Thrifty Reviews 

3,854
TrustScore 1.5 out of 5

1.7

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Review summary

Created with AI, based on recent reviews

Evaluating 289 reviews, most reviewers were let down by their experience overall. Many customers reported being charged unexpected fees, including for insurance, airport services, and fuel, often without prior discussion or agreement. Reviewers frequently mentioned issues with unauthorized payments being taken from their cards and significant discrepancies between quoted and final prices. The service was often described as unprofessional, with staff being unhelpful, rude, and dismissive, contributing to stressful situations. Some people also felt that the booking process was misleading, with online systems not working correctly and agents adding extra charges at the counter. However, a few other people also felt that the staff could be very friendly and professional, providing good service and even free upgrades.

What people talk about most

Price

Consumers find price to be a significant source of dissatisfaction, frequently reporting unexpected and... See more

Service

People report negative experiences with service, often citing unnecessarily inflexible policies designed to... See more

Payment

Customers had negative experiences with payment, frequently reporting unauthorized or unexpected charges,... See more

Staff

Clients share negative opinions on staff, with many reviewers reporting that employees were unprofessional,... See more

Booking process

Reviewers mention ambiguous feedback about the booking process, with many customers reporting issues despite... See more

Reviews shaping this summary

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

Luxembourg city airport. Pick up paperwork was complicated and included charges for things which had not happened (cross border travel in Europe and return without refuelling). Queried on the desk and... See more

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

I was caught out on insurance and airport fees, ending up with a £143 charge I wasn’t expecting. When I signed the contract they never even mentioned they’d added full insurance cover when I had my ow... See more

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

Just feels like they advertise dishonestly. The "free shuttle" to the airport was a 17.99 fee on my receipt...so not free. It also costs 29.99 to skip the line at check-in, and it doesn't say that unt... See more

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

Although collecting and dropping off the car was straightforward I was charged for fuel when returning it with a full tank. This was even after the staff checked the car and confirmed that it was a fu... See more


Company details

  1. Car Rental Agency
  2. Car Accessories Store
  3. Car Leasing Service

Written by the company

Founded in 1958 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Thrifty Car Rental has earned a reputation for affordable, dependable transportation. Now part of The Hertz Corporation and headquartered in Estero, Florida, Thrifty serves customers through hundreds of airport and neighborhood locations across North America and beyond. Thrifty specializes in value-focused rentals for vacations, business trips, and everyday travel. Customers can choose from a range of vehicles, including economy cars, SUVs, minivans, and premium models to fit any budget and need. Known for competitive pricing, convenient locations, and streamlined service, Thrifty helps travelers get on the road quickly and confidently. Bookings are easy with online reservations and mobile tools, and major credit and debit cards are accepted. The Blue Chip Rewards program offers faster service, exclusive deals, and added travel perks for members. Customer support is available via website, phone, and social channels. Ready to unlock bigger savings? Join the Hertz email list today to get exclusive offers, limited-time deals, and insider travel tips delivered straight to your inbox—sign up now and start maximizing every trip.


Contact info

1.7

Bad

TrustScore 1.5 out of 5

4K reviews

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1.7

All reviews

(3,854)

566 reviews in the last 12 months

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Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Unauthorised charges

Warsaw airport.
Gave us the car with 4/8 fuel and they argued that was full. Also no damages and clean, although they took the security deposit.
Moreover the counter staff tried to charge double the price of the deposit.
Operated by hertz

July 1, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Prepare for extra costs!

Whilst Thrifty aim to provide a professional service their policies are unnecessarily inflexible in order to charge their customers more. My PIN was refused at the office and then Thrifty refused payment from my wife (from the same credit card account) based on the fact that she might cancel. But... they were happy to add my wife as a driver for an extra 170 Euros, using my wife's card.... which, in theory, she could also cancel.

June 29, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Thrifty has low price but they are…

Thrifty has low price but they are employees don’t know shit and their systems crash and steals your money. Even if you prepaid using priceline. They will still charge you like you didn’t prepaid at all. Plus my credit card company credit one worthless cause they take their side. I suggest if u are renting from any car company know exactly how many days u renting and if u have to extend. Return their shit back and rent another one through Priceline its way cheaper and make sure u need the extension cause Priceline don’t do refunds or have a customer service line. Thrifty customer service is trash too

June 22, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Sharp practice at Kerry Airport, Ireland

Sharp practice at Kerry Airport, Ireland.

