Philadelphia Named Most Expensive Car Rental City
After comparing rental rates in 50 U.S. cities, CheapCarRental.net found that Philadelphia had the highest daily rate at $83 for August.
Philadelphia has been named the most expensive U.S. city for rental rates, according to a CheapCarRental.net survey. Photo via Wikimedia.
Philadelphia has been named the most expensive U.S. city for rental rates, according to a CheapCarRental.net survey. Photo via Wikimedia.
Philadelphia has been named the most expensive car rental city on the cheapest available car, according to a new survey from CheapCarRental.net.
In determining the rankings, the survey compared 50 main destinations in the U.S. based on their car rental rates during the month of August.
In the City of Brotherly Love, car renters will have to pay an average of $83 per rental day for the cheapest available rental car, according to the survey. Seattle finished in second with average rates of $81 while Boston finished third with an average of $81 per rental day.
On the opposite end, the least expensive U.S. car rental city is Orlando with an average rate of only $26 per day. Other Florida destinations, including Miami, Tampa and Fort Lauderdale, were at the bottom of the list with daily rates from $28 to $32.
The prices shown reflect the average daily rate for the cheapest available car during the period spanning August 1–31, 2016. For comparative purposes, each city's airport was chosen as the pick-up and drop-off location.
The following tables show the 10 most expensive U.S. car rental destinations and the 10 cheapest rental car destinations:
Top 10 Most Expensive Cities:
- Philadelphia: $83
- Seattle: $81
- Boston: $80
- Chicago: $73
- Detroit: $71
- Portland: $69
- Cincinnati: $67
- Indianapolis: $61
- Denver: $61
- Cleveland: $60
10 Cheapest Cities:
- Charlotte: $43
- Phoenix and Honolulu: $42
- Las Vegas and Los Angeles: $41
- San Diego: $40
- Fort Lauderdale: $32
- Tampa: $30
- Miami: $28
- Orlando: $26
More Rental Operations
The $100,000 Insurance Trap in Exotic Car Rentals
Exotic rental agencies often rely on customers’ personal auto policies to protect six-figure vehicles. But policy language can dramatically change the coverage for vehicles over $100,000 MSRP.
Read More →
The Booking Is Confirmed, But Is Your Customer Ready to Drive?
For international renters, a confirmed reservation doesn’t always mean they’re eligible to drive. Earlier checks can help operators catch documentation and payment issues before the customer reaches the counter.
Read More →
ICRS 2027 Opens Call for Papers
The International Car Rental Show seeks session proposals on the business, operational, and technology issues facing car rental operators. Submissions are due Jan. 15.
Read More →
Turo to Launch Vehicle Delivery Service
Turo Delivered will let travelers search for vehicles that hosts can deliver directly to hotels, homes, airports, train stations, and other locations.
Read More →
Palm Beach Airport Code Change Creates Car Rental Distribution Gap
A test of rental searches under the old PBI and new DJT airport codes returned largely different sets of brands and vehicles, highlighting a potential distribution problem for rental operators.
Read More →
U-Save Continues Dominican Republic Expansion with Launch in Punta Cana
The new franchise location builds on U-Save’s existing Santo Domingo operation and will begin taking reservations for October 2026.
Read More →
When AI Books the Rental Car, Who Controls the Sale?
As AI moves from comparing rental rates to completing transactions, operators need to understand how travelers find, interpret, rank, and ultimately see their offers. (Part 2 of 2.)
Read More →
European Booked Car Rental Rates Fell 5%, Results Varied by Country
Ireland, Cyprus, and the United Kingdom saw steep declines, while booked rates rose in Poland and Hungary.
Read More →
Is It Time to Rethink Rental Categories?
As traditional economy and compact cars disappear from the market, longtime rental operator Mike DeLorenzo asks whether the industry’s familiar vehicle categories still make sense — and what operators need to rethink along with them.
Read More →
Who Owns the Rate? AI Is Creating a New Distribution Problem for Car Rental
Generative Engine Optimization asks whether AI can find a rental company, but operators also need to know whether the agent inspected enough of the market, compared equivalent offers, and presented a rate the traveler can actually book. (Part 1 of 2)
Read More →