Christmas season is arguably the busiest time of year for producers, manufacturers and consumers. Statistics show that it not only is it the period with the highest number of shoppers, but the period with the highest number of travelers as well. In many countries this increase in the number of travelers is attributed to the season and because of the inclement weather (heavy snowing or rain) that is associated with that time of the year. In an effort to capitalize on this, during the Christmas holidays, car rental companies offer their lowest prices.

With discounts of up to 35 percent on car rentals, thousands of customers in need of a car make bookings with their choice of rental companies. If you happen to need a car for the holidays, intuitively it may make some early planning to secure a car but even so, there is no guarantee that the car that you book will be available on the date you need it.

A few things to consider are the fact that on Christmas day itself and the day before, there are usually very few requests for rental cars as most people will have all travelled to their destinations. If your timetable permits, you can book your car rental for the 24th or the 25th itself if for whatever reason you are unable to secure a rental car for earlier dates.

At times you may need the car rental to travel to your destination for Christmas, maybe your parents home or your in-laws; in such an instance, the best time to begin your bookings is the last week of November which is usually the time that car rental companies begin to advertise their big discounts. Make a point to inquire about their policies on upgrades and whether they can guarantee that you will have a car for your reserved dates even if it is not the car you initially wanted.

If you intend to make an advance reservation on a car, be sure to check the rental company's policy on cancellation. Reservation usually costs a small nominal fee but if you have to cancel, the process could you $$. Anything could happen forcing you to cancel, the most common reason being weather storms and blocked roads; for this reason it is always advisable to request for cancellation protection if you foresee any problems. As they say, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail!