Car Rental at Detroit Airport

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- Cheapest car rental rates
- Why book with us?
- Travel information
- Airport travel guide
- Top international routes
- Main airlines
- Terminals
- Location
- Most popular types of rental car
- Car rental desks
- Services and facilities
- Nearest gas station
- Airport info
- Top 8 locations near Detroit Airport
- Map of top car rental locations
- When to book at Detroit Airport and for how long?
- Car rental information
- Most popular car models of rental suppliers
- Here's what travelers say about renting a car at Detroit Airport
- Car rental statistics
- Top 8 suppliers at Detroit Airport in 2025
- Award-winning service
Travel information
Airport travel guide

A cautionary tale of economic rise and fall, Detroit has returned to growing as a cultural and tourist hub over the last decade. Home to a fascinating industrial heritage, the city has also never been short of creativity, making it one of the most interesting cities in the country. These are three of its most interesting attractions:
- Detroit International Riverfront. Home to both the Renaissance Center with its stunning highrises and many landmark buildings that have been restored to their former glory, the Riverfront is perhaps the most important symbol of the revival that Detroit is trying to achieve. Totaling about 5.5 miles (8.8 km) long, the area is also home to a number of parks and entertainment venues and frequently hosts various festivals and events.
- Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. The Black community has a long and central role in the history of Detroit and in the development of many forms of the modern culture and music that the city is famous for. From collections on historical subjects like the Underground Railroad and the Civil Rights Movement to a focus on art, the museum offers a wonderfully diverse experience. Visit its official website to learn more about the collections and hours.
- Michigan Science Center. Another famous culture and science institute of Detroit, the MiSci is a fun place for a whole family to enjoy. In addition to expositions on various scientific topics, this museum also boasts a planetarium, an IMAX dome, and an engineering theater. The science center is located right next to the aforementioned Museum of African American History. Visit its website to learn more or buy tickets in advance.
Top international routes
- Amsterdam
- Paris
- Frankfurt
- Toronto
- Seoul
- Montreal
- London
- Punta Cana
- Mexico City
Main airlines
The largest airline at Detroit Metro is Delta Air Lines. The airport serves as Delta’s second major hub. The airline thus provides connections to many destinations, including destinations in Asia.
The airport’s other main airlines are American and United along with the low-cost airlines Southwest, Spirit, JetBlue, and Frontier. Of these, Spirit serves the most passengers as the airport is a major focus city for the airline.
International Airlines serving the airport include Air France, Air Canada Express, Lufthansa, Aeromexico Connect, and Royal Jordanian.
Terminals
There are two terminals at Detroit Metro with a total of four concourses. The McNamara Terminal, which opened in 2012, is the larger of them with three concourses and a total of 103 gates. The terminal’s Concourse A is over a mile long and has a people mover (the ExpressTram) that takes passengers from one end to the other after secuirity. A shuttle bus runs between the terminals.
Location
Detroit Metro is located in the suburb of Romulus around 20 miles west of downtown Detroit. The drive takes around 25 minutes in normal traffic. DTW is also convenient for reaching Ann Arbor, home to the University Of Michigan. The college town is just 25 miles from the airport along I-94, a drive that takes between 30 and 50 minutes.
Most popular types of rental car
- Small cars - from €56 per day
- Medium cars - from €56 per day
- Large cars - from €54 per day
- SUVs - from €64 per day
- Premium cars - from €91 per day
Car rental desks
All of the rental companies serving the airport are located at the airport along Lucas Drive. As there are no desks in the terminals, renters must follow the signs marked Ground Transportation. From there, they must take a shuttle to the rental companies’ facilities which should only take a few minutes. A shuttle also takes renters back to the Ground Transportation sections of the terminals after they drop off their rental cars.
Services and facilities
Detroit Metro has all of the services and facilities one would expect of a major international airport. This includes kids play areas and plenty of bottle filling stations. Plenty of ATMs can be found in both terminals along with currency exchanges, though as usual, you are better served to bring US Dollars with you, using an ATM, or just using your bank card as the exchanges inevitably offer rates significantly worse than that of what your bank would give you.
A Westin Hotel can be found in the McNamara Terminal. If you want a more affordable place to spend the night before an early flight, a cluster of hotels can also be found just on the other side of I-94 from the airport. Most offer free parking and many also offer a free airport shuttle if you need to drop off your rental the night before your flight.
Finally, you won’t go hungry at Detroit Metro. Plenty of dining options are available in each terminal. You can find fast food, sit down restaurants, bars, and coffee shops.
Nearest gas station
The most convenient gas station when returning a rental car to the airport is a BP station located at the corner of Middlebelt Rd. and Wick Rd; however, the prices at this station are consistently one dollar per gallon more than others in the area.
A better option is a Speedway on Merriman Road north of I-94. Filling up at this station requires a circle, but the prices and service are more than worth it. When looking at a map, it may seem confusing to figure out how to reach the rental car returns when entering the airport this way, but signs along the way make it incredibly easy.
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Airport info
Top 8 locations near Detroit Airport
- Detroit Warren41.2 km / 25.6 miles away
- Bishop International Airportfrom €68.44 per day89.6 km / 55.67 miles away
- MBS International Airportfrom €56.19 per day159.5 km / 99.11 miles away
- Kalamazoo/Battle Creek Airportfrom €68.44 per day181 km / 112.47 miles away
- Gerald R. Ford Int. Airportfrom €54.14 per day192.6 km / 119.68 miles away
- Muskegon County Airportfrom €69.30 per day258.4 km / 160.56 miles away
- Cherry Capital (Traverse City) Airportfrom €70.34 per day333.8 km / 207.41 miles away
- Delta County Airportfrom €81.90 per day491.8 km / 305.59 miles away
Map of top car rental locations





