Last Updated on January 16, 2021 by Elizabeth
Flying into a city and need to get downtown? Or staying in a city and need to get to the airport? Consider one-way car rentals from the airport to downtown. Three major rental car firms—Avis, Budget and Alamo—offer a 12-hour one-way airport-to-downtown rental in participating cities starting at $9.99. Hertz offers a similar deal but extends the window to 24 hours.
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Each airport is paired with a select list of downtown locations. For many, the promo is convenient for getting between the airport and the city. But you can’t use this promotion to get between two cities or fly into a nearby city and drive to your desired downtown location.
For airport pickups, you may pay additional fees on top of the base rate, which would increase your total costs. But even so, it will often be less than the cost of a taxi or Uber into the city.
Got a late afternoon flight home on Sunday or Monday? One-way car rentals from the airport to downtown is a great opportunity to use your last day exploring a nearby attraction within an hour from the city. From San Francisco, it’s less than 17 miles to the majestic redwoods in Muir Woods National Monument. You could pick up a car in downtown Houston and explore Galveston Island for the day before heading to the airport. Depending on the city, the possibilities can be very tempting.
Avis 12-Hour One-Way Deal
Rates start at $9.99 for 12 hours for economy through full-size cars and $14.99 for premium cars and intermediate SUVs. No discount code required.
The deal is limited to four days a week. On Thursday and Friday, you can pick up at an airport pickup and drop off downtown. On Sunday and Monday, the deal goes the other way, with a downtown pickup and airport dropoff. You get a free tank of gas and 150 free miles. A $0.10 per mile charge will be applied for each additional mile driven.
Participating cities: There are over a dozen participating cities, including major markets such as Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Dayton, Houston, Kansas City, Memphis, Milwaukee, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Raleigh, Savannah and St. Louis.
Budget 12-Hour Airport to Downtown Deal
Rates start at $9.99 for 12 hours for economy through full-size cars and $14.99 for premium cars and intermediate SUVs. No discount code required.
The deal is limited to four days a week, so consider it for short trips. On Thursday and Friday, you can pick up at an airport pickup and drop off downtown. On Sunday and Monday, the deal goes the other way, with a downtown pickup and airport dropoff. You get a free tank of gas and 150 free miles. A $0.10 per mile charge will be applied for each additional mile driven.
Participating cities: There are 18 participating cities, including major markets such as Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Dayton, Houston, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Raleigh, Savannah and St. Louis.
Alamo 12-Hour Airport to Downtown Deal
Rates start at $9.99 for 12 hours for economy and compact cars and $12.99 for mid-size vehicles. Rates climb incrementally higher for larger and premium categories, up to $24.99 for standard SUVs and minivans. No discount code required.
The deal is limited to five days a week. On Thursday and Friday, you can pick up at an airport pickup and drop off downtown. Sunday through Tuesday, the deal goes the other way, with a downtown pickup and airport dropoff.
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Participating cities: There are seven participating locations: San Francisco, Seattle, Newark, Montreal, Toronto and Washington DC. Note that Orange County in Southern California also offers this deal for $14.99.
Note: Alamo’s sister brands, National and Enterprise, don’t advertise this promo, but they do seem to honor it. We looked for a one-way, one-day rental on a Thursday with a pickup at San Francisco International Airport and a drop-off at Union Square, and noted that National and Enterprise also offered the $9.99 rate.
The Fine Print: 12-Hour Airport to Downtown Deals
These deals have some similar terms, including:
- Offers may not be available during holiday and other blackout periods; rate surcharges during peak periods may apply.
- An additional daily surcharge may apply for renters under 25 years old.
- Rates are non-discountable; they may not be combined with any discount code, coupon, promotion or offer. Taxes, concession recovery fees, vehicle license recovery fee, customer facility charges may apply and are extra.
Hertz 24-Hour Car Rental Airport to Downtown Deal
Rates start at $9.99 for under 24 hours on economy to full-size car classes. No discount code required.
The deal is subject to availability. You get a free tank of gas, plus 150 free miles. You’ll pay a $0.10 per mile charge for each additional mile driven.
Participating cities: There are nine participating cities: Boston, Chicago, Columbia, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Nashville, San Francisco and Washington DC.
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