Car Hire
in Louisiana

EASTER  45% OFF   

Hola Car Rentals is the only premium partner of the top car hire brands operating in Louisiana, 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 Louisiana.

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

To pick up a hire car in Louisiana, you must present all of the following physical documents at the counter:

• A valid, original driver’s licence in the main driver’s name
• A major credit card with the driver’s name printed on the card (debit and prepaid cards are not accepted for the security deposit)
• A passport or valid government-issued photo ID
• Your booking confirmation or printed voucher
• Round-trip flight or cruise tickets if you are visiting Louisiana from abroad

If your driver’s licence uses a non-Latin alphabet such as Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, or Cyrillic, an International Driving Permit (IDP) is mandatory and must be carried alongside your original licence. For licences in other non-English scripts, an IDP is strongly recommended. The IDP is a translation only and is never valid on its own.

All documents must be physical. Digital copies shown on a phone or tablet are not accepted at any Louisiana hire counter.

Yes, a major credit card is required to hire a car in Louisiana. 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 placed at pickup.

For standard vehicles hired in Louisiana, the authorisation hold is typically around US$300 to US$400, though the exact amount varies by hire brand, location, and vehicle class. The hold is a temporary authorisation, not a charge, and is released after you return the vehicle. Your bank controls how quickly the funds become available again, which can take up to 15 working days.

• Debit cards are not accepted for the deposit hold
• Prepaid or virtual cards are not accepted
• The card must belong to the main driver, not a third party

It is advisable to bring a backup credit card in your own name in case your primary card is declined, and to notify your bank of your travel to Louisiana to prevent fraud blocks on the authorisation.

Yes, Louisiana has a small number of toll roads, primarily bridges, rather than a statewide electronic toll network. The most notable is the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway connecting Metairie to Mandeville, which charges approximately US$5.00 one-way for a standard two-axle vehicle. Other crossings such as certain bridges and ferry routes typically cost US$1.00 to US$3.00 per crossing.

Unlike states such as Florida or Texas, Louisiana does not operate a major interoperable electronic toll system. Many toll points accept cash at booths, while some cashless segments bill by photographing the licence plate.

Hire vehicles in Louisiana come equipped with an electronic toll device or are enrolled in a plate-based billing programme. At the counter you have two options:

• Purchase an unlimited toll package, typically US$11 to US$25 per day depending on the hire brand
• Decline the package and pay per use, in which case the hire company charges you the actual toll plus an administrative processing fee per day tolls are incurred

If you do not enrol and the hire company receives a plate invoice from a Louisiana toll authority, they will charge the toll at the highest undiscounted rate plus an administrative fee. To avoid this on the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway and similar crossings, paying cash at the booth where available is a straightforward option.

Yes, all bookings include Tolls Cashback, which reimburses up to 5% of your total booking value for tolls paid during your Louisiana hire. This applies whether you pay cash at a Louisiana toll booth such as the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway or are billed through the hire company’s toll programme.

To claim your cashback after returning the vehicle in Louisiana, email [email protected] within 30 days of return with the following:

• Your Hola Car Rentals reservation confirmation
• A copy of the hire agreement signed at pickup
• A receipt or statement showing the toll charges paid

Use the subject line: Tolls Cashback - HOLA followed by your confirmation number. Include your full name, travel dates, and the last four digits of the card used for your booking.

The refund is processed to your original payment method and typically arrives within 7 to 10 working days after approval. Claims submitted more than 30 days after vehicle return are not accepted. The cashback does not mean tolls are included in your rate; you still pay tolls normally and claim reimbursement afterwards.

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

Vehicle classes typically unavailable to under-25 drivers in Louisiana include full-size saloons, SUVs, minivans, vans, convertibles, luxury, and premium categories. Economy, compact, and intermediate vehicles are generally the available options for younger drivers.

