Car rental prices at Austin Airport

At Austin Airport, an Intermediate car like the Volkswagen Jetta runs around $74 a day if you book about a month before an October 2026 pickup. An Economy car like the Mitsubishi Mirage is about $58 a day, while a Compact like the Nissan Versa is $73. In the last 2 weeks before pickup, that Intermediate drops slightly to $73. November 2026 is the cheapest month at $74 a day for an Economy car, while June 2027 peaks at $119 for a Fullsize. The price checker will show quotes for your exact travel dates.

For October 2026 at Austin Airport, booking late saves money: an Intermediate costs $74 a day about a month before you fly and $73 in the last 2 weeks. Across the year, booking 9 months ahead averages $105 a day against $77 in the last 2 weeks before travel, so waiting does not penalise you. Across the 395 airports we track car hire prices for, 48% of our customers book within 14 days of pickup. If your dates are set for an expensive travel month like June 2027, where Fullsize cars average $119, expect higher rates than November 2026, which falls to $74.

Budget is the cheapest company at Austin Airport for an Intermediate car, averaging $59 a day over the last 12 months from 1,843 prices. Europcar matches that $59 average, while Hertz sits higher at $92. All 9 counters are located at the airport, but Budget requires a credit card and holds a $200 deposit. Alamo was the most frequently quoted supplier with 5,295 prices, averaging $115 a day.

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 Austin Airport, scoring 92/100 from 89 reviews, with an average counter wait of 24 minutes. Enterprise scores 90/100 from 22 reviews, while Alamo averages a 30-minute wait and does not yet have enough reviews for a score. Budget charges $59 a day with a 14-minute wait, though it does not yet have enough reviews for a score. National averages $105 a day for an Intermediate car, which is $46 more a day than Budget.

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

At Austin Airport, deposits held on your card range from $0 with Europcar to $299 with Avis, and none of the 9 counters accept debit cards across their entire fleet. Seven desks require a credit card exclusively, while Hertz and Dollar accept a debit card for select car models only. Filter for a debit card on the results page before comparing prices so you only see vehicles you can take. Any optional extras charged at the desk are listed beneath each car with their full price.

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 Austin Airport: strict credit-card deposit rules at the desk and long waits when busy flights land together. Seven of the 9 counters refuse debit cards entirely, and the remaining 2 only take them on certain models, meaning a credit card in the lead driver's name is essential. Desk lines can also drag, with Alamo averaging a 30-minute wait and National averaging 24 minutes. You will spend a lot of time behind the wheel in Austin, so spending half an hour in the terminal queue is an irritating way to start.

Only 46% of prices at Austin Airport are full tank out, full tank back, so read the fuel line under the car before you book.

An Intermediate car like the Volkswagen Jetta costs around $74 a day at Austin Airport in October 2026 and fits 5 people with 4 bags. A Compact car like the Nissan Versa costs $73 a day, just $1 less, but the boot takes only 3 bags. If you need more space, a Fullsize car like the Chevrolet Malibu provides 6 seats and 4 bags for $77 a day. Every car offered has an automatic gearbox, so you do not need to pay extra to avoid a manual transmission.