Which car hire company is considered to be the best in Chicago?

Taking our users’ ratings and reviews into consideration, Alamo (8.1 rating), Enterprise Rent-A-Car (7.6 rating) and National (7.4 rating) seem to be the best car hire companies in Chicago.

What are petrol prices like in Chicago?

The average price of petrol in Chicago is ฿44.77/litre over the past month, costing you anywhere between ฿2,014 and ฿2,910 to fill up a car’s fuel tank.

How much does it cost to hire a car in Chicago for a week from Budget?

Budget offers hire cars in Chicago for about ฿71,702 per week on average.

How far in advance should I hire a car in Chicago for the best price?

Booking your car hire early can save you up to 28%. Aim to book your car hire at least 7 days in advance to take advantage of a below average price in Chicago.

Can I rent a car for a month in Chicago?

Yes, renting a vehicle in Chicago for a month is certainly possible.

What car do most people hire in Chicago?

The most popular car chosen by those travelling to Chicago is Full-size (Chevrolet Suburban) based on our Cheapflights data.

Cheap Car Hire in Chicago

What is the cheapest time to rent a car in Chicago?

January

฿1,405

February

฿1,479

March

฿1,775

April

฿1,923

May

฿2,108

June

฿2,330

July

฿2,404

August

฿2,404

September

฿2,145

October

฿2,145

November

฿1,923

December

฿1,849

Currently, the cheapest month to rent a car in Chicago is January. The most expensive time to rent a car is July. The cheapest prices for each month are shown above, but prices will vary based on availability, how far out you book your rental car, and of course, car type.

Compare available car types for rental in Chicago

	Small cars	฿1,683 - ฿3,356
	All Car Types	฿1,609 - ฿4,190

To hire a small car in Chicago, the United States, you would pay an average price of ฿2,067/day. February is the cheapest month to hire a small car in Chicago, the United States (~฿1,683/day), while the most expensive month to hire that same car type is May (~฿3,356/day). In fact, February is about 19% cheaper than prices during the rest of the year to book a small car hire for Chicago. When comparing with other car types available for hire in Chicago, hiring a small car saves you 24% in costs. Please note that average prices are based on historical data and can vary depending on how early you book, availability for your travel dates, and vehicle popularity.

To hire a medium car in Chicago, the United States, you would pay an average price of ฿2,202/day. February is the cheapest month to hire a medium car in Chicago, the United States (~฿1,204/day), while the most expensive month to hire that same car type is July (~฿3,537/day). In fact, February is about 46% cheaper than prices during the rest of the year to book a medium car hire for Chicago. When comparing with other car types available for hire in Chicago, hiring a medium car saves you 19% in costs. Please note that average prices are based on historical data and can vary depending on how early you book, availability for your travel dates, and vehicle popularity.

To hire a large car in Chicago, the United States, you would pay an average price of ฿2,217/day. December is the cheapest month to hire a large car in Chicago, the United States (~฿1,379/day), while the most expensive month to hire that same car type is June (~฿6,783/day). In fact, December is about 38% cheaper than prices during the rest of the year to book a large car hire for Chicago. When comparing with other car types available for hire in Chicago, hiring a large car saves you 19% in costs. Please note that average prices are based on historical data and can vary depending on how early you book, availability for your travel dates, and vehicle popularity.

To hire a SUV in Chicago, the United States, you would pay an average price of ฿2,763/day. September is the cheapest month to hire a SUV in Chicago, the United States (~฿1,454/day), while the most expensive month to hire that same car type is October (~฿6,988/day). In fact, September is about 48% cheaper than prices during the rest of the year to book a SUV hire for Chicago. When comparing with other car types available for hire in Chicago, hiring a SUV is 3% more expensive. Please note that average prices are based on historical data and can vary depending on how early you book, availability for your travel dates, and vehicle popularity.

To hire a van in Chicago, the United States, you would pay an average price of ฿2,142/day. November is the cheapest month to hire a van in Chicago, the United States (~฿1,862/day), while the most expensive month to hire that same car type is June (~฿10,243/day). In fact, November is about 14% cheaper than prices during the rest of the year to book a van hire for Chicago. When comparing with other car types available for hire in Chicago, hiring a van saves you 21% in costs. Please note that average prices are based on historical data and can vary depending on how early you book, availability for your travel dates, and vehicle popularity.

Top rental agencies in Chicago

Have a look at the top rental car agencies available in Chicago, including Alamo, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Avis. Make sure to read reviews, pricing info, location, and other important details before choosing a rental car agency.

Alamo

8.1

Very Good

382 reviews•3 locations

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Overview

Recent reviews

10.0

Wonderful|Apr 2023

very convenient

10.0

Wonderful|Apr 2023

Fast and easy. Knowledgeable staff.

10.0

Wonderful|Apr 2023

Great service at every point. Loved the upgrade!

