Car hire prices at Oakland Airport

Oakland Airport car hire typically costs around £44 a day in October 2026 for an Intermediate, like the Volkswagen Jetta, when you book about a month ahead. A Compact like the Nissan Versa costs £40 a day, while a Fullsize like the Chevrolet Malibu runs to £49. Booking in the last 2 weeks drops the Intermediate price to £40 a day. Across the year, prices range from £43 a day for a Compact in November 2026 to £78 for a Fullsize in August 2027, so check our price checker for your exact dates.

You save money by holding off at Oakland Airport, where booking late saves about 31%: across the year, an Intermediate averages £46 a day 2 weeks before pickup against £61 9 months before your trip. For October 2026, an Intermediate drops from £44 a day booked a month before your trip to £40 in the last 2 weeks. Across the 395 airports we track car hire prices for, 48% of our customers book within 14 days of travel. If you have not booked yet, you have missed nothing.

Budget is the cheapest company at Oakland Airport for an Intermediate car, averaging £41 a day from 1,857 prices over the last 12 months. All 8 desks operate inside the airport terminal, so you do not trade convenience for a lower rate. Budget requires a credit card for its deposit and averages an 82/100 score, while Avis and Thrifty follow closely at £42 a day. National and Alamo charge £51 and £49 respectively, but both achieve scores above 90/100.

The cheapest company can cost you a longer queue or a bigger deposit, so check the review score and desk wait beside each car in the results before you book.

National is the best-reviewed company at Oakland Airport with a score of 92/100 from 88 reviews, averaging a 24-minute wait at the desk. Alamo follows at 91/100 from 76 reviews with a 23-minute wait. Both companies sit at the higher end for price: an Intermediate car with Alamo costs £49 a day and National costs £51 a day over the last 12 months. In contrast, Budget is the cheapest supplier at £41 a day, but scores lower at 82/100 despite a shorter 15-minute wait.

Review scores are CarTrawler customers' own, from the last five months; the score and the desk wait sit beside each car in the results.

Deposits at Oakland Airport range from £148 with Budget to £222 with Avis, and only 1 of the 8 desks accepts a debit card without restrictions. Five desks require a credit card in the driver's name, while Hertz and Dollar accept a debit card for some cars only. Filter for a debit card before comparing prices so you only see vehicles you can collect. The exact deposit and card terms appear beside each car in your search results, alongside any optional extras charged at the desk.

If you bring your own child seat, check your airline's rules first: most carry one free, some charge.

Two main traps catch people out at Oakland Airport: turning up without a credit card and getting stuck in long terminal queues. Five of the 8 desks refuse debit cards completely, and two more allow them only on select models, leaving Thrifty as the sole desk taking debit cards across the board. The best-rated suppliers can also test your patience, with desk waits stretching to 23 minutes at Alamo and 24 minutes at National. Arriving with a debit card and expecting quick service is an easy way to spend your first hour standing still.

Only 49% of prices at Oakland Airport are full tank out, full tank back, so read the fuel line under the car before you book.

For most trips, choose an Intermediate like the Volkswagen Jetta at Oakland Airport, costing around £44 a day booked a month ahead for October 2026. It seats 5 passengers and holds 3 bags, giving you comfort in metro traffic without compromising on luggage space. If you need more room, a Fullsize like the Chevrolet Malibu seats 6 and takes 4 bags for £49 a day, while a Compact like the Nissan Versa costs £40. Every car offered is automatic, so you will not pay extra to skip shifting gears.