Survey finds holiday car rental prices skyrocketing
Despite plummeting gas prices, motorists can expect to pay big for car rental in many of the nation’s vacation hotspots this Christmas.
A survey by CheapCarRental.net shows demand has pushed up average prices across the country with Florida vacationers hit hardest.
New York City remains the most expensive market for holiday motorists, however the biggest hike in prices can be found in the Sunshine State.
West Palm Beach is the state’s most expensive destination at $133 a day for the cheapest available car, a massive 583% jump on the normal daily rate, the survey claims.
CheapCarRental.net says a car can usually be had for as little as $20 a day during the regular season.
Fort Myers and Sarasota are also in the top five most expensive destinations for car rental from December 23-27 at $98 and $97 respectively, the former rising by almost 300% for the holiday period.
Vacationers in Orlando can also expect to pay a similar premium for car rental, estimated at $71 this Christmas.
However, rates have actually fallen in some cities.
Travelers in Texas will get the best deals with Houston, Austin and San Antonio rates all lower during Christmas and Dallas prices are expected to rise by just 3% compared to average rental car rates in January.
The following list shows car rental rates of 30 popular US destinations during Christmas with the percentage difference compared to average rates during January.
1. New York City $178 (+177%)
2. West Palm Beach $133 (+ 583%)
3. Honolulu $106 (+278%)
4. Fort Myers $98 (+294%)
5. Sarasota $97 (+81%)
6. Portland $89 (+155%)
7. Denver $88 (+287%)
8. Baltimore $85 (+76%)
9. Boston $81 (+94%)
10. Philadelphia $80 (+14%)
11. Fort Lauderdale $77 (+207%)
12. Los Angeles $73 (+215%)
13. Palm Springs $72 (+71%)
14. Orlando $71 (+311%)
15. Jacksonville $66 (+172%)
16. Tampa $60(+192%)
17. Atlanta $58 (+82%)
18. Miami $58 (+272%)
19. Las Vegas $56 (+114%)
20. New Orleans $55 (+139%)
21. Seattle $47 (+139%)
22. Chicago $45 (+3%)
23. San Diego $42 (+108%)
24. San Francisco $38(+81%)
25. Dallas $37 (+3%)
26. Houston $35 (-20%)
27. Austin $35 (-28%)
28. San Antonio $34 (-9%)
29. Washington DC $29 (-27%)
30. Phoenix $23 (-20%)
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Skyscanner reveals major travel trends 2026 at ITB Asia
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
In Italy, the Meloni government congratulates itself for its tourism achievements