Thrifty's economy cars are priced low in the car rental industry. We found that, with Thrifty, car rental prices were contingent upon location and the type of car procured. Thrifty does a unique price-matching program, where they will honor lower rental rates and give you a ten percent discount.

Luxury Price Range

Thrifty also rents luxury vehicles, the rental price is average in the industry. For customers who would like to rent luxury cars, Thrifty may be a great option with the high availability and the

States Available

Thrifty can be found in 46/50 states. This almost covers every state-a huge advantage over the average car rental company who covers only a fraction of that. It also benefits travelers and local residents who are in these places or are traveling to these places.

Airports Locations

Thrifty has rental counters at most major airports throughout the United States and Canada. This makes renting cars for travelers more convenient and easy.

Online Check-In

Thrifty has online check-in, allowing you to check in before you show up. Customers are required to provide a few pieces of information, including license number, date of birth, and a few pieces of information about driving records. While rental counters can have slow lines and long waits, checking in online speeds up the process and gets customers driving away in their vehicle more quickly.

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The Bad

Roadside assistance availability
No instant return
No on-site fuel discount

Roadside Assistance

Thrifty offers what they call Protection Packages, which offer 24 hours a day Premium Roadside Assistance Service. These packages, although good, are only available at U.S. Corporate Locations and at participating licensee locations. You have to ask the rental counter for the availability of any of the packages. Thrifty sets it up so that if you want one of the following protection packages you add it to your online reservation and get more information about the package (i.e. price) when you pick up your vehicle. This is not a good option because you should be informed of how much these packages cost before you get there in person to rent the car. Other companies charge an additional fee for roadside assistance as a separate item without having to buy a whole package that you may not be able to afford.

Instant Return

With Thrifty, vehicles must be returned to the rental counter. This is standard operating procedure with most rental companies. Instant return can be a very convenient feature that some companies offer which allows the customer to leave the keys in the car and leave.

On-Site Fuel Discount

There is no on-site fuel discount with Thrifty. They do have a prepaid fuel option. When you return the car with an empty tank, you pay the amount to fill it up, multiplied by the manufacturer's gallon-per-tank capacity. It would make it more advantageous if an on-site fueling discount was offered to help offset traveling expenses.

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The Bottom Line

Thrifty has a high availability and has a presence in 46 states. Thrifty also offers competitive economy prices, and a decent amount of variety in their vehicles. For very frequent travelers, they will receive a free rental day for every sixteen they pay for-a great perk for customer loyalty. Because of these factors, we recommend considering Thrifty for your car rental needs.

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User Reviews

Star Rating

3.4

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52 Reviews

Review Breakdown

5 grade

19%

4 grade

40%

3 grade

17%

2 grade

1 grade

15%

Sentiment Criteria

Value

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Quality

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Service

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Trustworthiness

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Dave Spokane, WA

Thrifty is my first choice for rental car companies. With their Blue Chip program, check in and check out is a breeze. Online reservations are easy and convenient, and I have the flexibility to cancel if my plans change. Prices are always competitive. One time I got an erroneous charge to my account a week or two after the rental so I called customer service and they took care of me.

5 years ago

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Eddie Rios Ogden, UT

Thrifty car rentals have always helped us save money. They offer a good selection of cars and availability is pretty good. But their best attribute is economic value. You get the most out of your dollar by reserving rentals through Thrifty. I have always been satisfied with their attentive service.

6 years ago

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Kaitlyn Rios Ogden, UT

When saving money is the priority, Thrifty car rentals have always come through. With affordable options, great late model cars, they meet my needs when saving money is important. Their customer service is excellent as well.

6 years ago

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Brooke Z Cleveland, OH

My flight was delayed. I was unable to pick the car up until the second day into the rental, due to my flight being delayed. When my plane landed at my destination on the first day of the reservation,the car rental facility was closed, which caused me to not be able to pick the car up until the second day.I contacted customer service in regards to being credited for the day we DID NOT have the car and I was refused my request. This is terrible customer service. I was penalized for a situation that was out of my control and in not so many words told, "too bad, deal with it". In the future I will take my business elsewhere.

