Car Rental in Dallas

• Dallas, Fort Worth and Arlington are spread over dozens of miles.
• Stadium events, business parks and suburbs aren't well served by transit.
• Waco, Austin and Oklahoma City are easy road trips.

See all rental types

• Major events at AT&T Stadium and the State Fair of Texas (fall).
• DFW vs. Love Field vs. city pickup.
• Business-travel demand midweek.
• Car class and rental length — weekly rates often cost less per day
• Driver age — drivers under 25 usually pay a daily surcharge
• Optional extras such as damage waivers, toll programs and child seats

• A valid driver's license, held for at least a year at most companies. Visitors can usually rent on their home license; if it isn't in English, carry an International Driving Permit or official translation alongside it.
• Minimum age is 21 at most major companies, and drivers under 25 pay a daily young-driver surcharge. New York and Michigan require companies to rent to drivers from 18, with surcharges.
• A credit card in the main driver's name. Some locations accept debit cards with extra checks — often a return travel itinerary at airports, a larger deposit or a credit check.
• International renters should also bring a passport.

More detail: What Documents Do You Need to Rent a Car? · What Is the Minimum Age to Rent a Car in the USA? · Can You Rent a Car With a Debit Card? Rules & Tips · International Driving Permit (IDP) — Do You Need One and How to Get It

• Collision and loss damage waivers (CDW/LDW) are optional. Before you accept one at the counter, check whether your own auto policy or a credit card benefit already covers rental cars — many do, with conditions.
• Liability cover varies by state and company. Supplemental liability (SLI) raises the limit and is worth considering if you don't have a personal auto policy, including as an international visitor.
• A security deposit is held on your card at pickup and released after the car is returned and checked. It can take several business days to disappear from your statement, and holds are larger on debit cards and premium cars.

More detail: Do You Need Insurance to Rent a Car? · What Is a Collision Damage Waiver (CDW)? · How Much Is a Rental Car Deposit? How Holds Work

• North Texas toll roads run by the NTTA — the Dallas North Tollway, President George Bush Turnpike and Sam Rayburn Tollway — are cashless. Without a toll program, tolls are billed by mail to the rental company, which passes them on with fees.
• Parking is free in most suburbs; Downtown, Uptown and stadium lots charge.
• Full-to-full is usually the cheapest fuel policy: you collect the car full and return it full. Prepaid fuel only saves money if you return the tank nearly empty, and refueling charges on a car returned short are well above pump prices.
• Airport rentals include airport concession recovery fees and facility charges on top of the rate. State and local rental taxes apply everywhere.
• Other common extras: additional-driver fees, young-driver surcharges, toll-program charges, one-way drop fees, child seats and late-return charges. Read the rental terms before you pay so you know which charges are included and which are added at the counter.

More detail: Car Rental Fuel Policies Explained — Which One Should You Choose? · Hidden Car Rental Fees — The Complete Guide to What to Watch Out For · How are tolls and traffic fines handled? · Can someone else drive the car?

Toll roads are often the fastest

Navigation apps route through toll roads by default. If you want to avoid them, change the setting — but expect longer drives.

Frontage roads and U-turns

Texas freeways have frontage roads with dedicated U-turn lanes at many intersections.

Severe weather

Spring brings thunderstorms, hail and occasional tornado warnings. Park in a garage if hail is forecast.

• Fort Worth Stockyards

  ~35 mi · ~45 min

  The daily cattle drive, rodeos and Western culture.

• Waco

  ~95 mi · ~1.5 hr

  Magnolia Market and the Waco Mammoth National Monument.

• Austin

  ~195 mi · ~3 hr

  Live music, barbecue and Hill Country beyond.

• Oklahoma City

  ~205 mi · ~3 hr

  The National Memorial and Bricktown.

Distances are one-way and approximate; drive times assume normal traffic.

• Dallas/Fort Worth Airport Car Rental (DFW)
• SUV Rental
• How are tolls and traffic fines handled?
• How to Compare Car Rental Suppliers — Beyond the Name