Located on the West Coast of the United States, the Californian city of San Diego is a sunny tourist destination where the weather is almost always good, with an endless coastline full of beaches, coves, sea caves, and surfers. Sounds good, right? Well, keep imagining because visiting San Diego also means going to see neighborhoods with historical, cultural, and architectural interest, and panoramic views of the ocean, as well as natural landscapes that will take your breath away.
The variety of places to visit outdoors in San Diego is limitless. Not only can you relax or do water sports on clear water beaches, considered some of the best beaches in California, but you can also take in the sights at Point Loma or discover the gardens, museums, and theaters of Balboa Park, the cultural center of the city. Not to mention boat tours to go whale watching. In addition, San Diego is known for its world-class restaurants, thriving nightlife, and unique craft brewery scene.
San Diego Airport is ranked among the busiest airports in the country. With over 40 million passengers a year, it’s no wonder there are so many rental car companies operating out of San Diego Airport to help you get your vacation started off right. While all these choices can be overwhelming, we’ve narrowed down our list to the Best Car Rental Companies San Diego Airport (USA) that lessen your task in locating one in your next landing.
So, here is the Ranking of the TOP 17 Best Car Rental Companies at San Diego Airport in 2024
#1.- National (8.9/10) 🏆
National is located in the airport rental car center with a large selection of vehicles to choose from. You can rent a car that fits your travel needs, whether it’s an economy or luxury vehicle for your trip. Rates are very competitive, starting at $25 a day.
National Car Rental Customer Ratings
- Good customer service
- No wait for counter service
- Straightforward process
- Competitive rates
#2.- Penske (8.8/10) 🥈
Penske is different from other car rental companies in San Diego, as it is dedicated to renting vans and trucks for business and moving.
Penske is conveniently located right outside of Gate 41 in Terminal 2. This location offers 24/7 pick up or drops off for your convenience to start or end your trip on time. With a vast selection of vehicles to choose from, you can rent anything from an economy Vans to a 26 Foot Truck for your business. Rates at Penske start as low as $29 a day.
Penske San Diego Airport Customer Ratings
- No wait for rental counter
- Great service
- Friendly, helpful staff
- Clean cars and trucks
#3.- Alamo (8.7/10) 🥉
Alamo is conveniently located in the airport’s rental car center. With a large selection of vehicles to choose from, Alamo provides excellent customer service and low rates starting at $25 a day.
Alamo San Diego Airport Customer Ratings
- Professional Staff
- Great experience
- Straightforward process
- No wait for counter service
#4.- Enterprise (8.6/10) 🔝
Enterprise is located in a large facility inside the airport. Enterprise provides excellent customer service and low rates starting as low as $25 a day with a great selection of vehicles.
Enterprise Rent A Car Customer Ratings
- Easy to find the location
- No wait time for rental counter, easy process
- Friendly and helpful personnel
- Efficient, easy & excellent service
#5.- Hertz (8.0/10) 🔝
Hertz is conveniently located near gate 31 in the airport. With a large selection of vehicles to choose from, Hertz provides excellent customer service and low rates starting as low as $30 a day.
Hertz Customer Ratings
- Fast rental process
- Friendly helpful staff
- Comfortable cars/reasonable rates
- No wait at counter service
#6.- Car Rental Express (7.6/10)
Car Rental Express is conveniently located inside the airport, just outside of the baggage claim. With a large selection of vehicles to choose from, you can rent an economy car or luxury vehicle for your trip. With low rates starting at $27 a day, you can rest assured that you are getting low prices without sacrificing quality.
Car Rental Express Customer Ratings
- Friendly customer service
- No wait time for counter service
- Reasonable prices
- Clean and new cars
- No hidden costs
#7.- Avis (7.4/10)
The Avis Car Rental location is conveniently located inside the lower level of terminal one on the baggage claim belt. With a large selection of vehicles to choose from, Avis has some of the lowest rates in San Diego, starting as low as $26 a day. You can also go online and reserve your rental car before arriving at the airport, saving you time and money.
Avis San Diego Airport Customer Ratings
- Convenient location/open early and late
- Great deals/comparable price to offsite rentals
- Good customer service/helpful staff
- Well maintained cars
#8.- Budget (7.3/10)
The Budget Car Rental location is conveniently located inside the airport in terminal two outside of baggage claim. With a large selection of vehicles to choose from, you can get a rate as low as $30 a day. You can also go online and reserve your rental car before arriving at the airport, saving you time and money.
