Thrifty Car Rental Reviews

On the 27th of October 2025 while traveling from crystal river Florida the car we had rented on the 3rd of October from Dulles international airport started surging and all electrical systems would go out and then come back on while driving. Roadside assistance was great in organising an exchange. However after having to divert to JAX from our original route for the exchange with instructions to go to Hertz rental counter. Upon arrival at the hertz counter a car was exchange car was allocated to us immediately, this was great and we thought no problem we are back on the road. Once we located the allocated car we found a car that was inappropriate for our luggage needs and was considerably smaller than the original rental.

I rented a 7-10 person van (with picture) for 6 of us & luggage. When we went to pick up vehicle they gave us a 7 person hatchback with no trunk room for all our luggage. They didn't have our van, i showed them picture from confirmation email. We had to take taxi to & from which incurred added costs! Then i returned & asked if they can waive gas charge for our inconvenience of wrong vehicle as we were just under full & they said no. Charged us $46 for 1/8 gal of gas. Will NEVER use Thrifty again. Staff was very rude!

If I could rate them zero or negative stars I would. Run… Don’t walk… Anywhere else. In fact, you’d be better off walking than renting a car from Thrifty. Total “bait and switch” fraud! I reserved a compact car months in advance for 2 people. When I arrived was told I rented a 12 passenger van! HELL NO! I was not driving a 12 passenger van with 2 people on a sightseeing trip all over UTAH! The gas would have cost a fortune. Forced to upgrade just to have a car late at night. Charges that hit my credit card were DOUBLE what I was shown on the credit card authorization screen. The people/company are CROOKS.

I have given a 1 because l can't put a minus 10. I got a toyota camry on 14 july. Took detailed pics that showed scratches and dents at detroit location. Returned the car on the 15th and on time. They took an additional 150 from account because l had caused scratches on the car. I sent them my pics which showed more dents and time stamp. Kept emailing @Tifanny and Roxanna the accident managers but my money wasn't returned and my emails stopped receiving a response. They are cheap but will end up paying more for damages you didn't cause. Use them at your own risks. THIEVES.

The person that help me made 3 unauthorized charges and was not happy because I had a really good deal on my reservation, the total amount of my reservation was $146.88 and they charge me $347, $506 and 852.15. This is clearly a fraudulent transaction by him, it was with Thrifty but it was closed and they send me to Dollar because they are the same.

Stick with a more reputable company and away from Thrifty. This has got to be one of the worst companies I have ever rented from. I rented a 12 person van online from Expedia 2 months in advance (since the model has adequate trunk space for storage). When I arrived at the facility, they added $1000 dollars of fees on top of the Expedia price I agreed on. They claimed that the Expedia insurance may not cover it and I needed their insurance to cover the vehicle. After feeling there was no other option and being pressured, we paid it to find out they didn’t have the 12 person van. Only the 15 person one with no trunk.

Not worth it in any capacity. Brought back a black Suburban with 102,924. Was told I caused this damage pictured. Checked the vehicle out at 12:30am with no inspection under zero light. Dirty vehicles.

Apparently we needed an upgrade despite pre-paying and booking exactly the car we were given. So $2500 later (on top of the $2500 we had already paid) we were on our way - begrudgingly and after a full day's travel we were too tired to argue. Which is part of their plan I am sure. Phone calls afterwards were useless - no concept of service at all. I’m not done yet - but for your own sanity, stay away.

Total crooks! About a week before I was due to pick up the car I called and asked that my pick up/return time gets changed from 12pm/12pm to 2pm/5pm because I wasn't sure I'll be back in time to return the car. That was all good. Got to the counter with minutes to spare before 2pm. Line moving VERY slowly. Finally my turn came. "Sorry, your car is not here yet". Some time later, I am asked whether I would take a sedan, Nissan Altima, instead of the SUV I bought... but for the price I paid. Really needed the car, so I took it. By the time I got out of there, 1/3 extra hours I paid for was already passed. They still charged me the full 3 hours "extension". Total BS. I'll stay away from these crooks next time!!!

I reserved a vehicle through Thrifty with a written confirmation that my car would be held for up to 8 hours after my flight’s arrival, even in the case of delays. I added my flight information and completed online check-in five days in advance. Everything appeared in order—until I arrived at the Portland Airport rental counter shortly after midnight.

Awful billing experience that I can only classify as fraud. My estimated charges for 4 days was $682.75. I brought the vehicle back on the day I was supposed to 10 min late and was charged a week rental for $1,377.96. I call this fraud.

