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About hiring a car with Avis in Philadelphia
Frequently Asked Questions
What does my Hola Car Rentals booking with Avis in Philadelphia include that other companies don't offer?
Hola Car Rentals is the only premium partner of the top car hire brands operating in Philadelphia, giving you exclusive access to our All Inclusive+ rate. This rate includes benefits that no other company can match:
- Free liability coverage starting at US$ 300,000 in case of an accident (applies only to certain rates and itineraries)
- Toll cashback: recover up to 5% of the reservation's total value for toll charges incurred during your hire period
- Premium travel medical assistance providing up to US$ 150,000 in coverage for a maximum of 5 passengers in case of a medical emergency, excluding pre-existing conditions
- No Extra Charges© guarantee: if the counter charges you for something not listed on your confirmation and not an optional add-on you accepted, Hola Car Rentals will work to remove or reimburse the charge after verification
All of this comes at no extra cost, ensuring a fully protected car hire experience and peace of mind throughout your trip in Philadelphia.
Will I face unexpected charges at the Avis counter in Philadelphia when I book through Hola Car Rentals?
No. With Hola Car Rentals, all costs and charges for your booking in Philadelphia are clearly shown at the time of reservation and in your confirmation email, so you know exactly what you are paying before you arrive at the counter.
On top of that, every Hola Car Rentals booking includes the No Extra Charges© guarantee. This is a pricing guarantee (not insurance) that protects you if the counter in Philadelphia charges you for something that was not listed on your confirmation and was not an optional add-on you accepted. If that happens, Hola Car Rentals will work with the hire partner to remove or reimburse the charge after verification.
The only costs outside this guarantee are:
- Optional add-ons you choose at the counter (GPS, child seats, prepaid fuel)
- Usage-based charges (tolls, fuel shortfall, traffic fines)
Where is the Avis counter at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)?
The Avis counter at Philadelphia International Airport is located at the consolidated hire centre at 1 Arrivals Rd, Philadelphia, PA 19153. After collecting your baggage, follow the hire centre signs inside the terminal to reach the facility, which is accessible on foot or via a short shuttle ride.
The Avis counter at PHL is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so it accommodates early-morning arrivals, late-night flights, and everything in between. After-hours vehicle returns are also supported, with a 24-hour drop-off option and a key drop box in the return area for when the counter is unstaffed.
If you are collecting at a Philadelphia city centre location instead, hours are more limited. The Convention Centre Parking branch at 1324 Arch St, for example, is open Monday to Friday 07:00 to 19:00 and Saturday to Sunday 08:00 to 13:00, with free shuttle pickup available from nearby points.
What documents do I need to pick up my Avis hire car in Philadelphia?
To collect your Avis hire car in Philadelphia, you must bring the following physical documents:
- A valid, unexpired driver’s licence in the main driver’s name
- A major credit card with the driver’s name printed on the card, for the authorisation hold
- A passport or valid government-issued photo ID (strongly recommended for international visitors)
- Your booking confirmation or printed voucher
If your driver’s licence was not issued in the United States, you must also present a passport or Canadian enhanced licence alongside it at the Avis Philadelphia counter. If your licence uses a non-Latin alphabet, such as Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, or Cyrillic, an International Driving Permit (IDP) is required as a translation document.
At the PHL airport location, Avis may also accept a round-trip plane ticket or travel itinerary with a return date as supplementary identification. At city centre branches such as the Convention Centre Parking location, a recent utility bill matching your name and address may serve as secondary ID.
All documents must be physical originals. Digital copies shown on a phone or tablet are not accepted at the Avis counter in Philadelphia.
How do tolls work when renting an Avis car in Philadelphia?
When driving an Avis hire car in Philadelphia and the surrounding Pennsylvania area, you will encounter cashless toll roads. The main system is the Pennsylvania Turnpike, which uses E-ZPass transponders and a Toll By Plate licence-plate billing system. There are no cash booths on most sections, so tolls are recorded automatically by overhead gantries.
