What is the difference between cancelling a reservation and releasing a vehicle?

What is the difference between cancelling a reservation and releasing a vehicle?

If your reservation hasn’t started yet, you will be able to cancel the reservation through the mobile app or website. Open the trip and click “Cancel” on the mobile app, or “C” on the website. If your reservation has already started, you will be able to release the vehicle, ending your trip early, by selecting “Release ” on the mobile app, or “R” on the website.

Releasing a vehicle means the elapsed portion of your trip remains billable, and makes the vehicle available again so that it can be reserved by someone else.

Taking the time to release a vehicle if you bring it back earlier than expected allows others to use it without delay, and helps optimize vehicle availability. We strongly encourage you to do this, on behalf of other grateful members who will appreciate the availability.

Releasing a vehicle may not save you money for a short trip, but if your reservation is several days long, keep in mind that no cancellation fees apply beyond the first 24 hours of a trip

So remember to release the vehicle if you come back early to save the cost of any extra days.

Important to know

Using the Communauto mobile app to lock the doors at the end of your trip will have the effect of « Releasing » the vehicle. You therefore have nothing else to do.

On the other hand, if you use your key fob or key card to lock the vehicle at the end of your trip, you will have to select « Release » on the mobile app, or « R » on the website to successfully “Release” the vehicle. Failing to do so means you will not have shortened your reservation.

For more details on the different ways to access and end a trip, see « How do I start my trip once I have a reservation? » and « How do I end my trip?« .