4 years ago

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T. Dorsz Frederick, MD

I rented a car through one of Thrify's resellers. I prepaid to get a better rate. I turned the car in early because of all the shutdowns of National Parks. Thrifty will not adjust my cost. They are completely unflexible during the CORVID-19 national emergency. They would not adjust the transportation fees, or remove any of the days that I did not rent the car. I went from renting 41 days down to 21. The only thing they adjusted were the number of days for insurance. One of their offices said they were waiving transportation fees. They did not. They said they could adjust the contract type but that it would be more expensive since my daily rate would go up. This was a very expensive lesson for me. BEWARE the consequences of pre-payment options and using Thrifty's resellers. This was my first time renting through them. It's my last.

6 years ago

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Chris Sulphur, LA

PRICE GOUGING AT IT'S BEST! I called Thrifty to rent a Large SUV from the Denver Airport about a month ago for my 5 day trip to visit my daughter in Keystone, Co. from 2/21/20-2/26/20. I was told that Thrifty could not guarantee an AWD or 4WD, so I decided to rent a Minivan since it would be guaranteed front wheel drive. The price was $204 and with taxes and fees was $283.50. Upon arriving at the Denver Airport Thrifty location I had to wait 45 minutes in line before actually getting to the counter. At the counter I was presented a piece of paper basically stating that I needed an AWD/4WD or could be ticked or possibly wouldn't make it back to the airport. There were only two vehicles that would work because of the amount of people and luggage we had one was a pickup truck or a large suv. I asked what the cost difference was, well the cost for the truck was $120 more per day or my other option was $200 more per day. I could not believe this and I asked to talk to manager. Still in disbelief of the price in which I was told that's the price I asked the manager about being a blue chip member, veteran or I had an email with one day free from Thrifty and was ignored by the manager and said that's it either you want the vehicle or we need to start waiting on other customers, again the line is almost out the door so I took it. We get to the truck it's an extended cab not even a crew cab no running boards nothing. Thinking I was stuck we take the truck at a total cost of $1040 so 5 times the price of my Minivan. I call Thrifty customer service the following day and they agree I'm being way overcharged but get this there's nothing they can do only tell me to drive back to Denver which is approximately an 1.5 hr drive away turn the truck in, call reservations and make a new reservation. I requested a supervisor call me back gave my number and have never gotten the call back. I've rented from Thrifty multiple times I've never been treated like this and am very disappointed in customer service obviously they don't care because I know I'm only one person and they're a multi-billion dollar company. My reason for writing this is hopefully this doesn't happen to you. Member Number: 0724928515 Reservation: J30307376D9

6 years ago

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Greg Hanold Batesville, MS

The counter in Fort Wayne Airport for Thrifty / Hertz is very unreliable and dishonest. Horrible Customer Service and fails to follow through. It now has been close to 2 months and still no contact from Thrifty. I was told 7 different times I would be receiving calls. 3 of those calls were to be from Area Managers to resolve the issue. No one has ever contacted me. I initially spoke with Dan at the Fort Wayne Airport and he was the one who told me he would investigate and get back to me. NEVER HAPPENED. DAN, YOU NEVER CALLED BACK!!! Thrifty's crappy customer service informed me Thrifty wasn't responsible for lost items... I told her the item wasn't lost... it was stolen by a Thrifty employee in Fort Wayne... No surprise, there was no response.

7 years ago

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Doyal Stewart Salt Lake City, UT

I used Thrifty while visiting southern Oregon a few years ago. The car wasn't great, and was a bit dirty. The service was a little slow, but we did appreciate that they picked us up from our hotel room. We ended up driving the car back to Utah and dropped it off at a local Thrifty. It wasn't the best price wise, but it was convenient.

9 years ago

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James Milton

If you rent from this company BEWARE. The person behind the counter will do everything they can to get all the extra crap all for fee's. Also you better READ the contract. I refused all the options except for the GPS which was $11.95/per day. At the end of the spiel she had me initial and sign the contract. OK, no problem until I got the bill! Turns out all that initialing was all of the options! So I ended up paying more than double the rental. I called them and they said tough luck, you signed it, It's your baby. I trusted the lady at the counter and told her verbally what did and didn't want before signing. What a fool I was for trusting them. WATCH OUT!

9 years ago

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Brian Cowley Riverton, UT

Yes, the price is good, but if you have any chance at bad weather, don't use them. Their inventory is really small and they can't handle your order if they have delays in their returns. Only redeeming quality is they are backed by Hertz, so if you are in a larger city, like I was, you have a chance of getting a car. I wouldn't ever use them in a smaller city where Hertz might have large inventory to back them up.

