Santa Ana Airport (SNA) car rental prices

Compare car rental at Santa Ana Airport (SNA) 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 Santa Ana Airport (SNA)

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

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Picking up at SNA

Rental center
On-airport rental counters sit between Terminal A and Terminal B on the arrivals level, and the cars themselves are staged in parking structures A2, B2 and C, all linked to the terminals by pedestrian bridges, so no shuttle is needed. Off-airport companies pick up from the departures (upper) level of those same structures. Allow about 10 minutes on foot.
Driving & tolls
Orange County's toll network, branded The Toll Roads (SR-73, 133, 241 and 261), is FasTrak or pay-by-plate only with no cash booths, so an unpaid toll turns into a mailed bill or a rental-company admin fee. The 73 Toll Road runs right past the airport and is the fast route to Newport Beach and Laguna Beach. The 405 through Costa Mesa and Irvine crawls during weekday rush hour.
Terminals
Terminal A, Terminal B, Terminal C

Good to know before you book at SNA

Suppliers on site
John Wayne Airport's on-site counters, on the Arrival Level between Terminals A and B, include Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National, Sixt and Thrifty.
Fees that inflate the rate
SNA applies an 11% airport concession fee plus a customer facility charge, both added to the base rate for any car picked up on airport property.
When prices peak
Summer (July and August) and the December holidays bring the highest demand and prices; January and February are the slowest, cheapest months.
Money-saving tip
Off-airport agencies a short shuttle ride away skip the on-site concession fee that counters inside the terminal must charge.

Driving from Santa Ana (SNA)

Expect daytime highs around 29°C in August and around 17°C in February.

Los Angeles
40 miles, about 50 min by car
San Diego
86 miles, about 1h 45m by car
Palm Springs
94 miles, about 1h 56m by car
Big Bear Lake
90 miles, about 2h 10m by car

Car rental at Santa Ana (SNA): common questions

Where do you pick up a rental car at Santa Ana (SNA)?

On-airport rental counters sit between Terminal A and Terminal B on the arrivals level, and the cars themselves are staged in parking structures A2, B2 and C, all linked to the terminals by pedestrian bridges, so no shuttle is needed. Off-airport companies pick up from the departures (upper) level of those same structures. Allow about 10 minutes on foot.

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

Prices at SNA 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 Santa Ana?

Orange County's toll network, branded The Toll Roads (SR-73, 133, 241 and 261), is FasTrak or pay-by-plate only with no cash booths, so an unpaid toll turns into a mailed bill or a rental-company admin fee. The 73 Toll Road runs right past the airport and is the fast route to Newport Beach and Laguna Beach. The 405 through Costa Mesa and Irvine crawls during weekday rush hour.

Which car type should I rent at SNA?

For city trips a compact or economy car is usually enough and cheapest. If you are heading to Los Angeles 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

LAXLos Angeles36 miles awaySANSan Diego76 miles awayLASLas Vegas227 miles away