Out-of-Hours Fee

An out-of-hours fee pays for a member of staff to meet you when the office would normally be closed — late at night, very early, or on a holiday. Flights do not always land at convenient times, so this is the charge that makes a midnight pickup possible.

It is usually a flat amount per pickup or drop-off, and it is entirely avoidable if your schedule lets you arrive within standard hours. When it cannot be avoided, it is often money well spent: the alternative is waiting hours for the branch to open.

It frequently travels with airport rentals, where late arrivals are common, and it can stack with a one-way fee if your unusual time also involves an unusual location.

Tell the agency your real arrival time when you book. A meet-and-greet arranged in advance is smoother and sometimes cheaper than an out-of-hours request made on the day.