Wilmington car hire information
| Pick-up location | Wilmington |
|---|---|
| Car types | |
| Hire locations | 19 |
| Airport locations | 10 |
Cheap car rentals in Wilmington
| Mini |
| Economy |
| Compact |
| Intermediate |
| Standard |
| Full-size |
| Luxury |
| People mover |
| Passenger van |
| SUV |
| Commercial |
| Pick-up truck |
Top tips for hiring a car in Wilmington
- Car rentals in Wilmington are a convenient way to visit the city and its neighborhoods, granting you flexibility and freedom to move around. Whether in Wilmington for business or holiday, choosing a Wilmington car rental company through KAYAK gives you the opportunity to visit different attractions and discover Wilmington neighborhoods at your convenience. For instance, you can travel places like Water Street Center, Harbor Oaks, Historic Downtown Wilmington, or even go to Carolina, Kure, or Wrightsville Beach, where you can unwind and enjoy local meals, such as cheesesteak egg rolls.
- Different Wilmington car rental companies offer various vehicles depending on client needs. Picking a rental car from these companies is easy and will take you a few minutes since they are located within a short walking distance from the Wilmington International Airport. For instance, Alamo is a 10min walk from the airport. Other car rental companies that are within a walking distance from the airport include Enterprise, National, Dollar, Thrifty, Hertz, among many others.
- Wilmington’s law enforcement officials are strategically located at different points to ensure drivers adhere to driving rules. The strategy has improved the road conditions and community impacts by reducing crime rates in the neighborhoods. While using your Wilmington rental car, ensure you stop at a stoplight, stick to the speed limits, observe traffic circle rules, and stick to the correct lanes to avoid problems with the highway patrol, as it might affect your experience.
- If you plan to drive around Wilmington and its neighborhoods, we recommend you avoid rush hours, from around 7am to 8am and from about 6pm to 7:30pm. Wilmington traffic in various areas, such as the South College Road in Wilmington, may be challenging for a foreign driver as multiple cars line the middle lane during peak hours. If you have to drive during rush hour, avoid going through Market Street, Carolina Beach Road, and Oleander Drive, which can be quite congested.
- Book your rental car in Wilmington at least 1 day before your trip in order to get a below-average price
- Mini rental cars in Wilmington are around -35% cheaper than other car types, on average
FAQs about renting a car in Wilmington
What type of car is recommended for driving in Wilmington?
There are scenic drives in and around Wilmington, and they require vehicles that can endure the terrain. If you decide to drive on the beach, we recommend a four-wheel drive to avoid getting stuck in the sand. Ensure to book a powerful vehicle to explore the mountains and get the best of both worlds of Wilmington.
What’s the speed limit in Wilmington?
Most neighborhoods in Wilmington operate at speed limits of 35mph for the local streets. In others, however, the speed limits have been changed over the years to enhance safety. The roads where traffic gets heavier, such as Market Street and College Road, are 35mph. Other roads, including Shipyard Boulevard and South College, and Carolina Beach Road, have speed limits of 45mph. Follow the right speeding rules on different routes to avoid colliding with the law.
Where are the best places to park in Wilmington?
Places to park car rentals in Wilmington are Downtown Parking, Empie Park, and Wilmington Long Leaf Park. There are several parking lots around the central business district governed by the city’s limited-time parking regulations. You can park downtown at street meters from 6:30pm to 9am on weekdays and all day Sundays (which is free), but you’ll have to pay $1.50 per hour at any other time. You can either use the mobile parking app, use coins, or a credit card when making payments for the meters. When parking your rental car, be careful not to break Wilmington’s parking regulations, such as blocking sidewalks, parking in a loading zone, blocking fire hydrants, or blocking the flow of traffic.
How much is the price of fuel in Wilmington?
The average price of fuel in Wilmington is $6.91 per litre over the past 30 days. Filling up a tank of uel costs between $83 and $111, depending on the car size.
What is the most popular car hire in Wilmington?
Mini (Dodge Grand Caravan or similar) is the most frequently booked car hire type in Wilmington.
How can I find car hires near me in Wilmington?