4 years ago

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Rachelle Orlando, FL

Had a terrible experience with Thrifty. Went to Texas last week for a girls trip we scheduled months in advance. My girlfriend was in contact with them from months in advance to ensure everything was perfect. Got to the rental place and had been told she could use a debit, she was refused that option at first bc of the size of the car (SUV). We had to show the website to the lady that says debit can be used even for SUV, then she didn’t pass her credit check, another thing we had no idea they would be doing. We’re first time renters and we’re unaware of a lot of things hence the multiple calls to make sure of things. They could have easily sent us a checklist or coming closer to the date gave us a call to see if everything was in order. Except everything is pay now and figure it out later. We’re still disputing them for a 200$ rental booking that we were unable to use we had to go to Budget instead. Spent a day in a strange city taking Uber and contemplating public transportation because of how pricey Uber was. I understand part of this was us to blame but they made my girlfriend go thru hell with long wait lines, impatience, no sympathy, ugh no never again

4 years ago

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Rischelle Mikkelson American Fork, UT

I have only ever rented from Thrifty once. They were a good company and the rental experience was like most other. I typically don't book the because they are priced higher than most of the other companies for the same product.

7 years ago

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Kristin G Pleasant Grove, UT

Thrifty.com is a great website and finding your rental car needs. If you arrive at your Destiination in the big city they’re usually is plenty of cars to choose from I would recommend this if you want to go with the cheaper route in the car rental .

8 years ago

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Dixie St. Petersburg, FL

I picked up the car at the Tampa Airport the day after Thanksgiving. The recon center did a horrible job cleaning the car, and there was even trash under the seat. The outside was dirty and still covered with bugs. But being a holiday and so few cars available, I accepted it. I returned the car cleaner than when I picked it up. Just received my credit card statement and there was a $400 fee. Called Thrifty, and they said it was a $400 smoking fee. I was the only one in the car, and I do not smoke. Geeeezzzz what a waste of my time having to call and get the charge reversed.

4 years ago

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Sadie Scoville Salt Lake City, UT

I don't usually go to Thrifty when I rent a car, but I did just this one time! I was impressed! Incredible customer service and the cars were clean and functioned perfectly.

4 years ago

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Chelsi Day Ghiorzi Columbus, OH

Have used Thrifty twice for rental cars. The first time was ok, they were just understaffed so it took longer than I would have liked. The second time was like an episode of Seinfeld. We reserved a car and the line was crazy long when we arrived. They were telling people they were low on cars and we might not get one. When new people arrived to the line we shared that we were told they were out of cars and the person at the counter screamed at us not to talk to the other patrons. We ended up leaving and going to another company that day but paid way more than we had budgeted.

4 years ago

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Jodianna Altamonte Springs, FL

I was able to get a great car but unfortunately I ended up paying way more than what I was told up front. Other than that the process of getting an returning the rental car was fairly easy and I enjoyed that.

5 years ago

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Mark Troxel Provo, UT

I use Thrifty when I travel and they have the best rate. I alway compare rates on mass car rental sites. I have found their cars to be of good quality and condition. They do not always have the best rate and so make sure you shop around.

5 years ago

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Mike Salt Lake City, UT

Thrifty is a great rental car company. I've used thrifty for many years. They tend to have better prices then the rest of the crowd. I would highly recommend.

5 years ago

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Tara Hammond Draper, UT

Thrifty has great prices on rental cars compared to the other big box brands. We've always had clean, well maintained cars. Early morning rentals can be a little difficult at times though.

6 years ago

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PessoaJ Herriman, UT

Thrifty was great on our last trip. The wait for the shuttle was a little longer than anticipated but once we arrived at the company they were friendly and helpful!

6 years ago

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Tom Gourley Pleasant Grove, UT

Thrifty prices are very reasonable but their selection of vehicles isn't as varied as other rental companies. Their customer service is acceptable but nothing outstanding. Some of their locations aren't as handy as other companies. If cost is the driving factor in the decision, Thrifty should be considered.

6 years ago

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Amy Boren American Fork, UT

We had to wait a little bit to get the car which is always a pain. But they were super friendly when they dealt with us. The car was good and clean and smelled fine. It drove great for our trip and he drop off was simple.

