Cheapflights insights for Washington, D.C. car rentals
Get relevant, data-driven information to help you hire a car in Washington, D.C., including pricing trends, ideal booking times, and more.
How far in advance should I hire a car in Washington, D.C.?
Book your car hire in Washington, D.C. 7 days before your pickup date to maximise your savings. Car hire prices are around RM 216/day on average when booked 7 days ahead, which saves you 255% off the average price.
What is the best car rental company in Washington, D.C.?
Based on Cheapflights user feedback, the highest-rated car rental company in Washington, D.C. is Hertz (rated 5.1/10 with 185 reviews). Avis (rated 5.9/10 with 31 reviews) is also highly rated by our users.
Hertz
5.1
Avis
5.9
Budget
4.9
Thrifty
2.7
What is the cheapest month to rent a car in Washington, D.C.?
The cheapest month to hire a car in Washington, D.C. is January, when you can expect to pay RM 188/day on average. The most expensive month to hire a car in Washington, D.C. is July (RM 323/day on average). The average daily car hire price for each month is shown below. Keep in mind that prices will vary based on availability, when you book, and the type of car you hire.
January
RM 188
February
RM 192
March
RM 233
April
RM 229
May
RM 265
June
RM 314
July
RM 323
August
RM 294
September
RM 241
October
RM 237
November
RM 229
December
RM 241
What car do most people hire in Washington, D.C.?
SUV cars (Cadillac Escalade, for example) are the most popular in Washington, D.C.. Intermediate (Honda Civic) and Luxury (Mercedes-Benz E-Class) cars are also often chosen by our users when visiting Washington, D.C..
Which car hire company has the most locations in Washington, D.C.?
Both Avis and NextCar have 7 locations in Washington, D.C., more than any other rental company in the area.
Top rental agencies in Washington, D.C.
Explore the leading car rental agencies in Washington, D.C. known for their outstanding service and extensive range of vehicles to choose from. There are currently 8 car rental companies in Washington, D.C.. Reviews were last updated on 10 October 2026.
Overview
Reviews
Locations
Hertz
185 reviews•6 locations
Overview
Cleanliness
5.9
Comfort
5.9
Overall
5.1
Pick-up/drop-off
5.1
Value
5.3
Recent reviews
2.0
|Mar 2025Not good. I had a change of plans. Brought back car a day earlier. Hardly put any miles on and they charged by about 2x the price quoted. I informed the person picking up the car about change in plans. She said. Dont worry. We will over ride the system when I drop off the vehicle. No extra charges and it will be less than the quoted price. I was told when I picked up the car. Drop off the car and the person said no problem showed my the price and it was about $30 less. Great. No they charged me full price plus the other costs. It was an extra 160. I called and complained. They gave me 70 back no am still out 110 plus brought it back with low miles and a day early. Frustrated!!
2.0
|Sept 2023They did not have enough cars available for all prepaid reservation holders. We were told to wait until midnight to see if they had more cars available. Staff was rude, unhelpful, and unprofessional. They gave out cars in order of which customers were angriest and loudest at the rental counter -- highly suggest being aggressive if you run into problems here. The electric car I was eventually given had a small battery and was slow to charge (definitely not a Tesla). They only gave me a 71% charge and demanded that it be returned at 70%, but I couldn't drive from my house to the airport without dropping below 70%. It made the experience stressful. I regularly fly into DCA and highly recommend Alamo, National, or Enterprise. I do not understand why anyone would pay a premium for Hertz over cheaper options like Thrifty or Dollar.
4.0
|Sept 2023The upsales at car collection are outrageous. Continual offerings of dubious “benefits” all at inflated prices. Like $10 a gallon for fuel for a top up at drop off. Like insurance add ons that nearly double your quoted rental rate. Like a toll transponder for $13 a day which are almost free to buy. Like “other driver” add on fee. How many people are going to be driving the car at a time? The list is endless. I felt thoroughly ripped off leaving your premises.
6.0
|Jul 2023The telephone experience was really awful---we could not talk to a real person for a long time. agents were not available. The car itself was fine.
2.0
|Jul 2023I was charged for a rental that I never actually used
4.0
|Jul 2023I didn’t have any balance and had already paid taxes. The guy told me I owed taxes, didn’t give an explanation and when I showed him the email from Kayak showing I owed nothing and had already paid taxes and fees, he basically shrugged his shoulders and was like well this says you do. He should’ve investigated it or asked someone to help him figure it out. We were at a stand still so i asked to speak to the manager to clarify why I’m paying for it again with a $0 balance. The manager quickly figured out it was because I arrived 1.5 hours earlier than the scheduled time so it was the hourly rate plus taxes and fees of that rate.
1 out of 62
Hertz Locations in Washington, D.C.
