Rental Cars at Airport
Choosing the right car rental can significantly impact your travel experience. After navigating the world of car rentals for over 30 years, I’ve compiled this Car Rental Guide to answer your most pressing questions and ensure you get the best deal and a hassle-free experience on the road.
Essential Car Rental Questions Answered
What’s the Cheapest Car Rental Company and How to Snag a Deal?
Finding the absolute cheapest car rental company isn’t always straightforward. While lesser-known companies might initially appear cheaper, major players like Hertz, Avis, Budget, National, Enterprise, Dollar, Advantage, and Thrifty (plus Sixt and Europcar in Europe) are also competitive.
Instead of spending hours comparing individual company websites, leverage car rental search engines like Rentalcars.com. These platforms compare prices across numerous companies, saving you time and effort in your quest for a cheap rental car.
Which Car Rental Company is the Best?
J.D. Power’s 2017 North America Rental Car Satisfaction Study ranked Enterprise highest in customer satisfaction in the U.S. However, “best” can be subjective and often depends on the specific rental location.
Personal experiences can vary widely. For instance, a past rental from Enterprise in Mobile, Alabama, was marred by significant delays, a smoky, stained vehicle, and an empty gas tank. Yet, I’ve also had excellent experiences with Enterprise elsewhere. This highlights that service quality can fluctuate even within the same company.
If you encounter issues, voice your concerns. Politely request a clean car or inform the return staff about your experience. During a return in Little Rock, mentioning a previous issue led to a $50 discount, demonstrating that companies often value customer feedback and are willing to compensate for inconveniences.
What Do I Need to Rent a Car?
Typically, you’ll need a valid driver’s license and a credit card to rent a car. While renting without a credit card is possible, it’s generally more complicated (more details below). You might also need to provide proof of insurance if you decline the rental company’s coverage.
Pre-Departure Car Rental Checklist: What to Do Before Leaving the Lot
Always thoroughly inspect your rental car before driving off.
- Tire Pressure: Check that tires are properly inflated for safety and fuel efficiency.
- Fuel Level: Ensure the fuel tank is full, as expected.
- Existing Damage: Document any dents, scratches, or imperfections. Take photos and ensure they are noted on your rental agreement to avoid being charged for pre-existing damage upon return.
Mileage Matters: Unlimited Mileage or Restrictions?
Mileage policies vary. Whether booking directly, at the counter, or through a car rental search engine, mileage details should be clearly outlined. Unlimited mileage is increasingly common, particularly for standard rentals. Always confirm the mileage policy before finalizing your booking.
Airport vs. Off-Airport Car Rentals: Price and Convenience
Car rental locations just outside airports often offer lower rates. Some even provide airport shuttle services. However, factor in transportation costs and time to reach off-airport locations when comparing total expenses.
Rentalcars.com is useful as it allows you to filter searches for on-terminal rentals or those accessible via shuttle, simplifying your decision.
While airport rentals might sometimes be slightly pricier, they can save significant hassle, especially in large cities. Picking up a car at Rome’s airport for a Tuscany road trip, for example, avoids navigating Rome’s chaotic city traffic. The convenience often outweighs a potential minor price difference.
One-Way Car Rentals and Drop-Off Fees: What to Expect
Returning a rental car to a different location within the same city or nearby area usually isn’t problematic or costly. For example, picking up at JFK and dropping off in Manhattan is generally fine.
However, dropping off in a distant city or state typically incurs a drop-off fee, which can be substantial. While some companies advertise “no drop-off fees,” this often translates to inflated daily rates, effectively the same cost.
Drop-off fees can be unpredictable. A Kansas City to Cincinnati one-way rental might initially have a large fee that disappears weeks later. Fees are less likely when you’re moving a car to an area where the company anticipates higher demand. For instance, driving a car to Arizona as winter approaches might be cheaper than the reverse direction.
Instead of searching for “no drop-off fee” companies, compare total costs using car rental comparison sites to find the most economical option for your one-way trip.
Driving Across State Lines: Are There Restrictions?
Driving a rental car across state lines within the U.S. is generally permitted. The drop-off location is the more critical factor regarding fees.
Car Rental Insurance: What Coverage Do You Need?
Generally, your personal auto insurance extends to rental cars. If you have an accident in a rental car, your existing policy typically covers it.
Rental companies offer additional insurance, which acts as primary coverage, potentially avoiding claims on your personal policy. This adds to the daily rental cost. Insurance is almost always offered at the rental counter, with varying costs depending on the company and location.
Credit cards often include car rental insurance as a benefit. However, carefully review the terms of your specific card. Some, like Chase Sapphire, may only cover what your primary auto insurance doesn’t.
Third-party insurers like RentalCover.com offer alternative car rental insurance options, often at competitive rates. Comparing their coverage and costs before opting for the rental company’s insurance is prudent.
Canceling a Car Rental: Flexibility and Prepayment
Surprisingly, car rental cancellations are often free, even if you simply don’t show up. Prepaid rentals are the exception. Some websites offer discounted rates for prepayment, but these usually come with stricter cancellation policies.
This cancellation flexibility reflects the rental companies’ challenge in predicting daily car demand. Occasionally, even with a reservation, your specific car might not be available upon arrival, or, in rare cases, no cars at all.