When to book at Detroit Airport and for how long?
When are car rental prices the lowest at Detroit Airport?
The cost of renting a car at Detroit Airport varies by season. The table and graph below can help you find the best time of year to save on a rental car.
Saver's insights
Cheapest monthFebruary | Most expensive month July | ||
Average price €52 | A good deal €62 | Cheapest supplier Thrifty | Cheapest car type Large cars |
€55
in January
€41
in February
€48
in March
€48
in April
€50
in May
€59
in June
€66
in July
€57
in August
€47
in September
€52
in October
€44
in November
€59
in December
The cheapest month of the year to rent a car at Detroit Airport is February — when rental costs average €40.93 per day. This is 22% cheaper than the yearly average and 38% cheaper than renting a car in July (when prices average €65.95 per day).
This information can help you identify the low season. But these are only average numbers. How much your car rental will cost will depend on the type of vehicle you rent, how long you’ll rent it for, and how far ahead you book. Simply enter your dates in the form at the top of the page to see the exact prices.
What is the most popular time of year to rent a car at Detroit Airport?
Based on how many users search for a car in at Detroit Airport, travelers are most likely to rent a car in February, while they are least likely to rent in in December.
0.7 times in January
2 times in February
1.8 times in March
1.4 times in April
1.3 times in May
Same as average in June
Same as average in July
0.7 times in August
0.6 times in September
0.6 times in October
0.7 times in November
0.3 times in December
For how long do renters keep their vehicles at Detroit Airport?
How long travelers keep their rental cars varies by the time of year: in February the average rental period is 14 days, while in January, the average rental period is only 4 days.
4 days in January
14 days in February
6 days in March
6 days in April
6 days in May
8 days in June
7 days in July
5 days in August
8 days in September
8 days in October
4 days in November
10 days in December
Car rental information
🔥 Popular suppliers | Dollar, Thrifty, Alamo, Enterprise, Budget |
🚗 Popular car types | Large cars, SUVs, Medium cars, Premium cars |
🤑 Lowest price | €54 per day |
👛 Cheapest supplier | Thrifty |
Most popular car models of rental suppliers
Rental Supplier | Model | Doors | Luggage | Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dollar | Mazda 3 | 2 | 2 | Large car |
Thrifty | Volkswagen Jetta | 4 | 2 | Large car |
Dollar | Volkswagen Jetta | 2 | 2 | Large car |
Thrifty | Ford Focus | 4 | 2 | Medium car |
Thrifty | Nissan Rogue | 5 | 3 | SUV |
Dollar | Volkswagen Jetta | 4 | 2 | Large car |
Thrifty | Toyota Camry | 4 | 2 | Large car |
Dollar | Honda CR-V | 5 | 3 | SUV |
Thrifty | Chevrolet Equinox | 4 | 3 | SUV |
Thrifty | Jeep Compass | 5 | 2 | SUV |
Here's what travelers say about renting a car at Detroit Airport
Car rental statistics
Top 8 suppliers at Detroit Airport in 2025






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