When we fly and rent a car, we bring along what we call a “rental car kit.” It’s a premade ziplock bag of the stuff we want to use in our rental car. We keep it easily accessible so that it’s quick and easy to get everything all set and pull away without any fuss.

Here’s what it includes:

  • Mag-safe vent phone holder (one for each of us; we bring two different styles so that it’s likely at least one works for the driver, though CarPlay is making this less important than in the past)
  • Phone charging cords (again, one for each of us)
  • 12V charger - we use a high wattage one with three ports—two USB-C and one USB-A—so that we can fast-charge our phones, but also charge our laptops if necessary. If we expect to charge a lot of things while driving, we bring a second one and extra cords, too.
  • Charging cords
    • USB-C cord, for charging laptops or other items
    • USB-C to USB-A adaptor, so we can charge using the USB-A port on the charger when appropriate, or use Apple CarPlay if you haver to plug-in
    • USB-C to USB-micro adaptor, so we can charge using the USB-A port on the charger when appropriate
  • Sanitizing wipes - it’s nice to have a few of these to wipe down any gross spots the rental company missed.
  • Lens cleaner wipes - useful to clean the inside of the window if necessary; if not, they’re conveniently accessible for cleaning my glasses, which I often do when I shift between regular glasses and sunglasses.
  • Hand sanitizer - I only add this to the kit if I’m checking luggage; otherwise, it lives in the ziplock with my other “liquids.” But we always have one of these handy for road trips, so I’m including it here.

It seems like a simple thing, but it’s stupid how much easier this makes things when you’re renting a car. We intentionally put this in an easy-to-access spot in our luggage so we don’t have to rummage around when we’re in the airport parking garage.

A few other rental car tips:

  • Check your insurance and credit cards for what coverage they provide for rental cars. For instance, our (basic) Chase Sapphire card covers basically everything you need liability-wise, as does our normal auto insurance (State Farm). But if you’re overseas? Hmm, we often pay the LDW premium to avoid any hassles, especially if it’s a tough place to drive (eg, a small island nation where the roads are shit).
  • Take a video while inspecting the vehicle for damage before you pull away. You can supplement with photos, but make sure you zoom in on problem areas either way. There’s nothing worse than having to fight damage claims on a rentel car.
  • Adjust the seats and mirrors before you leave the parking space. Dial it in before you touch the gear shifter. Seriously, it seems like every other rental car is doing stupid stuff just 200 yards after leaving because the driver can’t see or is adjusting the seat or whatever.
  • Choose your next destination and get that GPS map running before you pull out. Look, airports can be confusing and it’s better to have clear directions before you start moving.
  • And yeah, there’s a little marker near the fuel level gauge indicating which side the gas tank is on. Take a glance before you pull up to the pump.
  • Speaking of fuel, don’t prepay—you’ll always overpay. The only reason to do is if you are absolutely, 100% hopelessly awful at refilling before you go to the airport and you’ve consistently proven this fact. But that’s only like 6 people in the country, so you’re very very likely not one of those people. There’s always a gas station not too far from the airport.
  • If you’re in an area that has toll roads, make sure you have a fast pass of the appropriate type. It’s just so much easier, especially in traffic.
  • Keep your rental agreement in the glove box, so you can easily find it in case of an accident or getting pulled over. Or, more likely, to remember which damn company you rented from when you’re navigating to the right lot when returning the vehicle.
  • Don’t get rushed in the check-out process when you drop off the vehicle. Take plenty of time to check for all your stuff before leaving.