Definitely book the car online before arriving at the airport. Prices are always better and you can usually cancel with no penalty. Sometimes I book more than one to be safe. Always print out our confirmation. Sometimes they can't find the reservation or don't have the price you booked attached. I always book smallest cheapest if it is just me or me and spouse. We have almost always been offered a free upgrade. If you are traveling with kids book the smallest ou would be comfortable in. You still may be offered a free upgrade.

Definitely pay attention to where the cars are located. Rental agencies will say "in airport" even if they just have a desk there and the cars are elsewhere. So e airports, like Miami, have all the cars off site. I usually call if I have any doubt and ask where the cars are located.

I always decline collision etc. because our credit card company offers protection for rental cars but depending on the city, you may actually come out even on the gas to have them refill it. Research local gas prices before you go. We declined on one of our recent trips (either Tampa or Miami) and found out the agency refill price was actually a couple cents per gallon less than the street price.

Insurance is the tricky part - credit card auto rental insurance usually only applies to the the value of the car itself, insignificant relative to the cost of someone getting hurt. If you don't have an auto policy that extends liability insurance to you while in a rental car, bite the bullet and buy it from the car rental company.

Ignore the gasoline gymnastics at the rental counter and just bring the car back with a full tank - much cheaper.

Check your credit cards and with your car insurance (if you have it.) Many have rental car coverage. Also check for restrictions - if the car company gives you a free upgrade to a luxury car or SUV you might not want it if it is not covered by your car or regular insurance.
Use a credit card, not a debit card, it's a lot less hassle.

One sugestion - you can earn frequent flier miles for renting cars as well as taking flights. Register for the frequent flier program for whatever airline you are using in advance so you can get credit for the miles. Then check their frequnet flier website for deals and "extra miles" earning opportunities. Sometimes you can get better deals, and if the price is the same or lower as the company website or a travel website like Travelocity, Expedia, Kayak, Orbitz, Hotels.com, why not earn the extra miles? I have been the Caribbean a couple times with free flights this way (although I also got a American Aadvantage credit card and used it for groceries, gas etc.)

If you check availability on the various rental companies' websites, they'll show you the total rental cost for the whole duration of the rental. You can choose what size of car you need and if you need extras like a car seat. You can look at example cars as you compare prices to see what that particular company means by "compact", "midsize", etc.

Unlike with, say, hotel reservations, there's no penalty for canceling a car reservation, so there's no harm making a reservation and then canceling it if you find a better deal from another company before your trip.

A friend recently had trouble with a rental reservation she'd made through Expedia: she had to pay in advance (which the car companies never make you do) and when she arrived she had a long wait for a car. It's safer to reserve through the rental companies' websites themselves.

I recently joined Hertz's Gold Club, which is free, and found it a huge convenience in my last couple of trips. They send you a text when your plane lands telling you which car is reserved for you, and you can go straight to the car and drive it away without even stopping at the rental desk. Since it costs nothing to join, it's worth doing for the way it smooths the process – plus they send you coupons for discounts on rentals.

On insurance: your credit card probably covers what's covered by the rental company's optional insurance. Call your cc company and ask what's covered before making the rental reservation, and then you can opt for only what you need.

Pretty much all rentals include unlimited mileage these days.

I always opt to buy a tank of gas from the rental company so I don't have to worry about filling up before I return the car, on the theory that I'll be in more of a rush on the way back to the airport. It might save a little money to fill up the tank on the way back to the airport when you leave, but I think it's not enough of a difference to be worth the hassle.

It all sounds complicated, but it's straightforward IRL.

Price rental cars in Florida over the summer on all the major sites - Hertz, Avis, Enterprise etc. It may be cheaper to fly into Tampa.

So I'm heading to see family this summer in Florida via Los Angeles.

My family is all in Tampa but because I'm going to happen to be flying from la I thought of landing in Orlando (as it's much cheaper).

I guess I would have to rent a car anyway was my family will be working and I want to not be a burden.

So here is where I need help
I've never rented a car!
I'm lost with it all.
I tend to plan ahead of time and not knowing the full cost freaks me out.

I've looked online and found some rentals at ok prices.

Can I drive as many miles as I want?? I am it wanting to choose the rental car insurance - should I?
Are there fees I won't know about till after I return the car?

Thanks all