For a cheap car rental in Los Angeles, I recommend using one of the car rental counters around LAX airport based on my comparison. There are over 40 rental companies with branches here, and car rental prices in the City of Angels are rather lower compared to other US cities.
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Best Price for Car Rental in Los Angeles
In terms of price, several factors affect car rental in Los Angeles.
🗓️ How Far in Advance Is Best to Arrange a Car Rental
The price of renting a car fluctuates depending on how close the pick-up date is. Generally speaking, I recommend booking one to two months in advance.
If your travel plans change in the meantime, don’t worry. RentalCars, for example, offers a free cancellation option for just such cases. The advantage of this comparator is also the guarantee of the lowest car rental price.
⏳ Current Demand Affects the Price of Cars
Demand for cars is erratic throughout the year. It can be higher during public holidays or the summer months, and as a result the price of renting a car rises.
In addition, all rental companies have a rule that the rental price is set for every 24 hours. If you were to pick up your car at 2pm, for example, but return it at 3pm, you would be paying a whole extra day unnecessarily.
🗺️ Location of the Car Rental Branch
Car rental companies have branches at airports large and small, in city centres and on the outskirts. Lower prices tend to be found at larger airports where there is more competition.
It may be worth choosing an airport branch, although prices here will be slightly higher than in the city centre. This will save you the cost of travelling from the airport on your first day and back to it at the end of your stay.
🏎️ Class of Rental Car
Car rental companies classify car models into several classes, which differ in comfort, luggage capacity and, of course, price. The cheapest cars are in the Economy class, providing sufficient comfort only for short journeys. You can get better comfort by choosing Intermediate, Large or Full Size, and cars tend to cost only about 10% more.
For long road trips where you spend up to several hours a day in the car, I recommend choosing a large SUV. Compared to the cheapest economy class, you’ll usually pay about 25% extra. You’ll pay about 100% extra for a premium Ford Mustang convertible.
The price of cars is influenced by, among other things, the current stock availability at individual branches. It sometimes happens that cars from higher classes are cheaper than small cars.
In the following table I have found the cheapest car rentals in Los Angeles for cars of several classes. The price is always for a one-day rental.
Economy Large SUV Convertible 
from $36 from $36 from $41 from $58 🔁 Update Price 🔁 Update Price 🔁 Update Price 🔁 Update Price 🔞 Driver’s Age
Drivers aged between 21 and 25 years old must pay a surcharge to compensate the rental company for the higher probability of causing an accident. The amount of the fee varies from rental company to rental company, usually between $16.00 and $37 per day of rental.
For drivers aged between 18 and 20, rental companies will either not entrust the car at all or charge up to twice as much.
☂️ Car Insurance
Car rental companies in Los Angeles include liability insurance (SLP) and collision damage insurance (CDW) with zero deductible in the final price of the rental car. Still, I always recommend reading the terms and conditions of the contract thoroughly and paying extra for extra insurance if some risks are not covered adequately.
🛰️ Additional Services
For an extra fee, you can buy additional accessories and services for your rental car. The most useful extra is an additional driver with whom you can take turns driving. If the additional driver is not listed in the contract, he or she will not be covered by the insurance in the event of damage to the car.
The amount of the additional driver fee varies from rental car company to rental car company in California, with the usual price being $13.00 to $15.00 per day with. For example, Avis has set the maximum fee at $65 for the entire rental period.
If you’ll be carrying children in the car, consider buying a child seat or booster seat. All rental companies offer them, and they come in different designs to suit the age of the child.
From my point of view, an unnecessary accessory is a modem with mobile internet, which you can easily replace with your own Airalo eSIM phone. Similarly, the GPS navigation is unnecessary, you can use your phone with the Google Maps app.
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Non-binding Car Rental Price Calculation in Los Angeles
Never book a car with the first rental company you come across. I recommend comparing prices from multiple car rental companies in Los Angeles, for example RentalCars.com does this automatically. Plus, it guarantees the lowest rental price.
For a no-obligation rental price calculation, I recommend using the following form, which compares prices from several rental companies across Los Angeles.
