Car Hire at San Jose Airport

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

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

All hire car companies at San Jose Airport operate from a single off-site Rental Car Centre (RCC) located at 1639 Airport Boulevard, directly across from Terminal B. There is no people mover or automated train, so you reach the RCC either on foot or by shuttle.

• Terminal B arrivals (Alaska, Hawaiian, Southwest): After collecting your luggage, exit baggage claim and walk across Airport Boulevard at the marked pedestrian crossings directly to the RCC. The walk takes only a few minutes.
• Terminal A or International Arrivals: Follow the "Hire Car Shuttle" signs on the ground level (departures side). A free common airport shuttle bus departs every 10 minutes from 7 AM to 10 PM and every 20 minutes from 10 PM to midnight. The journey takes approximately 8 minutes.

Once inside the RCC at San Jose Airport, locate your brand's counter (Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National, and others are all represented), present your reservation confirmation, driver’s licence, passport, and credit card, complete the paperwork, and collect your keys.

Counter hours at the San Jose Airport RCC vary by company but generally run from 6:00 AM to midnight. Confirm your brand's specific hours before arrival.

To collect your hire car at San Jose Airport, you must present the following physical documents at the counter. Digital copies are not accepted.

• Valid driver’s licence (original, unexpired) in the main driver’s name.
• Passport or valid government-issued photo ID. At airport locations, an additional form of ID beyond your licence is typically required, such as your passport or a round-trip flight itinerary showing your return date.
• A major credit card with the driver’s name printed on the card, in the main driver’s name, for the authorisation hold. Debit and prepaid cards are not accepted for the deposit.
• Your booking confirmation or printed voucher.
• Round-trip flight tickets or travel itinerary (required for visitors arriving from abroad).

If your driver’s licence uses a non-Latin alphabet (for example, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, or Cyrillic), you must also carry an International Driving Permit (IDP) as a translation. The IDP is not a standalone document and must be presented alongside your original licence.

Picking up at San Jose Airport follows the same document rules as other UK airports, but having everything physical and ready before reaching the RCC counter will speed up the process significantly.

Hiring at San Jose Airport adds several location-specific fees on top of your base rate. The most notable is the Customer Facility Charge (CFC), which funds the Consolidated Hire Car Centre shuttle and infrastructure.

• Customer Facility Charge (CFC): GBP 9 per hire day, capped at 5 days (approximately GBP 45 maximum). This is specific to San Jose Airport and is charged separately from your prepaid rate.
• Airport concession recovery fees: Standard charges applied by the airport authority to all on-airport hire transactions.
• San Jose combined sales tax: 9.38% (state, county, and city combined), applied to hire charges.
• Energy recovery surcharge: Typically GBP 4.99 to GBP 6.79 per day depending on the partner brand.

These fees are payable at the counter at San Jose Airport and are separate from what you prepaid online. Your booking confirmation will show which taxes and fees are included in your prepaid rate and which are due locally. If your confirmation states "Taxes and Fees: Included," you should not be billed again for those items at the San Jose Airport counter.

California uses FasTrak, a statewide electronic toll system, on all toll roads, bridges, and express lanes near San Jose Airport. There are virtually no cash toll booths, so every hire vehicle comes equipped with an electronic toll device or plate-based billing system.

At the San Jose Airport counter, you will typically be offered two options:

• Unlimited toll package: A fixed daily fee (approximately US$11 to US$25 per day depending on the partner brand) that covers all tolls during your hire period.
• Pay per use: If you decline the package, the hire company charges you the actual toll amounts plus administrative processing fees. These charges often appear on your card days or even weeks after you return the vehicle.

Common toll costs near San Jose Airport include Bay Area bridge crossings at approximately US$7 to US$15 each. The Bay Bridge (westbound) costs approximately US$8.50 with FasTrak, and the Golden Gate Bridge costs US$9.75 with FasTrak and US$10.75 without. Express lanes on routes such as I-580 and I-680 use dynamic pricing and require a FasTrak transponder.

If you prefer to pay tolls yourself, you can opt out of the hire company's programme at the San Jose Airport counter and pay directly through the FasTrak website or app. Inform the agent so they can note your preference and help avoid duplicate charges.

Yes, all bookings made through Hola Car Rentals include Tolls Cashback, which applies to hires picked up at San Jose Airport and anywhere else you drive during your trip.

The benefit reimburses the lesser of the total tolls you paid or up to 5% of your total booking value. For example, if your booking total is GBP 500, the maximum cashback is GBP 25. If you paid GBP 18 in Bay Area bridge tolls near San Jose Airport, you receive GBP 18 back. If you paid GBP 60, you receive GBP 25 (the cap).

