San Diego Airport (SAN) car rental prices

Compare car rental at San Diego Airport (SAN) 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 San Diego Airport (SAN)

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

Compare live prices at SAN

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Picking up at SAN

Rental center
Every company operates out of the Consolidated Rental Car Center at 3355 Admiral Boland Way, not inside Terminal 1 or Terminal 2. Free blue shuttle buses run every 10-15 minutes, 24/7, from both terminals' curbs. The ride plus walk to a counter takes about 10-15 minutes.
Driving & tolls
San Diego's only toll road is SR-125, the South Bay Expressway, between SR-54 and SR-905 in the South Bay, paid by FasTrak or pay-by-plate. Everything else, including I-5, I-8 and I-15, is free. Coastal marine layer fog can slow morning traffic near the water, and I-5 through downtown backs up hard at rush hour.
Terminals
Terminal 1, Terminal 2

Good to know before you book at SAN

Suppliers on site
All pickups at San Diego International happen at the Rental Car Center on Harbor Island, served by Alamo, Avis, Enterprise, Fox, Hertz, National, Payless, Sixt, Thrifty and Zipcar.
Fees that inflate the rate
San Diego charges a concession recovery fee of roughly 9 to 13% of the base rate plus a customer facility charge of $9 per day (up to a 5-day maximum) that funds the Rental Car Center.
When prices peak
Prices and demand are highest in June, with January and March typically the cheapest and least busy months to rent.
Money-saving tip
Renting from a company location a mile or two off the airport, such as near the Pacific Highway corridor, can avoid the concession fee and still include a free shuttle.

Driving from San Diego (SAN)

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

Los Angeles
119 miles, about 2h 22m by car
Palm Springs
122 miles, about 2h 31m by car
Anza-Borrego Desert
89 miles, about 2h 37m by car

Car rental at San Diego (SAN): common questions

Where do you pick up a rental car at San Diego (SAN)?

Every company operates out of the Consolidated Rental Car Center at 3355 Admiral Boland Way, not inside Terminal 1 or Terminal 2. Free blue shuttle buses run every 10-15 minutes, 24/7, from both terminals' curbs. The ride plus walk to a counter takes about 10-15 minutes.

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

Prices at SAN 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 San Diego?

San Diego's only toll road is SR-125, the South Bay Expressway, between SR-54 and SR-905 in the South Bay, paid by FasTrak or pay-by-plate. Everything else, including I-5, I-8 and I-15, is free. Coastal marine layer fog can slow morning traffic near the water, and I-5 through downtown backs up hard at rush hour.

Which car type should I rent at SAN?

For city trips a compact or economy car is usually enough and cheapest. If you are heading to Los Angeles or Palm Springs, 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 Ana76 miles awayLAXLos Angeles109 miles awayLASLas Vegas259 miles away