7 years ago

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Joanna Hester Gilbert, AZ

I recently rented a car from the SLC airport. My only complaint was that the line was very long and I ended up waiting about 30 minutes to get my car. They have such good deals that they were busy, but they should have been more prepared for the amount of people needing to pick up their cars that day.

8 years ago

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Terrah Anderson Herriman, UT

We used Thrifty to rent a jeep to explore in Hawaii! Thrifty was easy to work with in reserving, picking up, and dropping off the rental vehicle.

4 years ago

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Hailey Burt Eagle Mountain, UT

I used thrifty on my last trip to Detroit, and it was pretty great. The car rental was cheap and efficient, just a few extra fees they didn’t tell us about beforehand.

5 years ago

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Jen Burt Herriman, UT

We received a nice car when we rented from Thrifty but I was not happy when we were at the Orlando airport that it was the furthest away rental agency. It was an extremely long walk to the checkout and then to the car

5 years ago

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Cam McClellan Magna, UT

Thrifty has been a pretty good rental car company. Sometimes their selection is a lot smaller but their prices are normally cheaper than some of the bigger names.

6 years ago

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James Larson Pleasant Grove, UT

Thrifty is what it says... always a good bargain. They aren't at every airport, but wherever I find them, they always seem to offer the best deals.

8 years ago

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Kurt Lucas Olney, MD

Thrifty - Rental Cars is the best for renting an economy car. They have plenty to choose from with great mpg for long trips.

5 years ago

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Van M. Orem, UT

They were economical but overall the experience was good. No problems. The main reason I went with them is because of their price.

5 years ago

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Carol Knight Salt Lake City, UT

Thrifty is definitely for the thrifty renter. They offer some of the lowest prices on rental cars and convenient locations.

5 years ago

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Tagg Ogden, UT

Thrifty has really good prices. Normally, their inventory and service is good, but I have had some cars that had some decent scratches on them.

6 years ago

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Brittany Wilkinson Herriman, UT

On a recent trip, we got a Thrifty car rental. Our car was clean and we got a good price. I would use them again.

6 years ago Edited September 14, 2021

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Tony Riverton, UT

I've used Thrifty both times as a result of online searching for the best deal. Cars were great and rates were the lowest I could find at the time.

6 years ago

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anna blaser St Louis, MO

I don’t like Thrifty at all. I rented one once, and even though they said it was clean, it wasn’t. It was also very clear that someone had been smoking in the car. Poor experience.

4 years ago

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Erik Lewis Minneapolis, MN

When all else fails try thrifty. They have locations in a lot of the smaller airports we fly to so they are not a bad option.

4 years ago

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Hannah Barth Tallahassee, FL

Thrifty's reservation process is always easy and pickup and drop off is always easy-going as well.

4 years ago

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Nell Damascus, MD

I rented a car with thrifty it was reliable and nothing noteworthy. I believe everything worked out fine

5 years ago

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David Glauser Salt Lake City, UT

Rented a car in Mexico. Got to the counter and they tried to charge us over eight times what the online reservation amount was.

5 years ago

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Steve Knight Salt Lake City, UT

I use this website for booking rental cars and find that the y often have good rates and availability.

5 years ago

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Larson Riverton, UT

Thrifty has been very dependable for me. They work well with the customers.

6 years ago

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J B Sandy, UT

Always a reasonable price when I rent from Thrifty. Keep up the good work!

4 years ago Edited January 21, 2022

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James Hare Drexel Hill, PA

Slow, forced me to pay for CDW/LDW coverage when my business rental policy had it already, service was mediocre

4 years ago

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Jackie Spokane, WA

As a Thrifty Blue Chip member, we appreciate the ease of picking up/dropping off our rental car.

5 years ago

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A E B Damascus, MD

Thrifty staff are great, friendly and helpful. They always try and help as much as they can

5 years ago

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CoachTrista Saratoga Springs, UT

The rates are typically good through Thrifty but there customer service has been difficult to work with there there have been billing issues.

5 years ago

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Don Boren American Fork, UT

Good car for a good price. The online reservation process is convenient and easy.

7 years ago

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Decent rates. Car selections have always been limited whenever I tried to rent.

4 years ago

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David T Ogden, UT

Although their prices are lower, thrifty didn't have many cars to choose from and they were dirty on the inside.

6 years ago