13 Companies That Let You Drop Off a Rental Car at a Different Location

William Lipovsky headshot William Lipovsky
Verified & Updated Jul 21, 2020

One-way car rentals are a great option for road trips or business travel, among others. But do all car rental companies offer this service? See below to find out more about your options for returning a rental car to a different location than where you rented it.

Can You Return a Rental Car to a Different Location?

Returning a rental car to a  location is possible with the right rental company. This is usually referred to as a one-way rental. Some companies may charge an additional fee for returning a rental car to a different location.

Before you begin the rental process, make sure the rental company you choose has a location in your desired drop-off area. If you drop off your rental car in a metropolitan area, chances are there will be several locations to choose from. Make sure you choose a location that’s most convenient to you and verify the location’s address as to not confuse it with another nearby location.

Our related article has more information about what happens if you return a rental car early.

What We Recommend

When you want a one-way rental that comes with unlimited mileage and without many location restrictions, National will likely be your best option, as it allows the option of simply selecting a one-way rental when you make a reservation online. Pre-selecting the one-way rental also allows you to avoid the drop-off fee, which you will incur with virtually all other one-way rental options.

The List

All the following car rental companies allow you to pick up and drop off a car at different locations. To compare their pricing and other rental policies, you can use our car rental selection tool. We’ve ordered the list below starting with the best one-way and overall rental options.

1. National

  • One-way rental policy: Choose the one-way option when making the rental reservation to avoid paying a drop-off fee at a different location (unless you return within the same city — this will incur a fee).[1]
    • Note: You may be charged higher rental fees when traveling to other states.
  • Unlimited mileage: Available for all National members. Some locations offer unlimited mileage for non-members as well.[2]
  • Rewards program: National special offers
  • Make a reservation

2. Budget

  • One-way rental policy: Drop-off options are available at select locations, and an additional fee may apply.
    • Note: You must get permission from the rental office before traveling out-of-state.[3]
  • Unlimited mileage: Available for all cars traveling in-state. You can get this perk on a restricted basis out-of-state rentals, but excessive mileage penalties may apply.[3]
  • Rewards program: Check out Budget deals and ongoing specials
  • Make a reservation

3. Dollar

  • One-way rental policy: Most U.S. locations offer this perk. There is a drop-off fee, which varies per destination.[4]
    • Note: Out-of-state travel may incur an additional fee.
  • Unlimited mileage program: Available at some locations.[4]
  • Rewards program: Not offered
  • Make a reservation

4. Avis

  • One-way rental policy: Drop-off options are available at select locations.[5]
  • Unlimited mileage: Available for all cars traveling in-state. Restrictions on unlimited mileage apply for out-of-state travel.[5]
  • Rewards program: Enroll in the Avis Preferred program to earn points towards rentals and to speed up pickup and drop-off times.
  • Make a reservation

5. Alamo

  • One-way rental policy: There is a drop-off fee for returning vehicles to different locations.[6]
  • Unlimited mileage: Some locations offer unlimited mileage. Preference is given to smaller vehicle rentals.[6]
  • Rewards program: Get 5% off rentals as a member of the Alamo Insiders program.
  • Make a reservation

6. ACE Rent a Car

  • One-way rental policy: Limited one-way rental is available at some locations.[7]
    • Note: Additional fees may apply if you drive out-of-state.
  • Unlimited mileage: Some locations offer unlimited mileage.[7]
  • Rewards program: Earn rewards points towards future rentals with the ACE Rental Genius program.
  • Make a reservation

7. Advantage

  • One-way rental policy: Available at all locations for an additional fee of $75.[8]
    • Note: You can only drive out-of-state if you fly into a location and rent a car at the airport.
  • Unlimited mileage: Only available if you fly into an airport location[8]
  • Rewards program: The Advantage Awards program allows you to earn free days and various discounts.
  • Make a reservation

8. Enterprise

  • One-way rental policy: Only available for certain vehicles.[9]
  • Unlimited mileage: Available for all airport rentals and some non-airport rentals. Border and inter-state travel restrictions may apply. Renting cars for longer trips involves getting a customized rental quote that includes specific mileage terms.[9]
  • Rewards program: Earn points that can be used for discounts through the Enterprise Plus loyalty program.
  • Make a reservation

You can check out our article to find out if you can get a student discount at Enterprise.