This is a small Thrifty office operated by one person. The collection process took about 40 minutes.

When I returned the car several hours early there was another long queue. I used the drop box to return the key. I thought that this would be the easiest option for both myself and the sole person behind the desk.

This has resulted in an extra charge of GBP 30 applied to my credit card.

Thrifty should explain that the drop box cannot be used and that I should have queued up instead.

May 27, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

woman at Chicago ohare

The woman working the night shift at the Thrifty location at Chicago O'Hare, who wears a hijab, was incredibly unprofessional. Due to multiple flight cancellations, we reserved a car online and went to pick it up. She informed us that there were no cars available, despite there appearing to be several vehicles in the lot.

When I politely questioned the situation, she responded with a disrespectful tone and attitude. I asked why she was speaking to me that way, and she replied, "You're the one giving me attitude." When I requested her name, she simply responded, "Dollar" (the company associated with Thrifty). She then proceeded to tell me that I had a bad attitude.

After dealing with a four-hour delay that ultimately turned into a canceled flight, this interaction made an already stressful situation even worse. The employee was unwilling to help, disrespectful, and did not provide the level of customer service I have come to expect.

We have used Thrifty for many of our car rentals over the years, but this experience was extremely disappointing. Unfortunately, because of this interaction, we will not be using the Chicago O'Hare location again.

July 4, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Thrifty/Hertz Deceptive Business Practice

We had a pre-paid car rental voucher that was not honored at the Chicago O'Hare airport. The GM would not give me her name or business card and refused to put in writing that they were refusing to give us a car. We booked the reservation on a third party website and showed up with all of the requirements listed on the rental agreement, but, she told me I needed to have a Spanish driver's license in my possession. The requirements stated that I had to present a valid driver's license, nothing about which country. I am a US citizen with Spanish residency and I have a US and Spanish driver's license, but, since the reservation did not state that I needed a Spanish license, I left it at home and presented my US license. The woman was extremely unprofessional, rude, and unwilling to honor the contract. Since she did not put in writing that they refuse to give us a car, the third party is refusing to refund us the €740. We have filed complaints for deceptive business practice and complained to the executive office at Hertz and have not received any support or assistance. Hopefully, the IL Attorney General will help. I will never use Hertz Global Corporation or any of its subsidiaries. Don't expect written legal guidelines to be followed or to receive a refund when they're at fault for not following the law.

June 18, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Rental Agreement

Rental Agreement: 95328350-5

I rented a car from Thrifty at Alicante Airport and was told I was receiving a nearly new Ford Tourneo with only 2,000 km on the odometer. I was also assured that the vehicle had no damage.

However, when I inspected the car after collection, I found several areas of existing damage that had not been pointed out or recorded. I was told that if I discovered any damage, I should take photos and contact customer service immediately. Unfortunately, despite repeated attempts, nobody answered the phone.

This is a very frustrating experience. Customers should not have to discover undocumented damage themselves or struggle to reach customer service to report it. I have documented the damage with photos to protect myself from being held responsible for pre-existing damage.

Based on my experience, I cannot recommend Thrifty at Alicante Airport and would not rent from them again.

July 3, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Giving 1* as no option for 0*

Giving 1* as no option for 0*. Very disappointing experience with Thrifty, booked through Holiday Autos. Our flight arrived on time, but we were delayed by the immigration process at Preveza Airport, which was beyond our control. When we reached the Thrifty desk, shared with Hertz, we were told our reservation had been marked as a no-show and our car had been given away. No consideration was given for the immigration delays at the airport.
To make matters worse, the Hertz staff at the desk representing Thrifty were rude, dismissive, customer service were extremely poor. They offered little assistance, showed no understanding of the situation, and failed to provide a reasonable solution. The manager refused to provide his details. The whole experience caused unnecessary stress and disruption at the start of our holiday. We have since escalated our complaint with them and have yet to receive any further response and they will not answer the question we have asked a couple of times, what time precisely was our car given away. We went on to rent a car from Europcar, their representative at their desk said not one of his customer’s had arrived on time, some were over 2 hours late that day due to the delays getting through.
I would not recommend Thrifty or Hertz based on my experience. Absolutely terrible, not even responded to our email!!

