National Car Hire in Louisville

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

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

The National counter at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) is located on the lower level of the terminal, directly across from baggage claim C.

After landing, walk from your arrival gate to the baggage claim area, then proceed downstairs to the lower level. There is no off-site hire centre and no shuttle required at Louisville SDF, the National counter is inside the terminal building itself, making it a straightforward walk from baggage claim.

After-hours returns are also available at the National location, so if your flight arrives late you can still complete your pickup or drop-off. Always confirm your specific pickup time against the counter hours listed on your booking confirmation.

To pick up your National hire car in Louisville, you must bring the following physical documents to 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, for the authorisation hold
• A passport or valid government photo ID
• Your booking confirmation
• Round-trip flight or cruise tickets (required for visitors from outside the United States)

If your driver’s licence is not in English and does not use a Latin (Roman) alphabet, for example, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, or Cyrillic, an International Driving Permit (IDP) is mandatory alongside your original licence. For licences in English or a Latin alphabet, an IDP is recommended but not strictly required.

All documents must be physical originals. Digital copies shown on a phone or tablet are not accepted at the National counter in Louisville or at any other hire location.

Louisville uses a fully cashless toll system. There are no toll booths where you stop and pay, tolls are collected electronically by photographing your licence plate as you pass through.

The primary toll system in the Louisville area is RiverLink, which operates on the three bridges connecting Louisville and Southern Indiana: the John F. Kennedy Memorial Bridge, the Abraham Lincoln Bridge, and the Lewis and Clark Bridge. The system also accepts E-ZPass and Pay-By-Plate.

For National hire cars in Louisville, a pay-per-use TollPass programme applies:

• A daily convenience charge of approximately US$4.95 applies on any day you use a toll road, with a cap of around US$30 to US$34.65 per hire period
• Actual toll charges are added on top of the daily convenience fee, billed at the applicable video or highest undiscounted rate
• Toll charges are typically billed to your card on file within 4 to 6 weeks after the hire ends

To avoid the convenience charge, you may use your own personally owned transponder (confirm coverage with your issuer) or the NextPass app, which lets you add the hire vehicle’s plate directly. If you plan to use your own transponder, inform the National counter representative at pickup and ask them to deactivate the vehicle’s default toll device to prevent duplicate charges.

Yes, 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 Louisville hire.

This is especially useful in Louisville, where the RiverLink cashless toll system on the bridges to Indiana means toll charges can accumulate quickly, and National’s TollPass programme bills actual toll amounts plus a daily convenience fee.

To claim your Tolls Cashback after returning your National hire in Louisville:

• 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 hire agreement, and a receipt or statement showing the toll charges paid
• Include your full name, travel dates, and the last 4 digits of the card used for your booking

Refunds are processed to the original payment method and typically arrive within 7 to 10 business days after approval. Submissions received after 30 days are not accepted, so keep your toll receipts and act promptly after your Louisville trip.

The RiverLink toll system covers the three bridges between Louisville and Southern Indiana. Rates vary depending on how you pay:

• Small vehicles (cars, motorcycles) with a transponder: US$2.68 per crossing
• Small vehicles with a prepaid account: US$4.02 per crossing
• Small vehicles with no account (invoice/video toll): US$5.36 per crossing
• Medium vehicles (2 to 4 axles, over 7.5 feet): US$5.36 with transponder, US$8.04 prepaid, US$10.72 with no account

Because National hire cars in Louisville are enrolled in a pay-per-use TollPass programme, the toll amount billed is typically the higher video or undiscounted rate, plus the daily US$4.95 convenience charge on any day you cross a toll road.

If you plan to cross the Louisville bridges frequently, compare the cost of the TollPass programme against using your own transponder or the NextPass app, which may reduce the per-crossing toll rate. Always inform the National counter representative at pickup if you intend to use your own device, so the vehicle’s default toll programme can be deactivated and you avoid being charged twice.

Yes, Louisville has an extensive network of one-way streets, particularly in and around downtown, that can catch first-time visitors off guard when driving a National hire car.

Key things to know before driving in Louisville:

• Downtown numbered streets (1st through 8th) alternate one-way directions in a tight grid, so missing a turn can force a full block detour
• Several arterials are strictly one-way, including Baxter Avenue, Brook Street segments, Campbell Street, Logan Street, and Shelby Street
• Some streets are currently being converted from one-way to two-way as part of ongoing city projects, with construction on routes like Logan Street and Shelby Street expected to continue into 2026, meaning layouts may differ from older maps
• One-way streets in Louisville were historically designed for fast vehicle flow, so speeds can feel highway-like even in urban areas

Before setting out in your National hire car from Louisville, make sure your navigation app is updated and set to avoid one-way violations. If you miss a turn, do not attempt to reverse or go against traffic, simply follow the next available turn and reroute. Relying on a GPS or navigation add-on from National can help, especially if your phone data is limited.

You must present a physical, major credit card in the main driver’s name, with the driver’s name printed on the card, at the National counter in Louisville. The card is used to place a temporary authorisation hold, not an immediate charge.

Typical security deposit holds for standard vehicles at U.S. locations, including Louisville, are approximately US$300 to US$400. The exact amount depends on the vehicle class, hire duration, and National’s policy at the time of pickup.

