As more Americans hit the road and travel within the continental United States these days, that means many are renting cars.

And you may have noticed, rental car prices are surging, and in some cases, fleets are shrinking.

So here’s what you need to know to get the best deals. Avoid renting a car at an airport. Rental car companies typically charge 20% more.

You might have also noticed that the big companies like Avis and Hertz tend to charge more or less of the same rates, but day-to-day prices actually depend on the fleet availability. So search for better deals on Kayak, Hopper or Priceline.

And seasonally, some rental companies offer — but don’t advertise — great drive-away deals with steep discounts on cars if you agree to actually drive them to a rental location or region that actually needs more cars.

Again, these deals are never advertised, but you just need to ask.