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Cheap Car Rental Brands in Los Angeles
◻️ Car Rentals at LAX
Los Angeles Airport is huge, which is reflected in the very wide range of car rental companies. There are Sixt, Hertz, Enterprise, Budget, Alamo, Avis, Dollar, Fox, National, Thrifty and Zipcar.
The car rental booths are located in a separate building outside the airport terminal. You can get there by taking the free purple buses that leave from the islands on the ground floor in front of the arrivals hall. Just follow the “Rental Car Shuttles” signs from the terminal.
◻️ Rental Cars in Downtown Los Angeles
The Enterprise network is well represented in Downtown Los Angeles and other neighborhoods, and you can rent a car at virtually any hotel. Picking up a car downtown usually comes with the inconvenience of having to pay for an airport pick-up.
◻️ Venice Beach Car Rentals
There are no car rental agencies directly around Venice Beach, but you will come across several towards Marina del Rey. Sixt, Enterprise, Zipcar or Marathon Car Rental will rent you a car here.
◻️ Car Rentals in Santa Monica
Car rental companies are clustered around the busy Santa Monica Boulevard. Of the better-known brands, Hertz, Avis, Budget, Enterprise and Zipcar have branches here, while lesser-known ones include Penny’s Rent A Car, Midway Car Rental and Exotic Car Collection.
◻️ Car Rentals in Hollywood
Typical for car rental companies in Hollywood are the lesser known and local brands: 24Seven Rent A Car, CARO Car Rental, AutoLuxRent, 699 Rent A Car, PML Car Rental or Prime Slingshot Car Rentals. Among the larger car rental brands, Enterprise, Budget or Sixt have branches here.
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 Los Angeles
1️⃣ Pacific Coast Highway
North of Los Angeles runs the Pacific Coast Highway, one of America’s most popular freeways. Along the Pacific coast, you can drive all the way to San Francisco, a city with an atmosphere you won’t find anywhere else in the USA.
It’s complete with the unmissable Golden Gate Bridge, the world-famous Alcatraz prison and hills so steep you have to bend over to avoid falling over while climbing them. Rest your aching feet on the cable cars, which you can legally lean out of.
2️⃣ Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara is a seaside city famous for its beaches and Spanish Colonial architecture, located 94 mi driving distance west of downtown Los Angeles.
There are several beaches in the city, making it an ideal stop for a moment of relaxation on your way to Northern California. Some of the most famous ones include East Beach and Butterfly Beach.
3️⃣ California National Parks
With a little bit of exaggeration, it can be written that national parks surround Los Angeles. You can go in any direction and sooner or later you will come across a park. Some of the most famous parks around Death Valley, Grand Canyon or Yosemite.
On your way to Las Vegas, you can stop at Joshua Tree National Park, named after the unique short-leaved yucca trees that grow up to 49 ft. The shortleaf yucca is perhaps the most photogenic tree in the world, even making it onto the cover of U2’s “The Joshua Tree”.
4️⃣ Solvang
Solvang is a picturesque town of about 6,000 people that looks more like Denmark than sunny California. There’s a reason for that. The city is located 129 mi west of downtown Los Angeles and was founded in 1911 by Danish settlers, but it retains its European character to this day.
Solvang is characterized by windmills, colorful wooden houses and small bakeries. Every September, the town hosts the Danish Days festival with traditional music and food. Throughout the year, you can sample local wines or visit the Elverhøj Museum of History & Art, which is dedicated to Danish cultural heritage.
5️⃣ Malibu
Malibu isn’t just a coconut liquor town, it’s a city on the Pacific coast, about 29 mi and a 40-minute drive from downtown Los Angeles. For some, Malibu is a symbol of luxury and famous movie stars, while others are drawn to its sandy beaches and ocean that invites surfing. Some of the most famous beaches in Malibu are Zuma Beach and Surfrider Beach.
If you prefer to move on solid ground, you can visit Malibu Creek State Park and take the 15 mi long hiking trail along the creek’s hillside. Oak and sycamore trees line the entire trail on fern-covered slopes.
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…
Boston — California — Chicago — Denver — Florida — Hawaii — Las Vegas — Los Angeles — Miami — New York City — Salt Lake City — San Francisco — Washington D.C.
