As traveling gradually starts to resume in most areas of the US, people still prioritize social distancing and safety by going for road trips and then renting cars here and there. Because of this particular demand, there has presently been a shortage in national car rentals, with which prices are increased. If you’re planning to reserve a rental, the best course of action is to do this as early as possible so that you can avoid dealing with unnecessary and hassling problems that are likely to occur.
Moreover, since it’s quite expensive and difficult to rent cars at this moment, there are some instances where travelers would show up for their car rental reservations only to discover that there’s no car available despite having reserved and paid for one in advance. For these reasons and more, it’s essential to note that a trustworthy rental company will be your guide to ensure that you will be able to arrive at your preferred destination safely. It’s also better if you opt for a car rental that provides reasonable and affordable prices that won’t strain your budget. By choosing a car rental that provides an economical and hassle-free way for you to go from one location to another, there’s no doubt that you will be able to maximize and fully enjoy your traveling experience.
In this article, we will specifically be listing down the ranking of the best car rental companies you can find at Oakland Airport in 2024. These options range from different agencies, from traditional car rentals to those that offer loyalty programs and the like. Moreover, these are selected according to policies, current prices, and procedures so that you can immediately discern which rental car company is the best fit for your traveling needs.
#1. Enterprise (8.6/10) 🏆
One of the best car rentals overall that you can find in Oakland Airport is Enterprise. Enterprise Rent-A-Car is reputable for how impressive they perform across all possible categories. These include online booking, price, and even customer satisfaction. In fact, a survey conducted in 2019 by a trusted research company showed that Enterprise garnered a high score for their application and website (third and second respectively), and was also second overall for customer satisfaction, scoring 855 points out of a thousand – just merely one point behind Hertz company.
At Enterprise, a rental for one week is priced at $705. This already includes fees and taxes. This car rental also makes sure to adhere to COVID-19 policies to keep its customers safe and protected. Enterprise has a “Complete Clean” pledge that includes vacuuming, washing, and sanitizing with disinfectants that meet the demands of health authorities. They offer curbside pick-up as an option as well.
If you have not paid, Enterprise follows a no-fee cancellation policy. For pre-paid rentals, you have the choice to cancel up to 24 hours prior to your pick-up for a price of $50. If you cancel less than 24 hours before your designated reservation, you will have to incur a $100 fee for that. It’s also important to note that the daily rate in Enterprise can be a little higher compared to the average rental car rate. However, the company has recently reported that it had decreased its additional charges, especially for young drivers under the age of 25.
#2. Alamo (8.2/10) 🥈
The Alamo Rent-A-Car company is also a well-trusted and established name within the car rental market. Among all the car rental companies in Oakland Airport, the Alamo company’s prices were consistently among the cheapest. Alamo Rent-A-Car’s prices are always competitive despite having fewer locations compared to most of its competitors.
A one-week car rental at this company is priced at $695, including fees and taxes. Similar to Enterprise, Alamo also adheres to the COVID-19 clean pledge that meets sanitary requirements by health authorities to ensure the safety of its clients.
When it comes to cancellation policies, Alamo car rental is simultaneously extending its present no-fee cancellation rule in order to include clients that have pre-paid rentals that are booked from them directly. Before this policy, pre-paid rentals that customers cancel would often require a certain fee, whereas cancellations should be done 24 hours or more prior to picking up the car rental. If this isn’t followed, a no-show fee of $100 shall be required. While it’s true that the Alamo car rental has relatively fewer spots than others, many of its locations are concentrated on airports.
Their prices are also lower and cost-efficient compared to other competitors.
#3. National (8.0/10) 🥉
National Car Rental mainly prides itself on its loyalty program for business travelers alike, including its services and focused customer service as well. This is especially evident in their highly regarded application and website, considering that both of these placed first and second in their respective categories at JD Power’s 2019 survey of the travel industry.
Here at National Car rental, a one-week rental requires $796, which is already inclusive of fees and taxes. It also shares the Clean Pledge, just like that of Alamo and Enterprise. It ensures disinfecting, washing, vacuuming, and sanitizing of its equipment to meet the standard protocol and health requirements. You will be assured that your car is clean and disinfected the moment you access your rental.
This company also adheres to a no-fee cancellation policy when it comes to pre-paid rentals that are booked through them, unlike their previous regulation. However, cancellations should be made either 24 hours or more, or a no-show fee shall be assessed.
It’s essential to note that since National is preeminently focused on business travelers, they do not offer pick-up or drop-off services at the moment. If you are a business traveler, National car rental is significantly the best car rental for you because of its competitive programs and services. Otherwise, opting for other car rentals is the best option.
#4. Hertz (7.6/10) 🔝
Hertz is among the top car rentals with a great long-term reputation alongside decades-long experience in terms of customer satisfaction. This company currently has more than 1,600 spots, particularly at airports in the United States, including Oakland International airport, that come with a variety of fleets and an excellent rewards program.
Their drop-off and pick-up processes at airports are also significantly efficient, which is primarily why they were also able to attain a high score of 856 from the JD Power’s 2019 survey.
One-week car rental in Hertz is priced at $862, which is already inclusive of fees and taxes. Like Enterprise, this company also adheres to cleaning policies according to standard COVID-19 protocol. One of which is that they make sure that all sanitized cars are labeled with a sticker that is removed or broken once the driver of the car gets access to the rental. This means that the car has been disinfected the moment the driver steps in until the car is transferred to its last destination.
For renters under 25 years old, fees are waived. Also, the minimum age for renters has been diminished from 20 to 18 years old to enable young drivers and college students to return to their homes. Hertz lowered their rates when it comes to one-way trips as well.
Hertz’s short-term car rentals are more expensive compared to some of the other car rentals, specifically when it’s just for one or two days. Long-term rentals, on the other hand, have more competitive and efficient prices.
#5. Avis (7.1/10) 🔝
Like National Car Rental, Avis is among the top companies for business travelers as well. They also currently have a wide range of car rentals at Oakland airport which you can choose to have an optimal travel experience. Moreover, it provides great perks and benefits, whereas a complimentary membership conveniently allows you to skip the line and immediately proceed to your car rental.
They also provide a large variety of economy and luxury car models, all at the best-guaranteed rate for you. Moreover, changes to your reservation must be made at their website by using the modify/cancel option. Cancellation should also be made more than 24 hours before the pick-up time. Otherwise, the company will require a charge of $50.
While Avis provides a great app to make transactions and affordable quotes for weekly rates, its loyalty program can prove to be quite challenging for customers to earn points. Moreover, airport pick-ups tend to require additional fees as well.
Conclusion
With a large array of attractions present in Oakland, California, you will definitely want to rent a car so that you don’t have to miss out on what the place has to offer. If you want to go for a drive along the interior roads of this region, or if you want to take a downtown cruise by its nearby beaches and bays, each place is a treat to explore because of Oakland’s scenic views and landscape.
Wherever you plan on going, these best car rentals provide a fleet of car choices for you to rent from SUVs to economy cars, luxury cars, and more, you’ll surely find an option that suits you or your family best.
We hope you liked this article. Now you can continue reading our article about the differences between Avis, Budget, Hertz, Europcar, Payless, Sixt, Thrifty, Dollar, Alamo, National, or our ranking of the Top Car Rental Companies in the US.