Budget Car Rental Reviews

I had a very disappointing experience with Budget Car Rental. I reserved a 7-passenger vehicle on June 6 for pickup on June 14. To make sure everything was set, I called Budget two days before my pickup date and was told that my reservation was confirmed and the vehicle would be available. On the morning of June 14, a Budget associate called and informed me that they had no vehicle available for me. My family and I had a flight to catch from Dulles Airport, and this last-minute cancellation created unnecessary stress and disruption to our travel plans.

We got to Budget at LaGuardia Airport and there was a line out the door. I counted 30 people ahead of us and I looked inside that there was only one employee behind the counter. It took 90 minutes to get to that employee. It then took another 30 minutes to get our reserved car. When returning the car the next day, there was only one employee at returns. He told us that if we wanted a receipt we had to go unto the office. In the office there were 10 people ahead of me and one employee and one trainee on duty. It took 30 minutes to get the receipt. Then to add insult to injury, the handicap bus they sent for us was not working!

We went out on the site and picked a SUV weeks before our trip. We got to Birmingham Airport and was told they no longer carry those vehicles but they were out on the site to choose from. This was an inconvenience for us because we had to get something smaller and we didn’t have time to check with other places because we were leaving. I feel it was false advertisement because it’s out there to choose from but they no longer have them. I spoke with Kendra and out of spending 629.00 they could only discount 52.00. We will NEVER rent anything else from Budget. Our trip was inconvenienced because of their false advertisement. This is unexceptionable and very unprofessional. I wish we had read these reviews before we rented from Budget. Our family will not be rented from Budget!!!!

I reserved a car two weeks before. I wanted a mini-SUV which they had when I made the reservation. When I picked it up I was given a different car, a mini-Van. I told them I didn't want a mini-Van because it's too big and hard to park. They said it was all that they had available, and the car that you get is usually based on a first come first serve basis. This means you are never guaranteed a car that you reserved. What's the point of reserving a car weeks in advance if you're not going to get it? The person at the counter was also very rude about it and seemed like he was ready to go home and seemed bothered and irritated. He said, "you don't have to take it if you don't want to." Poor customer service. It was late at night and I was very tired after a long flight. I definitely didn't want this kind of rude behavior from a rental car front desk attendant. Will never rent from this company ever again!

You people charged me $10:00 because I was a gallon short of gas. I'm retired and plan on renting cars. Guess what company I won't use? It's not the ten dollars, it's the idea of how petty you people are.

Hello to anyone looking to rent a car from Budget. I highly recommend not to, I rented my first car ever and needless to say I will never rent again. Especially from them. Long story short. Rented to drive to Fl paid for insurance and crap. For one day travel. Well dropped car off on the 8th and on the 18th I get a letter saying there’s a dent they're charging me for. So, I call there’s no record but 4 days later money is taking out of my account and they have pics of dent. So week later still fighting with them. And all they say is sorry we have to charge you for it. I said well the timeline doesn’t add up for one. There wasn’t pic but now there is?, and I had insurance on the thing. Well, sorry we have to charge you for debt. So if you’re thinking about using them I recommend think really hard.

I rented a car through the United Airlines website and selected Budget because the total rental cost was quoted at approximately $243. When I arrived at the rental counter, the Budget representative told me I could add insurance for about $40. That sounded reasonable, so I agreed and signed the paperwork. A few days later, I checked my credit card statement and discovered I had been charged $733. Nearly $500 of that amount was for insurance and additional charges that were never clearly explained to me. Had I known the insurance would cost hundreds of dollars instead of around $40, I never would have agreed to it.

Did not receive a full tank of gas. Was charged for not filling it up. I only filled it what I Received. Contacted facility. Was told my account would be noted so I wouldn't be held liable. Never noted account. The mileage did not match what I used from previous rental. Think someone there is using vehicle without paying. Talked to drop off facility. Was told they wouldn't charge me for gas but did anyway. Talked to customer service no response. Company is not trustworthy.

They canceled our truck the day before we were set to move. The only alternative they offered was at a location almost 2 hours away. Do not rent from here.

There are two issues regarding my recent rental: According to the contract, the total cost should be $77.46, but my credit card was charged $176.31. I made the car rental through Booking.com. It clearly states that only a driver’s license and a credit card are required. However, when I arrived to pick up the car, I was asked to present a second ID. The only additional ID I have is my passport. I never expected that traveling locally in Ohio would require a passport, so I did not bring it with me. I had to drive home to get it, which took an hour and caused a significant delay and inconvenience due to this unexpected requirement. Why Budget requires a second ID? If this is a mandatory requirement, why didn’t Booking.com inform customers in advance to prevent situations like this?

Terrible experience. Did not have the size vehicle we reserved and needed for our vacation. We had no choice but to take a smaller one. They offered free gas fill-up as an apology but we were still charged for it. Speaking to customer service after our trip was awful. The supervisor was extremely rude and talked over me and would not hear me out. He apparently thinks our family should have waiting at the airport for days until the correct car was available. Was not willing to make it right. We are not hard to please but expect the car we reserved to be there for us.

DO NOT RENT FROM BUDGET!! THEY FORGED MY HUSBAND’S SIGNATURE! We rented at Naples Airport and had previously booked through Booking.com. We were never given a signed contract. We paid online. After we returned the car they ended up charging us $900 in fees! They charged us for an upgraded car we never got and for returning the car at a different location among other ridiculous fees. They provided us a document of us agreeing but it was not my Husband’s signature! THIS IS ILLEGAL AND WE ARE SEEKING LEGAL COUNSEL. They are fraudulent and DO NOT RENT FROM THEM EVER. They are performing illegal practices!!! Watch out BUDGET!

Staff will disconnect calls without any respect of communication, no callback. Rude service when feedback is warranted of experience. Disrespectful behavior, interrupting and talking over the customer as they are actively speaking. Continue to do so after corrected. Refunds not actioned when stated it would be. Customer experience is not their goal.

I only gave budget 1 star because there wasn't a negative star to give. The worst rental company ever! My son and I weren't able to rent a car because of hidden fees that were thrown in at pickup. Because of this we had to sleep in my storage unit for 2 days until I could find someone to come pick us up. As if that weren't the icing on the cake...here we are almost a month later and I have still yet to receive my refund.

I rented a car from Flint Bishop Airport location 4 months ago. I drove am hour to pickup the vehicle and they told me that they had no vehicles. They couldn't give me a reason why. I have a wedding to be at tomorrow in a state that is 12 hours away! I called another location that had a car, but the cost was more than double the cost that I reserved for. I asked for an adjustment and was told that had to go through the corporate billing office. I called them and they told me that they couldn't adjust the price because their system was down. They told me that I could try and call back in 3 hours to see if it came back up.

Never rent from Budget again. Trying to charge $450 for cleaning smoke smell. I have NEVER smoked a day in my life. Gave me a smoky car that had been in an accident. Made tire wheel or bearing noise issues. Remote for car was half missing. I reported all upon drop off. Reported smoke upon leaving and drop off. Drive car only 3 hrs and dropped off in Falmouth, MA. Told the lady at desk there both issues. Now they trying to charge me. The paper for the charges says I dropped car off in Falmouth, Ma only 3 hours after renting it. They say on charges that I dropped off in Boston the next day. They obviously rented car back out without closing my rental.

