Last Updated on October 21, 2024 by Kristin
The name might not yet be as recognizable as Avis or Hertz. But in a few years, the German firm Sixt Rent a Car has become a bigger fish in the North American pond. The brand once had a limited number of offices scattered around the United States. But now it displays its trademark orange hues in Times Square.
Notably, Sixt recently ranked No. 3 among car rental companies in the J.D. Power 2024 North America Rental Car Satisfaction Study, behind National and Enterprise and handily beating out the likes of Avis, Budget and Hertz. This was the first time in more than a decade that a new rental car brand broke into the rankings—a testament to its rapid growth and popularity.
How did Sixt become a player so quickly in just a few years? The German firm expanded its footprint a few years ago by scooping up U.S. locations from the bankrupt Advantage Rent a Car. Since then, it has steadily grown to become a contender in the U.S. rental car industry.
Here’s Where Sixt Is Growing Fastest
Sixt has expanded significantly since entering the U.S. market in 2011. The company now has more than 100 locations in 25 states, including in 49 major airports. That’s still tiny compared to the well-established major U.S. car rental firms, but it is turning the heads of discerning travelers.
The company opened four new airport locations and 13 downtown branches in the U.S. during the 2023 financial year and the first part of 2024. Sixt recently opened branches at Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), William P. Hobby Airport in Houston (HOU), Milwaukee International Airport (MKE), Kansas City International Airport (MCI) and Tucson International Airport (TU.S.). It also opened new city locations in Washington, D.C. and Portland, Oregon.
Sixt has a particular focus on the New York City area, with plans to grow its footprint at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in early 2025. It also added new locations in Jersey City, Times Square and Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
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Here’s What Sixt’s Expansion Means to You
As Sixt has grown in North America, it has begun to overcome what was one of its biggest drawbacks. The company was never a good choice for taking a long-range road trip. That’s because with few locations, Sixt had been forced to limit the geographic region where you could take its vehicles.
Now the company is relaxing these restrictions on cross-state rentals, making it a better option for a regional road trip than in the past. When Sixt had a smaller footprint, it put strict restrictions on driving its fleet across state lines for round-trip rentals. It would only allow drivers to stay within a certain geographic area, which changed by state. This required renters to take a careful look at their itinerary to avoid paying big fines.
Now, Sixt has a less restrictive policy—though renters should be aware that some key restrictions are still in place. While the fine print states that vehicles rented at “most” Sixt locations can be driven without issue throughout the 48 contiguous states, beware of an exception in New England. Renters picking up vehicles at Sixt’s locations in Springfield, Massachusetts and West Haven, Connecticut must stay within Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. “Travel to other states will be subject to additional charges,” Sixt warns.
Sixt also has regional restrictions on driving across the Canadian border, and one-way rentals are prohibited. Driving into Mexico is not allowed, and doing so will cost renters an extra 50 cents per mile.
While Sixt still has some restriction on where renters can drive, it has become a much stronger contender for cross-country road trips. Just remember that the company is still growing. You may not always be able to find a Sixt rental location on the road if you need immediate assistance.
The Sixt Fleet
Sixt differentiates itself from its better-known competitors by renting nicer, rarer vehicles you’d be hard-pressed to find elsewhere. Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Jaguar, Land Rover and Mercedes-Benz are just some brands Sixt offers, depending on availability. It also rents Chevy and Toyota models, but it’s known for its more premium vehicles.
Don’t Forget to Sign up for Sixt Rewards
Even if you only rent a car once in a blue moon, it always makes sense to join the rental car company’s loyalty program. This lets you take advantage of benefits such as upgrades and other perks.
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Sixt Rewards is a fairly straightforward program when it comes to accruing benefits.
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