Thrifty canceled my prepaid car rental on the day of pick up, without telling me, as they didn’t have a car for me. They won’t refund me as they use a 3rd party (CarTrawler) to collect online payments. Car Trawler won’t refund me as they can’t get any information from Thrifty. After 2 months of getting nowhere, I’ve handed this over to my credit card company who told me they get frequent complaints about Thrifty/Hertz for the same reason. It’s an absolute scam and a despicable business. Use another company.

At first I thought the pricing was great and this is too good to be true. Turns out I was right. 2 months after I returned my rental (in perfect condition and with a full tank) - I started receiving charges to my account from Thrifty. After getting nowhere with their customer service on the phone - I had to dig deep to get a receipt of the charges. They had charged me for a fuel (even after I returned with a full tank). They had also charged me for the warranty and the roadside assistance after I had said no. I had to submit an inquiry to their customer service and only after 3 emails sent they refunded me my money. This is very concerning because this means they are charging people after their rentals and hoping that people don't check their statements.

I prebooked and paid for a car online. My voucher said wildcard, which according to website means chance for free up grades). After traveling over 12 hours, I get to the rental counter and they claim they are giving me an electric car and I had manager's choice so I get whatever car they say I get. That was not on my voucher, nor was there info about electric cars. I refused then the rude lady said I would be charged an extra 700 dollars WTF, cause apparently a basic and I mean basic car was an upgrade.

I rented a car from Thrifty rental. A few weeks after I returned, I got a toll bill with a penalty. I used my EZPass transponder. Sent proof of EZPass toll paid for the bridge. The customer service was so bad and at times rude. Never again will I rent from Thrifty.

AWFUL. I rent cars about 10x a year. Normally with Alamo or Enterprise. This time, my best friend's husband had died in an horrific accident and I needed to be there with her. To say I was distracted would be an understatement. I chose what seemed to be a reasonable car at a fair price. Car was fine, pick up was easy. I returned it 3 hours early with a full tank. Imagine my surprise when I was billed $80 OVER the signed off price! Then, the tolls began arriving.

I just returned my rental car to Thrifty. I left the car in a long line and no one from Thrifty was there to accept the car. The sign said to leave keys in car. After checking my bag, I realized I left my phone charger in the console. This was an expensive multi connector type charger for all my devices. 10 minutes after I initially left the car, I returned and the car was gone. I asked one of the Hertz/Thrifty staff to help find the charger. After 30 minutes they returned to say they can’t find the charger. I want everybody to be careful if you rent from this company in Bozeman. Thieves work here, so don’t expect to get anything back if you leave anything in the car. I will never rent from this company again.

I Returned my rental at Thrifty RDU, I however was running a little behind catching my flight because I had my 85 year old mother with me. In that rush I left behind very valuable gift cards, a visor and a scarf in the console. When I realized I had left it there I was already getting ready for takeoff. I tried to call Thrifty and received the 877 number. I know Thrifty has phones at that location. I called many times with no success. The next morning I took the day off and spent it hunting down RDU's phone number, finally I called ground transportation and they gave it to me.

I booked my rental car as a pick-up at one location and drop-off at another. It did not indicate that there would be a service charge of $300 for this. I was at the counter when I was informed of the charge. There was not much I could do at that moment. So, I unhappily accepted it. The counter agent then tried to sneak in insurance fees which I declined online. He did not ask and it wasn't until I noticed that he removed them. He also upgraded from the car I booked online for $20 per day that I did not catch until I was on the road of $280.00

DO NOT EVER RENT from Thrifty Car Rental. We were overcharged by almost $730.00. We turned the car in hours early. Declined insurance that was added on besides changed the contract amount to a lot higher charge. I have all my receipts, I owed a total balance owing of $117 after my $250 deposit. They charged me $847.88 on my credit card. I am turning them into the FCBA and the FTC! I called and got no where with them. Also declining the charge.

My review is multifaceted. I reserved an economy car online at $36 per day and was upgraded inadvertently by being told to pick any car from spaces 309-320. These weren't the Chevy Spark that I anticipated, but I didn't question it at that time. I chose a Jetta in space 311 and headed out. Later I realized that my $39 per day was actually $62.16. Strike one.

We booked a Thrifty car rental online, naturally having to give our names in the process. Confirmation issued, all good. When we get to the Thrifty / Hertz counter the next day we're told Oh, no, you are on a Do Not Rent list, but you can call this number (Sunday afternoon, the number only staffed weekdays) so they're perfectly happy to strand night & weekend travelers. Fortunately Budget came through for us. I complain to Hertz the next day and then get back "We have checked our records, and it appears that you are no longer on suspension and are eligible to rent a vehicle". Yeah, well don't worry; we'll be sure to tell friends & family to stay away from Hertz / Thrifty and you won't see US again.