At the Avis counter in Philadelphia, you can choose between two options:
- Enroll in an Avis-linked toll programme, which links the vehicle’s transponder to E-ZPass rates and charges a daily access fee (typically in the range of US$11 to US$25 per day, depending on the programme)
- Decline the programme, in which case any tolls you drive through are billed via Toll By Plate at rates roughly double the E-ZPass amount, plus an administrative fee, charged to your card days or weeks after you return the vehicle
Typical Pennsylvania Turnpike tolls for a passenger vehicle run approximately US$1.94 per short segment with E-ZPass, or US$3.88 via Toll By Plate. A longer trip such as Philadelphia to Harrisburg can total US$8 to US$12 or more without E-ZPass.
Philadelphia has no congestion charges or emissions zone fees. Tolls apply only to specific roads and bridges, not to general city driving.
Can I get Tolls Cashback on Pennsylvania Turnpike tolls with my Avis Philadelphia booking?
Yes, all bookings made through Hola Car Rentals include Tolls Cashback, which reimburses up to 5% of your total booking value for tolls paid during your Avis hire in Philadelphia.
This benefit is especially useful in the Philadelphia area, where the Pennsylvania Turnpike and several cashless bridges and express lanes can add meaningful toll costs to your trip. Whether you pay through an Avis toll programme or via Toll By Plate, you can submit those charges for cashback.
To claim your reimbursement after returning your Avis vehicle in Philadelphia:
- Email [email protected] within 30 days of vehicle return
- Use the subject line: Tolls Cashback - HOLA followed by your confirmation number
- Attach your Hola Car Rentals confirmation, the signed hire agreement, and a toll receipt or itemised invoice showing the charges
The refund is issued to the same payment method used for your booking and typically processes within 7 to 10 business days after approval. Claims submitted after 30 days are not accepted, so keep your toll receipts and submit promptly.
What are the airport fees and taxes added to an Avis hire at Philadelphia PHL?
When collecting an Avis hire car at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), expect several mandatory fees and taxes on top of your base rate. These are charged locally and are not part of your prepaid booking total unless your confirmation explicitly states they are included.
- Airport Concession Recovery Fee (ACRF): 15.25% of the hire rate
- Customer Facility Charge (CFC): GBP 10.25 per hire day, capped at GBP 61.50 per hire
- Philadelphia City Hire Vehicle Tax: 2%
- Pennsylvania State Sales Tax: 6%
Combined, these charges typically add 23% to 25% to the cost of an Avis hire at PHL, which is higher than many non-East Coast airports primarily because of the ACRF.
If you pick up your Avis vehicle at a Philadelphia city centre location such as the Convention Centre Parking branch at 1324 Arch St, you avoid the airport-specific ACRF and CFC, which can reduce your total cost by 15% to 30% compared to the airport counter. City centre locations do require you to plan around their limited operating hours.
Is a credit card required to rent from Avis in Philadelphia?
Yes, a major credit card is required to rent from Avis in Philadelphia. The card must be in the main driver’s name with the driver’s name physically printed on the card, and it must have sufficient available credit to cover the authorisation hold.
At the Avis Philadelphia counter, the typical security deposit hold for a standard vehicle is approximately US$300 to US$400. This is a temporary authorisation, not a charge, but it reduces your available credit until your bank releases it after the hire ends, which can take up to 15 business days.
A few important points to keep in mind:
- Prepaid cards and virtual cards are not accepted for the deposit hold
- Debit cards are not accepted for the security hold at Avis
- The card must belong to the main driver, not a companion or travel partner
- If your primary card is declined, you may present a second credit card in your own name
Before arriving at the Avis counter in Philadelphia, notify your bank that you will be making an in-person authorisation in the United States to avoid fraud blocks, especially if you are travelling from abroad.