To claim your Tolls Cashback after a San Jose Airport hire:

• Email [email protected] within 30 days of returning the vehicle.
• Use the subject line: Tolls Cashback - Reservation [Your Confirmation Number].
• Attach your Hola Car Rentals booking confirmation, the hire agreement signed at the San Jose Airport counter, and a toll receipt or statement showing charges paid during your hire.
• Include your full name, travel dates, and the last 4 digits of the card used for your booking.

Refunds are issued to the original payment method and typically process within 7 to 10 working days after approval. Late submissions received after 30 days are not accepted.

Yes, a major credit card in the main driver’s name with the driver’s name printed on the card is required at the San Jose Airport hire counter. Debit cards, prepaid cards, and virtual or single-use card numbers are not accepted for the authorisation hold.

Even if you prepaid your booking online, you must still present a physical credit card at the San Jose Airport counter when you collect the vehicle. The hire company will place a temporary authorisation hold on the card, which reduces your available credit until the hire is concluded and your bank releases the hold.

• Typical hold amounts in the UK: approximately GBP 240 to GBP 320 for standard vehicles, though amounts vary by brand, vehicle class, and hire duration.
• The hold is not a charge. It is released after you return the vehicle, but your bank may take up to 15 working days to reflect the release.
• The card must be in the main driver’s name. A third-party’s card is not accepted.

To avoid issues at the San Jose Airport hire desk, notify your bank of your travel dates in advance, confirm the card is enabled for in-person UK transactions, and bring a backup credit card in your name.

An International Driving Permit (IDP) is not always required to hire a car at San Jose Airport, but it is strongly recommended in certain situations and mandatory in others.

• If your driver’s licence uses a non-Latin alphabet (for example, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, or Cyrillic/Russian), an IDP is mandatory at San Jose Airport. Without it, the hire counter may refuse to complete the transaction.
• If your licence is in a Latin alphabet but not in English, an IDP is recommended as a translation, though not always strictly required by every partner brand at San Jose Airport.
• If your licence is in English or issued by an EU or EEA country, an IDP is generally not needed.

The IDP is a translation booklet only. It is not a standalone licence and must always be carried together with your original driver’s licence. You must obtain the IDP in your home country before travelling, as it cannot be issued abroad.

At San Jose Airport, the hire counter may also ask for an additional form of ID alongside your licence, such as your passport or a round-trip flight itinerary. Bring both your licence and IDP (if applicable) as physical documents, since digital copies are not accepted.

The minimum age to hire a car at San Jose Airport without a young-driver surcharge is 25. Drivers aged 21 to 24 can hire but will be charged a daily young-renter surcharge, and most vehicle classes are restricted to drivers 25 and older.

• Ages 25 and above: No age surcharge. All vehicle classes available (subject to availability).
• Ages 21 to 24: Young-renter surcharge applies daily. Restricted to smaller classes such as Economy, Compact, and Intermediate SUV. Premium, luxury, full-size SUV, minivan, and convertible categories are generally not available.
• Ages under 21: Not permitted to hire at San Jose Airport under standard UK rules (California is not New York or Michigan, where 18-plus laws apply).

Young-renter surcharge amounts vary by partner brand at the San Jose Airport counter. As a general guide, Avis, Budget, and Payless charge approximately GBP 10 per day (capped at GBP 50), while Alamo, National, and Enterprise charge approximately GBP 12 per day.

If you are 21 to 24 and from Latin America or the Caribbean, certain Hola Car Rentals rates with Avis or Budget may waive the underage fee. Check your booking confirmation to see if this waiver is shown before arriving at San Jose Airport.

Most bookings made through Hola Car Rentals include travel assistance provided by Terrawind Global Protection, which can be valuable if something goes wrong during your trip from San Jose Airport, such as a medical emergency on a Bay Area highway or a flight cancellation on your way home.

Core benefits typically include:

• Travel and medical cover for up to 5 passengers per event.
• Legal assistance in the event of a road accident.
• Compensation for luggage lost by the airline.
• Flight cancellation insurance.

This cover is designed for travellers renting abroad and is active for the dates shown on your Hola Car Rentals confirmation. It does not cover damage to the hire vehicle (that is CDW/LDW) or third-party liability (that is LIS/ALI/SLI).

Important: This benefit does not apply to residents of the United Kingdom or Canada. If you are a UK or Canadian resident collecting at San Jose Airport, this cover is not available to you.

