Why the price you are quoted online is so often not the price you pay, and the specific lines to check before you sign.
Almost nobody is lying to you. The cheap headline rate is real — it is just not the whole bill. Most of the difference is made up of charges that are disclosed somewhere, but not where you are looking when you compare prices. Here is what to check.
| Charge | What it is | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
| Airport concession fee | A percentage the airport takes from in-terminal desks, passed to you | Rent off-airport |
| Facility charge | Funds the rental centre building itself | Rent off-airport |
| Fuel “convenience” refill | Prepaid fuel at above pump price, unused fuel rarely refunded | Take like-for-like and refill yourself |
| Toll transponder daily fee | A per-day charge for the device, on top of the tolls | Ask whether tolls are billed at cost |
| Young driver surcharge | Daily charge for drivers under 25 | Ask before booking; it varies enormously |
| Additional driver | Per-day charge to add a second driver | Ask whether a spouse is included |
| Card service charge | A percentage for paying by card | Pay cash where it is offered |
Like-for-like means you bring it back as you got it — the fairest arrangement. Full-to-empty means you buy a tank up front at their price and get nothing back for what you do not use. Unless you are certain you will run it dry, like-for-like wins. Photograph the fuel gauge at pickup.
A deposit is an authorization hold: the money is held on your card and released on return, not taken. The confusion is understandable, since the hold reduces your available balance exactly as a charge would. What matters is the amount and when it is released — ask both, and be careful with debit cards, where a released hold can take several days to reappear.
Any operator worth renting from will answer all three without hesitating. Ours are answered on the requirements page, and if you are renting on a debit card that page covers the extra conditions.
Real-time prices from our own rental system — Miami Airport, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. No account needed, and you can pay at the counter.
See live prices →Airport concession and facility fees, prepaid fuel sold above pump price, a daily toll transponder charge on top of the tolls themselves, young-driver surcharges, additional-driver fees, and card service charges.
No. A deposit is an authorization hold — the funds are held and released when you return the vehicle. It still reduces your available balance, and on a debit card the release can take several days to appear.
Like-for-like is almost always cheapest: you return it at the level you collected it. Prepaid full-to-empty means buying a whole tank at their price with no refund for what you do not use.
Rent from an off-airport location with a free shuttle. Concession and facility fees exist because the desk sits inside the terminal; a few minutes away, they do not apply.