PHL · Philadelphia, PA
Car rental at PHL Airport
Rental cars at PHL sit in their own facility away from the terminals, so the walk you are expecting is a shuttle ride instead. Plan fifteen minutes from baggage claim to the counter.
- Desk open 24/7
- Deposit and balance shown upfront
- Free cancellation for 24 hours
PHL at a glance
| Rental facility | Off-terminal rental car facility |
|---|---|
| Getting there | Free shuttle from the Commercial Transportation area outside baggage claim, running continuously |
| Terminals served | A-West, A-East, B, C, D, E and F — all served by the same shuttle loop |
| Toll system | E-ZPass. The Pennsylvania Turnpike and every New Jersey crossing are electronic |
| Drive into town | Center City is 20–30 minutes on I-95 outside rush hour |
| Minimum driver age | Usually 21, with a young-driver surcharge under 25 |
Facility arrangements and shuttle frequencies change. Check the signage on the day and confirm anything critical with the rental company before you travel.
Why visitors rent here
- Center City hotels charge heavily for overnight parking — check before you commit to a car for the whole stay
- The Brandywine Valley, Valley Forge and Lancaster County are all inside 90 minutes and awkward without a car
- I-95 through the city is genuinely slow at peak; leaving at 10am instead of 8am can save half an hour
Step by step
Collecting your car at PHL
- 1
Clear baggage claim
Rental counters work from the name on the booking and the licence, not the flight. If you gave us a flight number, the branch can see a delayed arrival.
- 2
Reach the rental desks
Free shuttle from the Commercial Transportation area outside baggage claim, running continuously.
- 3
At the counter
Licence, the card used to book and photo ID. This is where protection and extras are offered — you are free to decline anything you already hold cover for.
- 4
Photograph the car
All four corners, the windscreen, the wheels and the roof, plus the odometer and fuel gauge. Two minutes here is what settles a damage dispute later.
Tolls and the thing that catches people
E-ZPass. The Pennsylvania Turnpike and every New Jersey crossing are electronic.
Driving to the Jersey Shore or New York means bridge and turnpike tolls in both states. Ask what the toll device costs per day before you accept it, because on a two-day rental the daily fee can exceed the tolls themselves.
Before you drive off
- Ask what the toll device costsper dayand whether it is charged on days you do not use a toll road.
- Check the fuel policy on the agreement. Full-to-full is the cheapest arrangement for almost everyone.
- Confirm the return time written on the agreement matches your booking — that is the figure that governs late fees.
Choose the ride
Which class suits the trip
Economy
One or two people with normal luggage, and the cheapest option to run on a long highway leg.
Explore economySUV
Four or five people with real luggage, and a higher seating position for long interstate stretches.
Explore SUVsVans & people carriers
Five or more travelling together, with sliding doors that earn their keep in a packed airport garage.
Explore vansWant us to check PHL for your dates?
Tell the desk your dates and the class you want and we will check what our rental partners have at PHL Airport, with the deposit and the counter balance quoted separately.
Call (855) 761-9153What we will not claim
We do not know what PHL will cost on your dates until we check, and neither does any page that shows you a headline number. Airport rates move with local supply, the day of the week, events in Philadelphia and how much inventory the rental companies are holding. What we will do is quote the deposit, the service fee and the balance due at the counter before you pay anything. If a site promises you a fixed lowest price at every airport, treat that as marketing rather than a fact.
Questions
Renting at PHL
At this airport
Are the rental cars at PHL walkable from the terminal?
No. The rental facility is off-terminal and reached by a free shuttle from the Commercial Transportation area outside baggage claim. Allow fifteen minutes from the carousel to the counter, more with checked bags and a family.
Which toll device do I need driving out of Philadelphia?
E-ZPass covers Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and New York, so one device handles almost any route you are likely to drive from PHL. The rental company will offer their own transponder with a daily fee — worth doing the arithmetic on short rentals.
Is it cheaper to rent away from the airport?
Sometimes, because airport concession fees are added to on-airport rentals. Against that you pay for the trip into the city and you collect during counter opening hours rather than at any time. On a rental of three days or more the airport premium is usually worth the convenience.
Can I drive a PHL rental into New York City?
Yes, though read the agreement on geographic restrictions. Manhattan south of 60th Street now has a congestion charge on top of bridge and tunnel tolls, and it is billed through the same electronic system.
Booking with RentalForCar
What does RentalForCar charge, and when?
A deposit against the rental plus our service fee is taken when you book, both itemised before you pay. The remaining balance, local taxes, airport fees and any extras are settled at the counter with the rental company.
Do you own the cars?
No. RentalForCar is an independent reservation service. Vehicles are supplied and operated by licensed third-party rental companies, and the rental agreement you sign at the counter is between you and that company.
Can I cancel?
Free within 24 hours of booking. After that a flat $50 fee applies and the rest of the deposit is refunded to the original payment method.
Will I get the exact model shown?
You are guaranteed a vehicle in the class you booked. It may be the model listed or a comparable alternative, which is why every listing says "or similar".
Philadelphia, PA
Book a car at PHL Airport
New booking, a change or a cancellation — talk to the desk, or search your dates and finish it online.
RentalForCar is an independent car rental reservation service. Vehicles are supplied and operated by licensed third-party rental companies. We are not affiliated with Philadelphia International Airport.