To contact assistance 24 hours a day: call +1 888 980 9992 (toll-free), WhatsApp +1 208 910 1001, or email [email protected]. Have your Hola Car Rentals confirmation number ready when you call.

For international arrivals at San Jose Airport, you should allow approximately 30 to 90 minutes from landing to driving away, depending on immigration wait times and how busy the hire desk is.

• Immigration and customs: Variable. International arrivals clear through the International Arrivals Building adjacent to Terminal A. This step alone can take 20 to 60 minutes during peak periods.
• Baggage reclaim: Approximately 10 to 20 minutes after clearing customs.
• Shuttle or walk to the Rental Car Centre: Terminal B arrivals walk across Airport Boulevard in a few minutes. Terminal A and international arrivals take the free shuttle bus, which runs every 10 minutes from 7 AM to 10 PM and takes approximately 8 minutes.
• Counter check-in at the San Jose Airport RCC: Approximately 15 to 30 minutes to present documents, complete paperwork, select insurance options, provide the deposit, and receive keys.

To minimise delays at San Jose Airport, have your booking confirmation, passport, driver’s licence, and credit card ready before you reach the counter. Arriving during off-peak hours (mid-morning on weekdays) generally results in shorter queues at both immigration and the hire desk.

Returning your hire car at San Jose Airport is straightforward. All brands return to the same Rental Car Centre (RCC) at 1639 Airport Boulevard, across from Terminal B.

• Follow the signs for "Hire Car Return" as you approach San Jose Airport. Drive up the ramp inside the RCC to the designated floor or lane for your brand.
• A staff member will inspect the vehicle and close out your contract. Keep your final receipt as proof of return condition and fuel level.
• After-hours returns: Drive to the secured RCC lot, leave the keys and contract in the vehicle or in the key drop box at the check-in lanes, and remove all personal belongings. Staff will inspect the vehicle when they arrive and close the contract at that time.

Fuel policy at San Jose Airport follows the standard Full-to-Full rule. You receive the car with a full tank and must return it full to avoid a refuelling charge at the partner's rate, which is typically higher than pump prices. Refill within approximately 10 miles of the San Jose Airport RCC before returning, and keep your receipt as proof.

If you return the vehicle more than 30 minutes late beyond your scheduled drop-off time, additional hourly or daily charges may apply. Confirm the exact grace period with your hire company at collection.

When collecting a hire car at San Jose Airport, you will typically be offered two main types of cover at the desk. Understanding what each covers helps you avoid paying for duplicates or leaving yourself unprotected.

• Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) or Loss Damage Waiver (LDW): Reduces your financial liability for damage to the hire vehicle itself, including theft and vandalism. A deductible may apply unless your confirmation shows zero excess. CDW/LDW does not cover damage caused to other vehicles or persons.
• Third-Party Liability (LIS/ALI/SLI): Covers bodily injury and property damage you may cause to others while driving. In California, some minimum liability is included by law, but limits may be low. Adding supplementary liability (up to GBP 240,000) is strongly recommended for driving on Bay Area highways near San Jose Airport.

CDW/LDW does not cover tyres, undercarriage, roof damage, or personal belongings. These exclusions are common across all partner brands at San Jose Airport.

Check your booking confirmation before arriving at San Jose Airport. If your rate already includes CDW/LDW, you do not need to purchase it again at the desk. Declining cover you already have is one of the most common and costly mistakes renters make.

Yes, you can add an extra driver to your hire car at the San Jose Airport desk, but the additional driver must be physically present at collection with a valid driver’s licence and any required ID.

Whether the extra driver is free or paid depends on your booking:

• If your booking confirmation states "Extra driver free of charge" or "Extra driver included," the first additional driver costs nothing at the San Jose Airport desk.
• If not included, daily fees apply: Avis, Budget, and Payless charge approximately GBP 10 per day (capped at GBP 50); Hertz, Dollar, and Thrifty charge approximately GBP 10.50 per day (capped at GBP 147); Alamo, National, and Enterprise charge approximately GBP 12 per day. These fees are payable at the desk and are subject to local taxes.

At San Jose Airport, additional drivers for Avis, Budget, and Payless must generally be at least 25 years old. For other brands, the additional driver must meet the same minimum age and document requirements as the main driver, including an IDP if their licence uses a non-Latin alphabet.

Only drivers listed on the hire agreement at San Jose Airport are covered by CDW/LDW and liability protections. Anyone not named on the contract who drives the vehicle may invalidate your cover entirely.