June 21, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

In Sevilla Airport🚨 A COMPLETE…


In Sevilla Airport🚨 A COMPLETE NIGHTMARE! AVOID THIS PLACE LIKE THE PLAGUE! 🚨
This isn't just a bad car rental agency—it is THE ABSOLUTE WORST NIGHTMARE YOU COULD EVER ENCOUNTER. If you value your sanity and your money, stay as far away as possible!
The girl (unsurprisingly SHE FLAT-OUT REFUSED TO GIVE US HER NAME, probably well aware of how she was acting) reached levels of RUDENESS, AGGRESSION, AND VERBAL HOSTILITY that I have never seen before. We were literally attacked and threatened by someone whose job is to help customers, but who instead behaved in a downright disgraceful manner.

What happened
* WHAT WE BOOKED: A regular rental through Ryanair, including FULL COMPREHENSIVE INSURANCE (KASKO) WITH ZERO EXCESS.
* WHAT SHE DID: Once at the desk, she tried to force an unjustified extra surcharge on us.
* HER REACTION TO OUR REFUSAL: When we rightfully refused to pay twice for the exact same service, the employee REFUSED TO GIVE US THE CAR, leaving us stranded in the worst possible way.
> THE BOTTOM LINE: We were treated like dirt, threatened, left without the car we had legally paid for, and forced to run to another (actually professional) car rental company at the last minute just to save our trip.
>
THIS KIND OF BEHAVIOR IS UNACCEPTABLE AND BORDERS ON A SCAM. Ryanair should be ashamed to partner with such companies. STAY AWAY FROM THESE UNPROFESSIONAL, RUDE INDIVIDUALS!

July 3, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Thrifty Car Rental DO NOT TRUST…

Thrifty Car Rental DO NOT TRUST THRIFTY, THEY WON'T EVEN GIVE ME A DAILY COST FOR LIABILITY INSURANCE AND SOME SOME COMPANIES CHARGE OVER $30 A DAY. HERE'S MY CORRESPONDENCE: HI, I'M PLANNING TO RENT A Hyundai Santa Fe CAR IN WEST PALM BEACH THROUGH ECONOMY BOOKING.COM, WHAT IS THE DAILY COST FOR LIABILITY INSURANCE?///////. Hello, Matthew!. Thank you for reaching out to us. You may purchase our desired coverage(s) upon opening your rental contract. Since our coverage rates vary depending on our location and car class our rental agents will be best to discuss the specifics with you upon arrival. Thank you! -Karen. ///////. I just wrote in message car size and location, if you cannot provide me a liability insurance quote for my rental starting next week then you're not an honest company and will cancel!!!!!

June 27, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Charged $923 a month after a closed rental

I rented a car from Thrifty (a Hertz brand) at Chicago O'Hare, Rental Record #574431395 — a one-day, one-way rental, May 4–5, 2026, O'Hare to Newark. I booked online, where the one-way pricing was already built into the rate.

My signed rental agreement shows a Total Estimated Charge of $371.17 for the whole rental — everything included — which I paid at pickup via Apple Pay (the agreement says "Paid By: Wallet/Digital"). On the morning of the rental the car got a flat tire, and it took Thrifty roughly 5 hours to deal with it and swap the vehicle. Because of their delay, I returned the car a couple of hours late. On May 7, Thrifty emailed me confirming the car was returned, inspected, and had no damage. The rental was closed.

Then, more than a month later, on June 14–15, a brand-new charge of $923.53 appeared on my card — pulled through the Apple Pay token from the counter, with no new authorization from me. That's roughly 2.5× my entire agreed total, taken after the contract was already closed and confirmed.

