Car Hire at San Francisco Airport
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Cheapest Car Hire Rates
Standard
Kia K5 or comparable
£36.45 per day
Compact SUV
Hyundai Kona or comparable
£39.22 per day
Economy
Chevrolet Spark or comparable
£39.50 per day
Intermediate
Toyota Corolla or comparable
£40.84 per day
Most Popular Car Hire Deals
Full-size
Chevrolet Malibu or comparable
£43.07 per day
Premium
Nissan Maxima or comparable
£55.29 per day
Luxury
Luxury (BMW 4 Series Coupe) or comparable
£77.29 per day
Full-size Elite
Audi A5 Sportback or comparable
£47.41 per day
The above prices are only approximate and were last updated at 09:16 on 14/07/2025. Prices may vary based on the booking dates, length of rental, and car class.
Why book with us?
Special offers
As a market leader, we get special offers like contactless pick-ups, great prices, and free upgrades.
Award-winning
World's Leading Car Rental Booking Website in the World Travel Tech Awards (4 years in a row).
Highly-rated
A combined rating of 4.5 with 200k+ total reviews on platforms like Trustpilot, Google, and Review Center.
4M users
Have already booked on one of the fastest-growing car rental booking websites.
Travel information
Languages
English, Spanish
Currency
USD
Drive on
Right-hand side
Dialing code
+1
Average car hire price
£47 per day
Average car hire length
8 days
Speed limit within city centre
40 - 48 km/h or 25 - 30 mph
Speed limit out of city centre
88 - 104 km/h or 55 - 65 mph
Acceptable limit of BAC
0.08%
Average petrol price
£0.97 per litre or £3.67 per gallon
Lowest petrol price
£0.86 per litre or £3.25 per gallon
Highest petrol price
£1.16 per litre or £4.37 per gallon
Airport travel guide
Hire a car at San Francisco Airport! Then head to the city and drive over the famous Golden Gate Bridge. From there, go to Fort Mason and the Presidio—the views are beautiful, and there’s plenty to explore, from museums and a wildlife sanctuary to hiking trails and culture and history walks. Then eat at a seafood restaurant in Fisherman’s Wharf and tour turn-of-the-century ships at Hyde Street Pier. Check out the art scene and neighborhood bars in the Mission District and Bernal Heights and the panoramic views in Nob Hill.
The city’s surrounded by water, so how about some beach time? You can easily drive your rental to Ocean Beach, China Beach, or Baker Beach. Up for a museum? The M.H. de Young Memorial Museum exhibits contemporary and indigenous art, and everyone will enjoy the hands-on science fun at the Exploratorium.
San Francisco’s a great destination, but the surrounding area has even more to offer. If you've hired your vehicle for a longer period, you can head south to Monterrey and even Los Angeles, explore inland California, or take a road trip to the Pacific Northwest. Picking up your car at San Francisco Airport and dropping it off at a different location is easy. Start planning your vacation today!
San Francisco Airport, first known as Mills Field Municipal Airport, was built in 1927 on a 150-acre cow pasture.
Top international routes
- Los Angeles
- New York City
- Seattle
- San Diego
- Las Vegas
- Denver
- Chicago
- Santa Ana
- Boston
- Portland
Main airlines
United Airlines, United Express, Southwest Airlines, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, and Delta Air Lines
Terminals
The four terminals (T1, T2, T3, and International) are all connected by AirTrain, with station departures every 4–5 minutes. It’s also possible to walk between terminals, although parts of T1 are currently under construction.
Location
The airport is 13 mi (21 km) from downtown San Francisco. Highway 101 is the main road connecting San Francisco Airport to the city.
Most popular types of hire car
- Convertibles - starting at £65 per day
- Large cars - starting at £36 per day
- Medium cars - starting at £38 per day
- Premium cars - starting at £43 per day
- Small cars - starting at £38 per day
- SUVs - starting at £39 per day
Car hire desks
All car hire offices are located in the separate Rental Cars Center (RCC) that can be reached by taking AirTrain Blue Line.
Services and facilities
You’ll find many bars, cafeterias, and restaurants, some serving Mexican and Asian food, as well as a number of duty-free outlets, stores, and gift shops. There are also ATMs, eight lounges, baby care facilities, a children’s play area, a medical clinic, a reading room, a yoga room, spa, reflection room for meditation, hydration station to refill water bottles, aquarium, airport museum, and permanent art exhibitions. You’ll find luggage storage and lockers at the Airport Travel Agency in the main hall of the International terminal. San Francisco Airport is fully equipped for passengers with reduced mobility. You can find more information on the airport's official website.
