Car Hire
at Wilmington Airport

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

No. With Hola Car Rentals, all costs and charges for your booking at Wilmington 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 Wilmington 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 Wilmington Airport (ILM), all major hire desks are located on-terminal, directly across from baggage reclaim on the ground floor. No shuttle, people mover, or off-site Rental Car Centre is required.

Brands available on-terminal include Avis, Hertz, Budget, Enterprise, National, Thrifty, and Baker Automotive Rentals. Once you collect your luggage, simply walk across the baggage reclaim hall to reach the counters. Hire vehicles are parked approximately 50 yards from the terminal doors in an on-site lot, so you can drive away quickly after completing the paperwork.

The terminal address is 1740 Airport Blvd, Wilmington, NC 28405. Follow interior signage marked "Rental Car Facility" if you need additional guidance.

For international arrivals at Wilmington Airport, allow roughly 45 to 90 minutes from touchdown to driving away.

• Immigration and customs processing: 20 to 40 minutes
• Baggage reclaim and walk to hire desk: 5 to 10 minutes (desks are directly across from baggage reclaim, no shuttle needed)
• Desk paperwork and vehicle collection: 10 to 20 minutes (faster if you use an express or Fastbreak kiosk where eligible)

Delays can occur if you arrive without a reservation or during peak travel periods. Having your booking confirmation, driving licence, passport, and credit card ready before you reach the desk at Wilmington Airport will help speed up the process considerably.

Hire desk hours at Wilmington Airport vary by brand, and no overnight pickups are available.

• Enterprise: daily 8:00 AM to 11:59 PM
• Baker Automotive Rentals: daily 8:00 AM to midnight
• Budget and other major brands: hours are not published in full, but after-hours key drop is available

If your flight arrives outside operating hours at Wilmington Airport, you will need to wait until desks open or arrange alternative transport. For after-hours returns, most brands provide a key drop box at the desk. Park in the designated hire lot, lock the vehicle, and drop the keys. Note that you remain financially responsible for the vehicle until it is inspected the next working day.

Always confirm current hours directly with your hire brand before travelling, as hours can change on public holidays.

Yes, North Carolina operates all-electronic toll roads that renters driving from Wilmington Airport may encounter, particularly on longer trips towards Raleigh or Charlotte.

• Triangle Expressway (approximately 19 miles connecting Raleigh and Durham): up to US$3.60 electronically for a standard 2-axle vehicle, rising to US$4.05 to US$4.19 with NC Quick Pass as of January 2026
• Monroe Expressway (near Charlotte via US Highway 74): up to US$2.66 electronically or US$4.10 by post for a 2-axle vehicle

All toll roads in North Carolina are fully cashless. No toll booths exist. Payment is accepted via NC Quick Pass, E-ZPass, SunPass, or Peach Pass. If you do not have these, the toll agency photographs your number plate and mails an invoice to the registered owner of the vehicle, which the hire company then passes on to you, often with an administrative fee.

Your hire vehicle from Wilmington Airport will include an electronic toll device. At the desk you can choose an unlimited daily toll package (typically US$11 to US$25 per day depending on the brand) or pay per use. NC Quick Pass holders receive a 35% discount off the bill-by-mail rate.

To collect your hire car at Wilmington Airport, bring the following physical documents. Digital copies are not accepted at the desk.

• Valid, unexpired driving licence (original, not a photocopy)
• Passport or government-issued photo ID
• Major credit card in the main driver’s name, with the name printed on the physical card, for the security deposit authorisation
• Your booking confirmation or printed voucher
• Round-trip flight or cruise tickets (required for visitors from outside the US)

If your driving licence uses a non-Latin alphabet such as Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, or Cyrillic, an International Driving Permit (IDP) is mandatory at Wilmington Airport. For licences in Roman-alphabet languages other than English (for example, Spanish or German), an IDP is recommended but not strictly required. The IDP is a translation document only and must be presented alongside your original licence, never alone.

Prepaid cards and debit cards are not accepted for the security deposit. Bring a backup credit card in your name in case your primary card is declined.

Yes, every booking includes Tolls Cashback, which reimburses up to 5% of your total booking value for tolls paid during your hire at Wilmington Airport or on any North Carolina toll road you use during your trip.

North Carolina uses all-electronic tolling on roads such as the Triangle Expressway and Monroe Expressway, so toll charges will appear on your hire invoice or transponder statement. Keep those documents, as you will need them to claim your cashback.

To claim after returning your vehicle at Wilmington Airport:

• 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 confirmation, the signed hire agreement, and a toll receipt or itemised invoice showing charges paid

For example: if your booking total is US$500, the cap is US$25. If you paid US$18 in tolls, you receive US$18 back. If you paid US$40, you receive US$25. Refunds are issued to your original payment method within 7 to 10 working days after approval. Late submissions beyond 30 days are not accepted.

It depends on the alphabet your driving licence uses.

At Wilmington Airport, an International Driving Permit (IDP) is required if your home country licence uses a non-Latin alphabet such as Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, or Cyrillic. Without it, the hire desk will not accept your licence and you will not be able to take the vehicle.

If your licence is written in a Roman-alphabet language other than English (for example, Spanish, French, German, or Portuguese), an IDP is recommended but not strictly required. Bringing one avoids any potential issues at the desk.

