Budget Car Rental in Austin

Hola Car Rentals is the only premium partner of the top car rental brands operating in Austin, including Budget, 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 rental 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 Budget rental experience and peace of mind throughout your trip in Austin.

No. With Hola Car Rentals, all costs and charges for your Budget booking in Austin 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 Budget 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 Budget counter in Austin 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 Budget 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)

Budget car rental counters at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) are not located inside the terminal. After collecting your bags, follow the "Ground Transportation" and "Rental Car Shuttle" signs from baggage claim to the curbside pickup zone outside the terminal.

From there, take the dedicated Rental Car Shuttle to the off-site Rental Car Facility (RCF) at 3819 Presidential Boulevard. The shuttle ride takes approximately 10 to 20 minutes. Alternatively, from Garage Level 3 of the Red Garage, you can take the shuttle or tram directly to the RCF.

At the Budget counter inside the RCF, present your driver's license, credit card, and booking confirmation. After completing paperwork, collect your vehicle from the assigned bays.

Plan your total time carefully. From the aircraft door to driving away, the process typically takes:

• 30 to 60 minutes for domestic arrivals with checked bags
• 60 to 90 minutes or more for international arrivals due to customs
• An additional 30 to 60 minutes for counter queues, paperwork, and vehicle inspection

Budget also has a downtown Austin location at 1104 Interstate 35 N (at 11th Street), open Monday through Friday 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM and weekends 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, if you prefer a city pickup.

Yes, Austin has an active toll road network, and your Budget rental vehicle comes equipped with an electronic toll device for cashless billing.

Texas toll roads around Austin are almost entirely cashless, using overhead gantries that read transponders or license plates. Cash booths are rare or nonexistent on most routes. Estimated toll costs for Austin-area driving range from approximately US$3 to US$15 per day depending on which roads you use.

At the Budget counter in Austin, you will typically have two billing options:

• Unlimited toll package: a fixed daily rate of approximately US$11 to US$25 per rental day, covering all tolls during your rental
• Pay per use: the actual toll amounts plus daily or administrative processing fees billed to your card, sometimes weeks after you return the vehicle

If you opt out of the Budget toll program, tolls are still captured via plate-based billing and charged to your card along with processing fees, which can add up quickly on routes with multiple gantries.

There are no congestion charges, emissions zones, or city-center driving fees in Austin or anywhere in Texas.

All bookings made through Hola Car Rentals include Tolls Cashback, which lets you recover up to 5% of your total booking value for tolls paid during your Austin rental. See FAQ below for how to claim.

To pick up your Budget rental car in Austin, you must bring the following physical documents:

• A valid, original driver's license (not a digital copy)
• A major credit card in the main driver's name, with the driver's name printed on the physical card, for the security deposit hold
• A passport or valid government-issued photo ID
• Your booking confirmation or printed voucher
• Round-trip flight tickets or travel itinerary showing your return date (required for visitors from outside the US)

If your driver's license is not in English and does not use a Latin (Roman) alphabet, such as Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, or Cyrillic script, an International Driving Permit (IDP) is mandatory. For licenses in other non-English scripts, an IDP is strongly recommended. The IDP is a translation only and must be carried alongside your original license.

At the Austin-Bergstrom Airport Budget counter, acceptable secondary ID for international visitors includes a US or Canadian passport or a US military ID. At the downtown Austin Budget location, a utility bill from the last 60 days with a matching name and address is also accepted as secondary ID.

All documents must be physical originals. Digital versions displayed on a phone are not accepted at the Budget counter in Austin.

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 Austin rental.

Austin's toll roads are cashless, so tolls will be billed either through the Budget toll program or via plate-based billing. Either way, you can submit those charges for cashback after your rental ends.

To claim your Tolls Cashback after returning your Budget vehicle in Austin:

• Email [email protected] within 30 days of returning the vehicle
• Use the subject line: Tolls Cashback - HOLA followed by your confirmation number
• Attach your Hola Car Rentals reservation confirmation, the signed rental agreement from Budget, and a toll receipt or invoice showing charges paid
• Include your full name, travel dates, and the last 4 digits of the card used for your booking

The refund is issued to the same payment method used for your original booking and typically processes within 7 to 10 business days after approval. Submissions received more than 30 days after vehicle return are not accepted.

Example: if your Austin Budget booking total is US$400, the maximum cashback is US$20. If you paid US$12 in tolls, you receive US$12 back. If you paid US$30 in tolls, you receive the US$20 cap.

Yes, a major credit card is required to pick up your Budget rental car in Austin. The card must be in the main driver's name, with the driver's name physically printed on the card.