Do I need an International Driving Permit to rent from Avis in Philadelphia?
An International Driving Permit (IDP) is not always required to rent from Avis in Philadelphia, but whether you need one depends on your home country’s licence.
Avis in Philadelphia accepts foreign driver’s licences from countries that participated in the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, the 1943 Convention on the Regulation of Inter-American Automobile Traffic, or countries with reciprocal agreements with the United States. If your licence meets these criteria and uses a Latin (Roman) alphabet, you can generally rent without an IDP.
However, an IDP is required in the following situations:
- Your driver’s licence uses a non-Latin alphabet, such as Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, or Cyrillic
- Avis or local law at the Philadelphia pickup location specifically requires one for your licence-issuing country
If your licence is not U.S.-issued, you must also present a passport or Canadian enhanced licence alongside it at the Avis Philadelphia counter. Drivers with a Mexico-issued licence must show a valid government-issued passport or travel visa as secondary identification.
The IDP is a translation document only and is not valid without your original licence. Obtain it in your home country before travelling, as it cannot be issued abroad.
What are Philadelphia's speed cameras and how do they affect Avis renters?
Philadelphia has an unusually extensive network of automated speed enforcement cameras that can result in fines for Avis renters who are unfamiliar with local speed limits.
Key things to know before driving your Avis hire in Philadelphia:
- Broad Street (PA Route 611) has 30 speed cameras at 15 locations, operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week since November 2025. The speed limit is 25 mph, and fines of US$100 to US$150 apply if you are caught driving 11 mph or more over the limit
- Roosevelt Boulevard has cameras with higher thresholds, enforcing 40 to 45 mph limits
- School zone cameras activated in February 2026 enforce a 15 mph limit in five high-crash zones, with a US$100 fine for driving 11 mph or more over
- Work zones on I-95 use statewide automated work zone speed enforcement cameras
Speed camera fines issued to an Avis hire vehicle are typically billed to the renter’s credit card after the hire ends, along with an administrative processing fee from Avis. These post-hire charges are the renter’s responsibility under the hire agreement.
The safest approach when driving your Avis hire in Philadelphia is to observe posted speed limits carefully, particularly on Broad Street and in school zones, where the 25 mph and 15 mph limits are strictly enforced.
Is there a young driver surcharge for under-25 renters at Avis in Philadelphia?
Yes, Avis in Philadelphia charges a young driver surcharge for renters between the ages of 21 and 24. The standard Avis underage fee in the United States is US$13 per hire day plus taxes, with a maximum cap of US$65 plus taxes for the hire period.
Drivers under 21 are generally not permitted to hire from Avis in Philadelphia. Drivers aged 21 to 24 may hire but are subject to the daily surcharge and are restricted from certain vehicle classes, including full-size, premium, luxury, convertible, minivan, and large SUV categories.
There is one notable exception for eligible renters: if you are aged 21 to 24 and are a citizen or resident of Latin America or the Caribbean, certain Hola Car Rentals rates fulfilled by Avis waive the underage fee entirely. To qualify, the waiver must appear explicitly on your Hola Car Rentals confirmation, and you must present a passport or government ID proving your nationality or residency at the Avis Philadelphia counter. This exception applies to the main driver only and covers economy, compact, medium sedan, standard sedan, compact SUV, and medium SUV categories.
If you are 25 or older, no young driver surcharge applies at Avis in Philadelphia.
How does the fuel policy work for Avis hires in Philadelphia?
Avis hires in Philadelphia follow a Full-to-Full fuel policy. You receive the vehicle with a full tank and must return it full to avoid fuel charges.
At pickup, check the fuel gauge with the Avis agent and confirm the starting level is recorded on your hire agreement. Take a photo of the dashboard showing the gauge and odometer before leaving the Philadelphia location.
When returning your Avis vehicle in Philadelphia, refuel within approximately 10 miles of the return location so the gauge does not drop below full before you arrive. Keep your final fuel receipt showing the date, time, and station address as proof.
