Car rental prices at Chicago O'hare Airport

For November 2026 at Chicago O'hare Airport, a good price is around $56 a day for an Intermediate car such as a Volkswagen Jetta when you book around a month before your trip. A Compact car such as a Nissan Versa averages $52 a day, while an Economy car such as a Mitsubishi Mirage averages $54 at the same lead time. Leave booking until the last 2 weeks and an Intermediate car averages $61 a day, $5 more a day. Use the price checker to compare your quote for your exact dates.

At ORD, you need not book 9 months before your trip: across the year, an Intermediate car averages $83 a day then versus $67 around a month before or in the last 2 weeks. For November 2026, however, book around a month before your trip: an Intermediate car averages $56 a day, against $61 in the last 2 weeks. Those across-year comparisons draw on 3,903 prices at 9 months, 3,901 around a month before and 3,738 in the last 2 weeks. Across the 395 airports we track car hire prices for, 65% of our customers book within a month of pickup, so you are not unusually late if you have yet to book.

Budget is the cheapest company at ORD for an Intermediate car, averaging $61 a day over the last 12 months from 1,872 prices, but you need a credit card at its airport desk. Budget scores 76/100 from 55 recent reviews, so the cheapest company also has enough reviews for a score. If you need to use a debit card, compare Thrifty: its Intermediate cars averaged $63 a day over the last 12 months from 1,239 prices, $2 more a day than Budget. Thrifty accepts debit cards but does not yet have enough reviews for a score.

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.

Budget is the best-reviewed qualifying company at Chicago O'hare Airport, scoring 76/100 from 55 recent reviews, but you should allow for its average desk wait of 22 minutes. Budget is also the cheapest for an Intermediate car, averaging $61 a day over the last 12 months from 1,872 prices. Thrifty's Intermediate cars averaged $63 a day over the same period from 1,239 prices, but Thrifty does not yet have enough reviews for a score. Choose Budget if that combination suits you, provided you can present a credit card.

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 Chicago O'hare Airport, deposits range from $0 with Europcar to $300 with Avis, but only 4 of the 10 counters accept debit cards without restricting them to certain cars. Another 3 counters accept debit cards for some cars only, while 3 require a credit card. Filter for a debit card before comparing prices, then check the deposit and card rule beside your chosen car. 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 Chicago O'hare Airport, check card restrictions and leave time for collection: 3 of the 10 counters require a credit card, and Budget and Dollar average 22-minute desk waits. Hertz, Sixt and Dollar accept debit cards for some cars only, so confirm that your chosen car qualifies before booking. If you need to get on the road promptly, compare collection waits: National averages 3 minutes and Enterprise 9 minutes. Do not schedule your departure from the airport as though collection is instant.

Only 51% of prices at Chicago O'hare Airport are full tank out, full tank back, so read the fuel line under the car before you book.

For 4 people with a bag each, choose an Intermediate car such as a Volkswagen Jetta at ORD, averaging $56 a day for November 2026 when booked around a month before your trip. It seats 5 but takes 4 bags, so adding a 5th person means sharing luggage space. At the same lead time for November 2026, a Compact car such as a Nissan Versa averages $52 a day but takes only 3 bags; a Fullsize car such as a Chevrolet Malibu averages $67 and seats 6, but still takes only 4 bags. Over the last 12 months, 100% of cars offered were automatic, so you do not need to seek a manual alternative. Electric and hybrid cars were not offered over that period, so do not plan around hiring one.