My rental had a flat tire, and no spare. Budget would not deliver a replacement vehicle as the incident was a considerable distance from the location I received the vehicle. Budget’s emergency road service advised me to have the tire replaced, which I did. Now, Budget refuses to reimburse the costs to replace the tire, stating that I did not get prior approval. While I do not have written approval, there is a record of my conversation with ERS. They got me on a technicality. Budget knows I had no options but to replace the tire. So now, the vehicle has a new tire at my expense which they refuse to give me back to me, as I have requested. Shame, shame!

Because we prepaid online & had to extend our rental by only 2 additional days, we were charged an additional fee that was 1.5 times our original fee ON TOP of our original fee!! This company is a JOKE!! They are the perfect example of why companies fail!! Will NOT be surprised when they do!!

I would give 0 stars if that was an option. I had to buy 4 new tires (550 euros) after a serious blowout on the motorway just one hour into my rental. The tires were at minimums and had steel wire showing. They should have been replaced by Budget prior to renting this vehicle. Despite providing photographic evidence and a professional mechanic’s report confirming that the tires were unroadworthy at the time of pickup, Budget has denied my claim for reimbursement. Their refusal is based on my lack of "Roadside Assistance" or "Excess Coverage." It is my position that a customer’s insurance selection does not absolve a rental company of its legal "Duty of Care" to provide a vehicle that meets Irish road safety standards.

Today I had a bad experience, the lady at the counter was nice, she enter my information and the system says my bank account is close, immediately I called to the bank and the person on the line says my account is not closed. Finally nothing to do, I asked for my refund and she says no because when you cancel is 24 hours before. I lost my money.

This is the second time Budget has not been good for us. This time, I filled up 35 miles from the airport, thinking this would be fine. They charged me for 2 gallons of gas. I was charged 23$. I guess you have to fill up within 5 miles of the airport to not get charged. Just ridiculous.

The worst rental company on earth! Do you want to get screwed with the final bill for no reason? This is the company. Worst company in America.

I went to Fresno two weeks ago now. I just got a bill for $450 saying a cleaning fee.. They said it was dirty. There's trash, some biohazard? It was unbelievable. They sent me pictures and there was a little dust and fingerprints but nothing excessive. I would guess 10 minutes to wash up..

Budget just reached the third strike. The first time I rented from Budget, the line to pick up the car was over an hour long because there was only one staff member working. Inconvenient, but things happen. What shouldn’t happen is discovering that the tires weren’t just low—they were dangerously low. I had to fill them myself.

I was grossly overcharged with a car rental from Budget at Fiumicino airport in Rome; $898.00 location surcharge (even though we picked up and dropped off at same location). Usually location surcharges are 10-30% of base rental price, we were charged 50%. Additionally we were charged $2276.00 in "additional products" on a $1500.00 rental.

Beware of Birmingham, MI Budget location, Sam Brad or Andre are rude less than integral and they charged my credit card illegal over $450,. They are a nightmare of a location, don’t want to honor a lower rate rental, they lie about everything! Dude this is not your vehicle, why are you so protective over company’s property… Budget is in the car rental business! Will not be using them going forward and I’m seeking to see if there’s legal recourse for the illegal charges!

Prepaid for car rental 7-passenger SUV. Vehicle was not available upon my arrival. No substitution offered in a similar class. Be warned if you pre-pay it does not guarantee your car will be available. Also if your final price is less than you prepaid, no refund! Budget pockets the difference. What a win win for Budget. Save your money and frustration and rent elsewhere.

Needed an extension of 5 hours on my $55 a day rental car. They charged me $160 for the additional 7 hours—more than I initially paid for the 3 day rental. When trying to talk with customer service after being on hold for 45 minutes, and transferred 3 times they hung up on me. I tried to change drop off location instead of time, even changing location was quoted at $100. Seems immoral at best.

I have been a Budget patron for over 15 years, and I love them up until this day on today! I rented a vehicle in April (Easter Weekend), and I pre-paid for gas since gas is very high right now. I was charged $62.71 for "fuel purchase option" on my receipt; cool no problem, I'm good with that until today when my credit card was charged $74.28 (net charges???)! When I contacted Budget, the agent said it was for gas/fuel! After being on the phone with him for over 40min, going back and forth about the charge of what is on my FINAL RECEIPT and the additional charge of fuel/gas ($74.28), he, Budget, still insist that it is a fuel charge or either the tax! Okay which one is it? At this point I see that they are NOT going to fix the issue so I'm out of an additional $74.28 for gas ($136.99 in total)!!! This is unbelievable and a scam on Budget's part. Never again will I rent from them. I will go to their competitor's.

4/ 23/26. I had gotten a prize for the week. Had to call back to confirm if I could drop car off at airport because of Memorial Day closed. Call back five minutes later, and they upped the price of the same car over a $100 and claimed the price constantly fluctuates! No, it doesn't fluctuate in 5 minutes. It's called ripping me off! I refuse to rent from a company that has no integrity.

I rented a compact car through Costco, for 2/4/26 - 3/31/26, to be picked up in St. Petersburg Florida. Upon arriving, the rental establishment only had a minivan available and I was told that I could swap it out at any Budget rental establishment, without a problem. Also I was informed that the billing needed to be split into 2 billings, due to the length of the rental. No one informed me that I would be charged more than the amount that was quoted through Costco. Also Costco gives one additional driver at no charge, well I'm being charged for that one additional driver. I've sent many emails, talked to customer service multiple times and they continue to refuse to honor the Costco reservation price. I've been overcharged $653.33.

Worst customer service of any company I've ever dealt with. They rented me a van that was unsafe to drive on the road. The tail lights did not work and the airbag was out of service. When I contacted customer service to tell them, their solution was for ME to drive 20 min out of my way to another Budget location to swap out the vehicle. When I got to that location, they did not have a vehicle for me. I was forced to drive the unsafe vehicle for the rest of the trip. I contacted customer service again and they promised me I would be credited for one day of my seven day rental. I never got the credit after the trip. I have contacted them multiple time since and have still not received the credit they promised me. I WILL NEVER use them again.

Waited over 2 hours in line at Fort Myers airport for a car. When we were finally allocated car and went to the designated parking spot, there was no car. Eventually, a car was delivered wet from a car wash in a dark garage. When we finally left, it started raining. When the rain stopped in about an hour, and the car was dry, I took pictures of several damaged areas. 1 month after returning the car, I received a notice from Budget claiming over $500 in damages during our rental, plus an administrative fee. I contacted Budget and sent them a photo of obviously old damage they claimed was new. I continue to get their administrative runaround and will challenge it when it appears on my credit card bill. I will never use Budget, or its affiliated companies again.

I was charged over $200 to “refuel” an electric car that we had for 5 days. You do the math, even if it were empty (which it wasn’t) it would not cost this amount. I called the company to keep the car additional hours and was told by the agent that I didn’t need to charge the car before returning, I believed him. At the rental car counter they do not tell you anything about recharging or the extreme cost if you do not. The invoice does not specify what the additional charges are for and I had to contact multiple people to find out. Their business practices are predatory and dishonest. Stay far, far away. Use Enterprise.

Horrific customer service. I book a car for two week online. Never got a confirmation. Called them.... Got bounced half a dozen times. They were all... "We do not know.... We can't tell you if you have a res or not... I can only help you make a new one." Then the guy went on mute and left me sitting for 20 minutes. I made a new res online!!! I wanted to contact cust service to be sure I would not be charged twice... They did not give a crap and kept on asking for my rental agreement number... Not res # but rental agreement. I do not have such a thing. I am cancelling. They are **. They will never see me again.

