Car rental prices at Detroit Airport

Detroit Airport typically offers an Intermediate car, the Volkswagen Jetta size, for around $57 a day when you book about a month ahead for October 2026. A Compact car like the Nissan Versa costs about $54 a day, while a Fullsize Chevrolet Malibu runs to $70. Leaving your booking to the last 2 weeks keeps an Intermediate at $57. Across the year, prices swing from $63 a day for an Economy car in November 2026 up to $116 for a higher-spec model in August 2027, so check our price checker for your exact dates.

At Detroit Airport, holding off saves money: booking an Intermediate late saves about 46%, dropping from $96 a day 9 months before travel to $67 in the last 2 weeks. For an Intermediate car in October 2026, rates hold steady at $57 a day whether booked around a month ahead or in the last 2 weeks. Prices across the year average highest around 9 months before travel. Across the 395 airports we track car hire prices for, 48% of our customers book within 16 days of pickup.

Budget and Thrifty are the cheapest suppliers at Detroit Airport for an Intermediate car, both averaging $66 a day over the last 12 months from 1,863 and 1,236 prices respectively. Both companies operate desks at the airport, but Budget accepts credit cards only and holds a typical deposit of $200, while Thrifty accepts debit cards. If you prefer a rated supplier, Avis averages $71 a day and scores 83/100 from 1,249 reviews. Dollar sits close behind at $67 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 Detroit Airport, scoring 92/100 from 279 reviews, with an average counter wait of 24 minutes. That reliability costs more: National averages $89 a day for an Intermediate car over the last 12 months, compared to $66 with Budget, the cheapest supplier. Avis is the only other rated firm with enough feedback, scoring 83/100 from 1,249 reviews with a 17-minute wait. Budget does not yet have enough reviews for a score, though its desk averages a 9-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.

At Detroit Airport, standard deposits run from $200 with Budget to $299 with Avis, and only 1 of the 8 suppliers takes a debit card for every car. Five companies require a credit card exclusively, while 2 accept debit cards for some cars only. The deposit and payment terms are displayed beside each car, so filter for debit cards before you compare prices. Any optional extras charged at the desk are listed beneath the vehicle.

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

Two things catch drivers out at Detroit Airport: counters that refuse debit cards and lengthy queues at pickup desks. Five of the 8 counters reject debit cards entirely, so turning up without a credit card in the lead driver's name risks a cancelled booking. Desk queues also vary wildly: Enterprise averages a 37-minute wait at pickup, while Budget takes 9 minutes. Plan your arrival time around the counter, as spending half an hour in line will quickly derail an afternoon meeting.

Only 49% of prices at Detroit 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 $57 a day for October 2026 at Detroit Airport, giving you the best balance of highway space and boot capacity. It seats 5 with room for 4 bags, making it a comfortable cruiser for longer highway stretches. Stepping down to a Compact Nissan Versa costs $54 a day but trims boot space to 3 bags, while a Fullsize Chevrolet Malibu costs $70 and seats 6. 100% of cars offered are automatic, so you will not pay extra to avoid shifting gears.