Budget Car Rental Customer Ratings
- Friendly helpful staff
- No hidden fees
- No taxes added
- Reasonable prices
- Well maintained cars
- No wait time for counter service
#9.- Advantage (7.2/10)
Advantage is conveniently located inside the low price level of terminal one baggage claim area and behind Starbucks and Outback Steakhouse. With convenient hours opening early at 6AM and closing late at 9PM, you won’t need to worry about missing your flight or being late for a rental car. You can rent an economy car, luxury car, or SUV for your trip from Advantage, starting as low as $30 a day.
Advantage Car Rental Customer Ratings
- Convenient location
- Open early and work late
- Great price deals
- Good customer service
- Helpful staff
- Well maintained vehicles
#10.- Thrifty (6.6/10)
If you’re looking for a bigger car to fit your whole family or bigger suitcases, then look no further than Thrifty at San Diego Airport. Not only does this company have a good selection of cars to choose from, but they also have the largest variety of SUVs and luxury cars to fit all your vacation needs. Rates are competitive, with starting prices at $22 a day.
Thrifty San Diego Airport Reviews
- Great experience with excellent service at the airport
- No line waits
- Great price on the upgrade
- Quality, professional and prompt customer service
#11.- City Car Rental (6.5/10)
Conveniently located just steps away from the lower level of terminal one on the baggage claim belt. With a low rate starting at $29 a day, you can get an economy car, SUV, or van for your trip with no hidden fees or taxes added.
City Car Rental Customer Ratings
- Friendly/helpful staff/no wait time for counter service
- No hidden costs/no taxes/no fees added
- Good rates/clean cars
#12.- Dollar (6.4/10)
Dollar is the top car rental company at San Diego Airport, with almost 400 vehicles available to pick up from the airport’s car rental center. With a vast selection of cars, Dollar provides you with choices to meet your specific needs. Rates are very competitive, starting as low as $20 a day.
Dollar Rent Customer Ratings
- Excellent customer service, very impressed
- Friendly and professional staff. A hassle-free experience.
- Great service
- An ideal place to rent a car.
#13.- Fox Rent A Car (5.6/10)
Fox is located just outside of Gate 32 in Terminal 2. This location offers a large selection of vehicles to choose from at a low, competitive rate starting as low as $28 a day. All vehicles are well maintained and have great features like DVD players, GPS, Bluetooth audio, and Sirius XM radio. You can make your reservation online with them before arriving at the airport, which will save you time when picking up your car.
Fox Rent A Car Airport Customer Ratings
- Great service-no waiting
- Fast, easy, and efficient
- Excellent experience.
- Speedy and friendly rental process
#14.- Pacific Rent A Car (5.2/10)
Pacific Rent A Car is conveniently located next to the airport in a large facility with an onsite Hertz Rental Car office. Their low prices start at just $30 a day for an economy car, SUV, or mid-sized vehicle.
Pacific Rent A Car Customer Ratings
- No wait time for counter service
- Excellent price/clean/new cars
- No hidden costs/no taxes/no fees added
#15.- Ace Rental Cars (5.0/10)
Ace is located right outside the airport at the front of baggage claim just outside Gate 43. This location offers a one-stop-shop where you can pick up your car rental and be on your way quickly and easily.
They provide a professional service that aims to please their customers by providing competitive rates starting as low as $28 a day. Furthermore, all the cars are well maintained with great features to make your trip enjoyable.
Ace Rental Car Customer Ratings
- Fast pick up
- Friendly and helpful staff
- Great customer experience
- Competitive prices
#16.- Mex Rent A Car (4.8/10)
Mex Rent A Car is conveniently located just steps away from the lower level of Terminal 1 on the baggage claim belt. With a large selection of clean and well-maintained vehicles to choose from, you can rent an economy car, SUV, or full-size van for your trip. Low rates start at just $25 a day.
Mex Rent A Car Customer Ratings
- Friendly helpful staff/no hidden fees/no taxes added
- No wait time for counter service
- Good price/clean cars
#17.- Payless (4.5/10)
Payless is conveniently located outside Gate 41 in terminal 2. With low rates starting at $26 a day, you can get around town in an economy car, convertible, SUV, or minivan for your trip. You can also go online and pre-book your rental before arriving at the airport and pick up your car without waiting in line.
Payless Car Rental Customer Ratings
- No hassles, quick, friendly service
- Low rates
- On-time pick up
- No wait for counter service
- Convenient location
Conclusion
Renting a car at San Diego Airport is easy and affordable. With so many rental options available, you are sure to find the perfect vehicle for your trip. Whether you are looking for an economy, mid-size, or SUV, there will be no trouble finding the right rental car at the right price.
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.