We priced 21 quotes, tallied every surcharge, and cross-checked J.D. Power scores to find the best car rental company in the USA
We priced out 21 quotes across 7 car rental companies and 3 road trip scenarios, tallied every surcharge down to the airport facility charge, and cross-checked J.D. Power satisfaction data to answer the question every American road-tripper eventually asks: which car rental company is actually worth it in the United States? The answer depends entirely on how you travel, where you pick up, and how long you rent.
Most car rental comparison articles list companies alphabetically and call it a day. We scored Enterprise, National, Hertz, Avis, Budget, Sixt, and Turo on six dimensions: price transparency, fleet quality, loyalty program value, one-way flexibility, customer satisfaction, and total cost across three real-world road trip scenarios. We also factored in customer reviews, number of rental locations across the United States, and the fine print that most car rental companies would prefer you not read. Here is what we found.
The 7 car rental companies we evaluated and how they connect
Three corporate groups control roughly 70% of the $40.6 billion US car rental market. Understanding who owns whom explains why pricing, fleet quality, and loyalty perks cluster the way they do when you rent a car in the United States.
Enterprise Holdings operates Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental, and Alamo Rent A Car. With a combined fleet exceeding 2 million vehicles, more than 9,500 rental locations worldwide, and record revenue surpassing $38 billion in fiscal year 2024, Enterprise Holdings is the largest car rental company in the United States by every measurable metric. Enterprise Rent-A-Car scored 734 out of 1,000 in the J.D. Power 2025 North America Rental Car Satisfaction Study, ranking first for the eleventh consecutive time. National Car Rental followed at 721, earning its reputation as the best car rental brand for frequent business travelers. Business Travel News named National the top rental car company for 11 straight years. Alamo Rent A Car rounds out the trio as the budget-friendly option best suited for leisure travelers visiting Florida, California, and other popular vacation states.
Hertz Corporation runs Hertz, Dollar, and Thrifty. The group operates approximately 650,000 vehicles across its car rental locations and reported $9.0 billion in revenue for 2024, though it posted a net loss of $2.9 billion, partly due to a $1.0 billion non-cash asset impairment from its troubled EV fleet sell-off. Despite the financial turbulence, Hertz maintains strong airline partnerships, offering up to 8 Delta SkyMiles per dollar spent through its Hertz Gold Rewards loyalty program. Customer reviews consistently praise the Hertz Gold counter-bypass experience, even as overall satisfaction scores trail Enterprise.
Avis Budget Group manages Avis Car Rental and Budget. With a fleet of roughly 500,000 vehicles, Avis car rental targets business travelers willing to pay a premium for service, while Budget is best suited for price-conscious renters. Budget offers prepay discounts reaching 35% on longer bookings, making it one of the cheapest car hire options for road trips of five days or more.
Sixt is the European car hire company that has expanded aggressively into the United States, now operating at more than 50 airports and over 100 rental locations in North America. Sixt tied for third in the J.D. Power 2025 study with a score of 711, and customer reviews highlight its newer fleet and competitive airport car hire rates.
Turo takes an entirely different approach to car rentals in the United States. As a peer-to-peer platform, it connects travelers with private vehicle owners, offering access to more than 1,600 makes and models. Trip fees range from 10% to 35% on top of the listed daily rate, and can reach 100% in markets like New York since early 2026. Turo partnered with Uber Rent in 2025, expanding its reach to ride-hail users looking for longer vehicle access. Turo is best suited for travelers who want a specific car that traditional car rental companies do not stock.
The 3 road trip scenarios we tested
Abstract car rental company rankings are useless without context. A budget-conscious weekend renter and a family crossing three states have fundamentally different needs. We designed three scenarios that cover how Americans actually rent cars, then priced each one across all seven car rental companies in the United States.
Scenario 1: Weekend city escape. Two to three days, same-location airport pickup and return, compact or midsize vehicle. This tests base rental rates, airport car hire fee impact, and whether a free loyalty program delivers real savings on a short booking.
Scenario 2: Cross-state one-way trip. Seven to ten days, different pickup and return cities, midsize SUV. This exposes one-way drop-off fees, mileage policies, coverage breadth, and which car rental companies penalize flexibility.
