Car rental in Los Angeles

In Los Angeles a car is not a luxury

Los Angeles isn't really a city, it's a huge region. From Santa Monica beach to Hollywood, from Hollywood to Downtown and from there to Disneyland, the distances would be trips between towns anywhere else. Public transport exists, but for a visitor it isn't enough.

With your own car you plan the day at your pace: the morning in Malibu, sunset at Griffith Observatory and dinner in another neighborhood, without relying on ride-hailing apps that get expensive over these distances.

Picking up your car at LAX

At LAX the rental companies are not inside the terminal. Their offices are outside the airport, at the rental car center, and you get there on the free transport that leaves from the arrivals area. Follow the rental car signs once you have your bags.

The airport is changing how that transfer works, so the exact pickup point and the office address are on your voucher. Allow some extra time between landing and driving off: LAX is big and there are lines at peak hours.

A question we get often: we don't offer meet-and-greet at the terminal door. We only work with official rental companies, which is what guarantees the car is there, the contract is right and you have support if something happens.

What you need to pick up the car

There are three things, and all three are mandatory. Without any of them the rental company won't hand over the car.

A credit card in the main driver's name. The rental company blocks a security deposit. Debit cards, cash and someone else's card are not accepted.

A physical, valid driver's license. In the United States a license on your phone, photos or copies are not accepted. It has to be the plastic card, valid for the whole rental.

A valid passport. The minimum age is 19 (it may vary by rental company or category), with no maximum age. Drivers aged 19 to 24 pay a young driver fee, and we tell you before you book.

Traffic and freeways: what to know

LA's freeways are wide and well signposted, but the traffic is among the worst in the country. At rush hour, morning and late afternoon, a half-hour drive can take more than an hour. Use Google Maps or Waze and leave early.

Carpool lanes, marked with a diamond, are for cars with two or more people; check the sign, because some require more. Driving in one alone means an expensive fine.

You can turn right on red after a full stop unless a sign says otherwise. And when you hear a siren, pull over to the right and stop.

Tolls in Los Angeles

The vast majority of LA freeways have no tolls. You can drive around the city, to San Diego or to Las Vegas without paying anything on the road.

The exceptions are some express lanes, paid with an electronic transponder, and the Orange County toll roads to the south, which are electronic with no booths. If you enter one by mistake, the charge goes to the rental company.

For a normal trip, the toll pass offered at the desk is rarely needed: set your GPS to avoid tolls and you'll get around just fine. If you take it, it's paid there and is non-refundable.

Parking without fines or break-ins

On the street, read every sign: street-cleaning hours, resident permits, red-painted curbs. A ticket or a tow goes through the rental company, which charges you the fine plus a handling fee, even if it arrives after your trip.

Break-ins to steal items from parked cars are common, including at tourist spots. Leave nothing in sight, not even an empty backpack, and put your luggage in the trunk before you leave the hotel, not in the parking lot.

Many hotels charge for parking separately. Ask when you book, and where you can, use a public car park instead of valet.

Road trips from Los Angeles

It's one of the best starting points in the world for a road trip. Highway 1 north along the coast, through Santa Barbara, Big Sur and on to San Francisco, is the classic. Some stretches of Big Sur sometimes close because of landslides: check road conditions before you go.

To the south, San Diego is about two hours away without traffic. Toward the desert, Palm Springs and Joshua Tree National Park, and further on, Las Vegas. From there, the Grand Canyon or Zion. Inland to the north, Sequoia and Yosemite.

If you want to end in another city, such as San Francisco or Las Vegas, you can drop the car off there. The rental company charges a one-way fee, and we include it in your quote. If you'll leave California, tell us when you book so it's written in the contract. Driving into Mexico, on the other hand, most rental companies don't allow or only allow under special conditions: ask us first.

Which category suits your trip

The most requested is the midsize 5-seat SUV: good trunk space, a comfortable height for the freeways and it works well both in the city and on a long road trip.

For groups, a 7 or 8-seat minivan has more luggage space than a 7-seat SUV. For two people on the coast, a convertible is a California classic. We guarantee the category, not the exact model: the rental company assigns that at pickup.

The most expensive mistakes

Returning the car without a full tank. The rental company charges missing fuel at a much higher price than a gas station. At many stations a foreign card asks for a ZIP code at the pump: if it doesn't work, pay inside before filling up.

Showing up with your license on your phone. They won't give you the car and you lose the booking.

Leaving things in sight in the car. It's the fastest way to end up with a broken window.

Signing without reading. Extras such as roadside assistance, GPS, a toll pass or a child seat are sometimes offered at the desk, and they're paid there with no refund. If something doesn't match your booking, message us before you sign.