Car Hire
at Charleston Airport

Hola Car Rentals is the only premium partner of the top car hire brands operating at Charleston Airport, 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 at Charleston Airport.

No. With Hola Car Rentals, all costs and charges for your booking at Charleston Airport 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 at Charleston Airport 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)

At Charleston Airport, all major on-site hire brands are located in the Rental Car Pavilion at 5500 International Blvd, North Charleston, SC 29418. No shuttle is needed for most brands.

After collecting your bags from baggage claim in the main terminal, follow the Rental Cars signs towards the end of the terminal. To reach your vehicle, cross the street from baggage claim, follow the skywalk and hire car garage signage to a second garage, then take the lift or stairs down one level. Your brand's lot will be clearly marked (for example, Budget and Avis are to the left).

The following brands are accessible by this short walk or skywalk at Charleston Airport:

• Alamo
• National
• Avis
• Budget
• Enterprise
• Hertz

Thrifty and Dollar operate off-site and require a shuttle from the terminal. If you are arriving on an international flight, complete immigration and customs first, then collect your bags before heading to the counters.

Counter hours at Charleston Airport vary by brand, and no company offers full overnight service, so plan your arrival accordingly.

• Avis: approximately 6:00 AM to 12:00 AM daily
• Budget: approximately 7:00 AM to 1:00 AM daily
• Hertz: approximately 5:30 AM to 12:30 AM daily
• Alamo, National, and Enterprise: early morning to late evening, aligned with peak flight operations

Counters at Charleston Airport are closed during the overnight window, so after-hours pick-up is not available. If your flight lands late at night, confirm that your chosen brand's counter will still be open when you arrive. For returns after hours, you can park in the designated space on Level 1 of the five-tier parking deck and drop your keys and contract in the counter drop box. Hertz's drop box is located at the end of the pick-up counter.

To collect your hire car at Charleston Airport, you must present the following physical documents at the counter:

• A valid driving licence (original, not a digital copy)
• A major credit card in the main driver's name, with the driver's name printed on the card, for the authorisation hold
• Your passport or government-issued photo ID
• Your booking confirmation or printed voucher
• Round-trip flight or cruise tickets
• Any applicable entry visas

If your driving licence is not in English and does not use a Latin (Roman) alphabet, for example if it is in Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, or Cyrillic script, an International Driving Permit (IDP) is mandatory. For licences in other non-English scripts, an IDP is strongly recommended. The IDP is a translation only and must be carried alongside your original licence at Charleston Airport.

All documents must be physical. Digital versions shown on a phone or tablet are not accepted at the counter.

South Carolina has one primary toll road: the Southern Connector on Interstate 185, a 16-mile route connecting I-185 to I-385 near Greenville. This road is not immediately adjacent to Charleston Airport, but you may encounter it depending on your travel route within South Carolina.

The Southern Connector uses the PalPass (also called Palmetto Pass) electronic toll system. Payment options include:

• PalPass transponder (electronic)
• Cash with exact change at certain ramps, including Highway 20 and Fork Shoals Road
• Credit or debit card (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, AMEX) at mainline plazas only; PIN debit is not accepted

Typical car tolls on the Southern Connector range from US$0.075 to US$3.00 for the full 16-mile stretch. There are no congestion charges, emissions zones, or city-centre fees in South Carolina.

At the Charleston Airport counter, you can enrol in your hire company's electronic toll programme (such as e-Toll, TollPass, or PlatePass) for approximately US$3.95 to US$4.95 per day, capped at around US$19.75 per hire period, plus actual toll amounts. If you drive through a cashless toll without enrolling, the hire company will charge you the toll at the highest undiscounted rate plus an administrative fee that can reach US$15 per toll.

Yes, a major credit card is required to hire a car at Charleston Airport. The card must be in the main driver's name, with the driver's name physically printed on the card, and must be presented in person at the counter.

The credit card is used to place a temporary security authorisation hold, not a charge, on your available credit. For standard vehicles at U.S. airport locations, this hold is typically around US$300 to US$400, though the exact amount is set by the hire company at the Charleston Airport counter and may be higher for premium or speciality vehicles.

