Is it cheaper to rent a car from an airport or a local location?

Are airport rental cars more expensive? Turns out, it's about 26% more expensive to rent a car at the airport versus at its downtown counterpart. That's according to a NerdWallet analysis conducted in March of 360 rental car prices (including taxes and fees) across America's 20 largest airports.



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Airport car rental can also be more expensive than other rental locations. Because of the additional fees and taxes, rental rates at the airport can be higher than rates at off-airport locations. Additionally, some car rental companies may not have as many discounts or promotions available for airport car rental.

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In most cases, the daily rate goes down the longer you rent. To investigate the cost of a rental, submit some rental dates in the form above, and you'll see what car options are available and their rates.

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Through 2023 at least, limited vehicle availability will continue. However, most experts report some recovery on the horizon. There were finally early signs of increased allocation to rental fleet channels in fall 2022. Operators still need to be clever in how they source cars as we inch toward supply recovery, though.

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Some of the strengths of a car rental business include flexibility in pricing, a wide range of vehicle types to cater to different needs, and convenience. Meanwhile, some of its weaknesses include high competition, high operating costs, and high maintenance costs.

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When's the best time to book your rental car? Booking three to six months before you travel is usually ideal. Prices tend to be most competitive during this period. There isn't much benefit to booking further ahead.

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Car rentals cost more than they did a few years ago due to many different factors, but primarily because of supply chain issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic. As demand for rental cars fell, rental car companies sold segments of their fleets to stay in business during the lean times.

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