I was very disappointed with Budget. I was given wrong information by an agent regarding returning my rental in a different location and then charged over $100 more than my initial costs. I tried repeatedly explaining that I was misinformed but to no avail. Budget needs to accept responsibility when the staff has misinformed the customer and the staff should be retrained on providing complete, transparent and accurate information regarding rentals and fees for any changes! Very disappointing experience!

Horrible customer service I was given a car that was in a bad shape and was making noises from the engine as if it will break down any moment and when I requested to exchange a car customer service gave me a run around and told me the only car that is available was 60 miles away and it will cost me $300 extra for a week rental.

DO NOT RENT A CAR THROUGH BUDGET!!! I reserved a car a week in advance, my flight got in at 11pm and I waited in line for an hour before being told they had no other cars available except an electric vehicle. I was with my two small children at midnight and ended up taking it. On the day I returned the car, there were HUNDREDS of cars in the return lot as well as many people dropping their cars off. I proceeded to get luggage out of the car and found one budget employee walking around. I asked him what I was supposed to do with my keys and where to go. He said leave them on the dashboard. The car behind me was a black Suburban with a family who did the same thing; left keys on the dashboard.

On March 10, 2026, I rented a car and paid for it 1 week before I was to pick it up. Got a call from Budget Westfield Citrus Park Mall in Tampa, FL 1 hour before I was scheduled to pick it up that they didn't have any cars left! No cars with Budget anywhere. I asked them to find another car through another company because they were responsible and they said they didn't do that. I wrote a review of how horrible my experience was; got a response that they would look into it and that was the last I heard from Budget. That rental was paid for 1 month ago and I have still not heard anything BUT they have charged on my credit card! They didn't have any problem stealing that money from me!

The one star isn't even enough to give these people and their customer service. They are rude and disgusting meanwhile very dismissive. I rented a car that had no oil and inspection was expired. Every single rep I spoke to was worse and worse every time. They wanted to give me 2 days off a 8 day rental with all these problems not knowing what could've transpired on my trip with this vehicle. DO NOT RENT WITH THESE PEOPLE!!!! They will take your money and not care about your life potentially being on the line!

I booked minivan one week ago and I was going today in a Budget to pick up the minivan. They say we don't have a car for you.. They say we are out of cars. I don't recommend, very bad service.

Great experience from start to finish. Steph was great and very helpful.

We reserved a car with Budget to be picked up at the Cincinnati Airport. Upon arrival I was told they were sold out and they would pay my Uber fees. Later that evening I called customer service in order to make arrangements to pick up another car the following day. I was then told there were no cars in the Cincinnati area. I ended up going with another company and everything worked out. I now feel Budget has terrible business practices and I have very little confidence in them. If you're looking for a car rental service that practices character and integrity Budget is not your company!

We have rented the car at Jacksonville airport in Florida going for our family vacation with 2 elderly parents. The line at the airport was very long, it took over an hour to get the car, finally they gave us Chevy minivan which was not the car we prebooked (sedan) but we took it because it was late and our parents were tired. We were going to St Augustine and half way there, the car indicator turn on that it will shut down in few minutes. We could not even get to the exit when the car died! We called the emergency response, had to answer millions of questions about the car before they could even send a police or towing track. We learned that this minivan was towed by previous renter, yet they gave us this car.

Absolutely awful experience from Budget. Take pictures of your vehicle to protect yourself. Rented a vehicle that had windshield damage, I left the building and noticed it as I was driving down the highway. Customer Service provided no help with inspection reports prior to me renting it and no access to their photos. They most likely did this on purpose based on how all four of the people that I spoke with. I will never rent from them again, absolutely awful customer service over a $479 claim (which is crazy to begin with).

I will never rent a car from there again. They charge you more than your contract. Poor customer service. Poor communication! Will never return your call when there is a billing question.

We rented through Costco, who went to bat and got us back the fueling fee. They had charged me for1.3 gallons, I had filled up 3 miles away. We couldn't get a different SUV at the rental counter, they stuck us with a jeep that drove like a truck and was so high off the ground that it was hard to get into (I'm 5 foot 9 so not short). Now they've charged a cleaning fee with the response that if it wasn't clean when we picked it up we should have reported then (1:30 AM). The chips, etc were already in car when we picked it up. The only thing we did was leave dirt on the floor--sand, not mud. I didn't realize you now need to detail car before returning.

Absolute worst experience - would give 0 stars if I could! I will NEVER rent from Budget again. I had a pre-paid reservation, yet after returning the car, I was hit with a wave of random extra fees. When I called to clear it up, three different representatives, including a supervisor, could not even explain what the charges were for. And they charged me all the standard vehicle fees twice. It took four separate phone calls to finally (hopefully) get this straightened out. This company is operating like a total scam. Save yourself the stress and the money, go literally anywhere else. Buyers beware!

I would give Budget Rental 0 stars if I could. I CALLED the reservation line to get help with my rental because I didn't have a credit card and needed a bigger car. I specifically told them my circumstances and even reiterated them not one but two more times before paying for my reservation WITH MY DEBIT CARD. Today I get a call from the local Budget office to tell me that the vehicle I booked in my reservation wasn't going to be available and would need an elite model suv, I let them know I do not have a credit card to rent their elite or luxury vehicles.

The counter person asked if we wanted coverage and we said no. He added it had us sign without letting us know the total costs. Didn’t give us any documents at the counter. Totally deceptive.

One of the worst experience renting from Budget. Waited in line for an hour and a half because they said the help didn't show up. After we got the car, it wasn't cleaned. The seats were filthy and we had to clean the inside windshield because it had a film on it. I suggest you check your rental out thoroughly and report it BEFORE leaving. Then, 3 weeks later, we received a letter billing us for $500 for a dent that we unfortunately didn't report because of our experience of waiting so long. RENTERS BEWARE and WARNED!!!!!

Rented a van in Hawaii. Discovered upon using it at night it was crawling with cockroaches that hid during the daytime under the seats and compartments under the floor. Make sure to check before driving off, we did not! Obviously, they only vacuum the top of carpets during the daytime and don't check for cockroaches under the seats and compartments where they can hide.

We picked up a Budget rental at Orlando Airport. What a nightmare! Took hours to find. No one is there at pick up or drop off. One of the back tires was so bad, we could have been killed! Wires hanging out of the tire, which explains the vibration. NEVER EVER again!!!

I had a very disappointing experience with Budget Car Rental. The vehicle I received was filthy inside and out, with scratches, a dirty floor, and the gas tank nearly on empty. When I asked for a replacement vehicle, I was told none were available, I can try at 3 perfect I get off at 3. I requested a simple wash, and the employee gave me attitude, saying it would take over 20 minutes—even though there were no other customers. I had to return to work and couldn’t wait. I was also told, “it’s not your personal car, it’s a rental,” which was very unprofessional.

The vehicle we received smelled HORRIBLY of cigarette smoke. So much so that we felt physically ill when driving the car. The staff at the airport were very unfriendly and the customer service line left much to be desired. I would not use them again.

Budget Car Rental at Orlando Airport charged us for tolls after we had already turned the car in. We were sitting on the plane when someone drove the car on the turnpike. When we received the notice two weeks later, we called customer service. They were ZERO help and told us to call the Florida Sun Pass. Customer Service hung up on us. We will NEVER rent from them again.

Filled up car one block away from car return. Charged me $9.99 for 1 gal of gas. Will Not use again. Always a problem when returning car.

I did the reservation online, when I went to pick up my car, after long waiting, they said "we have no cars". That simple. My trip was same night to different state (9 hours away). Already paid for the hotel (very short notice to ask for refund).

