Car rental prices at Cape Town International Airport

For November 2026 at CPT, a Compact car such as a Toyota Corolla Quest averages $41 a day when booked around a month before your trip, making that a useful benchmark for your quote. An Economy car such as a Volkswagen Polo Vivo averages $28 a day, while a Mini car such as a Toyota Agya averages $21 a day at the same lead time. Leave booking until the last 2 weeks and the Compact car averages $45 a day, costing $4 more a day. Use the price checker to compare your quote for your exact dates.

For November 2026 at CPT, book around a month before your trip: a Compact car averages $41 a day then, against $45 a day in the last 2 weeks. Across the year, a Compact car averages $54 a day around 9 months before your trip, so you have not missed a cheaper early-booking window. Across the year, a Compact car averages $42 a day around a month before pickup and in the last 2 weeks, but use the month-specific figures to decide when to book. Across the 395 airports we track car hire prices for, 65% of our customers booked within a month of pickup, so you would not be unusually late booking then.

Sixt and Firefly Powered by Hertz tie as the cheapest companies at CPT for a Compact car over the last 12 months, averaging $30 a day, but neither yet has enough reviews for a score. Sixt has an airport desk, requires a credit card and holds a deposit of about $506, so check your available credit before choosing it. For a scored alternative, Tempest averages $44 a day for a Compact car over the last 12 months from 610 prices, costing $14 more a day. Tempest scores 92/100 from 79 reviews over the last 5 months, giving you a review-backed alternative to compare.

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.

Tempest is the best-reviewed company at CPT, scoring 92/100 from 79 reviews over the last 5 months, with an average desk wait of 8 minutes, so consider it if you want a scored supplier. Tempest averages $44 a day for a Compact car over the last 12 months from 610 prices, costing $14 more a day than the cheapest choices. Sixt and Firefly Powered by Hertz tie at $30 a day for a Compact car over the same period, but neither yet has enough reviews for a score. If you choose Sixt on price, its desk wait averages 3 minutes, so the lower price does not come with a longer recorded wait than Tempest's.

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

You need a credit card at all 13 desks at CPT; none accepts a debit card, and typical deposits range from $169 with Avis to $1,914 with Budget. If you only have a debit card, filter for debit-card acceptance before comparing prices rather than relying on a low daily rate. Check the deposit and card rule beside each car to make sure your credit card can cover the hold. Extras charged at the desk are listed under each car with their price.

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

At Cape Town International Airport, check your available credit and allow time at pickup, because credit-only deposits and longer desk waits can delay your departure. All 13 desks require a credit card, and Budget's typical deposit is $1,914 against $169 with Avis, so compare the hold before booking. Green Motion's desk wait averages 27 minutes, against 3 minutes with Sixt, so leave more time if you choose Green Motion. Both have airport desks, so do not assume an airport pickup means you will be driving away immediately.

Fuel is full tank out, full tank back on 100% of prices at Cape Town International Airport, so there is no fuel charge to be surprised by.

If you need room for 3 bags, choose an Intermediate car such as a Toyota Corolla Cross at CPT, averaging $54 a day for November 2026 when booked around a month before your trip. It seats 5 but takes 3 bags, so check your luggage before booking it for a full group. At the same lead time for November 2026, step down to a Compact car such as a Toyota Corolla Quest at $41 a day if 2 bags suffice, or up to a Fullsize car such as a Toyota Fortuner at $98 a day for 4 bags. Over the last 12 months, 60% of cars offered are automatic, so filter for one if you prefer it; across 24,783 prices, automatic Compact cars average $56 a day against $41 for manual Compact cars, costing $15 more a day. Do not plan on an electric or hybrid car, as neither appears among the cars offered.