Booking was $333. Charged me $727. Nothing extra added. Holiday weekend so of course there are no other rental cars available for cheaper booking last minute. I tried to call both Expedia and Thrifty for help and both parties blamed the other. They knew I was in a tough spot and had not choice to pay.

Do not rent from this company. They stole my money. Charged me a late fee for a whole day when I clearly turned in my rental on the scheduled return date and only a few hours before it was due. I turned in my rental Sunday, 6/22, around 430pm. Handed my key into someone at the desk and all she told me was my hold will be released at midnight. Did not give me a receipt or anything. Then this company had the audacity to charge me, falsely accusing me of returning my rental in late the next morning? DO NOT RENT FROM HERE. THEY STEAL YOUR MONEY.

If I could give them 0 stars I would. I have booked a Jeep Wrangler through Expedia for my daughter & my trip to San Diego. When I booked I had declined all the additional fees (additional insurance, roadside assistance, etc.). Upon arrival I was informed my car type was not available, and they were going to charge me extra for the car that was available. They eventually tell me that they could remove that charge. They never asked if I wanted the additional services (I would have declined as I did when I paid for the booking online). When asked for my credit card, I asked the reason why and they explained it was a retainer fee which would be refunded. Once I was emailed my receipt (which was about 2 hours later) & saw they were charging me an estimated additional $459 I immediately tried to call.

If I could give them no stars I would!!! Reserved a car for my son and husband through Expedia. Paid a $36 fee and remaining balance was to be paid at pickup… son and hubby went to pick up rental and they didn’t have a car and were told that there was nothing we could do. I called the company from home and was told that it happens and car is not guaranteed!!! WHAT? Why make a reservation? Why pay anything? Now my hubby and son are trying to find another car from another rental service in a small airport 1000 miles from home!

Rented a vehicle and was told it was gonna be one price and then when I returned it after I just put fuel in it. They charged me for fuel and I declined everything including insurance and tolls. You can’t call anybody because they don’t have customer service and then when you fill out their stupid form online, nobody responds. I guess I will have to dispute it with my credit card Seeing they don’t have any real people that work there.

I filled out my reservation online, and went to pick the car up at LAX. In my online reservation, I declined any additional coverage on the vehicle. The total price should have been around $200. Even though I had done this prior to picking up the car, while at the desk, the service agent quickly and quietly said, "And you said you just wanted to the most basic coverage option?" I said, "Yes," obviously thinking that he was confirming the information I've already selected/provided. He quickly had me sign the paperwork, and when looking over it, I realized that he had charged me over $200 extra for coverage that I didn't ask for.

I paid $288 thru Expedia for thrifty rental car. When I got to the airport the lady working was difficult to understand and rushed me thru explanations and told me it's ok, just initial here and here. Never explaining anything. After I got it returned, I noticed they charged me an additional $512 for extra insurance and roadside assistance. Which I have AAA insurance and I am covered thru them, plus roadside assistance. I could not talk to anyone at drop off and I cannot reach any person in billing. I feel totally scammed and taken advantage of. Never will use them again. I hope Expedia won't use them.

If I could give less than one star, I most certainly would. My husband and I traveled to Puerto Rico for a week’s vacation. Since we were staying about an hour away from the airport, we chose to rent a car with Thrifty. On Expedia, they had better reviews than most and that is why I chose them. We ended up doubling our rental fee to pay for full coverage insurance. We ended up with a defective tire, with a bulging side wall that would have caused a blowout. Thrifty refused to replace the tire, or supply us with a different vehicle. They insisted that we drive it an hour into San Juan on the donut in order to get another vehicle, effectively ruining an entire day of our vacation and risking our safety. They were rude and we completely wasted the money on insurance. Will never deal with them again EVER.

I had an absolute horrible experience with this company. I rented a mid-sized vehicle and got a Kia Soul, after much grief and despair from their customer service representative. They do not disclose the 200.00 to 500.00 deposit when reserving online. So to my dismay I was asked for 200.00 deposit with Credit card or 500.00 with debit and a hard pull on your credit.

UNSCRUPULOUS business practices! On 5/2/2025, booked rental car through American Express. Verbally declined additional insurance and Thrifty charged a loss damage waiver fee after I verbally declined. One May 17th, I noticed two charges on my American Express bill for Thrifty Rental Car. I tried calling PlatePass for a refund on the EZPass and did not get an answer. Subsequently, I contacted American Express regarding why there were two charges for the same rental. Initially, my thoughts where it was a hold on my credit card to cover additional charges. After weeks the charges remained on my statement, thus, I disputed it with American Express as a duplicate charge.

