Every year, we start to get calls for bookings for families and couples coming out to visit Montana in the Summer months. Most of the calls start with, “I hope this doesn’t seem too early but, my family and I are coming out to Montana in (insert month) to visit Yellowstone and wanted to check your availability.” I generally reply, “As a matter of fact, it’s perfect timing.” These calls sometimes occur as early as November and December the previous year, and the truth is, it’s not too early. The best time to book your transportation is about 6 months out.
As the summer months start to approach, just about ALL rental car locations are at capacity. It’s also normal for us to hear about the larger chains overbooking, and we do get calls from the Airport about this. At least a few a week during the peak summer season. We realize that there may be some trepidation about booking so far ahead as plans change, either intentional or not, and perhaps there is the fear of losing your deposit on the rental. Generally, we add the following advice to our responses:
- You are not too early; book now
- Even if you decide not to book through us, book somewhere
- If you can, try to rent from a local company; they are less likely to overbook their vehicles since their families depend on them
- Jeeps are better
Maybe that last one is a bit of ‘tongue and cheek’, but we are a little biased. In all seriousness, though, if you are considering coming out to Montana to visit our beautiful state, book your transportation as soon as you can. It’s never too early. To be safe, make sure that you check the cancellation policy and keep in mind that sometimes, renting from someone local rather than a big chain may help you in this case as there may be more flexibility there. Small business owners take more pride in where they live and, in our experience, will go a little further to make sure you are taken care of. Call them and talk to them.
If you have your eye set on a jeep, give us a call at 406-530-5337, we would be happy to talk to you and answer any questions you have. Or, if you prefer, go ahead and make a booking. If you are here now, you are a quick click away. If you find that there is no availability for the time you are looking, give us a call and we can either get you on our waiting list or direct you to other rental companies in the area that can help you out.
