Car Rental in Salt Lake City – The Best Tricks to Save Money

Petr Novk

Cheap car rental in Salt Lake City is no problem, all major car rental companies operate here. They are mainly concentrated at the local airport, although smaller branches are also operated in the city centre. Compared to other US cities, Salt Lake City is among the average in terms of rental prices.

Car Rental in Salt Lake City – The Best Tricks to Save Money

  1. Getting the Best Price for Car Rental in Salt Lake City

    The final price for car rental in Salt Lake City is not only influenced by the chosen car rental company or the length of the rental period, as it may seem, but by a number of factors. These include, but are not limited to, the following.

    🗓️ When to Make a Reservation

    The lowest rental price is usually between one and two months before you pick up your car.

    You can book your car in advance and cancel your booking at the last minute if necessary. For example, RentalCars.com gives customers the option of cancelling for free, with the added benefit of guaranteeing the lowest price for the rental car.

    ⏳ Seasons and Public Holidays

    Rental prices vary throughout the year depending on current demand. It tends to be higher, for example, during and shortly after the summer holidays when the USA is in peak tourist season. Prices also rise around public holidays.

    In all rental car companies, the price is calculated for each 24-hour period. It is therefore important that the time of pick-up corresponds to the time of return. If you picked up your car at 8am but didn’t return it until 9am, you’d be paying an extra day for nothing.

    🗺️ Car Rental Location

    Larger rental offices in airports, where there is also strong competition, are usually cheaper than smaller branches in city centres.

    Downtown Salt Lake City car rentals have the added disadvantage that you have to get to them from the airport, which means additional costs. Thus, choosing an airport rental company may be more convenient in the final analysis, even though the car itself is more expensive.

    🏎️ Class of Rental Car

    Economy class cars are the cheapest, expect less space and only basic equipment. The more comfortable mid-range cars are about 10% more expensive, but offer more space for passengers and their luggage.

    Excellent comfort for long road trips and hours spent in the car give SUVs, for which you pay about 25% of the price. Cabriolets are categorised as premium by car rental companies. They’re not exactly common in Salt Lake City, expect to pay at least 100% extra.

    The table below shows approximate prices for the cheapest car rentals in Salt Lake City for 24 hours. To check the current price, make a no-obligation calculation, it takes about a minute and a few clicks.

    Economy Large SUV Convertible
    Economy Car Rental Car Rental Medium or Large Size SUV Car Rental Convertible Rental
    from $47 from $47 from $51 from $75
    🔁 Update Price 🔁 Update Price 🔁 Update Price 🔁 Update Price

    🔞 Age of Drivers

    The age of the driver also affects the price of the rental car. For young drivers aged 21 to 25, rental companies charge an extra fee of $16.00 to $37 per day. The specific amount of the fee varies from rental company to rental company, but it is intended to compensate for the higher risk of damage caused by a young driver.

    Drivers between the ages of 18 and 21 will either not rent a car at all or will have to accept a fee of up to double that amount.

    ☂️ Insurance

    When you rent a car in Salt Lake City, your liability (SLP) and collision (CDW) insurance is already included. The driver’s deductible in the event of damage is zero, but I still recommend you study the terms and conditions of each contract.

    If the amount of cover is insufficient, for example in the event of theft of the car or damage to the windows and tyres, you can buy additional insurance.

    🛰️ Accessories at Extra Cost

    You can pay extra for additional services and accessories for your rental car. The most useful is the additional driver specified in the contract, with whom you can take turns driving the car. Salt Lake City car rental companies charge $13.00 to $15.00 per day for a second driver, with Avis setting the maximum charge at $65 for the entire rental period.

    If a person not named in the contract were to drive the car and cause damage, their compensation would not be covered by the insurance. If a child is part of the car’s crew, you can add a child seat or booster seat. Rental companies usually have them available in several sizes.

    A modem with mobile internet (substitute Airalo‘s eSIM) and GPS navigation (substitute your phone’s Google Maps app) are unnecessary extras from the rental car menu.