The service at this location was good and the staff were professional during pickup and return. However, I did have an issue regarding toll charges that future renters should be aware of. During my rental, I went through some tolls. I called the location twice to ask how to pay them and was advised to go to the state toll website and pay them myself. The tolls never appeared on the website. When I called again, I was told that because it was a rental vehicle, the toll bill was sent directly to the rental company. They paid the tolls without notifying me and then charged me an additional $50 administrative fee. I was never contacted or given the opportunity to pay the tolls myself before the fee was added, which was disappointing. If you plan to rent from this location and expect to travel through toll areas, I recommend asking detailed questions about their toll policy in advance to avoid unexpected extra charges.

Arrived at Chicago Midway on March 23rd with an existing reservation at Budget. Waited in line for two hours to be advised that they had no cars. Ended up taking an Uber to our hotel and renting a car from Hertz in the suburbs the next morning. Never again.

Made reservation one month in advance. They constantly try to up sale throughout the reservation process, spammed my email with up sale requests leading and during the rental, and more up sale at the counter. The cost was higher at the counter than in the reservation, full of hidden dubious fees, and even accounting for all that they still overcharged me. My receipt from them shows they overcharged but they refuse to reimburse the difference.

BEWARE when renting from Budget at Jacksonville Airport or any Budget Location. I had a very frustrating and uncomfortable experience. When I arrived around 10 PM, the process felt disorganized and unsafe. The car was not ready, I had to leave my luggage unattended to go retrieve keys, and there were people sitting in nearby personal vehicles that made the situation feel uneasy. The car itself was clearly not clean—it had a strong, unpleasant odor the entire time. I was later told there had been a spill in the back, which explains the smell.

I rented a full size suv and after a long wait I entered the car and it had a flat tire in the back that I had to move over in order to get my luggage in. Then while driving the vehicle the flat and low tire lights were on and the car would barely stay in the lane. Also the engine light kept coming on saying it needed an oil change. Budget refused to give me a refund.

The price for the rental was great and it was easy to make the prepaid reservation using my debit card. I got to the Tulsa Airport to pick up the rental only to learn that the require a credit card for a $200 deposit. I don’t use credit cards in my life. I have never had to use a credit card for a rental nor have I had to pay a deposit. In fact, I rented a Jeep Wrangler for 12 days from the Orlando Airport prior to this one day rental. The email I received clearly states that an up to $300 deposit may be required for use of a debit or credit card. Nowhere did it say that this depends on where the vehicle is picked up from. These are details that Budget really needs to be upfront with. Now I have to sit in the airport until I can be picked up by a friend.

After driving off the lot. Within about 20 minutes. The van said check oil. Need oil. We had no windshield wiper fluid. Tire light came on stating needs air. When we drove above 25 the doors would click and ding like it was constantly locking. Would say doors are not closed when indeed they was. Called customer service multiple times. Was told to add oil and windshield washer fluid.

My rental got towed. They made it impossible to get the car back. They made it easy to put money into their own pockets. Absolutely ridiculous insensitivity and poor customer management. Never rent here!!!

I booked a flight and car rental. night before my take off my daughter had to have emergency surgery and I was not able to go. No recourse for refund or discount of any kind. They emailed that I would get a refund but nothing for a month now.

DO NOT RENT A CAR FROM THIS TERRIBLE COMPANY!!! While traveling, I left my brand new Bose headphones charging on the center console, and in a rush to catch my flight, I forgot to take them. I realized I didn’t have them within 15 minutes of dropping off the car, but I couldn’t go back without missing my flight. An employee was present at drop-off and the items were left in plain view. I immediately filed a lost item report, only to be informed two days later that my item was “not found”. The integrity of their company and its employees is obviously not a priority for them. Gross.

Yesterday I attempted to reserve a car on my app. Upon hitting the reserve button, I received an error saying my CC was invalid. I entered it again, hit reserve and received the same error. I then attempted to process the payment via Apple Pay and again, same error. I looked at my banking app and lo and behold, I was charged THREE times!! I immediately called customer service and was informed it would be resolved in a few hours. This morning I checked my bank account and ALL THREE CHARGES HAD POSTED.

Jessica at the Budget location on Bennett Street in Cambridge provided absolutely outstanding customer service. From the moment I arrived, she was professional, friendly, and incredibly knowledgeable. She took the time to explain everything clearly and made the entire process smooth and stress-free. What really stood out was how attentive and helpful she was. Jessica anticipated questions before I even had to ask and made sure I left confident about every detail. It’s rare to come across someone who truly cares about providing excellent service, and it made a big difference in my experience. If you’re visiting this Budget location, I highly recommend working with Jessica. She is a true asset to the team and sets a high standard for customer care.

Awful company. Rented me a vehicle with dodgy steering which I then returned, and they then rented me a vehicle with exterior damage all over of which I taken pictures and three months later I am still arguing to get my money back that they have overcharged and they just put you onto a bot rather than answer.

Bait and switch - NEVER USE BUDGET RENTAL CAR! We booked through Kayak with a price around $250 for our total trip. Checkout went smooth, but when we checked in, they charged us over $1,200! We were never notified of this increase, but they said it was in the fine print of the contract. We were also never provided a copy of the contract that we electronically signed on their screen at check out. When we called to dispute, they just said that’s how they do it, and we should review the contract. We were never provided any verbal or written notification that our price would not be honored. Save yourself the money and hassle! Don’t use this dishonest company.

My flight was cancelled due to a serious snowstorm!! I got a different flight 3 days later and called to keep the car 3 days longer and they said no problem!! Then they charged me more than double my weekly rate. 1100 DOLLARS FOR A 9 DAY RENTAL AND JUST 200 miles! They took advantage!! They are not nice people and I will never use them again!!

3/6/26 planned pick up a rental at West Palm Beach airport. Came in at 11:45 pm. Offices inside are closed. Therefore you go a shuttle that’s allegedly come every 10 minutes. There was over a dozen of us waiting by 1245. No shuttle! Never came. There was a hotline number to call the manager, which was just recording. Completely useless. Budget office closes at 1 AM. I had to have a friend drive an hour to get me an hour back in the middle of the night. When I called customer service the next day they offered me a “one day coupon”. Seriously!!! Spoke to management. The only thing they would do is “two day coupon.” no discount on my current rental. When I finally got my vehicle and drove it out of the lot I noticed there was soda cans and a dirty Band-Aid in there. Called Budget again. They seem to care less. All these phone calls took hours of my time. First time using Budget, last time using Budget.

Never again! Budget burned me bad on a week rental in Oklahoma City! I had reserved and paid on line but was hit with an additional $300+. She said Budget doesn’t accept private insurance and I had to buy it. If I refused and the car was in an accident, I would be liable for 75% of repair costs!! I still can’t believe it — I should have refused to pay, cancel reservation and used Uber. I’m sure I would have paid less than the $800 Budget robbed me of. I may try to file a claim to recover the $300 since it was not mentioned when I made reservation online.

Never again will I rent from Budget. I booked my car 3 weeks ago and they call me the night before my trip to let me know they are out of cars. We get rescheduled to another location and they confirm it and then they call the morning of my trip to tell me they are out of cars. We book at a 3rd location and they tell me, we may or may not have cars available at the time you need it. This is a joke. Worst rental experience I've ever had.

Reserved and paid extra for convertible thru Costco travel package. After waiting an hour in the line, there was no convertible. They refused to refund the extra money I had paid. I will NEVER again rent with Budget. You shouldn't either!

