Thrifty Car Hire
in St. Louis

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

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

Thrifty operates an off-airport hire facility at 4174 Cypress Rd, Saint Ann, MO 63074, approximately 0.7 miles from the St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL) terminal. You do not walk or take a train; you must board a shuttle bus from the terminal to reach the Thrifty lot.

• After collecting your luggage, follow signs to the hire car shuttle area outside the terminal
• Board the Thrifty shuttle and expect a wait of 15 to 30 minutes or more based on customer reports
• Total time from landing to driving away is typically 45 to 90 minutes, factoring in the shuttle ride and counter processing

When returning your vehicle in St. Louis, drop it at the same 4174 Cypress Rd lot and take the shuttle back to the terminal, allowing at least 15 minutes for the return shuttle wait before your flight.

The Thrifty counter at St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL) keeps the following hours:

• Sunday: 06:00 to 23:00
• Monday through Thursday: 05:00 to 23:00
• Friday and Saturday: 06:00 to 21:00

If your flight arrives outside these windows, no staffed Thrifty counter will be available at the St. Louis location. Plan your arrival accordingly, and if you anticipate a late arrival, contact Thrifty in advance to confirm whether any after-hours arrangements can be made. Hire companies will generally hold your booking for up to 24 hours from the original pickup time if your flight is delayed, provided you arrive within service hours.

Thrifty has two locations serving the St. Louis area, and they work quite differently.

• Airport location (4174 Cypress Rd, Saint Ann, MO 63074): requires a shuttle from the STL terminal; expect 45 to 90 minutes total from arrival to driving away
• Kirkwood location (960 N Kirkwood Rd, St. Louis, MO 63122): a neighbourhood site with no shuttle required; located roughly 13 to 14 miles from downtown landmarks such as the Gateway Arch

If you are arriving by plane, the Thrifty airport location is the most direct option, though the shuttle adds time. The Kirkwood location may suit you if you are already in the St. Louis area and prefer a quicker counter experience without shuttle waits. Confirm hours and availability directly with the Kirkwood branch before heading there.

Missouri has almost no toll infrastructure, which makes driving a Thrifty hire in and around St. Louis straightforward from a tolls perspective.

The only toll facility in the entire state is the Lake of the Ozarks Community Bridge on State Highway MM, which is reachable from St. Louis if you drive towards the lake region. Key facts about this toll:

• Cash only at the booth; no electronic transponders or cashless payment options are accepted
• Standard hire cars (2-axle passenger vehicles) pay US$3.00 during summer months (May through September) and US$2.00 at other times
• Because the bridge rejects transponders, Thrifty's optional toll programmes available in other states are not relevant for St. Louis driving

There are no congestion charges, emissions zones, or city-centre driving fees in St. Louis or anywhere in Missouri. If you stay within the St. Louis metro area during your Thrifty hire, you will encounter no tolls at all.

When collecting your Thrifty hire in St. Louis, bring all of the following physical documents:

• Your original, unexpired driver’s licence in the main driver’s name
• An International Driving Permit (IDP) if your licence uses a non-Latin alphabet such as Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, or Cyrillic; an IDP is also recommended if your licence is not in English and not issued by an EU/EEA country
• A major credit card with the driver’s name printed on the card, in the main driver’s name, for the authorisation hold
• Your passport or valid government photo ID
• Your booking confirmation or printed voucher
• Round-trip flight or cruise tickets if you are visiting from abroad

Digital documents are not accepted at the Thrifty counter in St. Louis; everything must be physical. The IDP is a translation only and must be carried alongside your original licence, not instead of it. Debit and prepaid cards are not accepted for the authorisation hold.

Yes, Thrifty in St. Louis requires a physical major credit card in the main driver’s name for the authorisation hold at collection.

Key points to remember:

• The card must have the driver’s name printed on it and be presented physically; virtual cards, digital wallets, and single-use card numbers are not accepted
• Debit and prepaid cards are not accepted for the deposit
• In the United Kingdom, typical authorisation holds run around GBP 200 to GBP 250 for standard vehicles, though the exact amount is set by the Thrifty desk and may vary by vehicle class
• The hold reduces your available credit until your bank releases it after the hire concludes, which can take up to 15 working days

Even if you prepaid your St. Louis booking online, you must still present a physical credit card at the Thrifty counter. Bringing a backup credit card in your name is a good precaution in case your primary card is declined.

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 St. Louis hire.

Because Missouri has almost no toll roads, most Thrifty renters driving within the St. Louis metro area will pay zero tolls. However, if your trip takes you to the Lake of the Ozarks Community Bridge (the state’s only toll, at US$2.00 to US$3.00 cash), or if you drive into neighbouring states with toll roads, those costs are eligible for reimbursement.

To claim your cashback:

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

Refunds are issued to the original payment method and typically process within 7 to 10 working days after approval.

Yes, Thrifty in St. Louis applies a young-driver surcharge for renters under 25 years old.