• Avis and Budget: young-driver surcharge applies for drivers aged 21 to 24; additional drivers aged 21 to 24 may not be accepted or may incur a separate fee
• Hertz, Dollar, Thrifty: daily surcharge applies for under-25 drivers
• Alamo, National, Enterprise: daily surcharge applies for under-25 drivers

Drivers from Latin America and the Caribbean aged 21 to 24 may qualify for a young-driver fee waiver on eligible Avis and Budget rates in Louisiana, provided the waiver is explicitly shown on the booking confirmation and the vehicle belongs to an eligible category. Check your confirmation carefully or contact customer service to verify eligibility before arriving at the Louisiana counter.

The standard fuel policy for hire cars in Louisiana is Full-to-Full. You receive the vehicle with a full tank and must return it full to avoid additional charges.

At pickup in Louisiana, check the fuel gauge with the agent and confirm the starting level is recorded on the hire agreement. Take a photo of the dashboard showing the odometer and fuel gauge before leaving the lot.

When returning your Louisiana hire vehicle, refuel within approximately 10 miles or 15 kilometres of the return location so the gauge does not drop before you arrive. 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 pump prices, plus a service fee
• Use the correct fuel type for the vehicle; wrong-fuel incidents are not covered by the fuel policy
• For after-hours returns at Louisiana locations, leave the receipt in the key envelope and keep a photo of the full gauge on your phone

Ask the agent at pickup to recommend the nearest petrol station to the return location, or use a navigation app to find one close by before your return appointment.

Louisiana has several driving rules that are important to know before getting behind the wheel of a hire car.

Handheld mobile phone use is banned statewide in Louisiana, including calls, texting, and social media, except when using a hands-free device or in a genuine emergency. Fines start at US$500 and are doubled in school zones, construction zones, or if a crash occurs. Headphones are also illegal while driving in Louisiana, except for hearing aids. These penalties are among the strictest in the United States.

• Right turns on red are permitted after a complete stop unless a sign prohibits it
• The default speed limit in Louisiana is 55 mph unless posted otherwise; motorways may be signed at 65 to 75 mph
• Driving slowly in the left lane on Louisiana motorways can result in fines of US$150 or more
• Headlights are required from sunset to sunrise and during poor weather conditions

Rural and coastal roads in Louisiana, particularly along I-10 and I-49, can be affected by wildlife crossings, washouts, and road debris. Exercise caution on these routes, especially after storms. Louisiana also enforces a move-over law requiring drivers to change lanes or reduce speed when passing emergency vehicles stopped on the roadside.

When picking up a hire car at a Louisiana airport, expect additional fees on top of the base rate. These charges are standard across U.S. airport hire locations and are not unique to any one hire brand.

Common fees at Louisiana airports such as Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) and Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport (BTR) include:

• Airport concession recovery fee: typically 7.5% to 10% of the hire cost, charged by the hire company to recover the fee it pays the airport for operating on-site
• Customer facility charge (CFC): approximately US$3.00 to US$5.52 per hire day, covering the cost of the consolidated hire facility or shuttle infrastructure
• State and local hire taxes: Louisiana applies state hire taxes plus parish-level surcharges, which can add up to 2% to 3% in areas such as Orleans Parish

Combined, airport-specific fees and taxes in Louisiana can add 10% to 20% above the base rate shown during booking. If you want to reduce these fees, hiring from an off-airport location in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, or Shreveport can save US$10 to US$30 per day, as off-airport locations do not carry the airport concession recovery fee or CFC. Your booking confirmation will show which fees are included in your prepaid rate and which are due at the Louisiana counter.

Yes, you can add an additional driver to your Louisiana hire car, either at no cost if your rate includes it or for a daily fee paid at the counter.

The additional driver must be present at the Louisiana pickup counter with a valid driver’s licence and any required identification. They must sign the hire agreement before driving the vehicle. If their licence uses a non-Latin alphabet, they will also need an International Driving Permit.

If the additional driver fee is not included in your rate, typical daily charges in Louisiana are:

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

For Avis, Budget, and Payless hires in Louisiana, additional drivers must generally be at least 25 years old. Only drivers listed on the hire agreement are covered by the vehicle’s protections such as CDW and liability cover. Anyone who drives the Louisiana hire without being named on the contract may void those protections entirely.

