Los Angeles Airport (LAX) car rental prices

Compare car rental at Los Angeles Airport (LAX) across suppliers and car types for your exact dates, and see exactly how pickup works before you land.

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Compare car rental at Los Angeles Airport (LAX)

See current prices across suppliers and car types at Los Angeles International Airport, for your exact dates, then book the one that fits. No markup, no countdown tricks.

Compare live prices at LAX

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Picking up at LAX

Rental center
All major brands moved into the new LAX Rental Car Center at 5251 W 98th St in 2026, a five-story facility built for roughly 18,000 vehicles. From baggage claim, go to the lower/arrivals level and look for the purple Rental Car Shuttles signs; free courtesy shuttles run from every terminal. Budget 15-20 minutes door to counter.
Driving & tolls
FasTrak is the transponder used on the 91 Express Lanes and other LA toll lanes, and many rental cars now come pre-equipped and bill tolls straight to your card. The 405 through the Sepulveda Pass and the 101/110 interchange downtown jam up most weekday afternoons, so build in buffer time. Century Blvd and Sepulveda Blvd right at the airport gridlock hard during pickup and drop-off peaks.
Terminals
Terminal 1, Terminal 2, Terminal 3, Tom Bradley International Terminal, Terminal 4, Terminal 5, Terminal 6, Terminal 7, Terminal 8

Good to know before you book at LAX

Suppliers on site
LAX's Rental Car Center (open since 2026, linked by the SkyLink people mover) hosts Avis, Budget, Payless, Zipcar, Enterprise, Alamo, National, Europcar, Fox, Hertz, Dollar, Thrifty and Sixt.
Fees that inflate the rate
LAX adds an 11.11% concession recovery fee plus a customer facility charge of about $9 per day (capped at 5 days), which funds the consolidated Rental Car Center and SkyLink.
When prices peak
Demand and prices peak in July and August; January and February are the slowest and cheapest months to rent.
Money-saving tip
Return the car with a full tank from a gas station outside the airport, since fueling at or near the Rental Car Center costs noticeably more.

Driving from Los Angeles (LAX)

Expect daytime highs around 25°C in August and around 16°C in March.

Palm Springs
124 miles, about 2h 24m by car
San Diego
124 miles, about 2h 29m by car
Santa Barbara
96 miles, about 1h 58m by car
Las Vegas
286 miles, about 5h 18m by car

Car rental at Los Angeles (LAX): common questions

Where do you pick up a rental car at Los Angeles (LAX)?

All major brands moved into the new LAX Rental Car Center at 5251 W 98th St in 2026, a five-story facility built for roughly 18,000 vehicles. From baggage claim, go to the lower/arrivals level and look for the purple Rental Car Shuttles signs; free courtesy shuttles run from every terminal. Budget 15-20 minutes door to counter.

When is the cheapest time to book a rental car at LAX?

Prices at LAX move week to week, so there is no fixed answer. As a rule, booking two to three weeks ahead beats the walk-up rate, and midweek pickups are usually cheaper than weekend ones. Compare your exact dates above before you commit.

Do I need to watch out for tolls driving from Los Angeles?

FasTrak is the transponder used on the 91 Express Lanes and other LA toll lanes, and many rental cars now come pre-equipped and bill tolls straight to your card. The 405 through the Sepulveda Pass and the 101/110 interchange downtown jam up most weekday afternoons, so build in buffer time. Century Blvd and Sepulveda Blvd right at the airport gridlock hard during pickup and drop-off peaks.

Which car type should I rent at LAX?

For city trips a compact or economy car is usually enough and cheapest. If you are heading to Palm Springs or San Diego, size up for the luggage and distance. Compare the rate per car type above before deciding.

Does it cost more to book through CarPriceRadar than going direct?

No. You pay the same price the rental company lists either way. If you book through one of our partner links they pay us a commission, not you, and that is what funds the price tracking.

Nearby airports

SNASanta Ana36 miles awaySANSan Diego109 miles awayLASLas Vegas236 miles away