Important points to keep in mind:

• Debit cards, prepaid cards, and virtual or single-use card numbers are not accepted for the deposit hold
• Digital wallets such as Apple Pay or Google Pay are not accepted at the counter for this purpose
• The card must have sufficient available credit to cover the hold in addition to any other charges
• Even if you prepaid your booking in full, a physical credit card is still required at pickup
• After you return the National hire car in Louisville, the hold is released, but your bank may take up to 15 business days to reflect the release

Notify your bank of your travel plans before arriving in Louisville to prevent the authorisation from being flagged as suspicious. Bringing a backup credit card in your name is also a good precaution.

Yes, National in Louisville applies a young-driver surcharge for renters between the ages of 21 and 24. The standard minimum age to hire without an additional fee in the United Kingdom is 25.

For National, Alamo, and Enterprise, the young-driver surcharge is US$15 per day, paid at the counter in Louisville. This fee is in addition to the base hire rate and applicable taxes.

Additional restrictions that apply to under-25 renters at National in Louisville:

• Certain vehicle classes are restricted to drivers aged 25 and older, including full-size vehicles, SUVs, minivans, luxury, premium, and convertible categories
• Economy, compact, and intermediate vehicles are generally available to younger renters
• The additional driver must also meet the minimum age requirements if you plan to add someone to the contract

Drivers aged 18 to 20 are generally not eligible to hire at National in Louisville, as Kentucky does not have the same exceptions as New York or Michigan, where state law requires hires to drivers 18 and older.

If you are 21 to 24 and hiring in Louisville, budget for the daily surcharge and confirm the vehicle class is available for your age group before completing your booking.

National hire cars in Louisville follow a Full-to-Full fuel policy. You receive the vehicle with a full tank and must return it full to avoid additional charges.

Steps to follow for a smooth fuel return in Louisville:

• At pickup, check the fuel gauge with the National 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 Louisville counter
• Refuel within approximately 10 miles 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
• For after-hours returns at Louisville SDF, leave the receipt in the return envelope and keep a photo of the full gauge on your phone

If you return the National hire car in Louisville with less than a full tank, you may be charged for the fuel shortfall at the partner’s refuelling rate, which is typically higher than the pump price, plus a refuelling service fee.

There are no toll-free or cashless fuel stations unique to Louisville, so plan your last fill-up near the airport or your return location before dropping off the vehicle.

Yes, you can add an additional driver to your National hire car in Louisville, either as part of your rate or by paying a fee at the counter.

For National, Alamo, and Enterprise, the additional driver fee is US$15 per day when not included in your rate. Some Hola Car Rentals rate plans include one additional driver at no extra cost, check your booking confirmation for the line that reads "Additional driver free of charge" to confirm.

Requirements for adding a driver at the National counter in Louisville:

• The additional driver must be present at pickup and show a valid driver’s licence
• They must meet the minimum age requirements for Louisville (25 years old, or 21 to 24 with a young-driver surcharge)
• If their licence is not in English or does not use a Latin alphabet, an International Driving Permit is also required
• Both the main driver and the additional driver must sign the hire agreement

Only drivers listed on the National hire agreement in Louisville are covered by the vehicle’s protections, including CDW/LDW and liability cover. If someone not named on the contract drives the vehicle, cover may be void and additional charges could apply.

Yes, hiring a National car directly at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) includes airport-related fees on top of the base hire rate. These are standard charges applied to all airport hire transactions in the United Kingdom.

Common fees added to National hires at Louisville SDF include:

• Airport Concession Recovery Fee (ACRF): typically around 10% of the base rate, charged by the airport for operating on airport property
• Customer Facility Charge (CFC): approximately US$4.50 per day, used to fund the hire facilities at the airport
• Kentucky state hire taxes and any applicable local surcharges

In total, airport fees and taxes at Louisville SDF can add approximately 25% to 35% to the base hire rate shown during booking. Your Hola Car Rentals confirmation will indicate which fees are included in the prepaid rate and which are due at the Louisville counter at pickup.

If you want to avoid some of these airport-specific fees, off-airport National or partner locations in Louisville may offer lower total costs, though you would need to arrange your own transport from the airport to the pickup location.

After-hours returns are available at the National location at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF). However, there are important liability considerations you should understand before leaving the vehicle unattended.

Key points for after-hours returns in Louisville:

• You remain fully responsible for the vehicle, including any damage or theft, until the National counter opens and the hire agreement is formally closed the following business day
• Follow the key drop instructions provided on your hire agreement or at the Louisville counter at pickup
• Take photos of the vehicle’s condition, the fuel gauge, and the odometer before leaving the car
• Keep your final fuel receipt to confirm the tank was returned full under the Full-to-Full policy
• If using a key drop box, place the keys and any required paperwork in the envelope provided

Because the National contract in Louisville is not closed until a staff member processes the return, any incidents that occur overnight between drop-off and contract closure could be attributed to your hire period. Documenting the vehicle’s condition thoroughly at the time of return is the best way to protect yourself from unexpected post-hire charges.

Yes, most bookings made through Hola Car Rentals include Travel Assistance provided by Terrawind Global Protection, and this applies to National hire cars in Louisville as well.

This benefit is particularly relevant in Louisville, where driving a National hire car on unfamiliar one-way streets or crossing the RiverLink bridges into Indiana could lead to unexpected situations requiring legal or medical support.

Coverage typically includes:

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

To reach assistance 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, call +1 888 980 9992 (toll-free) or contact Terrawind 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. It is designed for travellers visiting Louisville from other countries. It also does not cover damage to the National hire vehicle itself, that is handled separately by CDW/LDW coverage. Always review your booking confirmation for the exact terms and coverage limits that apply to your Louisville hire.