• The IDP is a translation document only. It must be presented together with your original home country licence
• An IDP alone is never sufficient to hire a vehicle at Wilmington Airport
• Obtain your IDP in your home country before travelling. US-based organisations such as AAA do not issue IDPs to non-US licence holders

All documents presented at the Wilmington Airport desk must be physical originals. Digital or photocopied versions are not accepted.

Yes, after-hours returns are available at Wilmington Airport for most major brands, using a key drop process.

• Drive to the on-site hire lot, approximately 50 yards from the terminal, and park in the designated hire return spaces
• Note the mileage and fuel level before leaving the vehicle
• Lock the vehicle and place the keys in the key drop box located at the hire desk (available at Enterprise, Budget, and other brands)
• Keep a copy of your hire agreement and take a photo of the fuel gauge and odometer as evidence

Important: when you use the key drop at Wilmington Airport, you remain financially responsible for the vehicle until a staff member inspects it the next working day. Any damage or theft discovered during that window may be attributed to you. If you are on a Full-to-Full fuel policy, refuel within approximately 10 miles of Wilmington Airport before dropping off, and keep your receipt.

For Fastbreak members, the hire closure is typically handled by post after inspection.

At Wilmington Airport, hire companies place a temporary authorisation hold on your credit card at collection. For standard vehicles in the United States, this hold is typically US$300 to US$400, though the exact amount varies by brand, vehicle class, and season.

Baker Automotive Rentals, which operates exclusively at Wilmington Airport, requires a US$400 security deposit on top of hire costs. Confirm the exact hold amount with your chosen brand at the desk before signing.

• The hold is not a charge. It temporarily reduces your available credit until the hire concludes and your bank releases it
• Banks can take up to 15 working days to reflect the release after the vehicle is returned
• Only a physical major credit card in the main driver’s name is accepted for the deposit. Debit cards, prepaid cards, and virtual cards are not accepted

Bring a backup credit card to Wilmington Airport in case your primary card is declined or does not have sufficient available credit to cover both the hold and any expected charges.

Yes, drivers aged 21 to 24 are subject to a daily young-renter surcharge when collecting a vehicle at Wilmington Airport. North Carolina follows standard US hire policy, where 25 is the threshold for surcharge-free rentals.

• Avis, Budget, and Payless: US$13 per rental day plus taxes, capped at US$65 plus taxes per rental
• Hertz, Thrifty, and Dollar: US$13.50 per rental day plus taxes, capped at US$189 plus taxes
• Alamo, National, and Enterprise: US$15 per day plus taxes (no published cap)

In addition to the surcharge, most vehicle classes are restricted for under-25 drivers at Wilmington Airport. Economy, compact, medium saloon, standard saloon, compact SUV, and medium SUV categories are generally available. Premium, luxury, full-size SUV, minivan, and convertible classes typically require the main driver to be at least 25.

Drivers under 21 cannot hire at Wilmington Airport. The minimum age is 21 for most brands. A valid driving licence and a major credit card in the renter’s name are still required regardless of age.

Yes, you can add an additional driver to your hire at Wilmington Airport, but the additional driver must be physically present at the desk at the time of collection to show their valid driving licence and sign the hire agreement.

Fees vary by brand when an additional driver is not already included in your rate:

• Avis, Budget, and Payless: US$13 per rental day plus taxes, capped at US$65 plus taxes
• Hertz, Thrifty, and Dollar: US$13.50 per rental 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 Wilmington Airport. If your rate includes "Additional driver free of charge," no fee applies for the first extra driver. All additional drivers must meet the same 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 Wilmington Airport are covered by the vehicle’s protections such as CDW/LDW and liability cover. Never allow an unlisted person to drive the vehicle.

The standard fuel policy for hires at Wilmington Airport is Full-to-Full. You receive the vehicle with a full tank and must return it full to avoid charges.

• At collection, verify the fuel gauge with the agent and confirm the starting level is recorded on the hire agreement. Take a photo of the dashboard
• During your hire, use the correct fuel type (petrol or diesel) as specified in the agreement
• Before returning to Wilmington Airport, refuel within approximately 10 miles of the terminal so the gauge does not drop below full en route
• 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 will charge you for the fuel shortfall at their own refuelling rate, which is typically higher than retail pump prices, plus an administrative fee.

Some counters at Wilmington Airport may offer an optional Prepaid Fuel plan (Full-to-Empty). If you accept it, any unused fuel is non-refundable. The Full-to-Full policy is generally the better value if you plan to refuel near the airport before return.

Yes, most bookings include travel assistance through Terrawind Global Protection, which can be valuable if you experience a medical emergency or other covered incident while driving near Wilmington Airport or anywhere during your hire period.

Coverage typically includes:

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

This benefit does not cover damage to the hire vehicle (that is handled by CDW/LDW) or third-party liability to others (covered by LIS/SLI/ALI). Pre-existing medical conditions are also excluded.

Important: this cover applies only to travellers who are not residents of the United States or Canada. US and Canadian residents do not qualify for this benefit.

If you need assistance while driving near Wilmington Airport or on North Carolina roads, contact Terrawind 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Provide your full name and your Hola Car Rentals confirmation number (for example, HOLA1000000) when you call. Always contact the assistance line before incurring expenses, as some reimbursements require prior authorisation.