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Car Rental at Fort Lauderdale Airport
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is the car rental process at FLL fast?
It depends a lot on the company. Alamo, Enterprise, National, Avis and Sixt receive the best reviews for speed, especially with online check-in or loyalty programs. Thrifty, Dollar, Fox and Budget accumulate reports of lines and waits for the car of more than an hour, even with a prepaid reservation.
How can I avoid hidden charges?
The most reported problems are insurance added after the customer declined it, toll packages sold for trips with few tolls, and charges for fuel or cleaning after the return. Ask for the itemized total before paying, check the contract before signing and photograph the fuel gauge when you return the car.
Do I need the company's toll package?
Not always. The packages cost tens of dollars, while a trip like Fort Lauderdale to Naples and back on Alligator Alley costs about USD 6 in tolls with a transponder. Calculate your route's tolls before accepting, and if you have a SunPass or a compatible E-ZPass, ask how to use it with the rental car.
Will I receive the car model I booked?
Not always. Several companies at FLL ran out of cars on busy days, and there are reports of electric cars delivered to customers who booked gasoline vehicles. If this happens, ask for the correct category or a price adjustment before leaving.
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Critical Points / Traveler's Handbook
The Dilemma: Low Price vs. High Risk
The lowest rates almost always come with a higher risk of long waits, vehicles in poorer condition and extra charges. Consider whether the savings compensate for the potential frustration and loss of time.
Online Check-in Does Not Always Avoid the Line
At Budget, Dollar, Hertz and Thrifty there are reports of customers who checked in online and still waited an hour at the counter or for the car. Where the system works (Alamo, National Emerald Aisle, Enterprise), you go straight to the lot and choose your car.
Insurance and Extras Added Without Asking
Several reviews describe signing on a screen that did not show the amounts and discovering insurance, extra drivers or daily adjustments on the receipt. Ask for the itemized contract before signing and do not accept a signature screen without seeing the total.
Document Everything: Your Best Defense
Charges for cleaning, fuel, smoking or keys appear days or weeks later. Before leaving and when returning, take photos and videos of the car, the interior, the fuel gauge and the mileage, and keep the return receipt.
Pros and Cons of Renting a Car at FLL
- Pros:
- Everything in one building: the 12 main companies are in the rental car center, next to Terminal 1.
- Easy access: pedestrian bridge from Terminal 1 and free shuttles every 10 minutes from the other terminals, 24 hours.
- Fast programs: Alamo, National and Enterprise let you go straight to the car.
- Cons:
- Long lines at budget brands: waits of one to two hours at Thrifty, Dollar, Fox and Budget on busy days.
- Unexpected charges: unrequested insurance, toll packages and charges after the return.
- Hot garage: travelers describe the rental center as very hot while waiting for the car.
List of companies. Pros and Cons according to users
The rental car center (RCC) brings together 12 companies in a single facility adjacent to Terminal 1. For added convenience, there is an ATM on the third level, near the front entrance doors.
ACE Rent a Car
Phone: +1 877 822 3872
Hours: 24 hours
Location: Level 3
Pros:
- Initial prices that are usually very competitive.
- Some users highlight the friendliness of specific agents and a quick return.
Cons:
- Recurring complaints about insurance and extra drivers charged after the customer declined them.
- Toll packages sold for routes with few tolls.
- High cleaning fees, such as USD 236 for sand and crumbs in a family van.
User experience:
- The most repeated pattern is a rushed pickup, without showing the contract, followed by charges the customer did not expect.
- Those who complain later report a service desk that does not answer the phone.
Strategy: ask for the itemized total before paying and ask about the cleaning policy if you are going to the beach.
Alamo Rent a Car
Phone: +1 800 462 5266
Hours: 5:00 am to 12:00 am
Location: Level 2
Pros:
- Online check-in lets you go straight to the lot and choose your car, with no wait.
- Clean, recent cars and a good selection, including convertibles.
- Friendly staff, even at late-night hours.
Cons:
- On busy days the booked category may not be available (for example, a midsize car instead of a minivan).
- Those who do not check in online may find a line at the counter.
User experience:
- It is one of the best-rated companies at FLL: fast pickup and return, and cars in very good condition.
- Staff go out of their way to help, for example to recover items left in the car.
