How car rental actually works.
Renting a car looks simple from the outside. Behind it sit five journeys most people never see: how a booking travels, where the money goes, the life of the car, how the price is really built, and who carries the risk. Follow each one.
Tap any outlined step to read its plain-language definition in the glossary.
Follow the reservation
From a search to a signed agreement, here's every system a booking passes through before you get the keys.
Follow the money
The price you pay is split among several hands before it reaches the company that gives you the car.
Follow the car
A rental car has a whole life before and after your trip - bought, financed, rotated, and resold.
Follow the price
The number you see is the end of a long chain of decisions, not a fixed sticker.
Follow the risk
If something happens to the car, responsibility moves through a chain most renters never see until they need it.