Car rental prices at San Diego Airport

For November 2026 at San Diego Airport, a good price is around $46 a day for a Compact, the Nissan Versa size, when you book around a month before your trip. An Economy, the Mitsubishi Mirage size, averages $48 a day, while an Intermediate, the Volkswagen Jetta size, averages $49 at that lead time. In the last 2 weeks, a Compact car averages $53 a day, which is $7 more a day. Use the price checker to compare your quote for your exact dates.

At San Diego Airport, you need not book far ahead: across the year, an Intermediate car averages $62 a day around a month before your trip, $17 less than around 9 months before. For November 2026, book an Intermediate, the Volkswagen Jetta size, around a month before your trip at $49 a day on average rather than waiting until the last 2 weeks, when the price reaches $57. Across the 395 airports we track car hire prices for, 65% of our customers book within a month of pickup, so booking at that point is common.

Budget is cheapest at San Diego Airport for an Intermediate car over the last 12 months, averaging $52 a day from 1,415 prices, but you need a credit card at its desk. Budget scores 79/100 from 38 reviews and holds a deposit of about $200, so allow room for that hold on your credit card. If you need a debit card, compare National: its Intermediate cars average $70 a day over the last 12 months from 3,904 prices, and it scores 99/100 from 268 reviews.

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 San Diego Airport, scoring 99/100 from 268 reviews with an average desk wait of 4 minutes, so compare it if reviews and collection time matter to you. National is not the cheapest: its Intermediate cars average $70 a day over the last 12 months from 3,904 prices, against Budget at $52 from 1,415 prices for Intermediate cars over the same period. Budget scores 79/100 from 38 reviews and averages a 12-minute desk wait, so decide whether National's higher score and shorter wait justify $18 more a day.

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 San Diego Airport, deposits range from $0 with Europcar to about $300 with Avis, and 4 of the 10 companies take a debit card, so check both before choosing your car. Another 3 companies accept debit cards for some cars only, while 3 require a credit card. If you plan to use a debit card, filter for it before comparing prices and check the deposit and card rule beside each car. Extras charged at the desk are listed under each car with their prices.

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

At San Diego Airport, watch out for card restrictions and desk waits, because either can delay you before you start driving. Budget, Avis and Europcar require a credit card, so do not choose them if you intend to collect with only a debit card. Hertz, Dollar and Sixt accept debit cards for some cars only, so check the rule for your chosen car. Allow for an average 24-minute wait at Dollar or 21 minutes at Thrifty when planning your first appointment.

Only 52% of prices at San Diego Airport are full tank out, full tank back, so read the fuel line under the car before you book.

Choose a Compact, the Nissan Versa size, at San Diego Airport for around $46 a day in November 2026 when booking around a month before your trip, if you have no more than 3 bags. It seats 5 but takes only 3 bags, so do not fill every seat without checking your luggage will fit. At that lead time, an Economy, the Mitsubishi Mirage size, takes 2 bags at $48 a day, while an Intermediate, the Volkswagen Jetta size, takes 4 bags at $49. Over the last 12 months, 100% of cars offered are automatic, so an automatic is already included in these prices. Electric and hybrid cars are not offered in these figures, so plan on a conventional car.