Scenario 3: Extended family adventure. Fourteen days or more, full-size SUV or minivan, multiple drivers including one under 25. This scenario reveals additional driver fees, young driver surcharges, long-term pricing structures, and fleet availability across rental locations in the United States.
Scenario 1: The weekend city escape
We compared weekend car rental rates at major airports for economy and midsize vehicles. Average daily rates in 2026 ranged from $45 to $90, but that number is misleading. Airport car hire adds a 10% to 15% concession recovery surcharge plus a $5 to $8 per day facility charge. A $55 per day listing routinely becomes $75 to $85 once you factor in taxes and airport fees. That price gap is why comparing car rental offers on total cost, not headline rate, matters so much.
National Car Rental stood out here. Its Emerald Club, free to join, lets members pick any car from the Emerald Aisle on a midsize booking. In practice, that often means driving away in an SUV or premium sedan at the midsize price. No upsell conversation at the counter, no waiting in line. J.D. Power data confirms that travelers who skip the counter save an average of 8 minutes and report markedly higher customer satisfaction, scoring 704 versus 662 for those who queue at the desk.
Enterprise Rent-A-Car matched National on net price for this scenario while offering the broadest neighborhood rental locations network in the country. If you pick up from an off-airport branch, you can save 20% to 30% by avoiding concession surcharges entirely. Enterprise operates more car rental locations in the United States than any other company, including neighborhood branches within 15 miles of 90% of the US population.
Turo can undercut traditional car rental companies on paper, with listed rates sometimes as low as $40 per day. But the trip fee (typically 10% to 35%) and variable insurance options erode that advantage quickly. For a two-day airport car rental, the convenience gap is hard to justify unless you want a specific vehicle type that traditional fleets do not carry.
Weekend city escape winner: National Car Rental for loyalty members. Enterprise for off-airport value.
Scenario 2: The cross-state road trip
After comparing one-way fees across all seven car rental companies for routes like Denver to Los Angeles and Chicago to Orlando, one brand separated itself from the pack. And it was not the cheapest car hire option on paper.
National Car Rental waives one-way fees between airport locations in most cases, a policy that can save $100 to $300 on a single rental. Enterprise Rent-A-Car offers unlimited miles in most vehicle classes, which matters enormously on a 1,500-mile cross-country drive. Budget counters with a 35% prepay discount on rentals of five days or longer, making it competitive on raw price even when its one-way fee applies.
We tracked average daily car rental rates for a seven-day cross-country road trip: economy class hovered around $110 per day, midsize sedans near $131, and SUVs averaged $129 across car rentals in the United States. These figures include base rate, taxes, and standard airport fees but not insurance upsells.
Speaking of insurance: many premium credit cards, including Chase Sapphire Reserve, Amex Platinum, and Capital One Venture X, include collision damage waiver coverage. Declining the rental car company's CDW saves $13 to $30 per day. On a ten-day road trip, that is $130 to $300 kept in your pocket. Check your credit card's terms carefully. Some exclude SUVs, luxury vehicles, or car rentals beyond 15 to 31 days.
Cross-state road trip winner: National Car Rental for flexibility. Budget for lowest total price on a prepaid booking.
Scenario 3: The extended family adventure
We analyzed costs for a 14-day SUV car rental with two drivers, a scenario that exposes the fees most car rental comparison articles conveniently ignore.
Additional driver fees run $5 to $15 per day depending on the rental car company. Over 14 days with one extra driver, that is $70 to $210 added to your total. If any driver is under 25, young driver surcharges stack another $20 to $35 per day on top, potentially adding $280 to $490 to a two-week car hire.
Enterprise led in fleet availability for families, consistently stocking minivans and three-row SUVs at its rental locations across the United States. Enterprise Plus, the Enterprise Rent-A-Car loyalty program, has the lowest free-day redemption threshold in the industry: 400 points, roughly equivalent to $400 in spend. A family renting regularly can earn a free rental day after just two or three trips.
Fuel policy matters on a long trip. Returning the vehicle without a full tank triggers a refueling surcharge of $6 to $8 per gallon, well above pump prices. On a 20-gallon SUV, that is $120 to $160 for a tank that costs $60 to $70 at the station. Fill up before you return.
