The Best Car Rental Companies in America

Amid a post-pandemic recovery phase, the travel sector faced significant challenges, especially in the car rental segment, which suffered from a shortage of vehicles, leading to a real crisis in the sector. However, with the gradual normalization of activities, a question arises among travelers: which are the best car rental companies in the United States? And is it still possible to find affordable car rental options?

The answer to these questions comes through the study carried out by J.D. Power, a global leader in consumer insights, data and analysis. The 2022 North American Car Rental Satisfaction study ranks companies in the industry based on customer satisfaction.

The news is mixed: on the one hand, car rental companies located at airports have managed to overcome the vehicle shortage crisis that negatively impacted customer satisfaction in the previous year. On the other hand, the era of cheap rents seems to have come to an end. With the significant increase in rates, the cost of renting a car rose 14% this year, bringing the average daily price to almost $90 – a significant increase compared to $76 in 2019.

Michael Taylor, travel intelligence expert at J.D. Power, explains that the still-high demand for car rentals follows the basic economic principle of supply and demand influencing prices. This scenario contributed to the drop in overall customer satisfaction with the sector, which recorded a score of 829 this year, slightly below previous years.

However, there are positive aspects to highlight. According to Taylor, there were improvements in both the quality of vehicles and the professionalism of employees, indicating progress in areas that faced difficulties in 2021.

As for companies that stood out (and those that didn’t), Enterprise scored the highest in overall customer satisfaction for the second year in a row, followed by National and Alamo. Taylor points out that Enterprise’s main strength is offering value for the price paid for the rental. Even with the overall drop in scores related to cost and fees, Enterprise has managed to maintain its leading position in terms of value.

The next companies on the list – National, Alamo and Hertz – also performed above the industry average. Meanwhile, Thrifty came in at the bottom of the rankings despite improvements in nearly every other factor considered in the J.D. Power study.

Looking to the future, Taylor predicts stability for the car rental industry, although there is a risk that older fleets could affect customer satisfaction, loyalty and industry profitability.

For those interested in the dynamics of the U.S. car rental market and the full details of the J.D. Power study, additional information can be found directly on the organization’s website.

This overview offers a comprehensive view of current and future trends in the car rental industry in the United States, highlighting the challenges faced by businesses and consumers looking for the best services at the best possible price.