9. Thrifty

  • One-way rental: Available at some rental locations, and drop-off fees apply. Select “return to different location” when using the online form.[10]
  • Unlimited mileage program: Available for all rentals at an additional price.[10]
  • Rewards program: The Thrifty Blue Chip program offers faster rentals and returns.
  • Make a reservation

10. Hertz

  • One-way rental policy: Some locations offer one-way rental, which may come with additional fees.[11]
  • Unlimited mileage: Available for most rentals. An excess mileage fee may be charged for a certain number of miles.[11]
  • Rewards program: Join the Hertz Gold Plus Awards program to get faster pickups, discounts, and free rentals.
  • Make a reservation

11. E-Z Rent-A-Car

  • One-way rental policy: Only non-local renters are eligible for unlimited mileage programs. Expect to pay a drop-off fee.[12]
  • Unlimited mileage: Available for non-local renters only and only at some locations.[12]
  • Rewards program: Get regular discounts through the E-Z Money program.
  • Make a reservation

12. U-Save

  • One-way rental policy: Only available at some locations.[13]
  • Unlimited mileage: Available only at some locations.[13]
  • Rewards program: N/A
  • Make a reservation

13. Zipcar

  • One-way rental policy: Only available in Baltimore, Denver, District of Columbia (D.C.), and Los Angeles. D.C .car rentals can be dropped off in Baltimore, and Baltimore rentals can be dropped off in D.C. All other rental locations require cars to be picked up and dropped off at locations within the same city.[14]
    • Note: Out-of-state rentals are limited to specific areas.
  • Unlimited mileage program: Zipcar rentals include up to 180 miles per day. Additional fees may be charged for exceeding this limit.[14]
  • Rewards program: None
  • Join Zipcar

If you have more questions about returning a Zipcar early, see our dedicated article.

Car Rental Companies That Don’t Allow It

The following companies have an official policy that requires customers to return their rental cars to the same location as where they picked it up. However, as noted below, car owners using Turo may be willing to make arrangements with you if you need to drop off your car at a different location.

1. Turo

  • One-way rental policy: Rental cars must be returned to their original owner at the same pickup location, according to the official company policy.[15] However, the owner may be willing to work with you to make arrangements for a different drop-off location.
  • Unlimited mileage: Car owners may or may not offer mileage perks. When they are offered you’ll see “distance included” during the reservation process. This perk typically gives you 100 to 200 miles per day. Fees are charged for going over the limit.[15]
  • Rewards program: None
  • Make a reservation

2. Rent-A-Wreck

  • One-way rental policy: All car rentals must be returned to the same pickup location.[16]
  • Unlimited mileage: Available for a fee that varies by location.[16]
  • Rewards program: None
  • Make a reservation

In Summary

Usually referred to as a one-way rental, most of the nation’s major car rental companies allow you to pick up a rental car and return it to a different location. Some companies charge an additional fee for this service. Make sure to verify the address of your preferred drop-off location before completing the booking process, particularly in metropolitan areas, where there may be several rental locations.

  1. https://www.nationalcar.com/en_US/car-rental-faqs.html[↩]
  2. https://www.nationalcar.com/en_US/car-rental-faqs.html[↩]
  3. https://www.budget.com/en/customer-care/faqs/global/requirements-for-renting[↩][↩]
  4. https://www.dollar.com/AboutUs/GeneralPolicies.aspx[↩][↩]
  5. https://www.avis.com/en/customer-service/faqs/usa/rental-policies[↩][↩]
  6. https://www.alamo.com/en_US/car-rental-faqs.html[↩][↩]
  7. https://www.acerentacar.com/Faq.aspx[↩][↩]
  8. https://www.advantagecarrentals.com/rental-policies/[↩][↩]
  9. https://www.enterprise.com/en/help/faqs.html[↩][↩]
  10. https://www.thrifty.com/AboutUs/content/GeneralPolicies.aspx[↩][↩]
  11. https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/reservation/reviewmodifycancel/templates/rentalTerms.jsp?KEYWORD=PAYMENT&EOAG=LAX[↩][↩]
  12. https://www.e-zrentacar.com/terms-and-conditions-ez-money/[↩][↩]
  13. http://www.usave.com/Policies.aspx?franid=1051[↩][↩]
  14. https://support.zipcar.com/hc/en-us[↩][↩]
  15. https://support.turo.com/hc/en-us[↩][↩]
  16. https://www.rentawreck.com/rental_requirements.htm[↩][↩]
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