Car rental prices at Long Beach Airport

Long Beach Airport car hire typically costs around $63 a day in October 2026 for an Intermediate car such as a Volkswagen Jetta booked about a month ahead. An Economy car like the Mitsubishi Mirage is about $55 a day, while a Fullsize Chevrolet Malibu runs to $73. Booking in the last 2 weeks drops that Intermediate to $61. Prices move between $59 in November 2026 for an Economy car and $108 in July 2027 for a Fullsize, so check the price checker for your exact dates.

For October 2026 at Long Beach Airport, booking timing barely moves the price, with an Intermediate car costing $63 a day a month before pickup and $61 in the final 2 weeks. Across the year, booking 9 months ahead averages $81 a day, so you have missed nothing if you left it late. Across the 395 airports we track car hire prices for, half of our customers book within 16 days of travel. The calendar matters far more than booking lead time, swinging from $59 in November 2026 to $108 in July 2027.

Budget is the cheapest company at Long Beach Airport for an Intermediate car, averaging $51 a day across 1,204 prices over the last 12 months. That saves you $12 a day against Hertz at $63, while all 8 counters sit directly at the airport. You must bring a credit card, as Budget will not accept a debit card for the deposit. Alamo holds the most bookings at the airport and costs $67 a day, but scores 91/100 from 96 reviews compared to 82/100 for Budget.

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 Long Beach Airport, scoring 92/100 from 93 customer reviews with an average desk wait of 24 minutes. Alamo follows on reviews at 91/100 across 96 ratings and averages a 23-minute wait. Alamo averages $67 a day for an Intermediate car, while National averages $74 a day for the same class. Budget averages $51 a day, scores 82/100, and averages a 15-minute desk 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 Long Beach Airport, card deposits run from around $200 with Budget to $299 with Avis, and 7 of the 8 desks accept credit cards only. None of the counters accept debit cards outright, though Hertz takes a debit card for some cars only. Because 7 desks strictly refuse debit cards at pickup, filter for debit card acceptance before comparing vehicle rates. Any optional extras charged at the desk are listed under each vehicle.

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

The main surprise at Long Beach Airport is that 7 of the 8 rental counters refuse debit cards entirely for the security deposit. Turn up without a credit card in the primary driver's name and you risk being turned away, as only Hertz permits a debit card on select vehicles. Desk queues can also test your patience, with Alamo averaging 23 minutes and National 24 minutes. At least every company has an on-airport desk, sparing you an off-site shuttle bus.

Only 47% of prices at Long Beach Airport are full tank out, full tank back, so read the fuel line under the car before you book.

For up to 5 passengers, choose an Intermediate car like the Volkswagen Jetta at Long Beach Airport, which costs around $63 a day for October 2026. It seats 5 people and fits 4 bags, which gives your luggage plenty of room for heavy driving across the metro area. An Economy car like the Mitsubishi Mirage costs $55 but holds only 2 bags, while a Fullsize Chevrolet Malibu seats 6 with 4 bags for $73. Every car quoted is an automatic with no extra charge, and no electric or hybrid models are currently offered.