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Washington, D.C. car hires in 2026
Get helpful information to start your search for the perfect car hire in Washington, D.C.. The average price data is based on the last 12 months and was last updated on 4 September 2026.
Cheapflights insights for Washington, D.C. car hires
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.?
For the best savings on car hire in Washington, D.C., make your reservation 7 days before pickup. The average price then is just R814/day – about 1 262% less than the yearly average.
What is the best car rental company in Washington, D.C.?
Based on Cheapflights user feedback, the highest-rated car hire company in Washington, D.C. is Hertz (rated 5.0/10 with 199 reviews). Avis (rated 5.8/10 with 35 reviews) is also highly rated by our users.
Hertz
5.0
Avis
5.8
Budget
4.9
Thrifty
2.7
What is the cheapest month to hire 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 R734/day on average. The most expensive month to hire a car in Washington, D.C. is July (R1 261/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
R734
February
R750
March
R910
April
R894
May
R1 038
June
R1 229
July
R1 261
August
R1 133
September
R782
October
R894
November
R878
December
R942
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 car hire company in the area.
Explore the leading car hire agencies in Washington, D.C. known for their outstanding service and extensive range of vehicles to choose from. There are currently 8 car hire companies in Washington, D.C.. Reviews were last updated on 4 September 2026.
Not 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
Poor|Sept 2023
They 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
Mediocre|Sept 2023
The 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
Okay|Jul 2023
The 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
Poor|Jul 2023
I was charged for a rental that I never actually used
4,0
Mediocre|Jul 2023
I 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.
The 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.
Price 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
Poor|May 2023
Arrived 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
Okay|Apr 2023
Car 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
Wonderful|Apr 2023
Amanda 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
Poor|Apr 2023
I 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
Poor|Apr 2023
More 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.
Very 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
Mediocre|Mar 2023
The 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
Wonderful|Apr 2022
It'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.
Horrible experience, do not book at this location! The branch called the day before and confirmed reservation. Day of, were told there was no car available and they refused to help us rebook. Enterprise said they would credit the difference of a new booking elsewhere but we have gotten the runaround since. DON’T BOOK HERE OR WITH ENTERPRISE!
1 out of 6
Enterprise Rent-A-Car Locations in Washington, D.C.
Car hire FAQs
Find answers to frequently asked questions about car hires in Washington, D.C., including policies, requirements, and more. FAQs were last updated on 4 September 2026.
What is the cheapest hire car found in Washington, D.C.?
In the past two weeks, Cheapflights users have found many deals under R788/day when booking a car hire in Washington, D.C.. The absolute best deal a user found was for R696/day from Avis, booked on Aug. 29.
How much does it cost to hire a car in Washington, D.C. for a week from Dollar?
Dollar is one of the top picks in Washington, D.C.. They can have you in a hire car for about R4 679 per week on average.
Can I rent a car for a month in Washington, D.C.?
Yes, hiring a vehicle in Washington, D.C. for a month is certainly possible.
How much does it cost to rent a car in Washington, D.C. for a month?
The monthly cost of a car hire in Washington, D.C. is R20 052 (R668/day) on average.
Travelling to a place near Washington, D.C.?
Hire a car at Washington, D.C. if you plan to visit one of these locations
Springfield
Glen Burnie
Alexandria
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