tahoe or similar) through Budget from Dec. 10 to Dec. 15 at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) costs $639. But a similar 2023 Chevrolet Traverse rented through Turo is only $461, saving $178 and including airport pickup, minimum damage protection, and free cancellation up to 24 hours before the rental starts.

Choosing a Car

At home, I drive a minivan due to necessity. Even with traditional rentals, I choose based on price rather than looks. When starting our search for a car in Scottsdale, we entered PHX as the pickup location and our arrival and departure dates. We further filtered the results to show cars under $75 per day and pickable from the airport. Turo has numerous additional filters like specific vehicle types, makes, models, number of seats, and features like Apple CarPlay, heated seats, and sunroofs.

We went with a 2021 Jeep Wrangler as it seemed more fun. With a daily rate of $71.80, the total cost with taxes and fees for a five-day rental was $527.83. After booking, we immediately received an email from the host with all the necessary information and could also communicate through the app. Twenty-four hours before the trip, we had to "check in" by uploading a selfie and driver's license photo to the app.

Picking up Your Car

A few hours before the rental period began, we received a message with the exact car location, instructions on using the airport shuttle and accessing the car keys. The keys were in a lockbox attached to the car. Guests are also instructed to take interior and exterior photos and upload them to the app. The host even provided detailed instructions on finding the keycard to get out of the parking garage. Our rental included 1,250 miles, and we knew we wouldn't exceed the limit.

Driving with Turo was similar to other rentals. Once, when we needed assistance, Turo was more helpful as we could message the host and get immediate help. I had trouble with the front seat of the Jeep, but the host quickly responded with instructions to fix it. Overall, the rental process was smooth.

Returning Your Car

Similar to the check-in, we received drop-off instructions the day before the trip ended. The host told us where to leave the car in the airport parking garage and to send the parking space number. They also gave details on the nearest gas station and how to reattach the lockbox with the key. We took more photos and uploaded them to complete the rental process. After returning home, the host sent a coupon code for a 15% discount on future rentals.

Turo Tips

Don't worry about missing discounts by choosing Turo. It often has Amex Offers for eligible cardholders. I redeemed an offer for $30 back after spending $150 at Turo and paying with The Platinum Card® from American Express. You can also earn points and miles if you pay with a card that earns bonus points for travel purchases as Turo rentals are coded as travel. Linking your Delta Air Lines SkyMiles account to Turo earns 2,000 miles after the first rental and 500 miles on additional rentals.

To ensure a quality rental from a reputable host, look for "All-Star Host" results. They have at least 85% overall five-star ratings, 80% for maintenance and cleanliness, a 3% or lower cancellation rate, and at least 20 completed trips. Turo offers various add-ons like prepaid refueling for $80 to save time before a flight, one-way trip fees, and add-ons like child safety seats and strollers.

One major difference is that credit card insurance may not cover Turo rentals. Turo offers different levels of damage protection, and you must choose at least the minimum coverage plan as part of the rental agreement.

Bottom Line

Overall, the Turo experience was better than a typical car rental. We didn't have to deal with the rental counter at the airport and could choose the exact car we wanted. Reading former guest reviews ensured we got what we paid for. With the convertible top off and the Arizona breeze in our hair, we knew we made the right choice.