Rent-a-car market: Travellers are already securing rental cars for Spring and Summer 2026
In the car rental market A quiet but important change is happening. According to Sunny Cars' analysis for December 2025, more than half of all bookings are already for travel from March 2026 onwards. Guests are not waiting until the last minute. While 44 percent of bookings were for winter departures until February, an even larger portion went to the warmer months. As much as 28 percent are for spring and 19 percent for summer 2026. This is a clear sign that next season is filling up significantly earlier than before.
Advance booking is becoming a new habit. Travellers who book in advance get a wider choice of vehicles, find it easier to get an automatic, SUV or family model, and, as a rule, get a better price. In a period of constantly growing demand, this is increasingly important.
Greece stands out in particular. In December, it recorded strong growth and overtook Italy and the USA in terms of car rental reservations. This placed it third among the most popular markets.
The most searched-for car hire destinations currently are:
Spain
Portugal
Greece
Sad
Italy
It is also interesting that colder destinations like Canada, Norway and Iceland are increasingly appearing among the top ten most sought-after. This shows how much road trips, nature and active holidays have become an important part of travel plans.
Prices are seeing a slight increase. The average rental price for eight days in December 2025 was €468, up from €444 in November. However, this is still around €20 less than at the same time last year. In other words, prices are going up, but the market is still more favourable than in 2024.