While they may be cheaper than other rental car agencies - the service is AWFUL! I have rented from the RSW airport many times. The wait time in reservation lines are anywhere from 45 mins to over an hour. Car class I reserved wasn't available. The car I was given had damage to it that hadn't been documented, and gas tank was not full. The manager on duty promised a one day refund for all my trouble and inconvenience, but it was never given.

Budget Car Rental refused to put new tires on our rental car after we had them checked because one tire wouldn’t hold air. It could not be plugged so we had to pay for a new tire to finish our trip. Budget Rental was not interested in our safety at all. I will never rent from them again and suggest that if you do rent from them your life might be in danger from less than road worthy vehicles!

I rented a vehicle (requested a small SUV). I also signed up for Fast track and prepaid so that I wouldn’t have to wait in line. I waited (standing) for over an hour and a half. I’m a senior citizen with a bad ankle. No seats were provided because if you got out of line you lost your place. Fast track was not available as they had no vehicles. I ended up settling for a sedan. The car had stained upholstery. After making a complaint twice with no response I called customer service. They offered 2 free days on a future rental..not acceptable. I can’t see myself ever renting from them again.

I rented a car through Priceline for Budget. When I picked my car up at St. Petersburg airport in Florida, I was upcharged $400 for things that I did not authorize. When I contacted customer service. The reply is "Sorry". There was no resolution to my issue. I will never rent from budget again.

Absolute trash, the only reason I gave 1 star is because I had to. Horrible customer service with people that have no clue how to even do their jobs. Do NOT waste your time or money with this trash panda company.

I prepaid for a Budget rental simply to spread out my expenses — not because there was any benefit to prepaying. Budget allows you to reserve a car without prepaying and cancel for free. But when I canceled my prepaid reservation, they charged me a $50 cancellation fee. There is no discount for prepaying, no added value, and no clear warning that prepaying actually removes your right to cancel without penalty. The only difference is that Budget gets your money sooner — and then charges you for canceling something that would have been free to cancel if you hadn’t prepaid.

I reserved a car online for one week a month in advance of my family's travel to Sarasota FL. In advance of travel I tried to call the Sarasota Budget office - I called multiple times of day over the two days prior to travel without getting a response (rang and rang until just disconnected). Several days before traveling I did the online check in process and received a confirmation of this.

Worst customer service. I rented a FULL SIZE SUV, prepaid everything upon reserving. Got to Fort Myers Airport location and they had no cars available in my class group. They downgraded me and basically said take it or leave it. What a start of a vacation. I had 7 people and 7 pieces of luggage. Not what I figured I’d be dealing with on a vacation. Something so simple. Make a reservation, pay for the car, have the car when I need and paid for it. I held up my side of this deal, paid when asked. Sure I couldn’t pay half of what they asked and tell them take it or leave it. Simply absurd.

The staff know they have no cars for close to 2 hours but defied lot to post any signs for customers. As a result I waited in line over 1 hour at Atlanta Airport then upon arrival to the counter was talk another 1 1/2 to 2 hour wait for a car that I booked a month ago. In the meantime 100% disorganization as the representatives gave cars to people who were non minority first while the minorities waited for hours. Additionally poor customers service at the counter. It is highly advised that you avoid them if possible unless you have no other alternatives. I would have switched to Alamo not they want to charge double since it is a same day reservation. You might be better off using Alamo or enterprise or book with multiple companies for the pay later option to avoid waiting over 2 hours for a car. It is 12 noon and my flight landed at 10 am and I am still waiting for a car once again booked a month ago.

This company is the worst down to the dot matrix printers from the 1980’s at all locations. Just this 1 simple $400 fix at each location would help with long wait times and customer satisfaction. It doesn’t take a brilliant Franchise CEO to realize this 1 detail! The amount of negative things I could say about this company is overwhelming. I can’t even believe I’m wasting my time complaining about Budget. It’s worth paying the extra $10 a day somewhere else or more wherever you need to go. All I can say is don’t use Budget if you ever want an even decent rental experience!!!!

We rented a car @Jacksonville Fl. Airport and Seniors BEWARE!!! The guy behind the counter asked all the questions about options,, insurance coverage, etc...We declined everything as we carry full coverage for both our vehicles and don't need theirs. He checked every box as if we accepted the coverages and rushed us to sign the agreement. Then we received no paperwork. All we recieved was a piece of Avis paper with the parking space, description and RA number on it. And we were given an "upgrade" to a mini van instead of the full sized SUV we rented. We felt as if we were RUSHED through everything. Now we are charged $104 more for this because he did this and got away with it. This happened on Feb 10th @ approx 8:30 pm. We called customer service and filed a claim, but because we signed the agreement we have to pay. Please READ the paperwork and DON'T let them rush you. We will never rent with Budget again.

Mesa AZ airport - I prepaid for an SUV, when my plane landed at 1:30am the only vehicle left was a CARGO VAN. I had to cancel my next morning's vacation plans and drive 45 minutes (1 way) to swap out for a smaller car vs. the SUV I originally reserved. That location charged me a second deposit. When I returned the car, I filled it up with gas at a gas station close to the airport. They still charged me $67.00 for gas and a $20.00 fee for not having it full. GOOD THING I had my receipt!!! It took me 2 calls (the first one "dropped") and almost an hour of my time to get that money credited back to me along with the 2 separate deposits.

Budget Las Vegas airport defrauded me a By adding a $225 fee + taxes as a “ Local Tax Fee.” I rented a vehicle on government business for just 36 hours and driving a total of 21 miles. I put $2.47 worth of gas in the car and have the receipt. Which was done to avoid the Budget car rental at Las Vegas airport from automatically adding a gas fee although the tank is full. When I got my receipt via email and saw a $225 local tax fee I was told to go to the budget fastbreak counter to have it correct. However, budget fastbreak was closed with the sign saying be back in 30 minutes just like it was when I rented a car. I have not been able to reach anyone to find out what this local tax is, it is a complete fraud and a scam.

I arrived to West Palm Beach for my Budget rental car. Prior to that I was getting a minivan for my five grandchildren on at least three occasions. I even gave them my credit card information. When I arrived, I knew something was wrong when there was no shuttle for 30 minutes. When I arrived to pick up the car, they told me that there were no minivans. Despite that I confirmed it. He told me I could have a Surburban which could accommodate at least seven passengers. When I went up to pick the Suburban, it was no longer available and someone had taken it. The gentleman at the desk was not helpful and said that there were no large cars available. After some protest, he found another gave to me. When I went to pick that up, that was actually another person though I had the keys. So the same misfortune that occurred to me occurred to him. The people at the desk were not helpful at all. There was no manager.

I am writing to express my disappointment with the service I received from Budget Rent A Car. They collected my grandson's credit card payment three weeks in advance, only to deny him the rental car upon arrival due to his age of 23 years. Despite numerous attempts to resolve the issue, the funds have yet to be refunded to the credit card after two months. When I contacted Budget, they claimed to have released the funds, which is inaccurate. I have since disputed the charge with my credit card company, but Budget has failed to respond. I am compelled to warn others about the subpar customer service provided by Budget Rent A Car.

Made a reservation at the Harrisburg Pa airport. Been waiting in line at the AVIS counter for 30 minutes and looks to be at least another 50-60 min wait, there were 2 people working but one lady disappeared 15 minutes ago. The one lady working is doing her best to get everything done including answering the phone and taking reservations! #1, WHY is there NO staff at the Budget kiosk, left with a sign directing us to Avis!! EVERY other rental car company is fully staffed and moving people along!! My advise is NEVER EVER rent a car from Budget rental!! Ever, ever!!! Wish there was a zero star rating.