In Missouri, the standard minimum age to hire without a surcharge is 25. Drivers aged 21 to 24 can hire but will pay a daily young-driver fee. Based on Thrifty's general UK pricing, this fee is approximately GBP 10.50 per hire day plus taxes, with a maximum cap of GBP 147 plus taxes.

Additional restrictions to be aware of:

• Many vehicle classes are restricted to drivers 25 and older, including full-size, SUV, premium, luxury, convertible, and minivan categories
• Drivers under 21 cannot hire at the St. Louis Thrifty location
• Some reports indicate that drivers under 30 or over 70 may also face additional fees at certain Thrifty locations; confirm at the counter

If you are 21 to 24 and booking a Thrifty hire in St. Louis, choose an economy, compact, or intermediate vehicle class to avoid class-based restrictions, and budget for the daily surcharge.

Thrifty in St. Louis follows a Full-to-Full fuel policy by default. You receive the vehicle with a full tank and must return it full to avoid additional charges.

Steps to follow:

• At collection, 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
• Refuel within approximately 10 miles of the Thrifty return location at 4174 Cypress Rd (airport) or 960 N Kirkwood Rd (Kirkwood) before dropping off
• Keep your final fuel receipt showing the date, time, and station address

If you return the vehicle below the recorded starting level, Thrifty may charge you for the fuel shortfall at the partner's refuelling rate, which is typically higher than pump price, plus a refuelling service fee. Use the correct fuel type for your vehicle; wrong-fuel incidents are not covered by the fuel policy and may generate additional charges at the St. Louis counter.

Yes, you can add an additional driver to your Thrifty hire in St. Louis, either as part of your rate or for a fee paid at the counter.

Check your booking confirmation first. If it states additional driver included or additional driver free of charge, the first extra driver costs nothing. If it is not included, Thrifty's standard UK fee applies: approximately GBP 10.50 per hire day plus taxes, capped at GBP 147 plus taxes for the hire period.

Requirements for adding a driver at the St. Louis Thrifty counter:

• The additional driver must be present at collection with a valid driver’s licence
• An IDP is required if their licence uses a non-Latin alphabet
• They must meet the minimum age requirement; young-driver surcharges may apply if they are under 25
• Both the main driver and the additional driver must sign the hire agreement

Only drivers listed on the hire agreement are covered by protections such as CDW/LDW. Anyone not named on the contract who drives the vehicle may void coverage.

Driving a Thrifty hire in St. Louis involves a few road conditions that may differ from what you are used to at home.

• Downtown road reconstructions are ongoing, narrowing arterials such as Market Street, Jefferson Avenue, Tucker Boulevard, and Olive Street; expect reduced lane counts and pedestrian-focused changes in the city centre
• Complex interchange designs appear on major routes: single-point diamond interchanges (SPUIs) on I-70 and parclo loop ramps on I-270 North consolidate turns in ways that can confuse first-time drivers; follow GPS guidance carefully through these junctions
• I-270 North carries around 140,000 vehicles daily and has undergone phased construction improvements; allow extra time on this corridor
• The Chain of Rocks Canal Bridge on I-270/I-255 has a single left lane with a right-side walkway, requiring tight lane positioning unusual for U.S. interstate bridges

Missouri drives on the right, as in most of the United Kingdom. There are no congestion charges or emissions zones in St. Louis. Your Thrifty hire agreement will specify any geographic restrictions on where you may drive.

Yes, most bookings made through Hola Car Rentals include travel assistance coverage via Terrawind Global Protection, and this applies to your Thrifty hire in St. Louis as well. However, this benefit does not apply to residents of the United Kingdom or Canada.

For eligible travellers, the coverage typically includes:

• Travel insurance with medical cover for up to 5 passengers
• Legal assistance in the event of an accident, which can be valuable if you are involved in an incident on St. Louis highways such as I-270 or I-70
• Compensation for luggage lost by the airline
• Flight cancellation insurance

If you need assistance during your St. Louis hire, contact Terrawind 24 hours a day:

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

Have your Hola Car Rentals confirmation number ready when you call. This cover does not replace CDW/LDW for vehicle damage or LIS/ALI/SLI for third-party liability; check your Thrifty hire agreement for those protections separately.

Yes, one-way hires with Thrifty are possible from St. Louis, but a drop-off fee may apply depending on your return location.

How it works:

• If you pick up at the St. Louis airport location and return to the Kirkwood location (or vice versa), check your booking details for any drop-off fee listed under the To pay at destination section
• Returning to a different city or state will typically trigger a one-way fee; the amount varies by route, vehicle class, and season
• Cross-border one-way hires (for example, driving your Thrifty vehicle from St. Louis into Canada) may be restricted or carry higher fees; confirm with the partner before booking

The drop-off fee is shown during the Hola Car Rentals booking process on the rate details page and in your confirmation. It cannot be prepaid and is paid at the Thrifty counter in St. Louis or at the return location. If a fee appears at the counter that was not disclosed in your confirmation, keep all paperwork and contact Hola Car Rentals support, as No Extra Charges© Coverage may apply.