When I asked for a breakdown, the numbers didn't hold up:
They added a "One-Way Rental Fee" of $393.47 that appears nowhere in my signed agreement. I already paid for one-way when I booked online; this is billing me a second time for the same thing.
Even their own line items only add up to $550.23, leaving $373.30 of the $923.53 with no explanation at all.

To make it stranger: Hertz customer service told me in writing they find no such charge in their system.

In my opinion, inventing line items after a rental is closed — a phantom one-way fee, double-day charges for their own service delay, and hundreds of dollars that aren't itemized at all — looks like improper billing. I'm requesting a full itemized invoice, cancellation of any stored payment token, and a refund of the unauthorized amount. I'll update this review if and when it's resolved.

May 5, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 2 out of 5 stars

Left stranded

We hired a car from Chania airport in Crete. We arrived following a two hour delay to our flight. I had alerted the company prior to our arrival that our flight had been delayed to which they advised that there would be an additional charge (this does not seem to be mentioned in the contract which only states that in instances of a delayed flight you should just let staff know). When we arrived at the airport, we could not find any rental desk for Thrifty. No one had informed us that you need to go to the Hertz rental desk for Thrifty rental cars. We collected the car with relative ease and after discussion did not seem to be charged extra for the delayed collection. We arrived at night and so collected the car in relative darkness. Nevertheless, I walked round the vehicle (which was parked in a very tight parking space making inspection rather difficult) and took note of any damage along with photographic evidence. The following day as we were getting in the car to go out, I noticed that the rear passenger tyre had an obvious air bubble in it. Upon googling this, I understood that this was incredibly dangerous and that you should absolutely not continue driving on a tyre in this condition as it could burst at any given moment and cause serious harm. I called the airport rental desk and originally was advised by the member of staff to drive the car back the following day to the airport to collect another vehicle. The airport was a 50 minute drive away. I refused this advice as I felt it would be incredibly unsafe (particularly given the rugged mountainous Cretan terrain!) and requested that a recovery truck or mechanic come to change the tyre. I was advised that this was not a possible option as the tyre was not flat…. I was then advised that my only option if I wanted to continue using the vehicle was to drive the car the following day to a local garage and have the tyre replaced myself at my own expense. I was informed that if I requested a receipt, I may be able to claim this expense back when returning the car. The nearest garage to our accommodation was just over a 15 minute drive. I was still very uncomfortable with this option but had no choice. We attended the garage the following day (a Sunday). The garage spoke very little English. Once the tyre had been replaced and I had paid, I requested a receipt only to be informed that they were unable to give me a receipt as their office area was closed on Sundays. I emailed Thrifty immediately to explain this and sent pictures of the car at the garage and the new tyre. I was advised that without a receipt I could not claim the price of the tyre back but was told to send some additional photos so that they could see if they could assist any further. I sent these photos and never received any further response. Overall, I found Thrifty to be very unhelpful in a crisis and not what you need in a foreign country. Enjoy your tyre Thrifty!

June 14, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Booked through Doyouspain for Murcia…

Booked through Doyouspain for Murcia Airport (RMU). Very apprehensive having read previous reviews however there was no hard sell of anything, everything was explained. Deposit was left on credit card and we were on a full full deal. We had taken out additional excess insurance with another company .
The car we had was almost new and an upgrade on what we had hired. We thoroughly inspected the car on pick up and photographed everything, these photos were forwarded to thrifty. On dropping car off we used the drop box and again throughly inspected and photographed the car. Deposit was returned to me before my flight had left Murcia.

June 19, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

READ the FINE PRINT - they will tack on charges

Needed a car rental for one day - picked it up and the meeting I had the next day ran a little late and hit traffic on the way to the airport. Had the car back around 26 hours form the time I picked it up. Charged me for another day's rental plus an additional $100 on what I paid the day before. $598 for to rent an SUV for 26 hours!

June 25, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Very bad experience with thrifty today

Very bad experience with thrifty today. They revoked the discount code in their system where i already had a reservation fully paid with expedia and without previous notice, they are charging me more than $700 additional on my reservation the same day of pickup. I will be placing a claim. Very poor customer support. This is abusive! At JFK

June 25, 2026
Unprompted review

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