Philadelphia car hire information
| Pick-up location | Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| Car types | |
| Hire locations | 84 |
| Airport locations | 21 |
Cheap car rentals in Philadelphia
| Mini |
| Economy |
| Compact |
| Intermediate |
| Standard |
| Full-size |
| Luxury |
| People mover |
| Passenger van |
| SUV |
| Commercial |
| Pick-up truck |
Top tips for hiring a car in Philadelphia
- A hire car will give you the ultimate flexibility during your stay in Philadelphia. Drive into the city from the airport in under 20 minutes and reach all sights and attractions conveniently with your car, such as the Lincoln Field Stadium to see the Eagles play, or other places of interest outside of the city, such as Princeton University, which is less than an hour by car away, or Atlantic City, which is just over an hour’s drive.
- The easiest pick-up location for a hire car is at the Philadelphia International Airport. Various companies offer vehicles here, including Avis, Enterprise, and Hertz. Information and pick-up is located at the Ground Transportation Information desks at the baggage claim area, but the airport is signposted throughout, so finding the right desk should be no problem.
- When driving in Philadelphia there are some things to bear in mind, such as the red light cameras, some dare-devil cyclists, and the difficulties of finding a parking spot. Make sure to drive with patience and attention, as fines can reach hundreds of dollars quickly. Watch out for side track cyclists and opt for a hotel with an included parking space so your vacation will go smoothly.
- Especially when venturing out of the city core, road conditions in Philadelphia can be challenging, so adapting your speed is crucial. Driving through the rush hour should also be avoided if possible, which is usually between 7 and 9 AM and 4 and 6 PM. The I-76W is especially affected with commuters clogging up the street. Also bear in mind that winters in Philadelphia can include snow, sleet, and ice, so ensuring that the vehicle is properly equipped is important.
- Book your rental car in Philadelphia at least 1 day before your trip in order to get a below-average price
- Supplier choice rental cars in Philadelphia are around 25% cheaper than other car types, on average
FAQs about renting a car in Philadelphia
What type of car is recommended for driving in Philadelphia?
As parking spots are hard to come by in Philadelphia, it is advisable to opt for a smaller car that can easily cruise through the city. A minivan is a great option for families who need additional space, and it still provides the right size. Travelers wanting to explore the surrounding nature like Schuylkill River may want to choose an SUV.
What’s the speed limit in Philadelphia?
When driving through residential areas, 25 mph is usually permitted, but also look out for street signs indicating the speed limit. Outside of residential areas, drivers can speed up to 35 mph unless indicated otherwise. On motorways, speeds of up to 55 mph are permitted unless the posted sign allows more.
Where are the best places to park in Philadelphia?
There are metered parking spots in the city -- but be careful, as the PPA are very efficient in Philadelphia and a ticket can be issued the second your time runs out. Also, if you park in a no-parking area, you can expect your car to be ticketed and towed. There are also PPA car parks and garages available, which cost around $25 for 24 hours and are dotted around the city, for example Parkade on 8th, Gateway Parking Garage, or 19th and Callowhill Street.
What is the best car hire company in Philadelphia?
Based on ratings and reviews from real users on KAYAK, the best car hire companies in Philadelphia are Alamo (8.2, 153 reviews), Enterprise Rent-A-Car (7.1, 51 reviews), and Sixt (6.4, 193 reviews).
How much is the price of fuel in Philadelphia?
The average price of fuel in Philadelphia is $6.96 per litre over the past 30 days. Filling up a tank of uel costs between $84 and $111, depending on the car size.
What is the most popular car hire in Philadelphia?
Supplier choice (Class Special Car or similar) is the most frequently booked car hire type in Philadelphia.
How can I find car hires near me in Philadelphia?
Take a look at our extensive car hire location map to find the best car hire deals near you.
How much does a Special car hire cost in Philadelphia?
A Special car hire in Philadelphia costs $98 per day, on average.
How much does a Standard car hire cost in Philadelphia?
A Standard car hire in Philadelphia costs $111 per day, on average.
How much does an Economy car hire cost in Philadelphia?
An Economy car hire in Philadelphia costs $154 per day, on average.