At the Budget counter in Austin, the card is used to place a temporary security hold, not an immediate charge. Typical holds for standard vehicles in the United States range from approximately US$300 to US$400, though the exact amount depends on the vehicle class and location.

• Debit cards are not accepted for the security deposit hold
• Prepaid or virtual cards are not accepted
• Digital wallets such as Apple Pay or Google Pay are not accepted for the hold
• The card must belong to the main driver, not a third party

The hold reduces your available credit until the rental is closed and your bank releases the authorization, which can take up to 15 business days after you return the vehicle.

If you prepaid your Austin Budget booking online, you are still required to present a physical credit card at the counter for the deposit hold. Bring a backup credit card in your name in case your primary card is declined, and notify your bank of your travel dates to prevent fraud blocks on in-person authorizations.

Yes, Budget in Austin applies a young-driver surcharge for renters between the ages of 21 and 24. The standard fee is US$13 per rental day plus taxes, with a maximum charge of US$65 plus taxes for the rental period.

Drivers under 21 are generally not eligible to rent in Austin or elsewhere in Texas. The minimum age without a surcharge is 25.

Renters aged 21 to 24 at Austin locations are also restricted from certain vehicle classes. Categories typically unavailable to under-25 drivers include full-size sedans, full-size SUVs, minivans, vans, convertibles, luxury, and premium vehicles. Economy, compact, medium sedan, standard sedan, compact SUV, and medium SUV categories are generally available.

One important exception applies to Budget rentals in Austin: if you are a citizen or resident of Latin America or the Caribbean, aged 21 to 24, and your Hola Car Rentals confirmation explicitly states that the underage fee is waived, you may qualify for the Avis and Budget underage fee exception. You must present a passport or government ID proving your nationality or residency at the Budget counter in Austin to use this benefit.

Additional drivers aged 21 to 24 on a Budget Austin rental are generally subject to the surcharge or may not be accepted, even if the main driver qualifies for the exception.

Yes, you can add an additional driver to your Budget rental in Austin, but the additional driver must be physically present at the counter at the time of pickup.

The additional driver must bring:

• A valid driver's license in good standing
• A government-issued photo ID
• An International Driving Permit (IDP) if their license uses a non-Latin alphabet such as Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, or Cyrillic

For Budget in Austin, the additional driver fee is US$13 per rental day plus taxes, with a maximum charge of US$65 plus taxes. This fee is waived if your Hola Car Rentals confirmation explicitly states that an additional driver is included at no charge.

Budget in Austin requires additional drivers to be at least 25 years old. Drivers aged 21 to 24 may not be accepted as additional drivers at the Austin counter, or may be subject to a separate young-driver surcharge depending on location rules.

Both the main driver and the additional driver must sign the rental agreement at the Budget counter in Austin. Anyone who drives the vehicle without being listed on the agreement is not covered by the rental protections, including CDW and liability coverage.

If you need to add a driver after pickup, you must visit a Budget branch in Austin to update the agreement. Phone or chat requests alone are generally not sufficient.

Budget rentals in Austin follow a Full-to-Full fuel policy. You receive the vehicle with a full tank and must return it full to avoid additional charges.

At pickup at the Austin Budget counter, check the fuel gauge with the agent and confirm the starting level is recorded on the rental agreement. Take a photo of the dashboard showing the odometer and fuel gauge before leaving the lot.

When returning your Budget vehicle in Austin, refuel within approximately 10 miles or 15 km of the return location, whether that is the Rental Car Facility at Austin-Bergstrom Airport or the downtown Austin location. Refueling too far from the return point risks the gauge dropping before you arrive.

If you return the vehicle below the recorded starting level, Budget may charge:

• A fuel shortfall at the partner's refueling rate, which is typically higher than retail pump prices
• A refueling service or administrative fee on top of the fuel cost

Keep your final fuel receipt showing the station address, date, and time. For after-hours returns at the Austin Budget location, leave the receipt in the key envelope and keep a photo of the full gauge on your phone as evidence.

If the vehicle was not full at pickup, ask the Budget agent in Austin to record the exact starting level on the agreement. Return it at that same level to avoid charges.

Yes, most Hola Car Rentals bookings include travel assistance coverage through Terrawind Global Protection, and this applies to your Budget rental in Austin as well. However, this benefit does not apply to US or Canadian residents.

If you are driving on Austin's highways, including Interstate 35 or the toll expressways around the metro area, and experience a medical emergency or other covered incident, you can contact the assistance line 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Core benefits typically included are:

• Travel insurance with medical coverage for up to 5 passengers
• Legal assistance in case of an accident
• Compensation for luggage lost by the airline
• Flight cancellation insurance

To reach assistance during your Austin Budget rental:

• Call: +1 888 980 9992 (toll-free or collect, available 24/7)
• WhatsApp: +1 208 910 1001
• Email: [email protected]

When you call, provide your full name, your Hola Car Rentals confirmation number (for example, HOLA1000000), your current location in Austin or Texas, and a brief description of the situation. Follow the coordinator's instructions and keep all receipts and reports.