If you return the vehicle below the recorded starting level, Avis may charge:
- A fuel shortfall at the partner’s refuelling rate, which is typically higher than retail pump prices
- A refuelling service fee for the administrative handling
For after-hours returns at the Philadelphia airport location, leave your fuel receipt in the key drop envelope and keep a photo of the full gauge on your phone as documentation.
If the vehicle was not full at pickup, ask the Avis agent in Philadelphia to record the exact level on the agreement. You are only required to return it at that same recorded level, not necessarily full.
Can I add an additional driver to my Avis hire in Philadelphia?
Yes, you can add an additional driver to your Avis hire in Philadelphia, but the additional driver must be present at the counter at the time of pickup with their own valid driver’s licence.
The cost depends on your booking:
- If your Hola Car Rentals confirmation shows "Additional driver free of charge" or "Additional driver included," the first extra driver is covered at no cost
- If not included, Avis charges US$13 per hire day plus taxes for each additional driver, with a maximum cap of US$65 plus taxes per hire
For Avis in Philadelphia, additional drivers must generally be at least 25 years old. Drivers aged 21 to 24 may not be accepted as additional drivers at Avis, or a young driver surcharge may apply depending on the location's rules.
Both the main driver and the additional driver must sign the hire agreement at the Avis Philadelphia counter. Only drivers listed on the agreement are covered by the hire protections, including CDW and liability cover. If someone not listed on the contract drives the vehicle, those protections may be void.
If your licence uses a non-Latin alphabet, the additional driver will also need an International Driving Permit alongside their original licence.
What insurance coverage is included in my Avis hire in Philadelphia?
The insurance and protection coverage included in your Avis hire in Philadelphia depends on the rate plan shown on your Hola Car Rentals confirmation. It is important to review your confirmation carefully before arriving at the Philadelphia counter.
The two main types of coverage relevant to an Avis hire in Philadelphia are:
- Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) or Loss Damage Waiver (LDW): reduces your financial liability for damage to the Avis hire vehicle from a collision, theft, or vandalism. A deductible may apply unless your confirmation states zero deductible. CDW and LDW do not cover damage to other vehicles or injuries to other people
- Third-Party Liability (LIS/ALI/SLI): covers bodily injury and property damage you may cause to others while driving the Avis hire in Philadelphia. Some U.S. states require a minimum level of liability, but not all do. Hola Car Rentals strongly recommends adding supplemental liability cover up to US$300,000
Pennsylvania does not mandate a specific liability minimum for hire cars in all cases, so confirming your cover level before driving in Philadelphia is advisable.
CDW and LDW do not cover tyres, undercarriage, roof damage, or personal belongings. Only drivers listed on the Avis hire agreement in Philadelphia are covered by these protections.
Does my Avis Philadelphia booking include travel assistance if something goes wrong?
Yes, most Hola Car Rentals bookings include travel assistance cover provided by Terrawind Global Protection, and this applies to your Avis hire in Philadelphia as well. However, this benefit is available only to non-North American customers. Residents of the United States and Canada do not qualify.
If you are travelling from outside North America and renting an Avis vehicle in Philadelphia, the travel assistance cover typically includes:
- Medical cover for up to 5 passengers for accidents and non-pre-existing illnesses
- Legal assistance in the event of a road accident
- Compensation for luggage lost by the airline
- Flight cancellation insurance
This cover is particularly relevant if you experience a medical emergency or a serious incident while driving your Avis hire in Philadelphia or on surrounding highways such as I-95 or the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
To use the assistance, contact Terrawind 24 hours a day at +1 888 980 9992 (toll-free) or via WhatsApp at +1 208 910 1001. Have your full name and Hola Car Rentals confirmation number ready when you call.
Check your booking confirmation for the exact cover limits and conditions that apply to your specific Avis Philadelphia reservation.
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