A little more than an hour’s drive from Orlando, Tampa is the largest city on Florida’s west coast, with about 1.4 million people living in Hillsborough County, and with an extraordinary tourist and cultural offer.
Tampa Bay encompasses four cities: Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, and Brandon. All border the largest open-water estuary on Florida’s west coast (covering nearly 400 square miles). The outdoor recreational opportunities alone provide reason enough to visit the region, but if water sports aren’t your thing, the Tampa Bay area is packed with many other exciting experiences. So whether you’re an adrenaline junkie, a shopaholic, or a bar hopper, this area has something for everyone.
The best way to visit Tampa Bay at your leisure is to rent a car upon arrival at Tampa Airport. But which company to rent from? There are many small and international car rental agencies in and around Tampa Airport. Each company has something to offer, be it price or by rewarding a customer’s loyalty, but which is best for you. Here we review the 10 Best Car Rental Companies of Tampa Airport, Florida in 2024.
#1.- Enterprise/National/Alamo (9/10) 🏆
Enterprise Holdings group leads the way in renting cars around the world, which is why they have such good customer loyalty. Booking a car from National is as quick and easy as it is picking it up from the airport.
Prices are reasonable, and at least you end up with the car in the same size category as you booked. Even in situations where your chosen car is unavailable, the service staff tries their hardest to remedy the situation and make it right.
Enterprise rental cars are clean, well-maintained, and have low mileage. Car inspectors at drop-off points tend not to mark minor paint chips or scratches. And after your first rental, you can be sure that the next time you travel to Tampa Airport, you will be first checking the deals at Enterprise.
Enterprise Holdings customer ratings:
- ⭐ Excellent car cleanliness
- ⭐ Excellent customer service
- ⭐ Excellent pick-up process
- ⭐ Smooth drop-off
- ✔️ Good pricing
#2.- Budget (7/10) 🥈
Good service is the first thing that you want after getting off a flight and waiting for your bags. Budget Car Rental has a strong following, and this is due to how they run their customer service desks.
As with many car hire companies, issues of unclean cars do occur, but the agents are more than happy to make amends in these situations. The bookings and after-sales service from online and telephone representatives are also exceptional.
Some of the main problems renters have experienced include not being able to find a service agent after late-night landings. There are also reports of long waiting times, but these are infrequent, and many renters find the airport service quick and efficient.
Budget Car Rental customer ratings:
- ⭐ Excellent car cleanliness
- ✔️ Good customer service
- ✔️ Good pick-up process
- ⭐ Smooth drop-off
- ⭐ Excellent pricing
#3.- Avis (7/10) 🥉
Avis is a great all-around car rental company that does well at covering the needs of business and family travelers. Avis offers many types of small vehicles, but also a great number of saloons, SUVs, and luxury vehicles.
Prices are also competitive, even against some of the less-known agencies at Tampa Airport. Renting from Avis at Tampa Airport also has certain advantages. Avis has an excellent Key-Drop service, they give discounts for early bookings, and offer long-term rental solutions.
The services desks are professional and treat their customers with dignity and respect. Some issues with renting include the odd car that gets through to renters with dirty interiors. Avis also charges excessive deposits before allowing the driver to take their cars.
Avis Car Rental customer ratings:
- ✔️ Good car cleanliness
- ⭐ Excellent customer service
- ⭐ Excellent pick-up process
- ⭐ Smooth drop-off
- ✔️ Good pricing
#4.- Advantage (6/10)
Advantage Rent-a-Car have moved their headquarters to Florida since Orlando Rentco took over the business in 2020. Advantage offers a wide range of vehicles, from minivans for the family to performance vehicles for some fun.
The prices from Advantage are competitive, and the rental process is stress-free. The service desk is efficient, polite, and well-organized. The price that Advantage charge for fuel is often less than that at the pump.
Most renters get the vehicle they ordered, or better, and also end up with vehicles that are near new. Issues include the service desk closing early, occasional overbookings, and rare communication mishaps.
Advantage customer ratings:
- ⭐ Excellent car cleanliness
- ✔️ Good customer service
- ✔️ Efficient pick-up process
- ⭐ Smooth drop-off
- ⭐ Excellent pricing
#5.- Hertz (6/10)
With over 2600 Hertz locations in the US, renting a car from them gives you some peace of mind and a broad choice of drop-off locations. Business travelers may also prefer the fact that they can earn loyalty points that lead to discounts and upgrades.
Hertz supplies modern cars that are clean and consistent, but they do like to give out smaller though more expensive cars. This leaves many renters with a family in the position of arguing to get a larger car or having to pay to upgrade.
Efficiency is excellent, with both pick-up and drop-off processes being smooth and trouble-free. You should also be aware that Hertz applies large fees to minor damages on the vehicle. So, get the waiver or use a credit card that gives you the proper coverage.
