What is the cheapest hire car found in Washington, D.C.?

In the past two weeks, Cheapflights users have found many deals under R673/day when booking a car hire in Washington, D.C.. The absolute best deal a user found was for R667/day from Thrifty, booked on Aug. 17.

How much does it cost to hire a car in Washington, D.C. for a week from Thrifty?

Thrifty is one of the top picks in Washington, D.C.. They can have you in a hire car for about R4 709 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.

Cheap Car Hire in Washington, D.C.

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Washington, D.C. car hires in 2025

Most popular company	THRIFTY
Price of petrol per litre	R16,30
Average price per day	R673
Cheapest price per day	R667

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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 R673/day – about 1 184% less than the yearly average.

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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 5.1/10 with 258 reviews). Dollar (rated 2.9/10 with 123 reviews) is also highly rated by our users.

Hertz

5.1

Dollar

2.9

Avis

6.2

Budget

5.5

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 February, when you can expect to pay R708/day on average. The most expensive month to hire a car in Washington, D.C. is July (R1 186/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

R815

February

R708

March

R815

April

R903

May

R1 062

June

R1 116

July

R1 186

August

R956

September

R797

October

R921

November

R868

December

R974

What car do most people hire in Washington, D.C.?

Intermediate cars (Toyota RAV4 or similar) are the most popular option for those visiting Washington, D.C.. SUV cars (Toyota RAV4 or similar) are also a popular choice, followed by Premium cars (Ford F-150 or similar).

Which car hire company has the most locations in Washington, D.C.?

Free2Move has 11 locations throughout the area, more than any other company. Enterprise Rent-A-Car has the second-highest number of locations in Washington, D.C. at 9.

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Top rental agencies in Washington, D.C.

Hertz

5,1

Fair

258 reviews•6 locations

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Overview

Recent reviews

2,0

Poor|Mar 2025

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.

1 out of 86

Dollar

2,9

Poor

123 reviews•3 locations

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Overview

Recent reviews

8,0

Very Good|Aug 2024

Was good, Never got vehicle I ordered but all rental companies the same. Just be happy you get something

2,0

Poor|Sept 2023

There was only one person working the dollar/thrifty line. I waited about 45min in line to pick up my car. The line tripled in length behind me where I’m sure those people waited well over an hour maybe almost two hours for some. There were two people working at the hertz counter, a sister company, doing absolutely nothing. Then when I got to the front of the line they were clearly rushing and not patient for questions I had about my charges.

2,0

Poor|Sept 2023

We had to stay line for three hours waiting on the car and guys were so rude and mean

2,0

Poor|Aug 2023

They didn’t have a car available, so I had to change plans at the last minute. I was traveling with a newborn.

2,0

Poor|Aug 2023

Terrible experience, they had no cars to rent when we got there and there was a line of people waiting for cars. The only cars they could rent would be when someone brought on back told us it could be 2 to 4 hours. Wait. Went across the hall and got an Alamo rental With no trouble at all Cannot recommend the dollar, thrifty, six.T at this airport

2,0

Poor|Feb 2023

Car smell cigarettes, blinker doesn’t work, tires were almost flat, heated seats didn’t work. For $230 for one day rental the company should call DOLLARSSSS…. Cuz you don’t get what you pay for.

1 out of 41

Avis

6,2

Okay

44 reviews•6 locations

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Overview

Recent reviews

4,0

Mediocre|Apr 2023

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.

1 out of 15

Budget

5,5

Fair

66 reviews•6 locations

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Overview

Recent reviews

6,0

Okay|Jun 2023

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.

1 out of 22

Thrifty

2,2

Poor

70 reviews•3 locations

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Overview

Recent reviews

6,0

Okay|Aug 2023

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.

5,2

Fair|Sept 2020

I appreciate how convenient the entire transaction was from pick up to drop off however, I was severely over charged

Do not charge fee for two days when someone only books for one

1 out of 24

National

2 locations

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Overview

Alamo

7,4

Good

2 reviews•1 location

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Overview

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

6,5

Okay

24 reviews•9 locations

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Overview

Car hire FAQs

What is the cheapest hire car found in Washington, D.C.?
In the past two weeks, Cheapflights users have found many deals under R673/day when booking a car hire in Washington, D.C.. The absolute best deal a user found was for R667/day from Thrifty, booked on Aug. 17.
How much does it cost to hire a car in Washington, D.C. for a week from Thrifty?
Thrifty is one of the top picks in Washington, D.C.. They can have you in a hire car for about R4 709 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.