UK
Pick-ups across London are in high demand over the Christmas and New Year period, particularly from airport locations such as Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted and some types of vehicle (particularly larger, family-sized cars and people carriers) sell out very early for Christmas. To a slightly lesser degree, Manchester airport is also popular for picking up a car at this time of year. If you think you're likely to need a car from a Scottish airport over Christmas or the New Year, we would advise you to book earlier rather than later. Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Stirling all see very high levels of demand for the festive season. Ireland Christmas is a particularly busy period across Ireland, as a lot of people fly home to be with family over the holidays. The most popular pick up locations are at airports and it is recommended that you book early for Dublin and Shannon airport in particular.
Easter is also extremely busy across Ireland. France Nice and Marseille are popular destinations year-round but you need to book early for the Christmas period. Airport pick-ups for ski-ing holidays prove popular thoughout the winter but gettinghold of the car you want from Lyon and Geneva can be more problematic over Christmas, February half term and weekends throughout February and March. Switzerland The airports which serve as gateways to the ski resorts are always busy over the Christmas and New Year period. Cars from Geneva airport (Swiss side) are in particularly high demand and have been known to sell out. If this happens, try looking for cars from the French side. Geneva and Zurich remain busy throughout the ski-season, particularly for weekend pick-ups during February and March. Spain Malaga and Alicante are busy destinations during the last 2 weeks in October and mid-February – book early to secure your choice of vehicle. Spain is also a popular destination for an Easter break – the towns of Seville and Granada get particularly busy as visitors flock for the annual Semana Santa processions. USA Pick-ups from major airports across the United States are popular over the Christmas and New Year period. The airports serving New York can be particularly busy over the Christmas holidays. Cars are also in short supply throughout the States for Thanksgiving (22nd November 2007) when a lot of Americans go home to the folks. Canada Christmas and New Year is a busy period for car hire, particularly for pick-ups at major airports such as Toronto and Vancouver. Smaller airports such as Calgary are known to get particularly busy during the ski season. Italy Christmas and New Year is a busy period for car hire, particularly for pick-ups at major airports. Car hire at the airports serving the ski resorts, as well as in the ski-resorts themselves, is in high demand from February onwards, particularly at week-ends. Picking up a car from Milan is particularly popular over the Christmas holidays. Norway Christmas and New Year is a busy period for car hire, particularly for pick-ups at major airports. Sweden Christmas and New Year is a busy period for car hire, particularly for pick-ups at major airports. Finland Christmas and New Year is a busy period for car hire, particularly for pick-ups at major airports. Austria Christmas and New Year is a busy period for car hire, particularly for pick-ups at major airports. With early snow forecast for the slopes this winter, airport pick-up locations such as Salzburg and Innsbruck are already preparing for a busy season. Poland Christmas and New Year is a busy period for car hire, particularly for pick-ups at major airports. Germany Christmas and New Year is a busy period for car hire, particularly for pick-ups at major airports. Denmark Christmas and New Year is a busy period for car hire, particularly for pick-ups at major airports. Holland Christmas and New Year is a busy period for car hire, particularly for pick-ups at major airports. Amsterdam Schipol airport is particularly busy during this time. Belgium Christmas and New Year is a busy period for car hire. Czech Republic Christmas and New Year is a busy period for car hire, particularly for pick-ups at major airports. Portugal Christmas and New Year is a busy period for car hire, particularly for pick-ups at major airports. South Africa South Africa is becoming increasingly popular for a winter self-drive holiday and demand from Cape Town and Johannesburg has risen in recent years. If you need a car for January in particular, it is recommended that you book well ahead. Australia Sydney and Perth are popular pick-up locations throughout the winter but particularly so over the festive season when a lot of people travel home for the holidays. Peak season is January/February and visitors tend to organise their trip up to a year before they travel. Remember to book your choice of vehicle in plenty of time Peak season is January/February and visitors tend to organise their trip up to a year before they travel. Remember to book your choice of vehicle in plenty of time. New Zealand Again demand for car hire is high throughout the winter but is noticeably popular over the Christmas and New Year period. Peak season is January/February and visitors tend to organise their trip up to a year before they travel – Christchurch and Auckland are both popular pick-up locations. Remember to book your choice of vehicle in plenty of time. | 