Yes, one-way hires from Louisiana to another state are generally available, but a drop-off fee may apply depending on the route, hire brand, vehicle class, and season.

The drop-off fee is route-specific and is shown during the booking process under the section listing charges due at the destination. It is not included in any rate plan and cannot be prepaid. Common patterns for Louisiana one-way hires include:

• Louisiana to a neighbouring state such as Texas, Mississippi, or Florida: a drop-off fee typically applies and varies by distance and vehicle class
• Between cities within Louisiana, such as New Orleans to Baton Rouge: a fee may or may not apply depending on the hire brand
• Long-distance or cross-country routes from Louisiana: fees are usually higher and some vehicle classes may not be available for one-way travel

Cross-border hires from Louisiana into Mexico or Canada are generally restricted or not permitted. Always check the terms on your booking confirmation before agreeing to a one-way hire.

If the counter charges a drop-off fee that was not disclosed on your confirmation, keep all paperwork and contact support after the hire. The No Extra Charges© guarantee covers undisclosed fees that were not shown during the Louisiana booking process.

If your flight to Louisiana is delayed, hire companies will generally hold your reservation for up to 24 hours from the original scheduled pickup time, provided the counter is still open when you arrive.

If your delay is less than 24 hours, your Louisiana booking should be protected. Make sure you arrive during the counter’s operating hours, as after-hours arrivals may not be accommodated at all Louisiana locations.

• If the delay is less than 24 hours: proceed to the Louisiana hire counter as soon as you land; your reservation will typically be held
• If the delay exceeds 24 hours: contact customer support via WhatsApp at the number on your booking confirmation or by email at [email protected] as soon as possible to discuss options

Counter hours at Louisiana airports vary by brand and location. It is worth confirming the operating hours for your specific Louisiana pickup location before you travel, particularly for late-night arrivals at smaller airports such as Baton Rouge Metropolitan (BTR), Lafayette Regional (LFT), or Shreveport Regional (SHV), where hours may be more limited than at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International (MSY).

Yes, most bookings include travel assistance through Terrawind Global Protection, which can be valuable if you experience an emergency while driving in Louisiana, including on remote stretches of I-10, I-49, or coastal roads where help may be harder to reach quickly.

The travel assistance benefit typically covers:

• Medical cover for up to 5 passengers for accidents and non-pre-existing illnesses
• Legal assistance in the event of a road accident in Louisiana
• Compensation for luggage lost by the airline
• Flight cancellation insurance

To reach the assistance team 24 hours a day, call +1 888 980 9992 (toll-free) or contact them via WhatsApp at +1 208 910 1001. Have your Hola Car Rentals confirmation number ready when you call.

Important: this travel assistance benefit does not apply to residents of the United States or Canada. If you are a US or Canadian resident hiring in Louisiana, this coverage is not available to you. It also does not cover damage to the hire vehicle itself, which is handled separately by CDW or LDW, or third-party liability, which requires LIS or SLI cover. Always review your booking confirmation to confirm which benefits are included in your specific Louisiana reservation.

When hiring a car in Louisiana, there are two main types of protection to consider: cover for the hire vehicle itself and cover for damage or injury you may cause to others.

Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) or Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) reduces your financial liability if the hire car is damaged or stolen during your Louisiana hire. A deductible may still apply unless your confirmation explicitly states zero deductible. CDW and LDW do not cover third parties.

Third-Party Liability cover (LIS, ALI, or SLI) protects you if you injure someone or damage another person’s property while driving in Louisiana. Not all U.S. states require hire companies to include minimum liability cover, so it is important to confirm what is included in your Louisiana hire agreement.

• CDW or LDW: covers the hire vehicle for collision, theft, and vandalism, subject to exclusions such as off-road use, unauthorised drivers, or prohibited areas
• LIS or SLI: covers bodily injury and property damage to third parties; strongly recommended for driving in Louisiana
• Neither CDW nor LIS covers your personal injuries (that requires PAI) or your belongings (that requires PEC)

Only drivers named on the Louisiana hire agreement are covered by these protections. Adding all drivers at the counter is essential before anyone else gets behind the wheel.