Debit cards, prepaid cards, and virtual or digital-only card numbers are not accepted for the deposit hold. Even if you prepay your booking online, you must still present a physical credit card at collection.

A few tips to avoid issues at Charleston Airport:

• Notify your bank of your travel dates to prevent fraud blocks on the authorisation
• Bring a backup credit card in your name in case your primary card is declined
• Make sure your card has enough available credit to cover the hold plus any expected charges

Every booking made through Hola Car Rentals includes Tolls Cashback, which reimburses up to 5% of your total booking value for tolls paid during your hire, including any tolls you encounter while driving from Charleston Airport.

If you travel on the Southern Connector (the main toll road in South Carolina, using the PalPass system) or pass through toll roads in neighbouring states, you can claim this benefit after returning your vehicle.

To claim your Tolls Cashback after your Charleston Airport hire:

• Email [email protected] within 30 days of returning the vehicle
• Use the subject line: Tolls Cashback, followed by your reservation number
• Attach your Hola Car Rentals booking confirmation, the signed hire agreement, and a receipt or statement showing the toll charges paid

The refund is issued to the same payment method used for your original booking and typically processes within 7 to 10 working days after approval. Claims submitted after 30 days are not accepted. This benefit covers toll charges only, not administrative fees from the hire company or traffic fines.

Yes, after-hours returns are available at Charleston Airport even when the counters are closed. The return area is on Level 1 of the five-tier parking deck, which has a covered walkway connecting it to the terminal.

To complete an after-hours return at Charleston Airport:

• Follow the Rental Car Return signs to Level 1 of the parking deck
• Park in your brand's designated space
• Drop your keys and hire agreement in the drop box at your brand's counter; Hertz's drop box is located at the end of the pick-up counter
• Take all personal belongings from the vehicle
• Keep a photo of the fuel gauge and odometer as evidence of the car's condition at return

Note that counter hours at Charleston Airport end before midnight for most brands, so if your flight lands late, plan to use the drop box procedure. The hire company will process the return the following morning when the counter reopens. If you have concerns about charges after an after-hours drop, keep all paperwork and your final fuel receipt.

At Charleston Airport, the standard minimum age to hire a car without a surcharge is 25. Drivers aged 21 to 24 can hire but will be charged a daily young-driver surcharge, and most vehicle classes are restricted to drivers 25 and older.

Vehicle classes typically restricted to drivers under 25 at Charleston Airport include:

• Full Size and Full Size SUV
• Standard, Minivan, and Van
• Convertible, Luxury, Premium, and Premium SUV

Drivers aged 21 to 24 are generally limited to Economy, Compact, Medium Sedan, Standard Sedan, Compact SUV, and Medium SUV categories.

If you are from Latin America or the Caribbean and are aged 21 to 24, certain Hola Car Rentals rates fulfilled by Avis or Budget at Charleston Airport may waive the young-driver fee. This waiver must appear explicitly on your booking confirmation and applies to the main driver only. Additional drivers aged 21 to 24 are still subject to standard surcharge rules.

South Carolina does not have a state law equivalent to New York or Michigan requiring rentals to drivers under 21, so the minimum age at Charleston Airport is 21 for most brands.

Yes, most bookings made through Hola Car Rentals include Travel Assistance provided by Terrawind Global Protection, which can help if an unexpected situation arises during your Charleston Airport hire or while driving in South Carolina.

This benefit covers up to 5 passengers and typically includes:

• Travel insurance with medical cover 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

If you need assistance during your Charleston Airport hire, contact Terrawind 24 hours a day, 7 days a week:

• Phone (toll-free or collect): +1 888 980 9992
• WhatsApp: +1 208 910 1001
• Email: [email protected]

Have your full name, Hola Car Rentals confirmation number, current location, and a brief description of the situation ready when you call.

Important: this benefit does not apply to residents of the United States or Canada. It also does not cover damage to the hire vehicle (that is handled by CDW/LDW) or third-party liability (covered by LIS/ALI/SLI). Always contact Terrawind before incurring expenses where prior authorisation is required.

