Car Rental in Phoenix

• Scottsdale, Tempe and Mesa are spread across a large metro area.
• Sedona and the Grand Canyon are both within a few hours.
• Spring training and golf trips involve lots of short drives.

See all rental types

• Winter high season and spring training (February–March).
• Major golf tournaments and events.
• Summer tends to be quieter.
• 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

• Arizona has no toll roads, so you won't need a toll program.
• Parking at resorts and in Old Town Scottsdale can be paid; much of the metro has free parking.
• 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?

Extreme heat

Summer highs regularly exceed 110°F. Carry water, keep fuel topped up, and use a sunshade — steering wheels and seat belts get very hot.

Dust storms

If a dust storm (haboob) hits, pull off the road as far as you can, turn off your lights, set the parking brake and keep your foot off the brake pedal — Arizona's 'Pull Aside, Stay Alive' advice.

Monsoon flooding

July to September storms flood washes quickly. Never drive into a flooded crossing.

Grand Canyon fuel

Fill up in Flagstaff or Williams before the final stretch to the South Rim.

• Scottsdale

  ~12 mi · ~20–30 min

  Old Town, galleries and desert golf.

• Tucson

  ~115 mi · ~1.75 hr

  Saguaro National Park and Mission San Xavier del Bac.

• Sedona

  ~115 mi · ~2 hr

  Red rock trails and the scenic Oak Creek Canyon drive.

• Grand Canyon South Rim

  ~230 mi · ~3.5–4 hr

  Via Flagstaff; plan an overnight stay.

• Page & Horseshoe Bend

  ~275 mi · ~4.5 hr

  Horseshoe Bend, Lake Powell and slot canyons.

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

• Phoenix Airport Car Rental (PHX)
• Monthly Car Rental
• SUV Rental
• Car Rental Fuel Policies Explained — Which One Should You Choose?