This coverage does not apply to damage to the Budget rental vehicle itself (that is handled by CDW/LDW) or to third-party liability (handled by LIS/SLI).

Yes, Austin's downtown street layout can be genuinely confusing for first-time drivers, and it is worth knowing before you pick up your Budget rental car.

Austin's city center uses a hybrid mix of one-way and two-way streets rather than a consistent grid. Some streets have been converted to two-way traffic, such as 7th, 9th, 10th Streets and Brazos Street, while others like 5th and 6th Streets remain high-speed one-way corridors used for transit and bike priority. This patchwork layout surprises many visitors who expect a uniform urban grid.

Practical tips for driving your Budget rental in Austin's downtown:

• Use GPS navigation and follow it closely, as wrong turns on one-way streets can require long detours to correct
• One-way streets eliminate left-turn lanes in some blocks, which affects how you approach intersections
• Wrong-way driving incidents are a documented risk on Austin's one-way corridors, so pay close attention to street direction signs

Interstate 35, which runs through central Austin, is also undergoing a major reconstruction project known as Cap and Stitch, involving elevated sections, complex ramps, and lane changes. First-time drivers in a Budget rental should allow extra time when navigating I-35 through the city center.

There are no emission zones, congestion charges, or special driving permits required anywhere in Austin.

The insurance coverage included in your Budget rental in Austin depends on the rate plan you selected when booking through Hola Car Rentals. Check your booking confirmation for the specific protections listed.

The two main coverages relevant to Budget rentals in Austin are:

• Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) or Loss Damage Waiver (LDW): reduces your financial liability for damage to the Budget rental 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/SLI/ALI): covers bodily injury and property damage you may cause to others while driving the Budget vehicle in Austin. Some US states require a minimum level of liability, but not all do. Hola Car Rentals strongly recommends adding Liability Insurance Supplementary coverage of up to US$300,000 to your Austin rental.

Neither CDW nor LIS covers your own personal injuries (that requires Personal Accident Insurance) or your belongings (that requires Personal Effects Coverage).

At the Budget counter in Austin, decline any optional add-ons you do not want and verify that the rental agreement matches what your Hola Car Rentals confirmation shows. If you are charged for something not listed on your confirmation, the No Extra Charges© guarantee may apply after verification.

Yes, one-way rentals are possible with Budget in Austin, but a drop-off fee may apply depending on your return location.

Common patterns for Budget one-way rentals originating in Austin:

• Austin to another Texas city such as Dallas, Houston, or San Antonio: a drop-off fee typically applies and varies by distance and vehicle class
• Austin airport to downtown Austin or vice versa: often no drop-off fee for same-city returns
• Austin to a location in a different state: a drop-off fee usually applies and may be higher for long-distance routes

The drop-off fee for your specific Budget Austin route is shown during the booking process on the Hola Car Rentals website under the "To pay at destination" section. It also appears on your booking confirmation. This fee cannot be prepaid and is paid directly to Budget at the counter or upon return.

If you change your return location after booking, the drop-off fee may be recalculated and could increase. Mid-rental route changes must be approved by the Budget location.

Cross-border one-way rentals, such as Austin to Mexico, are generally restricted or not permitted. Always confirm cross-border rules with Budget at the Austin counter before driving across state or National borders.

If your flight to Austin is delayed, Budget will generally hold your reservation for up to 24 hours from the original scheduled pickup time, as long as you arrive during counter operating hours.

Key points to keep in mind for your Austin Budget pickup:

• If the delay is less than 24 hours, your reservation is held and you can proceed to the Rental Car Facility at Austin-Bergstrom Airport via the shuttle from baggage claim
• If the delay is greater than 24 hours, contact Hola Car Rentals via WhatsApp at +1 (786) 999-8312 or by email at [email protected] as soon as possible to discuss options
• Make sure you will arrive while the Budget counter in Austin is open. The downtown Austin Budget location closes at 6:00 PM on weekdays and 1:00 PM on weekends, so late-night arrivals should plan for the airport RCF counter hours

If you arrive after counter hours at the Austin Budget location, there may be no agent available to process your pickup. Check your booking confirmation for any after-hours instructions specific to your Austin reservation.

To avoid losing your reservation, do not wait until the last minute to notify Hola Car Rentals of a significant delay. Changes are not guaranteed but the support team will assist as much as possible given the circumstances of your Austin Budget booking.