10.0

Wonderful|Mar 2023

The rental was very nice and very clean. Pick-up was a little tricky (not knowing the tram ride), but dropping off the rental couldn't have been any easier. I will use Alamo again when visiting Chicago in the future. Thanks...........Joe

1 out of 128

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

7.6

Good

327 reviews•28 locations

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Overview

Enterprise Rent-A-Car Locations in Chicago

Avis

6.6

Okay

152 reviews•12 locations

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Overview

Recent reviews

10.0

Wonderful|Apr 2024

We arrived early, so check in was very quick. Easy to pick up the car, easy to return at O’hare. Friendly staff.

6.0

Okay|Sep 2023

The pick-up line was nearly 2 hours long. Counter agent was very friendly, but he could have used help that day. We will not return to Avis unless staffing is addressed

2.0

Poor|Sep 2023

Original reservation was canceled with out notification. Called 4 times the morning of and reservations was trying to charge me double what I was originally quoted after mentioning the lot was empty… never Avis, ever again. lady at the counter, “ I had to fight for this car” -gets in and realizes it’s HEAVILY smoked in…

2.0

Poor|Jul 2023

It was two hrs from the time I stood in line to the time I actually started a vehicle!

10.0

Wonderful|Jul 2023

The staff helping us with pick-up in Chicago at O’Hare was friendly, experienced, and professional. She explained everything thoroughly while making the pick up quick and easy.

10.0

Wonderful|Apr 2023

Drop off someone had to explain process- minimal staff - holiday and like most business just lack of staff. Taken care of and staff was pleasent

1 out of 51

Avis Locations in Chicago

Payless

6.4

Okay

366 reviews•2 locations

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Overview

Recent reviews

2.0

Poor|Nov 2022

Being charged for full tank of gas when we brought tank back full.

4.0

Mediocre|Oct 2022

The price was double what was advertised on Kayak and I used the car for less than a day (over $500 charge). I knew fees could differ but not to this degree

2.0

Poor|Oct 2022

From check in to drop off the experience with Payless rental was horrible! Car was not full of gas all though the paperwork stated it was. Car was dirty (literally trash left in the car), waited in line for pick up for almost 40 minutes…there were only 3 customers in front of us. Had issues with the car immediately as back passenger tire was not keeping air. At drop off they told us there was nothing they could do and that we’d need to call the customer service line. Customer service told us they could not refund our money because we booked through a 3rd party. I would NEVER use this service again or Payless car rental! It was HORRIBLE!

4.0

Mediocre|Aug 2022

The pick up experience at Payless in Chicago was horrible. Our car reservation was for 6am right when they opened because we had had a nightmare travel experience and needed to get home as soon as possible. There was nobody at this time. We waited around for a while as we saw employees arrive for all the other car rental companies. After about 15 minutes and still no one there to help us, I ended up finding a Budget employee that was able to assist as best she good. She reiterated several times throughout the process that Payless does things a little differently than them and she was unfamiliar with their process. Long story short, she ended up miscommunicating something to me (not her fault - she wasn't a Payless employee), leading to an expected nearly $100 charge on my card. The silver lining was that Payless Customer services was very nice after the fact via online inquiry. Quick responses, understanding of my situation, and accommodating to my requests. Although I had a good experience with customer service on the back end, the negative experience I had on the front end is enough to make me not use Payless again in the future.

2.0

Poor|Jan 2022

no one answered the phone at the airport so i cancelled. never again

8.0

Very Good|Jan 2022

Car we requested was ready when scheduled.

1 out of 122

Budget

6.1

Okay

389 reviews•10 locations

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Overview

Recent reviews

10.0

Wonderful|Aug 2023

Poor pick up experience. They seemed to let the line grow to an unacceptable length deliberately before attending to customers. But the gentleman was friendly when I eventually got there and we got a brand new car

2.0

Poor|Jul 2023

Canceled the reservation: when I showed up there was a line of more than 50 people and only two agents working the counter. Took an uber instead.

6.0

Okay|Jul 2023

Staff friendly and helpful but needed more staff to moved things along quicker

4.0

Mediocre|Jul 2023

Staff were extremely polite and accommodating and this is the one redeeming factor. It took about an hour waiting in line to reach the budget counter. Seemed like everything went fine until we reached the garage and found out we were given a Ford Runner with terrible mileage for hundreds of miles of turnpike driving. Representative in the garage tried to help us out and moved us into a Chevy Malibu. Unfortunately the car was dirty (obvious trash left in car), but we were willing to deal since we were already severely delayed. But then we reached the garage gate to checkout and found out from the attendant that one extra feature we asked for; an Ezpass on the rental, was MIA. It was just one issue after another and overall a very bad experience, but again shout out to the staff who were very kind and helpful throughout.

2.0

Poor|Jul 2023

It takes about three hours to pick up the vehicle, and people at pickup location were so rude to customers.