Reserved the car, prepaid for it, and filled all the extra paperwork for "skip the counter". When we got to the reservation desk, no one had any "skip the line" names up. We waited in line for 45 minutes, then after signing all the paperwork, we were told that they didn't have any cars and it would take 1.5 hours for a car. As the reservation was pre-paid, and we had already waited in a line, and all the other car rental locations had long lines as well (but they did have cars available) we decided to wait it out. Not the right choice, it was almost 3 hours before we finally got a car. What made it even worse, was the attitude of the counter agents. I know it was not their fault, and that they had to deal with everyone, but their standard response to anyone asking for their car, or any kind of concession, they said: "It's in the contract you signed. If you don't want to wait, you can just cancel the reservation" Absolutely no empathy or customer service. Never again!

I reserved a car for Thrifty on Edmonton/AB Airport on economy.com, from February 14 to March 04 at 10 am. First, at the middle, I asked if I could returned, since I no longer had need for, they said if I do, they would still charge the full agreement. Then, I did returned on March 04, as per the due date on the contract. Checking my credit card, they charged me $785.09 (economy.com) on February 14, but the contract says $642.00, and then no March 05 they charged an extra $314.55.

The most unorganized, rude and unprofessional company I have ever encountered. This is the second (and I assure you last) time they screw us over. We have been waiting hours for a car that was sposed to be waiting for us hours ago. No available cars. How is that possible when I booked plenty in advance and the car was set to be sitting here waiting for me when I arrived? Then to be brushed off by the employees and told they will call us when one is ready. We're now missing once in a lifetime plans (wedding) because this company decided to overbook rather than value the fact their customers may have places they actually need to be. So I guess instead of celebrating marriage we can sit here hungry and bored waiting for our phone to ring.

I completed and paid online for a rental. When we got to the airport and spoke with a rep she was very pushy and not giving explanations. "Says which coverage are you getting? Pointing at a graph with 3 options". She made several attempts to upgrade the car. I told her I only want what I already paid for. Then when I get my bill, they charged an extra $725, not including the $300 I paid online. My rental was for 6 days! They added roadside assistance, and an outdoor cleaning fee of $400.

SJO airport - I planned on using my debit card and not a credit card. So I had WAY more $$ on it because I knew that the $500 was required by Thrifty. What I was NOT told was they would in addition run a credit report. Thrifty kept my $67.00 and refused to refund it back to Expedia so in turn refund it back to me! Desperate to make my travel plans work I went next door to Alamo - no deposit, no credit check -- just outstanding great service. NEVER chose Thrifty - there are car rental companies who actually want your business! Bottom line - Thrifty absolutely refuses to refund my $67.00 for a car they refused to rent to me -- Expedia says there is nothing they can do to help me get my refund back from Thrifty.

We signed up to rent a vehicle through Thrifty on 3/10/2025 for a rental on 4/26/2025-4/27/2025. We arrived at BWI and went straight to the rental location. We were told there were no available cars and it would be a 3-4 hour wait for a car. This was 4pm and we needed to be at our destination at 5:00pm. Needless to say we were not happy. We ended up calling an Uber. Our driver told us this happens every weekend at BWI. There were a lot of unhappy customers. These rental companies should not take reservations if they cannot fill the need.

Thrifty car rental in April 2025 from San Diego Airport rental car conglomerate. The reservation we had made online was lost. We decided to rent on site. Big mistake. We were kind of stuck. Thrifty employee was very "nice"and offered to give us his employee discount. We were told that our costs w/o that would be $700 plus for 5 days but with his discount, he could get it down to a little over $500. We went through the option of gas prepay, and rejected that option. Nothing was mentioned about extra insurance and we were not asked to accept or deny that. We were then told to initial a section that was just "a formality" that I could not even read.

I really don't know what led me to Thrifty but it was certainly not price. I used this service at Myrtle Beach. Customer service at pickup desk was horrible. I was the only customer so I wouldn't say there was any obvious work pressure. There was no welcoming vibe and every single question asked was met with a brick wall. This seems to be a culture at this location because I also had questions on the return leg and was just met with hostility, blowing my questions off when I queried the way their contract was worded. They assume every customer should know that "overdue" refers to 3 days (which is not an industry standard) and no grace period is given for return. Entrepreneurs invest so much effort to stage and keep a business running while some employees do nothing but sabotage those efforts.