Yes, you can add an additional driver to your hire at Charleston Airport, either at no cost if your rate includes it, or for a daily fee paid at the counter if it does not.

Daily fees for additional drivers at Charleston Airport, when not included in your rate, are approximately:

• Avis, Budget, and Payless: US$13 per day plus taxes, capped at US$65 plus taxes
• Hertz, Thrifty, and Dollar: US$13.50 per day plus taxes, capped at US$189 plus taxes
• Alamo, National, and Enterprise: US$15 per day plus taxes

Check your booking confirmation before arriving at Charleston Airport. If it states Additional driver free of charge, the first extra driver is covered at no cost.

Requirements for adding a driver at Charleston Airport:

• The additional driver must be present at the counter at collection
• They must show a valid driving licence (and an IDP if their licence uses a non-Latin alphabet)
• Both the main driver and the additional driver must sign the hire agreement
• For Avis, Budget, and Payless, additional drivers must generally be at least 25 years old

Only drivers listed on the hire agreement are covered by the hire protections, so never let an unlisted person drive the vehicle.

Hires picked up at Charleston Airport follow a Full-to-Full fuel policy by default. This means you receive the vehicle with a full tank and must return it full to avoid additional charges.

To avoid fuel charges on your Charleston Airport hire:

• Check the fuel gauge with the agent at pickup and confirm the starting level is recorded on the hire agreement
• Take a photo of the dashboard showing the odometer and fuel gauge at pickup
• Refuel within approximately 10 miles of the Charleston Airport return location before dropping off the car
• Keep your final fuel receipt showing the date, time, and station address

If you return the vehicle below the recorded starting level, the hire company may charge you for the fuel shortfall at their own refuelling rate, which is typically higher than pump prices, plus a refuelling service fee.

South Carolina generally has fuel prices below the National average, which is a practical advantage when refuelling near Charleston Airport before your return. Some counters may offer an optional prepaid fuel plan; if you accept it, any unused fuel is typically non-refundable, so the Full-to-Full approach is usually the better value.

Yes, one-way hires are available from Charleston Airport, allowing you to return the vehicle at a different location. However, a drop-off fee may apply depending on the route, hire company, vehicle class, and season.

How one-way fees work for Charleston Airport hires:

• Same-city routes, such as Charleston Airport to downtown Charleston, often have no drop-off fee
• Routes to other cities or states typically carry a drop-off fee that varies by distance and vehicle class
• Cross-border one-ways, for example from Charleston Airport to a location in Canada, may be restricted or carry higher fees

During the booking process on the Hola Car Rentals website, any applicable drop-off fee for your Charleston Airport route will be shown on the rate details page under the To pay at destination section. This fee cannot be prepaid and is paid directly to the hire company at collection.

If you need to change your return location after booking, be aware that this may reprice your hire and recalculate the drop-off fee. Always confirm the fee shown on your booking confirmation matches what the counter presents at Charleston Airport.

When collecting a hire car at Charleston Airport, two main types of cover are worth understanding before you arrive at the counter.

Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) or Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) reduces your financial liability for damage to the hire vehicle itself, including collision, theft, and vandalism. A deductible may apply unless your confirmation explicitly states zero. CDW/LDW does not cover damage you cause to other vehicles or people.

Third-Party Liability (LIS/ALI/SLI) covers bodily injury and property damage you may cause to others while driving. In South Carolina, as in most U.S. states, there is no law requiring hire companies to include state-minimum liability cover by default, so this protection is not automatically guaranteed. Hola Car Rentals strongly recommends adding Liability Insurance Supplementary (up to US$300,000) to your Charleston Airport booking.

Key points to check before arriving at Charleston Airport:

• Review your booking confirmation to see which covers are included in your rate
• Confirm CDW/LDW and LIS/ALI/SLI are listed on the hire agreement at collection
• Add all drivers to the agreement, as cover applies only to named drivers
• Report any incident to the hire partner immediately using the number on your confirmation

CDW/LDW and LIS/ALI/SLI are separate protections. Pairing both gives you the most comprehensive cover for your Charleston Airport hire.