Upgrade Offers: Should You Accept?
When offered a rental car upgrade, I usually decline initially. Sometimes, it’s a genuine upgrade to a preferred vehicle. However, rejecting the offer might reveal that your reserved car class is unavailable, potentially leading to a complimentary upgrade anyway. It’s a common sales tactic to upsell.
Often, upgrades are for larger vehicles, which can mean poorer fuel economy, and be less convenient to drive and park in urban areas. An “upgrade” isn’t always an improvement for your specific needs.
Car Rental vs. Ride-Sharing/Public Transport: Making the Right Choice
While driving is convenient, renting a car isn’t always the best option.
- Hotel Parking Fees: Downtown hotel parking can be expensive (e.g., over $40/day in San Francisco or NYC). Factor this into your car rental cost.
- Limited Car Use: If your car will be mostly parked at a conference, beach, or theme park, consider alternatives for that period.
- Excellent Public Transit: Cities with great public transportation and heavy traffic might make car rental unnecessary, at least within the city center.
- Congestion Charges: Cities like London charge extra for driving downtown. In such cases, ride-sharing or public transport might be more practical.
Used Rental Cars: Are They a Good Buy?
The quality of used rental cars is debatable. Are they meticulously maintained, making them good used car options? Or are they abused, making them risky purchases? The reality is somewhere in the middle.
Rental companies profit from maximizing the lifespan of their fleet, so routine maintenance is generally diligent. While individual renters might neglect oil checks, fleet maintenance is systematic.
However, rental cars might be more prone to accidents due to unfamiliar drivers and locations. Always check a rental car’s history with services like Carfax.com. If it’s accident-free and passes inspections and a test drive, a used rental car can be a reasonable purchase.
Cars with local license plates might be better maintained than those designated for one-way rentals, which might receive less attention. Anecdotally, a one-way rental had low tire pressure, and a superficial “fix” led to a flat tire the next day.
My last two personal car purchases were both former rental cars from Enterprise and Hertz, with positive experiences.
Toll Roads and Rental Cars: Transponders and Payment
In areas with toll roads, like Orlando, rental companies often offer toll transponders (e.g., SunPass in Florida) for a fee.
Some modern toll roads are cashless. Without a transponder, you might need to use cash-only lanes (if available) or avoid toll roads altogether. In Orlando, avoiding toll roads is feasible but can add travel time. Inquire about local toll systems.
For cashless toll systems or automated tickets (red light cameras), the rental company will be billed based on the license plate and will, in turn, bill you, often with administrative fees.
Choosing the Right Size Car Rental
Reserve the smallest car rental that comfortably fits your passengers and luggage. Smaller cars are more fuel-efficient and easier to park. Upgrades might be offered later. For longer trips or larger groups (5+ people), consider a slightly larger car for comfort.
Car Rental Size Guide: Economy to Full-Size
- Economy: 4 seats, 1 large and 1 small suitcase.
- Compact: 5 seats, 2 large suitcases.
- Mid-Size/Intermediate: 5 seats, 2 large and 1 small suitcase.
- Full-Size: 5 seats, 3 large suitcases.
Special Car Rental Situations
Renting a Car Without a Credit Card
Yes, renting a car rental without a credit card is possible, but expect a more complex process. It signals higher risk to the rental company.
- Longer Process: Expect extended processing times.
- Credit Check: A credit check is likely.
- Cash Deposit: A substantial cash deposit (hundreds of dollars) will probably be required.
- Vehicle Restrictions: Luxury cars and SUVs might be unavailable.
Driving Rental Cars to Mexico or Canada
Driving U.S. rental cars into Mexico is generally prohibited. Even with personal vehicles, Mexican auto insurance is mandatory.
Budget states that U.S. residents can drive Budget cars to Mexico only with Mexican Automobile Liability Insurance purchased at specific U.S. rental locations. Always verify with the specific rental company and location.
Driving U.S. rental cars into Canada is usually allowed without extra charges, but double-check with the rental company to confirm.
Pet-Friendly Car Rentals: Traveling with Animals
| Company | Pet Policy |
|---|---|
| Advantage | No strict policy, return clean and without pet damage to avoid fees. |
| Alamo | Pets allowed in carriers, return clean to avoid fees. Service animals exempt from carriers. |
| Avis | No strict policy, return clean to avoid fees. |
| Budget | Housebroken pets allowed, no extra fee for pets but charged for damage or special cleaning. |
| Dollar | No listed policy, offers pet travel tips. |
| Enterprise | Pets allowed in carriers, return clean to avoid fees. Service animals exempt from carriers. |
| Europcar | Pets allowed with prior authorization. |
| Hertz | Pets prohibited without prior location authorization. |
| National | Pets allowed in carriers, return clean to avoid fees. Service animals exempt from carriers. |
| Sixt | Pets allowed if seats are covered or in carriers. Cleaning fee may apply if soiled. |
| Thrifty | No listed policy. |
Car Rental Age Restrictions and Young Driver Fees
Most car rental companies prefer drivers aged 25+, due to higher accident rates among younger drivers. Surcharges apply to drivers under 25, and vehicle types might be restricted. New York and Michigan mandate rentals to drivers 18+. No upper age limit was found at major rental sites.
| Company | Age Policy
