Across Australia, the cost of hiring a vehicle through leading car rental organisation has increased.

According to new data, the average rental rate for a Hertz hire car has increased by around AUD$5 (£3) on a daily basis, or AUD$30 (£18) for weekly hire. This increase applies to all cities and states across the length and breadth of the country.

Hertz claims that the increase in rental costs in Australia has been brought about by the continually growing costs of gasoline prices in the popular driving destination, in addition to a slight increase in the cost of vehicle maintenance and vehicle depreciation costs. These factors, coupled with the falling resale value of used vehicles and lower overall rental revenues has necessitated the average rental increase.

However, despite the increase in rental charges, customers are still flocking to the brand which has enjoyed a long run of success down under. Consumers are being urged to shop around for the best rates, with budget conscious and media-savvy shoppers encouraged to look at deals that involve hotel or airline partnerships and even private car companies to source the best deals. For example, the low-cost US-based airline Jetblue is currently featuring a range of excellent Hertz rental deals, with the most notable being $10 off each day on weekend rentals, with additional deals available at overseas destinations where the carrier is a specialists such as Canada, the United States and Puerto Rico. Jetblue is also offering up to $35 off weekly rentals at selected locations.