We rented a Mazda CX-50 or similar from Budget Car Rental but when we arrived to pick up the car at the West Palm Beach Airport, we were told that they did not have many vehicles on their lot. Our choices were a 12-15 passenger van or an electric vehicle. We had to Uber to our hotel and rent a car elsewhere. Very poor customer service!

I flew from Austin to Los Angeles to help my ailing 92-year-old mother who is nearly blind has severe arthritis and mobility issues.

Budget cancelled moving truck rental 16 hour before my reservation and offered no assistance. Cannot reach the rental location—-phone just rings. Called national #, they were of no assistance and hung up on me when I asked for a supervisor.

Beware I got a $6 toll in Chicago (they don't staff tool booths anymore) and I got a $6 charge on my credit card for the toll and a $26 dollar convenience fee for paying my toll. I also had a $1 toll for Indiana and a $6.95 convience fee from Budget for paying it. BEWARE. THIS IS THE WAY THEY DO BUSINESS NOW. Also take pic of gas gauge, they have been charging people even when they fill up.

I want to give a huge virtual hi-5 to Jessica at Budget car rental, Capital City Airport, Lansing Michigan. I ran into a hiccup when renting and she went above and beyond to help me out. We always get exceptional service at this location but she really went above. Again, Jessica ty so much.

I reserved a van through my United App for 2 weeks in Miami. First, when I arrived to pick up the car in Miami, I stood in line for at least 1 hour with close to 50 people in front of me before I could get to the counter. Then, I was able to get the van I had reserved but the agent was trying to push every supplement he could, except the pre-paid fuel that I wanted to get. I refused everything else but he kept coming back about the E-toll unlimited that I should really get in Miami and told me (at least it's what I understood) that it was not a fee but it was to be able to pay the toll fees directly as part of the rental car bill instead of paying them separately.

Rented a vehicle in Midland, Texas. Drove for 2 days and brought back with apparently excessive dust. Charged me 125 for washing the outside of the car that already gets washed because of excessive dust. I was in Midland, it's dusty everywhere. Twenty dollars at the car wash would have cleaned the dust off of it.

Although Budget Rental Cars allows you to book your vehicle online using a BANK MASTERCARD, your deposit can only be taken with a MAJOR CREDIT CARD. Since some of us would rather not pay interest rates at 28%+, once you arrive at the pickup location to collect your vehicle, you WILL be denied because you can't pay the $250.00 deposit with your BANK MASTERCARD. Funny thing: they had no problem booking online and taking $455.00! In 3-5 business days, we will receive our refund. Does my husband no good. He's stuck in Tulsa at the airport without the vehicle we paid for online. But hey... "Can't take that $250.00 deposit with your Bank MasterCard, but we can certainly run it to secure your car!" Maybe you should add MAJOR CREDIT CARDS ONLY to your website! Negative Stars as a 1 is too much!

Budget rental car regarding rental agreement number **. (January 22 through 26 rental). I initially booked a midsize SUV for my stay in Dallas. When I arrived on January 22, they informed me that they would be putting me in a dodge hornet. The vehicle seemed rather small considering that I rented a “midsized SUV”. Upon receiving the vehicle, I noticed that it had damage along the side of the driver side, and that there was also damage to the front passenger side of the vehicle.

Standard policy for withholding a deposit is that it's removed when the car is returned w/o damage. Budget charged me the $300 deposit and continues to lie about their billing error. Is it an error when they refuse to acknowledge it? It's now 3 weeks since I returned the car and still no refund, no satisfaction. DO NOT RENT FROM THEM.

Charged us 1480 when we were told 860 dollars. They said we took their filthy car when we returned it 2 hours early. Never in my life will I allow friends to rent from them. They are greedy and lie.

Reserved a full size vehicle. Informed upon picking up rental told I was given and upgrade. Went from a full size sedan to a compact suv. What an upgrade since I am a big guy getting in to a clown car.

Horrible experience. Long wait to get to the car rental. Huge line at the rental desk. Car received was dirty inside and out, 77,000 miles. Numerous scrapes, scratches, dirt and stains. Was charged $125 for the vacuuming fee. Waited in long line to return vehicle and to return to airport. When speaking with customer service, English was not the primary language, with the initial representative or with the supervisor (they appear to farm out their customer service to foreign countries). Customer service was not friendly or helpful. Will not use this company in the future. They have lost a customer for life.

Only an electric car available if you choose economy or compact. Sure, I'm a fan of clean green energy, but not when I have no idea of the electric infrastructure in the area and no place to plug in at my vacation rental. Asked for a gas car and was told I had to upgrade to a "midsize" Toyota Corolla. Argued with agent for a while, but people in line behind me, so I was forced to relent. Classic bait and switch. I reserved a Hyundai Venue or similar. Certainly did not get that. Terrible experience.

I just got off a cruise running a car from the Miami port shuttle service and picked up my vehicle with about just over a quarter tank. Dropped it off with a little more than what was in there. Got gas just before I dropped it off. Get my bill. They charged me $150 gas fee. They don't have a care in the world that they screwed up and they're taking it out. I would never run a car from Budget Car ever again.

Never rent with Budget. I had a prepaid rental and when picking up the car they denied me a rental because my driver's license had some minor damage. The lamination on one corner began to separate due to grabbing it out of my wallet from the same spot. Agent told me she could not accept my license. I asked for a refund and she said she could not do it and I had to call a corporate 800 phone number. It has been 7 calls, 3 months and hours trying to get my refund. They keep saying they are sorry and will refund me, but they never do. They have ripped me off for $460.

I rented a vehicle at Tampa Int. Airport for one night on December 14. I drove it to see my elderly mother and to dinner and to hotel. I stopped by my mother's assisted living facility the morning of December 15 then returned the vehicle to the airport. On January 7, 2026, I received an email from Budget/Avis that I had done $1000 in damage to the windshield. It is a lie. It is fraud. But they waited so long, I am certain the video from the gas station and the assisted living is gone. Further, they provided no photos of the car from the date I returned it. It's 100 percent fraud. I explained that to them, but they keep emailing me. It is quite stressful. Their cars are TERRIBLE too. They always smell like weed.

Hidden charges. $502 taken out as deposit when we were told max would be $250. Money would be refunded when vehicle returned. Money has not been refunded but taken out of our bank. Budget said it is because we asked for insurance but documents show all insurance was denied.

Horrible company. Said they had no cars for rentals but took my money then. It has been a month and I still don't have my money back. Do not recommend anyone wasting time or money on this company. Called 5 times. Get same run around and emailed as well.

I rented a car back in November. Budget sent me a bill stating that we returned the car with a crack in the windshield and are charging us for the damage. This "crack" or "ding" in the windshield WAS ALREADY on the windshield when we walked out to the rental. No one came out to the car with us to go over the car NOR did the woman checking us out go over the car when we dropped it off.

Despite pre-paying and reserving a car online, they denied me at the counter because my credit score wasn't above 650. I have rented from this location many times previously and credit checks were never mentioned anywhere online. Very disappointed. 7 days later still waiting for a refund.

The absolute worst experience I have ever had with any company. My reservation at GSP airport was for 830 but thought I could get a jump on getting to a funeral. The counter was supposed to open at 7am but the agent strolled in at 815 without an apology. She never sent me a copy of the contract as advised so when I went to return the car at Budget in Atlanta he would not accept it because of lack of paperwork and directed me to Avis.

