Cheap car rental in Boston won’t be a major problem, as all major car rental companies have branches across the city. The widest selection is at Logan International Airport, where they’re even open non-stop. Rental offices in the city centre tend to be smaller and only open during the day.
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What Affects the Price for Car Rental in Boston
There are several components to the price of a car rental in Boston, not just the company and the number of days. These include, but are not limited to, the following.
🗓️ How Far in Advance Is Best to Arrange a Car Rental
The date you book your car depends on. Based on my research, the lowest price tends to be about 1-2 months before the pick-up date.
You can use the free cancellation trick if you find a better deal. For example, RentalCars offers the option to cancel an existing reservation without a cancellation fee.
A simple rule of thumb is that the first car rental in Boston you come across will probably not be the cheapest. Always compare prices from several rental companies at once, for example RentalCars.com does this automatically for over 200 companies. Plus, it guarantees customers the lowest rental price.
⏳ Current Demand Affects the Price of Cars
The rate per rental day can be affected by current demand, which is traditionally higher in the summer months or around public holidays.
The price for car rental is always calculated in 24-hour windows, so it is important to choose the same pick-up and return time. For example, if you picked up your car at 7am and returned it at 8am, you would be paying an extra whole day unnecessarily.
🗺️ Car Rental Locations
The location where the rental company is located can also affect the price. You are more likely to get a lower price at an airport rental with more competition than in the city centre.
When comparing airport and downtown Boston car prices, keep in mind that you will have to get into the city somehow. Sometimes it can be more cost-effective to choose a more expensive car at the airport, as this will eliminate the cost of an Uber, for example.
🏎️ Class of Rental Car
The cheapest cars on offer are in economy class, with the disadvantage of limited boot space and only basic equipment. Larger mid-range cars tend to be around 10% more expensive, but the boot space and higher levels of comfort make them suitable for longer journeys.
Even more comfortable SUVs tend to be about 25% more expensive than the cheapest cars. I recommend choosing an SUV for long road trips where you’ll spend several hours in the car every day. Convertibles are not common in Boston, and the rental price is at least double that of the economy class.
The price of cars in each class is affected by a number of factors, including the availability of cars in stock at a particular branch. This can sometimes mean that economy cars are more expensive than larger cars.
Economy Large SUV Convertible 
from $37 from $44 from $45 from $64 🔁 Update Price 🔁 Update Price 🔁 Update Price 🔁 Update Price 🔞 Age of Drivers
For drivers aged 21 to 24 inclusive, rental companies charge a surcharge to compensate for the higher likelihood of damage to the vehicle. The amount varies from rental company to rental company, expect to pay $16.00 to $37 per day.
For even younger drivers, rental companies will either not accommodate them at all or charge them several times that amount.
☂️ Insurance Included
The price of a rental car in Boston already includes compulsory liability and collision insurance with a zero deductible for the driver. However, when renting a car, I recommend checking which risks are and are not included in the contract.
If any of the risks are not sufficiently covered, pay for additional insurance.
🛰️ Accessories at Extra Cost
You can order additional services for your car at an additional cost. The most useful is an additional driver with whom you can take turns driving and who will be insured in the event of an accident. This is because if the car is driven by a person who is not named in the contract, the insurance is not valid. Depending on the rental company, the price for an additional driver varies between $13.00 and $15.00 per day, with Avis, for example, setting a maximum charge of $65 for the entire rental period.
From my point of view, a completely unnecessary addition is GPS navigation, which you simply replace with your phone. Equally unnecessary is mobile internet, which you can get cheaply in the USA with Airalo.
However, if you are travelling with children, consider adding a child seat or booster seat; rental companies in Boston usually offer them in several sizes.
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Calculate the Cost of Car Rental in Boston
When comparing rental prices with other places in the USA, Boston is more of an average. For an accurate rental price calculation, I recommend using the following form, which takes into account all car rental companies in Boston. This way you can get the lowest possible price. By filling out the form you do not commit to anything, you will not even enter your email.
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Cheap Car Rental Brands in Boston
◻️ Boston Airport Car Rentals
Car rental companies at Boston Airport include Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National, Payless, Sixt, Thrifty and Zipcar.
All car rental agencies are located in a separate Rental Car Center (RCC) building. Blue shuttle buses of lines 22, 33 and 55 run every 5-6 minutes from the arrivals terminal. Signs in the terminal will direct you to them with “Ground Transportation” and then “Shuttle Bus”.
◻️ Car Rentals in Downtown Boston
Enterprise has several locations in downtown, and Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Hertz and Sixt are also represented.
Car rental Rating 
Alamo Rent a Car 8.7/10 
Avis Car Rental 8.2/10 
Budget Car Rental 8.1/10 
Dollar Car Rental 8.3/10 
Enterprise Rent-A-Car 8.6/10 
Hertz Rent a Car 8.3/10 
National Car Rental 8.6/10 
SIXT Rent A Car 8.3/10 
Thrifty Car Rental 8.3/10 -
Tips for the Best Road Trips Around Boston
1️⃣ Salem, Massachusetts
The town of Salem, Massachusetts has quite a rich history, the most famous moment being the witch trials around 1692. Salem still benefits from these events today. For example, you can visit The Witch House Museum, housed in the building where Judge Jonathan Corwin, one of the main characters in the Salem witch trials, lived.
The drive to Salem along the coast is only 16 mi, expect about 35 minutes by car.
2️⃣ Acadia National Park
The closest national park is Acadia, 284 mi from downtown Boston, and it takes about 5 hours to get there.
If you have never heard the name Acadia before, know that it is one of the most visited national parks in the USA. The beautiful scenery combines mountains, forests, and coastline, which – as is common in Maine – is protected by white lighthouses. The park is also home to 1,530 ft high Cadillac Mountain, the tallest mountain on the USA East Coast.
3️⃣ Cape Cod, Massachusetts
The Cape Cod Peninsula at the eastern tip of Massachusetts is known for its picturesque beaches, which are dotted here and there with lighthouses. You can make your visit more enjoyable by whale watching or hiking along the coast.
From Boston to Cape Cod, it’s 90 mi, which can be done in about an hour and a half.
4️⃣ Newport, Rhode Island
The town of Newport, Rhode Island, is known for its historic settlements from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, known in the USA as the Gilded Age. Today, some of the houses house museums that you can visit. One of the largest is The Breakers, which was used as a summer home by the family of industrialist Cornelius Vanderbilt.
As a gift for his wife’s 39th birthday in 1892, Cornelius Vanderbilt had the white marble Marble House built, and the house became one of the symbols of Newport and the entire Gilded Age. Marble House can now be visited, including its cafe.
5️⃣ White Mountains
The White Mountains in Massachusetts are popular with nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts. In the fall months, NH-112, better known as the Kancamagus Highway, is worth a drive. The long 56 mi road is lined with deciduous trees colored in all shades of yellow, red and orange.
In the White Mountains, you can walk along part of the famous Appalachian Trail.
Car Rental in USA
- Car Rental in the USA - How to Save, Tips, and Experiences
- Driving in the USA
- Gas Stations in the USA
Car Rental in…
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