Charlotte car hire
Same drop-off
Driver's age: 26-65
Fri 9/6
Noon
Fri 16/6
Noon
Here is why travellers choose KAYAK
Save 31% or moreCompare multiple travel sites with one search.
Free to useThere are no hidden charges or fees.
Filter your dealsFilter by car type, brand and more. Instantly customise your results.
Book with flexibilityUse our "free cancellation" filter for maximum flexibility at no extra cost.
Search hundreds of hire car sites at once for hire car deals in Charlotte
...and more
Charlotte car hire information
| Pick-up location | Charlotte |
|---|---|
| Car types | Compact, Economy, Full-size, Full-size SUV, Intermediate, Intermediate SUV, Standard, Standard SUV |
| Hire locations | 65 |
| Airport locations | 24 |
| Popular agencies | Sixt, Dollar, Budget, Hertz, Alamo |
Cheap car rentals in Charlotte
| Economy | $81/day |
| Compact | $64/day |
| Intermediate | $83/day |
| Standard | $88/day |
| Full-size | $95/day |
| Full-size SUV | $107/day |
| Intermediate SUV | $71/day |
| Standard SUV | $82/day |
Top tips for hiring a car in Charlotte
- Driving in Charlotte is the most convenient and effective way of getting to know the city, as all the major interest points are pretty scattered across a 15-mile range. Downtown Charlotte, which is known as Uptown, gets quite busy, but just a short ride away you'll find the cool North Davidson St. and Plaza Midwood neighborhoods. A car is the perfect option for those looking to explore other destinations outside the city — including the US National Whitewater Center, an outdoor recreation facility that sits 15 miles west of Uptown and offers several outdoor activities. Another popular destination is Lake Norman, which is only 30 minutes outside of Charlotte.
- All the big car hire agencies, including Alamo, Avis, Enterprise, and Hertz, can be found at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)'s Consolidated hire Car Facility, which is in the Level 2 lobby next to the Hourly Parking Deck, right in front of the Arrivals terminal.
- Uptown is one of the most crowded areas in the city, particularly when there are big events going on, such as a Carolina Panthers game, so beware of pedestrians if you're driving there. The whole of Charlotte gets pretty packed during NASCAR season, so you may want to avoid going to shopping malls in the city center. The Interstate 485 (I-485) is a highway loop that encircles the city, and, while it may be a little difficult to navigate, it is usually less congested than the Interstate 77, which flows north-south on the western side of Charlotte.
- Although traffic is manageable, roads are usually fairly busy throughout Charlotte during peak hours, so avoid rush hour traffic both in the morning (between 7:30 and 10 a.m.) and afternoon (between 4 and 7 p.m.) if you don't want to be stuck driving for longer than needed. The I-77 in particular tends to get packed during rush hour, in which case it's best to take the 385 loop around the city. When there's a major sporting event taking place, it is recommended that you refrain from driving in the Uptown area.
- Book your rental car in Charlotte at least 1 day before your trip in order to get a below-average price
- Economy rental cars in Charlotte are around 36% cheaper than other car types, on average
FAQs about renting a car in Charlotte
Charlotte car rental reviews and directory
Alamo
8.4
Very Good
286 reviewsBest rated
Cleanliness
8.4
Comfort
8.8
Pick-up/Drop-off
8.6
Value for money
8.1
One location in Charlotte
Filters
Show reviews that mention
Reviews
8.0 Very Good
May 2021
Pros:
Staff was relatively friendly and helpful, vehicle was excellent.Cons:
The vehicle was not waiting for us when we arrived. We had to wait over 30 minutes for a vehicle to arrive at the facility. Communication of this was poor as we were told the wait would be only 10 minutes and I believe we were not immediately notified when our vehicle was ready.4.0 Mediocre
Apr 2021
Cons:
When we picked up the vehicle it only had 1/4 of a tank of gas so we had to wait 20 minutes for them to go put gas in it. When we returned the vehicle we stopped about 20 minutes from the city to fill it up and we were still charged for 3 gallons of gas at 10.00 a gallon, which is absolutely ridiculous.4.0 Mediocre
Mar 2021
Pros:
Drop off was super easy and the van was perfect for our needsCons:
My flight was delayed by 3 hours, so instead of getting in at 9:00 pm it was midnight. When I got to the Alamo rental in the airport the entire garage was empty of cars. There were about 8 of us in line with nothing that we could do but wait to see if more cars were brought over, the employee said that they had overbooked and were waiting for more cars to be turned in and cleaned up. It was after 2:00 am when I got my car, thank goodness I kept my email confirmation because they wanted to charge me an extra $125 even though I picked up the car 5 hours later than I originally scheduled it for. I guess car rental companies are like airlines, they overbook "hoping" people don't show up but when everyone does the customers just get mad and end up having a poor experience.10.0 Wonderful
Mar 2021
Pros:
Staff was greatCons:
Our car had trash and food crumbs in it.6.0 Okay
Feb 2021
Cons:
For Covid protocol standards the car was nasty. I went to Auto Bell and had it detailed and disinfected inside.10.0 Wonderful
Feb 2021
Pros:
Great service and great car.Enterprise Rent-A-Car
7.8
Good
192 reviewsCleanliness
7.7
Comfort
8.0
Pick-up/Drop-off
7.7
Value for money
7.3
14 locations in Charlotte
Locations in Charlotte
Filters
Show reviews that mention
Reviews
10.0 Wonderful
May 2021
Pros:
Staff was very friendly and fast2.0 Poor
May 2021
Pros:
I didn’t like anything; they let me reserve but in reality had nothing available until two days after my chosen date.Cons:
Hmmm I dunno... MAYBE DON’T LET PLL MAKE RESERVATIONS FOR VEHICLES NOT AVAILABLE FOR THEIR CHOSEN DATES!? 🤷♀️🤬😡2.0 Poor
May 2021
Pros:
NothingCons:
Staff was unhelpful and didn’t care about the customers8.0 Very Good
Apr 2021
Pros:
Staff was great - efficient and helpful. Everything was on time and easy!! Thank you!! 😊Cons:
Car was not what we ordered - the minivan we paid for was damaged so you exchanged it w a Nissan Pathfinder. This car was clean and perfect in every way - except it did not have quite enough room - which is why the minivan was ordered. I understand things happen -and I really appreciated you having a substitute car ready for us when we arrived! Unfortunately my boss who booked the rental said he paid extra for a minivan, and total invoice seemed even higher than he expected. He was not happy we paid too much for a substitute, especially as we later had to finagle people and luggage around.2.0 Poor
Apr 2021
Cons:
I ordered a Tahoe or similar and they didn’t have anything but a van. Had to come back to get the van and then waited 30 minutes the second time I came back for it. When I drove off the tank wasn’t even full. It was only at 1/4 tank. When I went to drop off the vehicle a few hours early at 7:50 am the manager told me they don’t open for 10 minutes. From beginning to end was a terrible experience. Left the keys in a drop box and left.10.0 Wonderful
Mar 2021
Cons:
N/ADollar
7.3
Good
525 reviewsCleanliness
7.9
Comfort
7.7
Pick-up/Drop-off
7.2
Value for money
7.0
One location in Charlotte
Filters
Show reviews that mention
Reviews
2.0 Poor
May 2021
Cons:
Don’t prepay with Kayak; our car reeked of cigarette smoke and usb didn’t work but because we prepaid with Kayak Hertz would not refund any of our $. Beware!8.0 Very Good
Apr 2021
Pros:
Ease of check outCons:
The car class I booked was not available. I could have saved money by booking another class getting the same car4.0 Mediocre
Apr 2021
Pros:
The car (Pacifica minivan) really worked well for our needs as far as size and comfort and got decent mileage. Dropoff was very easy.Cons:
The pick up was awful. After a very tiring flight, a packed airport, waiting in line, and trying to breathe in an N95 mask, the agent (who was not wearing her mask properly), kept trying to "upsell" us on a different vehicle. I appreciate the offer to get something larger, and we did. But partly I just agreed to get it so we could all just get out of there. Unrelated, some features to the Pacific like the auto stop/start are just plain dumb and make it hard to use.8.0 Very Good
Apr 2021
Cons:
Hidden charges that you don't find out about until pickup2.0 Poor
Apr 2021
Pros:
Nothing. This was the worst car rental experience I have ever had. I booked the car 6 weeks in advance. When we arrived in Charlotte, we found relatively a long line and no cars awaiting anyone. First, booking through Priceline was deceptive because it dod not include any of the additional taxes, which ended up adding almost $100 to the fee. Then the woman at the counter was deceptive in how she asked about insurance, which added another $100. The additional cost were not explained at all. I only noticed them just before signing the rental agreement, so then entire process had to be redone to eliminate the insurance, but the taxes obviously remained. I had ordered a full size SUV, but after watching one car show up every 10-15 minutes, everyone was just taking whatever showed up, so we ended up with a smaller class car. At that point it was well past midnight and had been there two hours. Our hosts were home waiting for our arrival, so we left and called Dollar the next morning to see if we could get the class of car we ordered. The representative sent me to a Hertz location 30 minutes from where we were staying and assured me there would be an SUV waiting for me. When I arrived, no car was waiting and they weren't sure they had one. They finally "found" a smaller SUV and we took it. We had an appointment in the area which was our reason for traveling to Charlotte and were running short on time, so we didn't have them "freshen it up". The car seemed fine when we got it, but a few minutes after driving a way, we discovered the vehicle smelled like urine. We did not have time to turn around and by the time we arrived back in Charlotte that evening, it was too late and we were too tired to deal with trying to return yet another car, so we drove around the rest of the weekend with the windows open and our face masks on. We will NEVER rent from Dollar or Hertz or through an online service like this again.Cons:
We could have been made aware of all additional costs. We should have gotten the car in far less time. We could have gotten the car class we ordered. And when we exchanged the car, availability should have been confirmed with the location, we should have gotten the car class we ordered and we should have received one that did not smell like urine.10.0 Wonderful
Mar 2021
Pros:
The person in the front desk was Awesome, the car was clean and comfortable.Budget
6.4
Okay
389 reviewsCleanliness
6.5
Comfort
7.0
Pick-up/Drop-off
6.5
Value for money
6.2
8 locations in Charlotte
Locations in Charlotte
Filters
Show reviews that mention
Reviews
10.0 Wonderful
Oct 2022
6.0 Okay
Oct 2022
10.0 Wonderful
Sep 2022
8.0 Very Good
Sep 2022
2.0 Poor
Sep 2022
6.0 Okay
Sep 2022
Hertz
6.3
Okay
485 reviewsCleanliness
6.8
Comfort
6.9
Pick-up/Drop-off
6.2
Value for money
6.2
8 locations in Charlotte
Filters
Show reviews that mention
Reviews
10.0 Wonderful
Nov 2022
2.0 Poor
Nov 2022
8.0 Very Good
Nov 2022
2.0 Poor
Dec 2021
10.0 Wonderful
Dec 2021
2.0 Poor
Dec 2021
Advantage
6.2
Okay
169 reviewsCleanliness
6.0
Comfort
6.5
Pick-up/Drop-off
6.3
Value for money
6.2
One location in Charlotte
Filters
Reviews
8.0 Very Good
Jan 2019
Cons:
Construction surrounding airport5.2 Fair
Jan 2019
Pros:
NothingCons:
Canceled the car because mileages was unlimited now I know not to rent there2.0 Poor
Dec 2018
Cons:
My flight was canceled and I couldn’t get ahold of anyone to change my reservation. I was charged for a car I was never able to use. My voicemails on their system went unanswered.5.2 Fair
Dec 2018
Pros:
The only reason I booked with them was because of their price.Cons:
But I guess you get what you pay for. When I first booked the car online nowhere did it say of you are in-state you have to have a credit card or that you have limited mileage. How is this fair when if I was from out of town I got unlimited miles and could use a debit card for the 200 deposit??? Getting to the place is where they tell you all of that. Since I dont have a credit card I waisted money on a reservation with them. They wouldn't let me add another driver to the policy since the reservation was done online (yet online...it's not an option to add another driver). I couldn't use someone's else's credit card with the same last name as me (and who was right there with me to give consent for the use of their card) yet at other car rental companies I have done that before in the past. I needed a car and theirs was cheaper so I ended up getting another reservation with them in someone else's name. With this reservation (although it was also done online) I could now all of a sudden and an additional driver to it. They said when we turn the car back in, any occurred charges could be paid for with another card. When we brought the car back, they lied and said they wouldn't charge us for an additional driver however, they did anyways placing that charge on a credit card that no charge should have been made to. I had absolutely no problem paying for the additional driver, however it would have been done with a debit card so don't lie to me about where it's getting charged to not mess up people's credit status.7.6 Good
Nov 2018
Cons:
You didn’t tell me about the mileage limitation clearly. Need to make that VERY clear. Would have cost me an additional $20/ day8.8 Very Good
Nov 2018
Pros:
StaffCons:
Car as dirty outsideAvis
5.8
Fair
114 reviewsCleanliness
6.0
Comfort
6.2
Pick-up/Drop-off
5.8
Value for money
5.8
8 locations in Charlotte
Locations in Charlotte
Filters
Show reviews that mention
Reviews
2.0 Poor
May 2021
Pros:
Never had the chanceCons:
The check-in process8.0 Very Good
Apr 2021
Pros:
Professional, friendly reps.Cons:
The representative said his only vehicle available was delivered from the airport location and the car had a heavy smoke smell. He said I could take it to the airport location to swap for another car. I appreciate it made the offer but don’t understand why the airport location provided the car to the other location knowing of the smoke problem. I did drive the 6 miles to the airport to make the swap. Personnel at both locations were friendly and professional.2.0 Poor
Apr 2021
Cons:
Your system (kayak) let me book a rental at an Avis location that wasn’t open on the day that I needed to pick it up. I didn’t find out about this until a few days before the rental when Avis called me. I had to find a new rental and process has gone up significantly. I used Priceline this time.2.0 Poor
Mar 2021
Pros:
NothingCons:
Actually reserve a car8.0 Very Good
Jan 2021
Cons:
Did not like the Tacoma, it was stuck in 4wd at first, and just drove like a brick, should have gone with the ranger.3.6 Poor
Nov 2020
Cons:
Could not choose type of car. Was billed a $49.95 refueling surcharge upon return even though I returned the car with the tank full after filling up less than 2 miles from the return point.Payless
4.8
Mediocre
136 reviewsCleanliness
4.7
Comfort
4.9
Pick-up/Drop-off
4.9
Value for money
4.9
One location in Charlotte
Filters
Reviews
2.0 Poor
Oct 2018
Pros:
We went to AvisCons:
We waited 40 minutes2.0 Poor
Oct 2018
Pros:
NothingCons:
Payless called me while I was on the way to the rental car to tell me they didn’t have a car for me. Unacceptable10.0 Wonderful
Sep 2018
Pros:
Easy check-in, car was ready2.0 Poor
Aug 2018
Cons:
The van did not pick us up. We waited 40 plus minutes and had to take a cab to their location. The local phone number given to us went to a national location. We could not get info as to when we might have been picked up. The local Payless employee could have not been less helpful and offered no apology. We will never use Payless again.8.0 Very Good
Aug 2018
Pros:
The price was good, no secret charges. The staff were very nice and I was in and out asap. Car was great and got me exactly where I needed to go!Cons:
The shuttles take a long time but I understand why. I took a cab instead to find the NC airport location.4.0 Mediocre
Jul 2018
Pros:
car was fine.Cons:
I had to wait at the airport for over an hour for a shuttle to the site. when I got to the site I had to wait for a car and it to be cleaned. I was really disappointed. I have used Payless in the past and was satisfied , I think I might have to really think about using u people againAce
4.4
Mediocre
38 reviewsCleanliness
3.9
Comfort
4.6
Pick-up/Drop-off
4.4
Value for money
4.7
2 locations in Charlotte
Filters
Show reviews that mention
Reviews
2.0 Poor
May 2021
Pros:
We didn’t get the carCons:
We didn’t get the car2.0 Poor
May 2021
Pros:
Nothing. They didn’t have a car available even though I booked it.Cons:
Having a car. Not being called 10 minutes before my pickup to find out I didn’t have a car in a random city I had only been to once before3.2 Poor
Nov 2020
Pros:
The gentleman at the counter was nice.Cons:
I had to take my car back to the rental car place and get a replacement. The car's seat were filthy with burns in them. The car also had a sputter that made it seem as if it was going to cut off. It was replaced with a better care, but still there were scratches and dings on it as well. I would not recommend or use Ace rental car again.2.0 Poor
Nov 2020
Pros:
Nothing, I got pulled over by the police because the car had the wrong plate on it. They thought the vehicle was stolen. Ace didn't give me another, nor did they changed the plates.Cons:
They could have refunded me my money back or gave me another car.2.0 Poor
Sep 2020
Pros:
Absolutely nothing . I never received my car .Cons:
No one was there . No cars present . Nobody answered the phone . Had to make extra money to get a rental at another place !2.0 Poor
Aug 2020
Pros:
The ants that crawled on me in the office didn't bite me.Cons:
No triple charging for vehicle rental. Clean office. Returning calls about billing errors.Silvercar
10.0
Wonderful
1 reviewCleanliness
10.0
Comfort
10.0
Pick-up/Drop-off
10.0
Value for money
10.0
One location in Charlotte
Sixt
5.5
Fair
20 reviewsCleanliness
7.2
Comfort
6.4
Pick-up/Drop-off
6.0
Value for money
6.0
One location in Charlotte
Filters
Reviews
8.0 Very Good
Nov 2022
6.0 Okay
Aug 2022
2.0 Poor
Aug 2022
2.0 Poor
Jul 2022
2.0 Poor
Jul 2022
2.0 Poor
Jul 2022
NU Car
4.0
Mediocre
1 reviewCleanliness
4.0
Comfort
2.0
Pick-up/Drop-off
2.0
Value for money
4.0
One location in Charlotte
2 locations in Charlotte
Locations in Charlotte
5125-b South Blvd
+1 704 565 5417
5330 Wilkinson Blvd
+1 877 283 0898
Filters
Reviews
4.4 Mediocre
Jul 2017
Pros:
Quick and easy drop offCons:
There is no Thrifry drop off, if I didn't know to take to Dollar I would still be wandering the airport.2.4 Poor
Jun 2017
Cons:
I made two Thrifty Car reservations using Kayak. When I tried to pick up the first car Thrifty said the reservation was cancelled. Sure enough, I checked the Kayak paperwork and the reservation cancelled automatically two hours before the scheduled pick up time. I checked the next reservation 3 days in the future and found that it too automatically cancelled 2 hours before the scheduled pick up. I called both Kayak and Thrifty and neither could change it. Absolutely useless.10.0 Wonderful
May 2017
Pros:
The location was close to the airport, the shuttle was clean and easy to find, and the employees were so kind and very efficient!3.6 Poor
May 2017
Pros:
It was exhilarating being reprimanded by the check in desk for declining their own insurance, even though I had already purchased insurance via Kayak.Cons:
The rented Ford Fiesta may have once been a viable vehicle, but the transmission barely cycled--leaving me stranded more than once in the middle of intersections. What a piece of junk.3.2 Poor
May 2017
Cons:
A single person running the counter when checking in. Zero ability to answer questions. The car treated me like a teenager with having speed limited to 80, volume limited to 9, seat belts that would shut off the radio if they weren't plugged in. There wasn't a drive to pick us up from the location to go back to the airport. Overall, the situation was a disaster.4.0 Mediocre
May 2017
Cons:
The handling of the car that I was given was terrible. It was very sensitive, which made it tough to drive especially when on the highway. In addition, the lady at the counter said the upgrade was $12 and when I got the receipt, it as $20.One location in Charlotte
Locations in Charlotte
5489 R C Josh Birmingham Pkwy
+1 844 366 8843
Filters
Reviews
9.2 Wonderful
Jan 2017
Pros:
Good car, excellent pickup process in Charlotte.Cons:
The price - I was in a bind and needed the reservation, but I thought it expensive.10.0 Wonderful
Jul 2016
Pros:
The Customer Service rep was very patient and helpful. There was an issue with the DL but they handled it quickly and effectively.3 locations in Charlotte
Locations in Charlotte
4901 C Wilkinson Blvd.
+1 877 219 9192
4901 C Wilkinson Blvd.
+1 877 219 9192
6248 E. Independence Blvd
+1 877 219 9192
Filters
No reviews available
One location in Charlotte
Locations in Charlotte
5501 Josh Birmingham Pkwy Suite A, Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
+1 704 395 9983
Filters
No reviews available
One location in Charlotte
Locations in Charlotte
Filters
No reviews available
One location in Charlotte
Locations in Charlotte
Filters
No reviews available
One location in Charlotte
Locations in Charlotte
Filters
No reviews available
One location in Charlotte
Locations in Charlotte
200 W Woodlawn Rd
+1 980 498 6947
Filters
No reviews available
One location in Charlotte
Locations in Charlotte
Charlotte Airport Douglas CLT
+1 704 395 9983
Filters
No reviews available
One location in Charlotte
Locations in Charlotte
Please Go To The Advantage Counter
+1 704 395 9983
Filters
No reviews available
One location in Charlotte
Locations in Charlotte
4200 Rental Car Rd, Charlotte
+1 704 395 9983
Filters
No reviews available
One location in Charlotte
Locations in Charlotte
5401-B Wilkinson Blvd
+1 980 498 6947
Filters
No reviews available
One location in Charlotte
Locations in Charlotte
Filters
No reviews available
2441 travellers who rented a car in Charlotte gave the car agency they used an average rating of 6.8
Car hire locations in or near Charlotte
Good to know
Most popular car type | Economy |
|---|
When to book a car hire in Charlotte
Average daily price per month
Car hire prices as pick-up date approaches