I've used Budget all my life. Until this time here in Florida I would have given 5 Stars but. I tried to prepay online so they charged twice for the rental then put a 200 deposit. That was December 28. They have a hold on 380 and said that they dropped the hold but all they did was put me on a fraud notice because of THEIR MISTAKES. So much for ever using Budget rip off car rental EVER again. Try to get a supervisor and of course none available.

I have rented from Budget for years and this was the worst. I reserved an intermediate SUV during the 2025 Christmas season at the Columbus, OH airport. I was given a Dodge Hornet which looked like a compact hatchback, not a mid-size SUV. I questioned this and was told it is in the same class. Next when starting the vehicle the dash tells us the key fob battery is low. When I went back to say this, she said as long as the fob was in the car, it would start. I said but what if it dies, the car won’t know the fob is in the car so it likely won’t start. She again, two more times said the same, as long as in the car somewhere. I said, "I don’t think you are understanding my question" and she said, “I don’t think you are understanding my response and for the fourth time, if it dies, you just hold it against the start button and it will start”. Well, that was the first time she said that. She was very condescending.

I rented a vehicle in Tampa FL and when I arrived everything was ready to go. I brought my own toll pass and told them not to activate the toll feature. Everything seems to go fine until 10 days after I returned my vehicle. A toll charge showed up on my credit card. I have notified my credit card company and reached out to Budget to tell them this is not acceptable and to reverse the charge and delete all my information from their systems. Also, when I returned my rental the gas tank apparently needed a gallon and a half so they charged me $10 a gallon ($15 total)! I felt like I was dealing with a criminal syndicate. I will never rent a vehicle from this company again, even if it says they are the best rate because in the end after all the fees they won't be!

My experience with Budget Car Rental has been horrible. I returned the car to Logan Airport on October 18, 2025 and a month later my credit card was charged for 450.00 for a cleaning charge. No call from them, just a charge which was not true. They said I smoked and vaped in the car which was not true. I have asthma and have never smoked or vaped in my life. There are pictures which the items are not mine. I will never rent from Budget again.

Wasn’t planning on saying anything but after leaving a complaint on their website I decided to leave it on here so people can be careful so I went online to Budget rent a car in Las Vegas. The only reason I booked through them was they offered a Mustang convertible or similar for our highway drive. The price was higher than other companies but it was available for the dates we were there. When we landed we were shuttled to the rental company and they gave me a Mini Cooper convertible. In what universe is a compact mini that barely fit two people and luggage in the vehicle comparable to a midsize sports car with plenty of trunk and leg room. The mini had a bag of food in it under the drivers seat and they never noticed it because the seat was pushed back against the rear seat.

We will never rent from Budget again. Arrived at our destination and waited 3 plus hours in line to get to an agent. No apologies, no extra help was called, total apathy from all the employees. When we finally got to the counter, they told us to bring the car back at 70% charged. We refused insurance. We got to our car, 4 hours after our arrival and found it to be charged to 30%. We barely had enough to get to our destination. We charged it to 100% the next day. We returned it at over 70%. When we got our final bill it was almost double what I agreed to and when I called they said they had to refuel (extra cost) and we signed up for insurance (which we did not). The whole experience was infuriating.

It took 45 minutes, and the guy that took us did not welcome us, me mostly had to get out our own bags on the bus and off the bus. And it was not like the other one were slow. Not kidding, we saw Hertz bus 7 times before ours.

If I could give no stars, I would!!! Absolutely horrible!!! Asked for a suv, 4 wheel drive or all wheel drive. Received a jeep grand Cherokee. No 4 wheel drive or all wheel drive. Called customer service, after being transferred to 4 different people & told they could have a different vehicle towed to us (possibly our expense) & they can’t guarantee they will bring a 4 wheel drive! Absolutely frustrating!!! I will never deal with Budget again!!! Waste of money!!

We rented a full size van at Minneapolis airport. It was not clean. It looked like a dog licked the windows. It smelled like the previous renter was transporting animals. The smell caused allergy flare ups by family members. The window washer did not work. We had to reconnect the washer hose under the hood. The rear end sounded like it was about to fall off in mid drive. The heater would randomly turn to cold.

AVOID AVOID AVOID!!!! BEWARE that Budget makes up for inexpensive rental charges by charging for unsubstantiated services after the fact. I reserved a vehicle at San Francisco Airport (SFO). Waited over an hour at the counter, Budget overbooked. Budget were distributing vehicles as they were being returned. Budget was not cleaning or doing any other maintenance upon return of the vehicles. Finally received a vehicle (not type I reserved) and the engine was still hot from previous renter. It was obvious that the vehicle was not cleaned. Crumbs in the console. Wife scraped off something from the glove compartment door. Since I needed to pick somebody up at the airport and I already waited an inordinate amount of time I took the car and was glad to leave the Budget complex.

I had a confirmed airport rental with Budget Rent a Car and was explicitly told someone would be available when my flight landed. We arrived at 1:30 AM, and the counter was completely closed with no staff present. No notice. No call. No instructions. We were left stranded at the airport in the middle of the night and forced to pay $99 for an Uber just to reach our destination. This was a complete service failure and unacceptable for an airport rental company that knows flight arrival times. If Budget does not staff late arrivals, customers should be clearly told in advance. Leaving paying customers stranded after midnight is unsafe and unprofessional. I am requesting reimbursement for the transportation cost caused directly by Budget’s failure to provide the reserved service.

Rented a car from Avis Budget Midland airport. Customer service was awful, rented a standard SUV, the lady said all they had was the van and she doesn’t know when others will be in. She offered an intermediate SUV for the same price I am paying. I asked about a discount and was told no, they wouldn’t do it. I walked out to my rental and it was marked in yellow all over passenger side, went in to report it, and was told that’s all they had.

Please do not rent a vehicle at Budget/Avis. I reserved a passenger van 10 days in advance. My reservation said to pick up the van at 12pm. As I am always early, I was there at 11:30am and was told it will be a few minutes. After an hour and a half, I was told that they do not have any cars to rent. Not one. Just don’t waste your time.

This should be 0 stars. This company should be under investigation pay all those who suffered unfair charges from Budget. San Jose, CA at the Eastridge Mall pick up & drop off. Few days that is it. A rear view mirror missing from drivers side. I reported it. They asked me who I have insurance with. I said Progressive. Have Budget call me. Get information we can do a claim. I expected a call from their insurance department. Nothing. I asked my car insurance if they received a claim. Nothing... I got a bill with administrative fee. I blocked it from my bank account because I used my bank card and I did do a claim because I thought the letter was a scam. Something didn't seem right about it. Well they fooled my bank which is Bank of America. They didn't show anything what I signed. They refuse to answer my car insurance to get a claim started. Of course I had to start a claim.

We rented a Jeep Compass and after driving for 5 hours, we stopped at a convenience store. Thanks to a customer, we were alerted to a serious safety issue with the front passenger-side tire. The tire was completely worn down on the inside edge. We had to make an emergency trip to the nearest airport, losing a significant amount of valuable time. We don't even want to think about what would have happened if it had been at night on an interstate highway while driving. We have video and photo.

Buyer beware!!! We were scheduled to return our rental by 1pm with a full tank of gas. We arrived at 115pm with a full tank of gas but there was no one in the area to accept the car and verify our arrival time and the full tank of gas. The sign said leave the keys in the car and proceed to the terminal which we did.

Ms. ** was exceptional! She totally took care of us as we had to turn in our car before business hours in the Sheraton. We were met in the garage by her coworker at 7:00 am per her arrangement. She could not have been more courteous or more helpful. Budget is lucky to have her as an employee!