Philadelphia car rental reviews and directory
Alamo
8.2
Very Good
480 reviewsCleanliness
8.4
Comfort
8.3
Pick-up/Drop-off
8.1
Value for money
8.1
2 locations in Philadelphia
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10.0 Wonderful
May 2021
Pros:
Staff was outstanding at dropoffCons:
Nothing. Everything was great6.0 Okay
Apr 2021
Pros:
There was nothing over and above what was reasonably expected of such a transaction.Cons:
I requested to extend the rental period, however, the customer "service" person stated the rate for the days during the extension was twice the rate I had for the initial rental. He could do absolutely zero, nothing, utterly not empowered as a frontline customer facing representative to even attempt to make it feasible for me let alone achieve "customer delight." When ending the call the representative asked if he could do anything else for me, I responded, "No, your competitor is going to." The representative had no response other than to read the script on his screen and say, "Thank you, have a nice day." A bot has more decision making power and understanding. I went to an Alamo competitor, rented for an extended period of time and started a corporate account with that competitor. And that's how easy it is to loose the lifetime value of a customer. You can do better.2.0 Poor
Feb 2021
Pros:
Staff was friendlyCons:
Having a vehicle when arriving Having a vehicle that works Doing oil change instead of having client deal with the light and consistent warning signal Change windshield wiper so i dont have too!!8.0 Very Good
Dec 2020
Pros:
drop off easy, nice staffCons:
very expensive2.0 Poor
Nov 2020
Cons:
Staff was rude when I questioned 50% increase in price versus quote from Kayak.8.8 Very Good
Oct 2020
Pros:
I loved picking out our car and the fast drop off and shuttle.Cons:
Arriving only one person was working to get people to cars, which caused a bottleneck, despite that one person being great!Enterprise Rent-A-Car
7.1
Good
186 reviewsCleanliness
6.9
Comfort
7.3
Pick-up/Drop-off
7.2
Value for money
6.9
18 locations in Philadelphia
Locations in Philadelphia
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Reviews
5.6 Fair
Nov 2020
Pros:
The staff was very good- they were well organized and working hard. There were lots of customers for limited staff. They were efficient and did their jobs well - there was no time for niceties other than polite service. They were inconsistent in enforcing the rule about "only the renter may come in the building". As a result my wife stood in the cold and watched other couples inside who elected not to comply with the stated rules. The car I got was adequate and functioned fine but was quite expensive (modest car- pretty high rate 140/2 days- tiny Hyundai) so it was adequate but not outstanding value. Return process was highly effective with good speed and no glitches. Again-staff is excellent. Overall- competent but modest value and inconsistent adherence to rules.Cons:
Standardize adherence to rules. More staff on busy days. More product selection.2.0 Poor
Oct 2020
Pros:
no, they were not helpful and they were misleading. Apparently they required an airline confirmation as we were paying with a debit card. 3 trips walking to the rental building in the rain the story changed slightly each time as far as what was need. never got the car and will certainly let all know that the Enterprise holding rental companies are incompetant.Cons:
FIre the entire staff at the Philadelphia airport and hire a staff of concerned workers who work hard to keep their job and seek improvement, not the type that is hired and they feel entitled.4.8 Mediocre
Oct 2020
Pros:
The staff were decent. they were friendly and somewhat understanding. The car I received was not the car reserved. and the car received had a horrible odor that the staff tried to convince me of cleaning products. IT WAS NOT!!!! and it smelled so bad the whole trip i had to personally buy air fresheners. Literally!!!! and i know some of my stuff smelled like the car after a few hours. NO GOOD!!!!!!!!!Cons:
I asked for a better smelling car before i took it off the lot and they convinced me that the smell would go away. No the smell didnt. Car ran smooth.... also it woulda been nice to have some gas in the car before leaving the lot too.9.2 Wonderful
Oct 2020
Pros:
Drop off excellent and efficient. Shuttle service was excellent.Cons:
Pickup was slightly slower than expected. 3 companies sharing one rental area delayed the process. Many clients were waiting in line.9.2 Wonderful
Oct 2020
Pros:
The staff was very helpful, pleasant and informative. There was a little wait at pick up but nothing crazy. Drop off was in and out but overall the experience was excellent!Cons:
Nothing!2.0 Poor
Oct 2020
Cons:
Didnt have a car I reserved, only a mini van and at an upchargeSixt
6.4
Okay
200 reviewsCleanliness
6.9
Comfort
7.0
Pick-up/Drop-off
6.2
Value for money
6.2
One location in Philadelphia
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10.0 Wonderful
Nov 2022
8.0 Very Good
Oct 2022
2.0 Poor
Aug 2022
8.0 Very Good
Jul 2022
2.0 Poor
Jul 2022
2.0 Poor
Jul 2022
Avis
6.1
Okay
182 reviewsCleanliness
6.4
Comfort
6.7
Pick-up/Drop-off
6.0
Value for money
5.8
9 locations in Philadelphia
Locations in Philadelphia
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Reviews
4.0 Mediocre
Jun 2021
Pros:
The car was like new, no issues.Cons:
Why was I allowed to book a drop-off location that was closed on Memorial Day? The person at the Avis counter made ME call Avis to find a solution. The car also didn't have a full tank of gas.2.0 Poor