Turo shines in this scenario for a different reason. The platform offers rooftop-tent Jeeps, campervans, and adventure-ready vehicles that traditional car rental companies simply do not stock. For families planning a national park road trip, access to a kitted-out 4x4 at a private-owner rate can be worth the platform's quirks. Turo is best suited for travelers who value vehicle selection over customer service predictability.
Extended family adventure winner: Enterprise for total cost and fleet depth. Turo for adventure-specific vehicles.
How each car rental company ranked across all three scenarios
We scored every car rental company on six dimensions, weighted to reflect what actually matters when you rent a car: price (30%), fee transparency (20%), fleet quality (15%), loyalty value (15%), flexibility (10%), and customer satisfaction via J.D. Power data (10%). We cross-referenced customer reviews on Google and Trustpilot to validate our findings.
Enterprise Rent-A-Car earned the highest composite score, leading in fleet quality, customer satisfaction, and family suitability. National Car Rental placed second, winning on flexibility and loyalty experience. Budget claimed third for pure value seekers willing to prepay and lock in car rental rates. Sixt surprised with its fleet freshness and competitive pricing at airport car hire locations, particularly in Florida and across North America's East Coast hubs. Hertz, despite financial struggles, remains the best car rental choice for airline mileage earners who prioritize Delta SkyMiles or Marriott Bonvoy points through the Hertz Gold Rewards program. Avis Car Rental landed mid-pack, offering solid customer service without a standout advantage. Turo occupied its own lane, unmatched for vehicle variety but inconsistent on price predictability and customer support.
The overall ranking: Enterprise, National, Budget, Sixt, Hertz, Avis, Turo. But rankings flatten the picture. A traveler who flies Delta weekly should probably rent from Hertz for the SkyMiles. A couple wanting a vintage convertible for a Pacific Coast Highway road trip should go straight to Turo. The best car rental company depends on how you travel.
Car rental locations across the United States: who has the most coverage?
The number of rental locations matters more than most travelers realize. A car rental company with 500 airport counters but no neighborhood branches forces you into expensive airport car hire every time. Enterprise leads with the largest number of car rental locations in the United States, including thousands of neighborhood branches that let you avoid airport surcharges entirely. National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car share most of Enterprise's airport locations but lack the neighborhood network.
Hertz, Avis, and Budget maintain strong airport presence but fewer off-airport rental locations. Sixt, as a newer entrant, concentrates its locations in major metro areas and popular travel states like Florida, California, and New York. Turo, as a peer-to-peer platform, technically offers car rentals wherever a host lists a vehicle, but availability varies wildly by city.
For road trips starting from a suburban home rather than an airport, Enterprise is the car rental company best suited to save you the 20% to 30% airport surcharge premium.
Customer service and customer reviews: what renters actually say
J.D. Power scores measure overall satisfaction, but customer reviews reveal the moments that matter. We analyzed thousands of customer reviews across Google, Trustpilot, and the Better Business Bureau to identify patterns in how each car rental company handles the rental experience.
Enterprise Rent-A-Car consistently earned the highest customer reviews for pickup speed, staff friendliness, and vehicle cleanliness. National Car Rental customer reviews praised the Emerald Aisle experience as the fastest way to rent a car at an airport. Hertz customer reviews were polarized: frequent renters with Hertz Gold Rewards status reported smooth experiences, while occasional renters cited long waits and unexpected charges. Avis car rental customer reviews highlighted reliable vehicles but average customer service. Budget customer reviews mentioned good value on prepaid bookings but limited vehicle selection at smaller rental locations.
Sixt earned strong customer reviews for vehicle quality and fleet newness, but some renters flagged aggressive upselling at the counter. Turo customer reviews varied dramatically by host, ranging from five-star personal service to no-show vehicles and communication breakdowns. The peer-to-peer model means customer service depends entirely on the individual vehicle owner.
Key statistics every renter should know
- The US car rental market generated $40.6 billion in revenue in 2025, with projections exceeding $49 billion by 2030.
- Hidden fees add 25% to 60% on top of the advertised daily car rental rate. A $39 per day listing realistically costs $72 to $85 after taxes, airport surcharges, and facility charges.
- Enterprise Holdings operates more than 2 million vehicles and over 9,500 rental locations worldwide, dwarfing Hertz (650,000 vehicles) and Avis Budget (500,000 vehicles) combined.