Nearest petrol station
Costco Gasoline, located at 451 Airport Boulevard, is on the way to the city. It can be reached in less than ten minutes and is open from 6:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on workdays, from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Saturdays, and from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. on Sundays. There are many other gas stations near the airport.
Popular one-way hires
- Berkeley (25 miles / 40 km)
- San Jose (37 miles / 60 km)
- Los Angeles (376 miles / 605 km)
- Sacramento (99 miles / 159 km)
- Santa Rosa (68 miles / 109 km)
- Modesto (94 miles / 151 km)
Airport information
San Francisco Airport (SFO)
- IATA: SFO
- ICAO: KSFO
- Name: San Francisco Airport (SFO)
- Distance from the city centre: 8 miles / 12.9 km
Top 3 locations near San Francisco Airport
-
17.7 km / 11 miles
-
137.9 km / 85.7 miles
-
253.3 km / 157.4 miles
Map of Car Hire Destinations
In which month is car hire at San Francisco Airport the most affordable?
Prices for hiring a car at San Francisco Airport fluctuate depending on the time of year. This table and graph can help you find the best bargain.
Average price for hiring a car per day at San Francisco Airport
The best month to hire a car at San Francisco Airport is November — when the average price for a hire is £27.43 per day. This is 24% less than the yearly average and 43% less than hiring a car in August (when the average price is £47.77 per day).
This information can help you determine the low season. But note that these prices are only averages. The cost of your hire is determined by the type of car you select, the length of time you hire it for and how much in advance you book. Simply type in your dates in the form at the top of the page in order to find out the exact prices.
This information can help you determine the low season. But note that these prices are only averages. The cost of your hire is determined by the type of car you select, the length of time you hire it for and how much in advance you book. Simply type in your dates in the form at the top of the page in order to find out the exact prices.
For how long do most travellers hire cars for at San Francisco Airport?
How long travellers keep their hire cars depends on the time of year: in July, the average hire length is 12 days, while in January, it is only 6 days.
Average number of hire days at San Francisco Airport
What time of year sees the highest demand for car hire at San Francisco Airport?
Given the number of users searching for a car at San Francisco Airport, there is a higher probability of travellers hiring a car in November in comparison to hiring a car in in October.
Monthly Car Hire Searches at San Francisco Airport Compared to the Yearly Average
Car hire information
| Popular suppliers | Thrifty, Alamo, FOX, Dollar, SIXT |
| Popular car categories | SUVs, Large cars, Medium cars, Small cars |
| Lowest price | £36 per day |
| Cheapest supplier | Thrifty |
Most popular car models of suppliers
| Hire Agency | Model | Doors | Luggage | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thrifty | Ford Focus | 4 | 2 | Medium cars |
| Thrifty | Nissan Rogue | 5 | 3 | SUVs |
| Alamo | Nissan Rogue | 5 | 3 | SUVs |
| Thrifty | Mazda 3 | 5 | 3 | Large cars |
| Thrifty | Volkswagen Jetta | 4 | 2 | Large cars |
| FOX | Toyota Corolla | 4 | 1 | Large cars |
| Thrifty | Chevrolet Spark | 4 | 2 | Small cars |
| Thrifty | Nissan Frontier | 4 | 5 | Large cars |
| FOX | Kia Sportage | 5 | 2 | SUVs |
| Alamo | Hyundai Kona | 4 | 2 | SUVs |
Our customers' reviews
Because we want to make sure each review listed here is left by a real customer, we don’t have the option to post a review here. Instead, we ask each and every customer to leave a review after they return their rental car. This way, you know that all reviews are authentic.