Hertz customer ratings:
- ✔️ Good car cleanliness
- ✔️ Good customer service
- ✔️ Good pick-up process
- ⭐ Smooth drop-off
- ✔️ Competitive prices
#6.- Executive Car Rental (6/10)
Executive Car Rental aims towards business travelers, drivers that want simple and comfortable cars, though they do rent SUVs. Prices are reasonable considering the vehicles that they offer, and they do have some great deals on their economy cars.
The employees at the services desks seem to have a high level of competence and training, meaning they resolve issues fast. Waiting times are short, and the service desk picks up the ball from other rental companies that fail to deliver a promise.
Executive Car Rentals also offer free cancelation on most of their cars – useful for business travelers. Those renting from any agency at Tampa Airport often find it difficult to find an agent after coming off night flights. But most people find their experience with Executive Rentals simple and efficient.
Executive customer ratings:
- ✔️ Good car cleanliness
- ⭐ Excellent customer service
- ✔️ Good pick-up process
- ⭐ Smooth drop-off
- ✔️ Competitive prices
#7.- Sixt Car Rental (6/10)
Sixt has a car rental history that spans a century, and its Tampa airport rental is one of over 130 locations in the US. Having such a large number of locations gives renters a lot of flexibility when it comes to drop-off points.
Sixt’s website is clear and easy to navigate – making it easier to choose a car and its extras at the price you are looking for. When it comes to picking up the car, you may find a push to upgrade to something better.
The cars are immaculate, the service desks are efficient and polite, and dropping-off is simple. The big complaints come from the vehicle damage charges renters get for minor scratches. Though all car rentals charge for damage, which is why paying a little extra for the excess waiver is worth it.
Sixt customer ratings:
- ⭐ Excellent car cleanliness
- ✔️ Good customer service
- ✔️ Efficient pick-up process
- ⭐ Smooth drop-off
- ✔️ Good pricing
#8.- Ace Rent-a-Car (5.5/10)
Ace Rent-a-Car has operations in over 45 countries. They know how to run an efficient service, which is what you want from an airport rental service, but they do hit some occasional problems. For the most part, the Thrifty service desk is attentive and helpful.
Booking a rental through their online system is a straightforward process. The professional help center from Ace is available for any issues you may have. The agents at the airport service desk are some of the best that you will ever experience, and they ensure that you get your car without delay.
Of the few issues experienced by renters, the condition of the vehicle on pick-up is the most common. People complain of dirt under the floor mats and strange smells coming from unidentified origins.
Ace Rent-a-Car customer ratings:
- ✔️ Adequate car cleanliness
- ✔️ Good customer service
- ✔️ Efficient pick-up process
- ⭐ Smooth drop-off
- ✔️ Good pricing
#9.- Thrifty Car Rental (5/10)
The cost of renting a vehicle can be a major hit to the wallet if you want it for more than a couple of days. Thrifty Car Rental tries to stay true to its name, giving its customers low rates, unlimited mileage, and simple vehicles.
Their range of cars is ample, and your choice of vehicle rarely swaps to anything smaller than what you paid for. There are some complaints about excessive deposit requests, but most renters get back the full amount.
Getting your vehicle from Thrifty’s service deck in the TPA’s Car Rental Center is quick and convenient, though this is not always the case. Thrifty cars have lower cleaning standards than other rentals, leaving the opinion on this agency mixed.
Thrifty Car Rental customer ratings:
- ✔️ Good car cleanliness
- ✔️ Good customer service
- ✔️ Good pick-up process
- ⭐ Smooth drop-off
- ✔️ Good pricing
#10.- Dollar Rent-a-Car (4/10)
Dollar Rent-a-Car is now under the ownership of Hertz, so you can expect similar booking and service desk experiences. The cost of renting from Dollar is like that of Thrifty – since they are also under the ownership of Hertz.
The cost of renting seems reasonable – though after adding extras, including tax, the true price can be upsetting. At times, the service desk seems slow and ineffective and often pushes renters into upgrading.
The service desk also tries to push the insurance from Dollar, which leads to some customers into arguments. The extra packages can add a significant difference to the final rental price, meaning that you are not getting the deal you thought.
Dollar Rent-a-Car customer ratings:
- ⭐ Excellent car cleanliness
- ✔️ Good customer service
- ✔️ Good pick-up process
- ⭐ Smooth drop-off
- ✔️ Good pricing
Conclusion
When you come back to choosing a Tampa Airport rental company, the service is the most important factor. Prices vary with options and vehicle types. But, when it comes to the experience, Enterprise always leaves you feeling that you ended up with the best deal.
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.
Top Rent a Car - Book now!
You can also be interested in:
Related posts:
Best Car Rental Companies Minneapolis Airport
Best Car Rental Companies Philadelphia Airport
Best Car Rental Companies San Diego Airport
Best Car Rental Companies at Fort Lauderdale Airport
Best Car Rental Companies at Las Vegas Airport
Best Car Rental Companies in France
Best Car Rental Companies in Canada
Best Car Rental Companies in Australia
Tampa Airport (TPA)