Take a look at our extensive car hire location map to find the best car hire deals near you.
How much does a Mini car hire cost in Wilmington?
A Mini car hire in Wilmington costs $195 per day, on average.
How much does an Economy car hire cost in Wilmington?
An Economy car hire in Wilmington costs $114 per day, on average.
How much does an Intermediate car hire cost in Wilmington?
An Intermediate car hire in Wilmington costs $142 per day, on average.
Wilmington car rental reviews and directory
Hertz
7.5
Good
108 reviewsCleanliness
7.6
Comfort
7.9
Pick-up/Drop-off
7.6
Value for money
7.6
3 locations in Wilmington
Filters
Reviews
10.0 Wonderful
Dec 2022
10.0 Wonderful
Dec 2021
2.0 Poor
Nov 2021
10.0 Wonderful
Jun 2021
10.0 Wonderful
May 2021
Pros:
Car was ready but had to get an upgrade as my choice was not available gave me the same rate as booked.Cons:
All went well car was very comfortable.8.0 Very Good
May 2021
Pros:
Quality vehicle. Great service.Cons:
We got assigned a mini van for a get away with my wife. Would have preferred a car like we indicated.Alamo
7.5
Good
64 reviewsCleanliness
7.6
Comfort
7.8
Pick-up/Drop-off
7.6
Value for money
7.5
One location in Wilmington
Filters
Show reviews that mention
Reviews
8.0 Very Good
Nov 2020
Pros:
Yes quick and easy.5.2 Fair
Oct 2020
Pros:
Drop off was easy.Cons:
I ordered an economy car, not a minivan. The minivan was ok but when I started it up, the screen said that the tire was low so I had to go back into the airport to tell them. They said it was fine so for four days, I drove around in a minivan that said “tire low”. Not good customer service.2.0 Poor
Aug 2020
Cons:
I was able to book a rental car but when I went to pick it up they said they had no cars available. I ended up having to rent from another company and was very expensive.10.0 Wonderful
Jul 2020
Pros:
Staff was friendly and accommodating. I would use them again.Cons:
This is not a bad thing just wish I could have added a day to the front of the rental. Due to COVID we landed a day early.8.4 Very Good
Jun 2020
Cons:
Nothing6.0 Okay
Mar 2020
Pros:
Staff was friendly but during drop off and pick up the person helping me stopped two times to help his coworker even though I was there first. Neither one of them didn’t say excuse me or apologize for holding me up while I waited patiently. The customer service person that didn’t know what they were doing just interrupted as well without saying excuse me. How hard is it to say i’ll be right with you let me finish taking care of my customer. It was very rude and inconsiderate as my time was just as important as the other customers time. I may rent from Alamo again but not certain because again this happened during drop off and pick up.Cons:
The staff could just be more considerate and fair of everyone’s time. If I were a different type of person it would’ve been a problem.Enterprise Rent-A-Car
7.5
Good
34 reviewsCleanliness
8.1
Comfort
8.2
Pick-up/Drop-off
7.3
Value for money
7.3
6 locations in Wilmington
Filters
Reviews
2.0 Poor
Sep 2023
2.0 Poor
Sep 2023
10.0 Wonderful
Apr 2021
Pros:
Check in and check out was super easy. Very friendly, and answered any questions we had. Car we rented accommodated everyone. I highly recommend Enterprise, Wilmington7.6 Good
Aug 2020
Pros:
Quick pick up and drop offCons:
Was really hoping for an F 150 not a Dodge ram.9.6 Wonderful
Jul 2020
Pros:
Friendly staff, quick process.6.0 Okay
Jun 2020
Cons:
Kayak sent me to a closed location. I called the rental company and they told me the right location. Other than that, it was a good experienceThrifty
7.0
Good
52 reviewsCleanliness
7.3
Comfort
7.3
Pick-up/Drop-off
6.9
Value for money
6.7
One location in Wilmington
Filters
Reviews
10.0 Wonderful
Apr 2021
Pros:
It was all good.Cons:
It was all good.8.4 Very Good
Jul 2020
Pros:
Staff was very friendly. They did not have record of my economy car reservation from Kayak. They were able to place me in a Ford F150 instead of an economy sized car that was ordered. The lady stated that 3rd party vendors information doesn't always come through with details.Cons:
Have the car size as requested.4.4 Mediocre
Jul 2020
Pros:
Not much.Cons:
Once the staff showed up at the booth they were friendly and helpful. But I had to wait 25 minutes and call the person since they were "moving cars around". Then there were "computer problems", so the pick off took way much longer than it should have. I was told that the "manager's special" that I reserved was an F-150 pick up truck. There was nothing on my reservation that said that so I couldn't dispute it - so in order to get a smaller car, I was charged an additional $10 per day. Plus I was tired from traveling all day, it had already taken way to long to pick up a car, so I didn't argue. I think they plan things that way.10.0 Wonderful
Mar 2020
Cons:
really, everything was perfect...10.0 Wonderful
Jan 2020
Cons:
The staff was friendly. I was also glad dropoff was quick.4.0 Mediocre
Dec 2019
Pros:
Staff was nice. F150 only had 800 miles on it.Cons:
Got the manager's special(so no choice of vehicle) and it was an f150. I know my fault... Did not include the airport pick up fee in the advertised price, so all in all should have gone with enterprise midsize because there was no cost savings.Avis
6.9
Okay
42 reviewsCleanliness
7.0
Comfort
7.4
Pick-up/Drop-off
6.9
Value for money
6.8
2 locations in Wilmington
Filters
Reviews
8.0 Very Good
Sep 2023
8.0 Very Good
May 2021
Cons:
They didn't know where the car was because it was absolutely brand new but someone put it in a field away from the other cars so it took us 25 minutes or so to find it find it.2.0 Poor
Mar 2021
Cons:
They did not have a car at the time I needed one. They said it would be an hour and a half to get a car even though I made reservations 2 weeks before. I will never rent with Avis again.4.8 Mediocre
Jun 2020
Pros:
The drop off was super easy.Cons:
The car was disgusting and had towels and other beach items still in its trunk. Also, I had to wait for a car and even then they only had an intermediate size car for me instead of SUV, and then they wouldn't even decrease the prize9.2 Wonderful
Jan 2019
Cons:
I was charged $5 more than what I booked it for. They said the taxes were higher.8.0 Very Good
Feb 2018
Pros:
NICE DRIVING CAR. VERY CLEAN.Cons:
I WAS SUPPOSE TO PICK UP MY RENTAL AT 11:00 AM BUT DID NOT GET CAR UNTIL AN HOUR LATER.Budget
6.5
Okay
84 reviewsCleanliness
6.4
Comfort
7.2
Pick-up/Drop-off
6.8
Value for money
7.0
2 locations in Wilmington
Filters
Reviews
4.0 Mediocre
Oct 2022
8.0 Very Good
Oct 2022
2.0 Poor
Sep 2022
10.0 Wonderful
Dec 2020
Cons:
Woman at desk was super helpful!4.8 Mediocre
Sep 2020
Pros:
They never told me I could only do 1 month rental at a time. So that resulted in me being overcharged and spent 45 minutes on the phone to fix that. Next i have been on the phone with them 3 times so far because they have incorrectly over charged me by over $1000. It still isn’t fixed but I essentially was told to let them fix the first two mistakes and then call again to fix the rest of the over/double charges.Cons:
Billing6.0 Okay
Aug 2020
Pros:
Staff was nice.Cons:
The car smelled like an ashtray. Disgusting!!National
7.2
Good
3 reviewsCleanliness
9.3
Comfort
9.3
Pick-up/Drop-off
7.2
Value for money
7.9
One location in Wilmington
Filters
Reviews
8.0 Very Good
Oct 2022
5.9 Fair
Jul 2021
Easirent
3.8
Poor
No reviews available
One location in Wilmington
Dollar
No score available yet
One location in Wilmington
Sunnycars
No score available yet
One location in Wilmington
Car hire locations in or near Wilmington
Good to know
Most popular car type | Mini |
|---|