Strategy: complete the online check-in before your flight to go straight to the car.
Avis Rent a Car
Phone: +1 800 331 1212
Hours: 24 hours
Location: Level 3
Pros:
- Agents consistently praised for their friendliness and for resolving problems with the assigned car.
- Quick returns, useful when you are heading to your flight.
Cons:
- Cars that are sometimes not fully clean inside (dust, crumbs, dirty windshield).
- Past complaints about billing and charges for damage after the return.
User experience:
- The recent reviews are very positive, mainly for the attention of the staff at the counter and at the return.
- The most common observation is the interior cleanliness of some cars.
Strategy: check the interior before leaving and ask for a change on the spot if the car is not clean.
Budget Rent a Car
Phone: +1 800 218 7992
Hours: 24 hours
Location: Level 4
Pros:
- Usually offers lower booking prices than premium brands.
- Some agents are praised for their service, and some customers are in and out in 5 minutes.
Cons:
- Lines of up to an hour even with online check-in, with two agents for dozens of customers.
- Reservations not honored for lack of cars, with paid upgrades as the only alternative.
- Charges after the return, such as fuel billed with a full tank or replaced keys.
User experience:
- The experience is very uneven: from fast rentals to nighttime arrivals with no car available.
- The most serious complaints are about charges that appear weeks later and a phone service that does not resolve them.
Strategy: photograph the fuel gauge and the mileage when returning the car, and keep the receipt.
Dollar Rent a Car
Phone: +1 800 800 5252
Hours: 4:00 am to 1:00 am
Location: Level 4
Pros:
- Very attractive booking prices.
- Some users have had quick and trouble-free experiences during low-demand times.
Cons:
- Lines and waits for the car of more than an hour, without warning at check-in.
- Fees that add almost USD 100 to the booked price.
- Cars delivered dirty or different from the one booked, for example electric instead of gasoline.
User experience:
- The most repeated complaint is the wait: one person at the counter for 40 customers and, after that, another wait for a clean car.
- Customers also report little communication about delays and a customer service that is hard to reach.
Strategy: if you book with Dollar, add at least an hour to your plans for the day you pick up the car.
Enterprise Rent a Car
Phone: +1 800 736 8222
Hours: 5:00 am to 12:00 am
Location: Level 2
Pros:
- Consistently praised for its friendly customer service and a manager present in the lot.
- Quick pickup and return, with the option to choose your car.
- Recent, clean cars, with free upgrades in several reviews.
Cons:
- Its rates are usually higher compared to low-cost companies.
- Isolated cases of cars with odors or mechanical issues, and agents who try to sell a bigger car.
User experience:
- It is the company with the most positive reviews at FLL, with frequent travelers who rent there every trip.
- The few complaints are about specific cars, not about the service.
Strategy: do not accept an upgrade "because your luggage will not fit" without seeing the trunk first.
Fox Rent a Car
Phone: +1 323 593 7485
Hours: 5:00 am to 1:00 am
Location: Level 3
Pros:
- Very low rates that attract budget-conscious travelers.
- Some customers praise specific agents and the manager for solving problems.
Cons:
- Wait times at the counter of one to two hours.
- Strong pressure to buy insurance and charges for coverage the customer declined, even on bookings made through travel agencies.
- The return shuttle does not go to the terminals: you have to change to the airport shuttle.
User experience:
- Reviews are polarized: those who were charged the agreed price are satisfied, but many report that the final cost doubled or tripled the booking.
- Signing on a screen that does not show the amounts is a repeated complaint.
Strategy: bring proof of your own insurance and ask for the total in writing before signing.
Hertz Rent a Car
Phone: +1 800 654 3131
Hours: 4:00 am to 2:00 am
Location: Level 3
Pros:
- Good selection of vehicles, including new and high-end models.
- On quiet days the process takes less than 10 minutes, with agents who explain the toll roads.
Cons:
- Cars not ready despite online check-in, with waits of up to an hour and a half.
- Charges well above what was booked: fuel, toll passes or a smoking fee for a car that already smelled when picked up.
- Agents distracted at the counter and a customer service that is hard to reach.
User experience:
- Even members of its loyalty programs report long waits and cars that were not the ones reserved.
