Fort Lauderdale Cheap Car Rentals - FLL

Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport is usually the first point of entry for air passengers. As part of Broward County’s Public Design and Art program, almost 40 pieces of assorted art works greet visitors as they deplane. Even the airport’s rental car center outside of Terminal 1 is decked out in lighted glass artwork. To get a rental, arrivals at this terminal should follow the signs to the Concourse B pedestrian bridge leading to the center. Terminals 2, 3 and 4 arrivals will find courtesy shuttles in the passenger pickup area that go to the rental center.

Almost a dozen rental car agencies have counters there, including Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National and Royal. Offsite car rental companies accessed by shuttle outside the center include Continental and Gold Coast.

Rates for a midsize car are about US$75 per day. Convertibles are $25 more and it is best to reserve them ahead of time, especially during the busy season from November to May.

Rental rates do not include taxes, fuel charges, collision and damage waivers, children’s car seats (mandatory in Florida) or drop-off fees for picking up the car in one location and leaving it at another. To obtain a car, you must be at least 21 years of age with a valid driver’s license and credit card in your name. If your license is not in English, then an international driving permit and your passport are also required. Customers under 25 should expect to pay a daily surcharge and may face limitations on the type of vehicle they can rent.

Once you have the car at the airport, follow the signs to Highway 1 or South Federal Highway to reach Fort Lauderdale.

Renting a car at Miami International Airport requires a slightly different approach. Agencies there have counters in the baggage claim areas on the ground level of the North and Central terminals. The South Terminal uses a rental phone center on the ground floor arrivals area. All cars are accessed by courtesy shuttles operated by your selected car rental company and are at off-site locations. It is important to get rental-return information from your particular agency.

Most of the same car companies at the other airport also service Miami International, and the rates and regulations are also virtually the same. Just remember to factor in the 40-minute drive time and the Miami area’s heavy rush-hour traffic.