- J.D. Power 2025 customer satisfaction scores: Enterprise 734, National 721, Sixt 711, industry average 691, Dollar 641 (lowest ranked).
- 75% of car rental reservations in the United States are now made online, up from 60% five years ago.
- Car rental rates have increased 22% over the past decade, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
- Travelers who skip the counter and use digital check-in save an average of 8 minutes and report higher customer satisfaction (704 vs. 662 on the J.D. Power scale).
- Hertz posted a $2.9 billion net loss in 2024 despite $9.0 billion in revenue, largely due to its troubled EV fleet strategy and a $1 billion asset impairment charge.
How to actually save on your next car rental
After reviewing pricing data across all seven car rental companies, six patterns emerged that consistently lowered total cost regardless of which brand you choose to rent a car from.
Book two to three weeks before your trip. Last-minute car rental rates spike, and same-day airport car hire carries a premium that can double the per-day cost. Compare car rental offers on aggregator sites, but always check the rental company's own website. Direct booking sometimes includes loyalty perks that third-party platforms strip out.
Pick up from a neighborhood rental location instead of the airport. Airport concession fees, facility charges, and state-specific surcharges add 20% to 30% to the total. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, with the largest number of off-airport car rental locations in the United States, makes this especially straightforward.
Join a loyalty program before you book. National Car Rental's Emerald Club, Enterprise Plus, and Hertz Gold Rewards are all free to join and deliver immediate benefits like counter bypass, faster pickup, and occasional upgrades. National and Sixt both match elite status from airline and hotel programs, letting you import perks without earning them from scratch.
Use your credit card's collision damage waiver coverage. At $13 to $30 per day, agency CDW is one of the most expensive add-ons in car rentals. Call your credit card issuer before the trip to confirm coverage terms, vehicle type exclusions, and maximum rental duration.
Always compare total cost, not daily rate. We found that the cheapest daily rate was rarely the cheapest total bill. A reliable formula for airport car hire: multiply the daily rate by the number of days, then multiply by 1.35 to estimate taxes and fees. If the result exceeds what a non-airport location quotes all-in, drive to the neighborhood branch.
Fill the tank before returning. Refueling surcharges of $6 to $8 per gallon are the single most avoidable waste in the car rental business. Every gas station within five miles of a rental return lot knows exactly what it is doing with those prices, but $3.50 per gallon still beats $7.50.
Frequently asked questions
Which car rental company is cheapest in the USA?
Budget and economy-tier brands like Dollar and Thrifty post the lowest advertised car rental rates, but after airport fees, taxes, and add-ons, Enterprise and National frequently match or undercut them on total cost. We found that prepaying with Budget saved the most on car rentals of five days or longer, while Enterprise's off-airport rental locations offered the best net price for shorter trips. Always compare the final checkout total, not the headline rate.
Is Turo cheaper than a traditional car rental company?
Sometimes, but less often than its marketing suggests. Turo's trip fee, ranging from 10% to 35% of the rental price and reaching 100% in markets like New York, can erase the apparent savings on car hire. Insurance costs on the platform are variable and often confusing for first-time users. We found Turo most competitive for multi-day urban car rentals and for access to vehicles no traditional fleet carries. For standard airport car hire, traditional car rental companies usually win on predictability and total cost.
Do I need rental car insurance if I have a credit card?
Many premium credit cards include collision damage waiver coverage at no extra cost. Chase Sapphire Reserve, Amex Platinum, and Capital One Venture X all offer this benefit when you rent a car. However, coverage terms vary significantly. Some credit cards exclude SUVs, luxury vehicles, trucks, or car rentals exceeding 15 to 31 days. Some require you to decline the rental car company's own CDW to activate the credit card benefit. Call your issuer before each trip to confirm what is covered for your specific vehicle and rental duration.
What is the best car rental loyalty program?
It depends on what you value most. National Car Rental's Emerald Club offers the best free-tier pickup experience: choose your own car from the Emerald Aisle, often upgraded from a midsize booking. Enterprise Plus has the lowest redemption threshold, awarding a free rental day at just 400 points, roughly $400 in qualifying spend. Hertz Gold Rewards wins for airline mileage earning, offering up to 8 Delta SkyMiles per dollar. All three programs are free to join, so signing up before you compare car rental offers costs nothing and opens up counter-bypass and upgrade opportunities immediately.