- The positive reviews highlight specific agents and the quality of the cars.
Strategy: if the car smells of smoke, report it at the counter before leaving to avoid a fee on return.
National Rent a Car
Phone: +1 800 227 7368
Hours: 5:00 am to 12:00 am
Location: Level 2
Pros:
- The "Emerald Aisle" program lets members choose their own car and leave quickly.
- Considered one of the most reliable and efficient options, ideal for business travelers.
- Professional and helpful staff, frequently praised by name.
Cons:
- Recent reports of a very limited selection in the Emerald Aisle, with only a few basic cars.
- Cases of vehicles with bad odors or dirty windshields.
User experience:
- Long-time customers still prefer it, but several Emerald Club members complain that the selection at FLL has shrunk.
- There are isolated reports of returns not recorded in the system.
Strategy: ask for a receipt when you return the car, especially if you return it early.
Payless Rent a Car
Phone: +1 800 729 5377
Hours: 24 hours
Location: Level 3
Pros:
- Offers some of the lowest booking rates.
Cons:
- Pressure to buy its insurance even when you have your own coverage, and refusal of some cards.
- High deposits that take a long time to be refunded.
- Late fees for minutes of delay and cars with damage.
User experience:
- It is the worst-rated company at FLL, with many reviews describing the experience as a scam.
Strategy: if you choose Payless for the price, return the car well before the agreed time and check that the deposit is released.
Sixt Rent a Car
Phone: +1 888 747 7498
Hours: 6:00 am to 12:00 am
Location: Level 4
Pros:
- Modern fleet, including European and high-end models, at fair prices.
- Fast service and staff praised for their friendliness, with free upgrades.
- It has rescued travelers whose car was not available at other companies.
Cons:
- Administrative fees added to parking tickets and tolls, charged months later.
- Complaints about the attitude of a manager in specific cases.
User experience:
- The vast majority of recent reviews are very positive for the service and the cars.
- The complaints focus on fines and tolls processed with an extra fee.
Strategy: pay any parking ticket yourself right away to avoid the company's processing fee.
Thrifty Rent a Car
Phone: +1 800 334 1705
Hours: 4:00 am to 1:00 am
Location: Level 4
Pros:
- Very cheap initial booking rates.
- With online check-in, some customers went straight to the car.
Cons:
- Waits of more than an hour for the car after the counter, in a hot garage.
- Days with no cars despite reservations.
- Little information about delays and staff with little interest in helping.
User experience:
- The most repeated complaint is that they rent cars they do not have ready: the customer signs and then learns there is an hour's wait.
- Several travelers ended up renting at another company in the same building.
Strategy: if they tell you there is a long wait for the car, ask whether you can cancel without a charge before signing.
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Pick-up area
If you arrive at Terminal 1, follow the RCC signs to the pedestrian bridge in Concourse B, located next to the security checkpoint on level 2.
If you arrive at terminals 2, 3, or 4, follow the RCC signs to the passenger pickup area for the courtesy bus service, outside the baggage claim level, next to the curb. These vehicles will take you to the RCC.
Return area
Before your flight's departure, return the rental car to the respective company located at the RCC. Shuttle buses are available to transport you from the RCC to terminals 2, 3, and 4 for boarding. Terminal 1 is accessible via a pedestrian bridge on level 2.
The shuttle service to the RCC connects the lower level of all terminals with level 3 of the rental center. Available every 10 minutes, 24 hours.
Off-airport
The following companies also offer car rental services but are not located within the RCC.
To access these companies, follow the instructions above to get to the RCC. Then, head to Zone G to board a free shuttle service. There is a courtesy phone between stop number 6 and Zone G, which allows you to contact the external car rental companies.
- Easirent (Tel +1 954 314 0302)
- Economy (Tel +1 786 975 2222)
- Go Rentals (Tel +1 954 951 8005)
- Gold Coast (Tel +1 954 522 0665)
- Green Motion (Tel +1 786 247 3411)
- HDC International (Tel +1 786 716 1443)
- JC Car Rental (Tel +1 786 567 0943)
- Next Car (Tel +1 954 900 4536)
- Rent A Car 4 Less (Tel +1 866 327 7037)
- ZezGo (Tel +1 954 754 8588)