I had placed a reservation for an SUV but was told at the counter by a man with a very thick accent that I could barley understand, to sign, sign, sign and no SUV would be available and that I would need to go to Avis and pickup a van instead. I had already reserved, paid in full $544, signed documents and declined all the extras, so I went ahead and took to van rather than the SUV. I returned the van one day early and the woman that took the keys and checked the van said I would be refunded for the extra day. I recorded her saying it after my experience with the first guy.

I just received a bill for $125.00 for a cleaning fee on a rental car. It rained in Texas and there was some mud on the car mat from my shoes that would have taken them about a minute to take the mat out and hose it off. I have never had this happen before and I rent a lot of cars for my business. The customer service representative said that they do not normally clean the cars between rentals because they lose money if they have to take time to clean a car. I find that disgusting that they don't clean the cars. Hotels clean their rooms and restaurants clean their tables but Budget doesn't clean a rental car! I don't have time to take a rental car to a car wash before returning it to the airport. That should be part of the service that Budget should supply. No more Budget cars for our company!!

Avoid Budget rental car at All Costs. Bait and switch contract practices throughout. Switched contract done online with one with extra fees. Never use them, refused to give a receipt, refused repeatedly.

Rented a car through Budget Rental out of White Plains New York on 12/20/2025 a Toyota 4Runner, driving it felt a little unstable and a slight shake a 55 but ok a 65 and usually is just a tire of of balance, the 21st I happen to park the SUV with the tires turned out and when I got out of the vehicle I noticed the tires were so worn down on the inside that the belts were showing all the way around the inside of the tire, so I looked at the other steer tire and the same thing was happening on that one also, now I'm supposed to be somewhere and can't drive this vehicle anywhere because of possibly a blow out and someone possibly getting hit or killed because of their negligence in the maintenance on their vehicles, now they want to give me a voucher for Uber for the rest of my vacation which is till the 27th, absolutely will never think of using Budget ever again,.

Zero or negative number stars. Paid for a reservation over a month ago.fot a medium SUV. PAID IN FULL. Day of reservation, "oh... Sorry. We don't have any cars that size. We can put you in a compact or give you a refund which will be available in 3 to 10 days." What is the purpose of a paid reservation if they are too inept to provide? Called customer service... Pretty much the same response... "oh well. Ummm... Sorry." This company is horrible!!!

My experience with Budget raises serious concerns about their business practices and treatment of customers. Upon returning the vehicle, I was informed that one tyre was slightly under-inflated. Based on this, Budget refused to release my guarantee deposit, claiming they needed to “inspect” the tyre. I formally submitted an appeal explaining that a minor pressure issue is easily correctable, that I was never informed of any defect at pickup, and that the tyre had been gradually losing air throughout the rental period, indicating a likely pre-existing issue.

Do not rent from Budget or Avis. They called me ten minutes prior to my pickup at 8am on Dec 12th in North Carolina and said there were no cars to rent. After multiple calls to customer service they said sorry no cars are available! The reservation was made a month in advance. They could care less about their customers. I had twice the charges by using an Uber and they would not reimburse me funds or offer any free rentals. They don’t care how their company impacted my day and travels! Beware!’

⭐ 1 star – Unfair charge and terrible customer service. My experience with Budget Rent a Car was extremely disappointing and frustrating. During my rental, a side window on the passenger sliding door broke after hitting a pothole, with no accident, no collision, and no fault on my part. I immediately reported the issue, was given a case number, and followed all required procedures.

If I could give zero stars, I would. First van we had to return for a hybrid electrical servicing issue (I have pictures of error message), and he didn’t change out the time we left and kept the original 1230 reservation time, even though we didn’t leave until after 2 pm, then check engine light came on and wouldn't go off, finally did in Utah.

I rent regularly from Budget in Fl. I went down for 10 days to our place in Fl the day after Thanksgiving 2025. I ordered an intermediate SUV, I received a Chevy Trex (compact SUV), it was a mess. Seats were filthy and worn, radio not working, hood all scratched up. This was a 2025 with 11k miles on it!! Called customer service and the woman tells me take it back to the airport (40 mins away). She offers 2 day credit which I accepted, after I was demanding a credit, otherwise she wasn't offering any reprieve at all. I stopped at a Budget I didn't know was there (5 mins away) to see if the radio was not working because of something I was doing, Budget rep said the antenna is broken off.

Very poor customer service, quite rude at the counter and provided a dirty & damaged car. Just thought it was their usual poor standards, but got a shock when they billed me for leaving the dirty car they provided dirty! Gave them every chance to come to a fair resolution but after 23 emails from a robotic customer service. I'm just going out of my way to warn others on every site I can find not to risk using them.

Just don’t! They are called Budget for a reason. 2.5 hour wait in line to get my car. They didn’t have my car ready for me and they overcharged me at the end. They did refund me $20 though, so I guess that makes up for the additional $225 I was charged on top of my original quote. Stay away unless you want to get screwed!

Got a rental in Ronkonkoma NY, the rental had issues and was informed it was a dealer problem. I spent a whole day of my vacation trying to swap the vehicle because they couldn’t make a phone call to let me know who had one available. I brought the rental swap as I returned to Ny. I was promised a discount and instead of getting one they charged me a late fee even when returning the vehicle on time. The person receiving the car failed to informed them I was there early. I will never rent from budget again. My whole vacation was a nightmare and took me longer to get to my destination due to their lack of fully checking the rental.

So I lost a key and paid for a new “key" but never got a receipt for the actual key! My insurance covers other expenses but not keys so when I asked for a true breakdown they refused. Trash company. Would not recommend Budget to anyone but my enemies.

We reserved a Mustang EV for the weekend. When we got to the counter, the unfriendly clerk said we were getting a Chevy Bolt. We said that's not comparable to a Ford Mustang and she said they didn't have one. Went out to get the car and there was a Mustang Mach EV parked 2 spots down. The Bolt has 40k miles and all kinda of dings and dents. The range of the Bolt is significantly less than the Ford, also. We asked about just switching to a gas car but they were going to charge us 17.00 a day more.

Please be aware of Budget Rental at the Miami International Airport. I have rented from Costco Travel many time with Enterprise & Alamo before with no issues whatsoever. They are crooks! They offer all of these thing such as insurance and options about gas and you let them know that you will handle bring the gas full as it's given to you but somehow when they have you initial the contact you don't realize that they have included it, in the contract as well. We filled tank with gas before drop off and got dinged with another $70 when we review bill days later after drop off. What should have been car rental for $565 with tax, tolls. Charge came back at $640. BEWARE! NOT HAPPY AT ALL! Very disappointed with Costco Travel Member Services as they were unable to Help at All.

The most horrific experience I’ve ever had after 30 years of renting cars. When I picked up the vehicle, (late in the day), it was filthy inside and out, had damage all over it and was covered in so much bird feces, I couldn’t even see out of the passenger side window. The agent never even left the desk to look at the car, auto started it from inside, and overcharged me for services I didn’t authorize. I should have left it in the parking lot but was running out of time & options to drive myself across the country to get to my minor son.

Do not rent from this company. I rented an Expedition from them. During our trip we ran into some rain. We did get the floor mats dirty. After returning the vehicle I received a notice that I was being charged $450.00 for excessive cleaning. They said the vehicle had to be sent out to be detailed. According to their agreement the vehicle has to be returned in the same condition as it was rented. It also says they will charge a fair price for cleaning. This is so far out of line from other companies. I rented the car through Southwest Airlines and they were not responsive.