May 2021
Pros:
NothingCons:
The van never came to the airport and we had to walk to Avis,. Thent there were only two agents and we we #9 in line and that took an hour. The the car smelled terrible of smoke and there was bird mess all over the pasenger windshield. Upon the return thery were usin only one small bus to transport back to airport, a long line and again we had to walk back to the airport rather than wait the long time it wold have taken.8.0 Very Good
May 2021
Cons:
Clean the car better4.0 Mediocre
Apr 2021
Pros:
Drop-off was easy.Cons:
Pickup was extremely slow. One counter clerk for 20 customers.4.0 Mediocre
Apr 2021
Pros:
Staff at counter was very helpful and friendlyCons:
Pick up at terminal was very very slow compared to other competitors.10.0 Wonderful
Mar 2021
Cons:
NothingBudget
5.8
Fair
397 reviewsCleanliness
6.4
Comfort
6.6
Pick-up/Drop-off
5.6
Value for money
5.9
7 locations in Philadelphia
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2.0 Poor
Oct 2022
2.0 Poor
Oct 2022
4.0 Mediocre
Sep 2022
6.0 Okay
Sep 2022
2.0 Poor
Sep 2022
2.0 Poor
Sep 2022
Payless
5.7
Fair
283 reviewsCleanliness
6.1
Comfort
6.2
Pick-up/Drop-off
5.3
Value for money
5.8
2 locations in Philadelphia
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Reviews
10.0 Wonderful
Jun 2021
Pros:
Everyone was great, especially Teddy.6.0 Okay
May 2021
Pros:
Not much. Car was ok. Jeep conpass. But turns off everytime car stops. NO one told me this. Pulling out if lot in traffic. Thought car was stalling and on highway in traffic / was nerve racking - wish someone gave me a heads up warning that car turns offCons:
Pick up was over 30 mins after I called from airport to get to car rental. 1 girl behind counter ( Brianna )was nice / the other was rude8.0 Very Good
Apr 2021
Pros:
Staff was incredibly friendly and easy to get the car at drop off and pick up.Cons:
Pick Up at airport was much less than the other rental car companies. This company was MUCH farther than many of the other rental car companies and should be advertised as on site of the airport. Many of the other companies you can walk from the terminal to the rental company (and they had vans picking up 3-4x as much as this company) but this was at least a 5-10 minute drive.10.0 Wonderful
Apr 2021
Pros:
Susan was fantastic. I am handicapped and she made the whole rental process smooth and easy. She made sure that I was happy with my car.Cons:
I can honestly say everything was great and they had the best weekly rate.10.0 Wonderful
Apr 2021
Pros:
Very convenient service. The counter staff were super friendly. The shuttle driver was professional and mentioned he has a great boss.Cons:
Great price and super convenient.2.0 Poor
Apr 2021
Pros:
There were no staff. There was no shuttle. No one answered the phone. I finally got some central office which sent me to the Budget rent-a car office which said it did not deal with Payless.Cons:
Everything. In the absence of the promised rental car from Payless I had to rent one from Avis. I was lucky to get that and avoid a completely useless trip.Dollar
5.3
Fair
276 reviewsCleanliness
6.5
Comfort
6.5
Pick-up/Drop-off
5.0
Value for money
5.6
4 locations in Philadelphia
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1.9 Poor
Jun 2021
10.0 Wonderful
May 2021
Pros:
Carol at the Philadelphia location was very helpful, polite and had great customer service skills.Cons:
Everything was excellent, except the car did not have cruise control, other than that it was great.4.0 Mediocre
May 2021
Pros:
The car itself was greatCons:
Service at the station was terrible. Waited in line almost 1 hour before I got my car - could have driven from my original destination faster than waiting for the car...6.0 Okay
Apr 2021
Cons:
Provided an "upgrade" to a size not wanted reeking of smoke. Asked for/got another vehicle which had multiple scratches told they were scuff marks; I took photos to establish it. Camry was a great car.8.0 Very Good
Apr 2021
Pros:
easy dropoffCons:
I couldn't change my pickup. I was originally coming in Saturday and it changed to Friday. They would not take more money and extend the reservation. I literally had to stay at the airport hotel so that I could pick up the car the next day. Why wouldn't the business take more of my money? I thought that's way businesses are there for.10.0 Wonderful
Apr 2021
Pros:
Friendly staff easy access to vehicleThrifty
5.3
Fair
252 reviewsCleanliness
6.5
Comfort
6.2
Pick-up/Drop-off
4.9
Value for money
5.5
2 locations in Philadelphia
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1.9 Poor
Jul 2021
1.9 Poor
Jun 2021
8.0 Very Good
May 2021
Pros:
Drop off was great: worker was helpful.Cons:
Wait time when picking up was outrageously long.8.0 Very Good
May 2021
Cons:
1. The check in /pick-up was very slow even though we had a reservation. 2. The dollar amount of the taxes in PHL was ridiculously high. Shouldn't this be included in our priceline price so we'll know how much we are paying?4.0 Mediocre
May 2021
Pros:
Drop off was easyCons:
Got a car with blown speakers and smelling like smoke.2.0 Poor
May 2021
Pros:
Nothing to like about waiting in line for 1 1/2 hrs to pick up car then finding the drop off point is closed with no signage on where to go. Almost missed the flight!!Cons:
Obviously a better pick up and drop off experience for the $600 spent!Hertz
5.2
Fair
695 reviewsCleanliness
5.9
Comfort
5.9
Pick-up/Drop-off
5.0
Value for money
5.4
19 locations in Philadelphia
Locations in Philadelphia
6815 Essington Ave
+1 215 365 4070