BL
United Kingdom
Toyota Corolla
21/09/2024
Visited Yosemite and drove down pacific coast. Great experience
HA
United Kingdom
Nissan Maxima
14/08/2023
Pacific Highway 1 and Dutch town of Solvang
Car Hire Statistics
Highest-rated company
Enterprise
9.3 / 10
Lowest-rated company
Europcar
6 / 10
Total number of reviews
29
Total rental companies
11
Average daily price
£47.38
Lowest daily price
£36.45
Total cars available
360
Top 11 suppliers at San Francisco Airport in 2025
Enterprise
+18336350431
780 N McDonnell Rd, San Francisco, CA 94128
£40 - £257
Working hours
Mon:
06:00 - 23:59
Tue:
06:00 - 23:59
Wed:
06:00 - 23:59
Thu:
06:00 - 23:59
Fri:
06:00 - 23:59
Sat:
06:00 - 23:59
Sun:
06:00 - 23:59
Alamo
+18443708302
780 N McDonnell Rd, San Francisco, CA 94128
£39 - £256
Working hours
Mon:
06:00 - 23:59
Tue:
06:00 - 23:59
Wed:
06:00 - 23:59
Thu:
06:00 - 23:59
Fri:
06:00 - 23:59
Sat:
06:00 - 23:59
Sun:
06:00 - 23:59
National
+18443708301
780 N McDonnell Rd, San Francisco, CA 94128
£41 - £270
Working hours
Mon:
06:00 - 23:59
Tue:
06:00 - 23:59
Wed:
06:00 - 23:59
Thu:
06:00 - 23:59
Fri:
06:00 - 23:59
Sat:
06:00 - 23:59
Sun:
06:00 - 23:59
SIXT
+18887498227
San Francisco Int. Airport
Rental Car Center
780 N McDonnell Rd
94128 San Francisco
£64 - £114
Working hours
Mon:
06:00 - 23:59
Tue:
06:00 - 23:59
Wed:
06:00 - 23:59
Thu:
06:00 - 23:59
Fri:
06:00 - 23:59
Sat:
06:00 - 23:59
Sun:
06:00 - 23:59
Budget
+16508770998
San Francisco Intl Airport, 780 McDonnell Rd,
San Francisco, CA, 94128, United States
£43 - £237
Working hours
Mon:
00:00 - 23:59
Tue:
00:00 - 23:59
Wed:
00:00 - 23:59
Thu:
00:00 - 23:59
Fri:
00:00 - 23:59
Sat:
00:00 - 23:59
Sun:
00:00 - 23:59
Hertz
+16506246600
780 N McDonnell Rd, San Francisco, CA 94128, United States
£43 - £237
Working hours
Mon:
00:00 - 23:59
Tue:
00:00 - 23:59
Wed:
00:00 - 23:59
Thu:
00:00 - 23:59
Fri:
00:00 - 23:59
Sat:
00:00 - 23:59
Sun:
00:00 - 23:59
Thrifty
+18772830898
780 N McDonnell Rd, San Francisco, CA 94128, United States
£36 - £177
Working hours
Mon:
00:00 - 23:59
Tue:
00:00 - 23:59
Wed:
00:00 - 23:59
Thu:
00:00 - 23:59
Fri:
00:00 - 23:59
Sat:
00:00 - 23:59
Sun:
00:00 - 23:59
Avis
+16508776780
San Francisco Int'l Airport, 780 McDonnell Rd,
San Francisco, CA, 94128, United States
£46 - £96
Working hours
Mon:
00:00 - 23:59
Tue:
00:00 - 23:59
Wed:
00:00 - 23:59
Thu:
00:00 - 23:59
Fri:
00:00 - 23:59
Sat:
00:00 - 23:59
Sun:
00:00 - 23:59
FOX
+14159172713
435 S Airport Blvd, South San Francisco, CA 94080
£60 - £91
Working hours
Mon:
05:00 - 00:30
Tue:
05:00 - 00:30
Wed:
05:00 - 00:30
Thu:
05:00 - 00:30
Fri:
05:00 - 00:30
Sat:
05:00 - 00:30
Sun:
05:00 - 00:30
Dollar
8664342226
780 Mcdonnell Rd
£38 - £161
Working hours
Mon:
00:00 - 23:59
Tue:
00:00 - 23:59
Wed:
00:00 - 23:59
Thu:
00:00 - 23:59
Fri:
00:00 - 23:59
Sat:
00:00 - 23:59
Sun:
00:00 - 23:59
Europcar
+14159172713
435 S Airport Blvd, South San Francisco, CA 94080
£47 - £198
Working hours
Mon:
05:00 - 23:59
Tue:
05:00 - 23:59
Wed:
05:00 - 23:59
Thu:
05:00 - 23:59
Fri:
05:00 - 23:59
Sat:
05:00 - 23:59
Sun:
05:00 - 23:59
Awards
World Travel Tech Awards - World's Best Car Rental Booking Website 2023
World Travel Tech Awards - World's Best Car Rental Booking App 2023
Magellan Awards Gold Winner 2023
Travel & Hospitality Awards 2021
FT 1000: Europe's Fastest Growing Companies - Top 300 Companies 2021
FT 1000: Europe's Fastest Growing Companies - Top 100 Companies 2020
Uzakrota Travel Awards - World’s Leading Car Rental Website 2022
Trustpilot - Top 10 Car Hire Agencies
SimilarWeb - Top 50 Car Hire Websites
Our clients highly recommend us
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