  2. Get the Latest Car Rental Prices in Salt Lake City

    When arranging a car rental, never automatically sign a contract at the first rental company in Salt Lake City. It would be a big coincidence if the final comparison is the cheapest one. Instead, book your car through RentalCars.com, which compares prices from more than 200 rental companies. Plus, it guarantees customers the lowest rental price.

    For an accurate calculation of the car rental price, I recommend using the following form. It includes all major rental companies in Salt Lake City in the calculation. And more rental companies means a higher likelihood of a more favorable price.

  3. Cheap Car Rental Brands in Salt Lake City

    ◻️ Salt Lake City Airport Car Rentals

    Budget is the only car rental company open 24 hours a day at Salt Lake City Airport. Alamo, Avis, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National, Payless and Thrifty offer more or less restrictive hours.

    The rental counters are located in a separate Gateway Center building near the parking garage. It can be reached on foot from the arrivals terminal via two footbridges located at the baggage claim.

    ◻️ Car Rentals in Downtown Salt Lake City

    There is a wide selection of car rental companies in downtown Salt Lake City, with several branches operated by Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Budget, Hertz, Avis or the lesser-known Easirent Car Rental serve as alternatives.

    Car Rental Rating
    Alamo Rent a Car Alamo Rent a Car 8.7/10
    Avis Car Rental Avis Car Rental 8.2/10
    Budget Car Rental Budget Car Rental 8.1/10
    Dollar Car Rental Dollar Car Rental 8.3/10
    Enterprise Rent-A-Car Enterprise Rent-A-Car 8.6/10
    Hertz Rent a Car Hertz Rent a Car 8.3/10
    National Car Rental National Car Rental 8.6/10
    SIXT Rent A Car SIXT Rent A Car 8.3/10
    Thrifty Car Rental Thrifty Car Rental 8.3/10
  4. Tips for the Best Road Trips Around Salt Lake City

    1️⃣ National Parks

    Salt Lake City is literally surrounded by some of the most famous and beautiful national parks. North of the city lies Yellowstone with Yogi Bear and Grand Teton with its massive mountain peaks. The parks are less than 311 mi from Salt Lake City and can be reached in about 5 hours.

    South of Utah‘s largest city, the offer is even wider, with Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands and the popular Grand Canyon all relatively close by.

    2️⃣ Bonneville Salt Flats

    TheBonneville Salt Flats are one of the most famous natural phenomena in all of Utah. The vast salt flats are known for their smooth and firm surface, so much so that they are used for speed car races. A speed record was set at Bonneville Speedway back in 1977, when racer Gary Gabelich broke the hard-to-believe speed record in a special rocket-powered Blue Flame car 622 mph.

    With safety in mind, I recommend quieter activities. Take a walk on the salt flats and if you arrive just before sunset, you’ll get some wonderful photos. The salt flat turns into a giant mirror. From Salt Lake City it’s to Bonneville 111 mi, which you can do in an hour and a half.

    3️⃣ Great Salt Lake

    The Great Salt Lake is located very close to Salt Lake City and can be reached in about half an hour by car. One of the largest salt lakes in the world, it is a favourite with photographers as the light reflects beautifully on the shallow surface at sunset. Due to the high salt content of the water, swimming in the lake is very easy, similar to the Dead Sea in Jordan.

    4️⃣ Timpanogos Cave National Monument

    Timpanogos Cave National Monument is located in the Wasatch Mountains, about 35 mi southeast of downtown Salt Lake City. It is three interconnected limestone caves that are known for their stalactite formations and clear pools.

    There will be no charge to tour the caves. Of course, there is an entrance fee, but you will also have to make a fairly steep hike with an elevation gain of 1,093 ft to reach the cave entrance. You can take a guided tour of the cave; tickets for the one-hour tour can be bought in advance on the monument’s website.

    5️⃣ Antelope Island State Park

    Located about 40 mi northwest of downtown Salt Lake City, Antelope Island State Park is known for its wildlife. In the park, you may encounter herds of wild bison, antelope, and various species of birds. Antelope Island is crisscrossed by several hiking trails of varying difficulty; for example, you can hike the 7.00 mi long Frary Peak Trail, which offers beautiful views of the lake.

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