10.0

Wonderful|Jul 2023

Everything was great

1 out of 130

Budget Locations in Chicago

Hertz

6.0

Okay

608 reviews•18 locations

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Overview

Recent reviews

10.0

Wonderful|Sep 2023

Helpful on phone and in personn

8.0

Very Good|Sep 2023

I had a good experience over all. Smooth pick up and drop off. Friendly staff

2.0

Poor|Jul 2023

They did not have the car and never notified me. Late the night before i called and discovered this. Calling hertz was a nightmare. Kept getting shuttled to sales.

10.0

Wonderful|Jul 2023

The car had been reserved in downtown Chicago, even though I specified O’Hare. The person at the desk at the airport said she couldn’t get the reservation switched over to O’Hare and was not very helpful. I called Hertz customer service and they were outstanding. Got the reservation switched and a better price, even! She was so helpful and kind which was so appreciated after a 5 hour flight with and infant and a three hour drive ahead of us. The check out/check in process was totally fast and efficient! Will definitely use Hertz again! Thanks!!

10.0

Wonderful|May 2023

Great customer service the lady was very patient and polite. Thanks again for your service.

2.0

Poor|May 2023

Cancelled the reservation 2 hours before I was supposed to pick the car up. Gave no other alternatives causing me to miss my trip

1 out of 203

Hertz Locations in Chicago

Thrifty

5.4

Fair

230 reviews•5 locations

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Overview

Recent reviews

8.0

Very Good|Aug 2022

Cost of sat nav was hideous

2.0

Poor|Aug 2022

Had to wait over an hour in line to pick up the car at O’Hare and the customer service was so slow. I would not recommend.

10.0

Wonderful|Jul 2022

Upgraded me to a new Expedition Max for very few extra dollars!

2.0

Poor|Jul 2022

I got overcharged than what's on my receipt and don't know why. I don't mean the deposit which was refunded. I returned it with more fuel than I started with. So this is a scam rental car company that I will never use again for the $20 overcharge. Good luck loosing a customer for $20

2.0

Poor|Jul 2022

There was a line of 100 people and only two employees working behind the counter at O'HARE location in Chicago ( meanwhile the other car rental companies next to them had 5 or 6 people working behind the counter) .. I waited in line 2 hours and 30 minutes and it was miserable because I already had a reservation at noon because I had to to to a wedding that day like 4 hours away .. A lots of nasty actitud from the people working for "thrifty" .. on top of that they FORCE me to pay an extra 30 dollars a day for my car rental otherwise I'll have to wait for an undisclosed amount of time because according to them they didn't have cars available. But after I paid the extra money the car was available . This was so disrespectful

4.0

Mediocre|Mar 2022

The car itself was fine. I had to wait three hours past my reserved pick-up time for a car. This was a business trip with meetings scheduled which were greatly affected by this issue. It was clear I was not the only one.

1 out of 77

Dollar

5.4

Fair

336 reviews•3 locations

Check prices

Overview

Recent reviews

4.0

Mediocre|Aug 2023

Desk person asked if I wanted the Fuel deal to return it empty. I said no, I'll fill it up. She charged me for the fuel deal anyway and I didn't realize it until I turned the car in. Trying to figure out how to get my $66 back that I should not have been charged. Also, the line was 40 minutes long just to get to the counter. The actual car was fine, but the Dollar service is not good.

2.0

Poor|Jan 2023

My flight was delayed, and I arrived at the dollar counter, just after they had closed. There was a lady still behind the counter, who informed me that because I had not arrived within two hours of the predetermined time they had rented my vehicle to someone else. How is this practice even legal being that I had already paid for it? I was forced to take rideshare to my destination and then back again the next day at an expense of more than $120. I am quite sure that I had pre-purchased insurance but dollar could not confirm this so I paid for insurance that I didn’t need , my total charge at the counter was an additional $124.22. The type of vehicle I had requested was not available so I had to settle for what they had. There were four shirts laying on the back seat, so I find it difficult to believe the vehicle had been cleaned , I think that the previous customer had just left it clean. Please let me know how to get a refund.

1 out of 112

Car rental FAQs

Which car hire company is considered to be the best in Chicago?
Taking our users’ ratings and reviews into consideration, Alamo (8.1 rating), Enterprise Rent-A-Car (7.6 rating) and National (7.4 rating) seem to be the best car hire companies in Chicago.
What are petrol prices like in Chicago?
The average price of petrol in Chicago is ฿44.77/litre over the past month, costing you anywhere between ฿2,014 and ฿2,910 to fill up a car’s fuel tank.
How much does it cost to hire a car in Chicago for a week from Budget?
Budget offers hire cars in Chicago for about ฿71,702 per week on average.
How far in advance should I hire a car in Chicago for the best price?
Booking your car hire early can save you up to 28%. Aim to book your car hire at least 7 days in advance to take advantage of a below average price in Chicago.
Can I rent a car for a month in Chicago?
Yes, renting a vehicle in Chicago for a month is certainly possible.
What car do most people hire in Chicago?
The most popular car chosen by those travelling to Chicago is Full-size (Chevrolet Suburban) based on our Cheapflights data.