Overview
Reviews
Locations
Avis
31 reviews•7 locations
Overview
Cleanliness
6.9
Comfort
6.6
Overall
5.9
Pick-up/drop-off
6.0
Value
6.3
Recent reviews
4.0
|Apr 2023The pick-up was OK. Friendly staff, but silly process (only two people allowed in the building at once). Drop-off was fast, but the gentleman I dealt with was fairly rude. The car, though, was terrible. It needed service (the service light was on when I picked it up). It was in bad shape and not terribly clean. It jerked when starting up at an intersection. The windshield produced glare in all conditions. Overall, the car was worn out.
1 out of 11
Avis Locations in Washington, D.C.
Overview
Reviews
Locations
Budget
56 reviews•7 locations
Overview
Cleanliness
5.9
Comfort
6.0
Overall
4.9
Pick-up/drop-off
4.7
Value
5.2
Recent reviews
6.0
|Jun 2023Price should include possible cost of insurance up front to avoid surprises at the desk. Car had a faulty trunk sensor and shuddering breaks.
2.0
|May 2023Arrived at the location at 9:30 am for my 10 am reservation, no cars were available and I was told I would have to wait 60 minutes before any would there. I was in line with approximately 7 other customers ahead of me. I cancelled my reservation and booked at a different location.
6.0
|Apr 2023Car had bird poop on doors and the back. Interior had mud Pickup receptionist on phone throughout pickup. Vehicle at 3/4 tank making guessing how much to fill up annoying and ended up gifting budget some free gas. 6/10 experience.
10.0
|Apr 2023Amanda was amazing at the E street location. Kind and willing to work with me on my bill. Would happily rent from them again!
2.0
|Apr 2023I waited in line for an hour to pick up my rental and the one person working helped 3 people in that time. I ended up canceling my reservation and mg plans for the day. Avis/Budget at 1908 L St NW DC is a horrible place to rent a car. Just don’t.
2.0
|Apr 2023More than a 90 minute wait to pick up car and 20 minutes to drop off. This company has been gutted. I avoid under all circumstances.
1 out of 19
Budget Locations in Washington, D.C.
Overview
Reviews
Locations
Thrifty
39 reviews•5 locations
Overview
Cleanliness
3.8
Comfort
3.7
Overall
2.7
Pick-up/drop-off
3.1
Value
3.0
Recent reviews
6.0
|Aug 2023Very long line and wait to get the car, there was a mistake on the contract provided, I was told I had to call to get the charge removed. I could never reach anyone on the phone to get it taken care of. At drop-off I had to go back to the counter to get it taken care of.
4.0
|Mar 2023The pickup was easy and I thought I was renting a petrol vehicle. When I went to the garage to pickup the auto the attendant told me to choose any vehicle in a certain section. I didn't realize the one I chose was completely electric. The auto, a Chevy Bolt, was great but it was difficult to figure out how and where to charge the vehicle. I am sure this is due to America just introducing EV's. When I returned the vehicle the woman who took was very nice and helpful and said that I would receive an email and final receipt. After 4 days I have not. I rented through an online company called QEEQ. I have not been able to contact the company and I am still waiting for the receipt. Thrifty salespeople are wonderful but I will think twice about renting through QEEQ again.
10.0
|Apr 2022It's was an exceptionally busy weekend for travelers, yet the staff was well organized, prepared, and communicated to each other well. It was late, and the Thrifty desk transferred to work with the Hertz desk. The concierge taking me to the vehicle apologized for it taking so long to get to my vehicle, but instead I was surprised how quickly they got me there considering how busy it was.
1 out of 13
Thrifty Locations in Washington, D.C.
Overview
Locations
National
2 locations
Overview
Cleanliness
9.3
Comfort
9.3
Overall
9.3
Pick-up/drop-off
9.3
Value
7.3
National Locations in Washington, D.C.
Overview
Locations
Alamo
2 reviews•1 location
Overview
Cleanliness
8.0
Comfort
8.2
Overall
8.2
Pick-up/drop-off
8.2
Value
8.0
Alamo Locations in Washington, D.C.
Overview
Locations
Sixt
1 location
Overview
Cleanliness
6.5
Comfort
6.3
Overall
6.7
Pick-up/drop-off
6.3
Value
6.1
Sixt Locations in Washington, D.C.
Overview
Locations
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
15 reviews•11 locations
Overview
Cleanliness
6.6
Comfort
6.3
Overall
5.8
Pick-up/drop-off
5.8
Value
6.0
Enterprise Rent-A-Car Locations in Washington, D.C.
Car rental FAQs
Find answers to frequently asked questions about car rentals in Washington, D.C., including policies, requirements, and more. FAQs were last updated on 10 October 2026.
How much does it cost to hire a car in Washington, D.C. for a week from Alamo?
From Alamo you can hire a car in Washington, D.C. from about RM 4,672 per week on average.
Can I rent a car for a month in Washington, D.C.?
Yes, renting a vehicle in Washington, D.C. for a month is certainly possible.
Browse thousands of different options on Cheapflights for your next trip
Toggle through the tabs below to find thousands of options on Cheapflights for your next trip.
Car Hires at Airports
Hire Cars in Neighbourhoods
Car Hires in Other Cities
Car Hires Worldwide
Complete your trip
Popular cities