Thrifty Car Hire
in Washington

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

No. With Hola Car Rentals, all costs and charges for your booking in Washington 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 Washington 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 Thrifty counter at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) is located inside the terminal and is walkable from the arrivals area. No shuttle is required to reach the counter.

Counter hours at the DCA location run from 07:00 to 23:00 daily, which covers most flight arrival times. If your flight lands close to 23:00, plan to reach the Thrifty counter before closing to complete your pickup.

For city centre locations in Washington, Thrifty also operates at 707 7th Street NW (open Monday through Friday, 08:00 to 16:00) and at 1919 Connecticut Ave NW (open Monday through Friday, 08:00 to 16:00, and Saturday 09:00 to 12:00). These downtown Washington locations have significantly shorter hours than the airport counter, so confirm your pickup time matches their schedule before booking.

Thrifty operates two city centre locations in Washington, DC, each with limited hours compared to the airport counter.

• 707 7th Street NW: open Monday through Friday, 08:00 to 16:00. Closed on weekends.
• 1919 Connecticut Ave NW (Hilton Washington DC): open Monday through Friday, 08:00 to 16:00, and Saturday 09:00 to 12:00. Closed on Sunday.

If you plan to pick up your Thrifty hire at a Washington downtown location, make sure your arrival time falls within these windows. No after-hours pickup details are available for these sites, so arriving outside business hours may mean your booking cannot be fulfilled at that location.

For more flexibility, the Thrifty counter at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) is open daily from 07:00 to 23:00 and does not require a shuttle from the terminal.

Washington, DC itself has no toll roads within its boundaries. However, if you drive your Thrifty hire into neighbouring Virginia or Maryland, you will encounter cashless, all-electronic toll roads where no cash payment is accepted.

Common tolled routes near Washington include:

• Wilson Bridge (I-95/I-495): approximately US$6 to US$8 per crossing
• 495 Express Lanes on the Virginia side: dynamic pricing of roughly US$4 to US$20 depending on traffic and time of day
• Dulles Toll Road to or from Dulles Airport (IAD): approximately US$5.75 to US$6.25 one way
• I-95 Express Lanes towards Baltimore: approximately US$8 to US$15 total

Your Thrifty vehicle comes equipped for electronic tolling. At pickup you can choose an unlimited toll package (typically US$11 to US$25 per day) or a pay-per-use option where the actual toll plus a daily processing fee of roughly US$4.95 to US$5.35 is billed to your card. If you drive a toll road without enrolling, Thrifty will automatically enrol you in pay-per-use plate billing. Unpaid tolls may also generate additional administrative fees.

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 Thrifty hire in Washington.

Since Washington, DC has no toll roads within the city, this benefit applies when you drive your Thrifty vehicle into Virginia or Maryland and use cashless toll roads such as the 495 Express Lanes, the Wilson Bridge, or the Dulles Toll Road.

To claim your cashback:

• 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 hire agreement signed at the Thrifty counter, and a toll receipt or statement showing charges paid

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

To collect your Thrifty hire in Washington, you must present the following physical documents at the counter:

• Your original, unexpired driver’s licence
• A major credit card with your name printed on the card, in the main driver’s name, for the security deposit hold
• A valid passport or government-issued photo ID
• Your booking confirmation or printed voucher
• Round-trip flight or cruise tickets if you are visiting from abroad

If your driver’s licence is not in English and does not use a Latin alphabet (for example, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, or Cyrillic script), an International Driving Permit (IDP) is mandatory alongside your original licence. For licences in English or using 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 Thrifty counter in Washington. Obtain your IDP in your home country before travelling, as it cannot be issued abroad.

When you pick up your Thrifty hire in Washington, the counter agent will place a temporary authorisation hold on your credit card. This is not a charge but reduces your available credit until the hold is released after you return the vehicle.

For standard vehicles in the United Kingdom, typical holds range from GBP 300 to GBP 400, though the exact amount varies by vehicle class, location, and season. Premium or speciality vehicles may carry higher holds.

• Only a major credit card with the driver’s name printed on the card is accepted for the deposit
• Debit cards, prepaid cards, and virtual cards are not accepted
• The card must be in the main driver’s name
• Someone else’s card cannot be used, even if they are present

After returning your Thrifty vehicle in Washington, the hold is released by the counter. Your bank or card issuer controls when the funds appear back in your account, which can take up to 15 business days. Bring a backup credit card in case your primary card is declined.

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

If your booking confirmation shows additional driver as included, the first extra driver is free. If it is not included, Thrifty charges US$13.50 per hire day plus taxes, with a maximum cap of US$189 plus taxes for the hire period.

Requirements for adding a driver at the Thrifty counter in Washington:

• The additional driver must be present at pickup with a valid driver’s licence
• They must meet the minimum age requirements for Washington, DC
• If their licence is not in English or uses a non-Latin alphabet, they also need an International Driving Permit
• 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. If someone not named on the contract drives the Thrifty vehicle in Washington, coverage may be void.

The minimum age to hire a Thrifty vehicle in Washington, DC without a young-renter surcharge is 25. Drivers aged 21 to 24 can hire but will be charged a daily underage fee on top of the base rate.

Washington, DC follows standard UK hire policy rather than the exceptions that apply in New York or Michigan. This means:

• Drivers under 21 are generally not eligible to hire
• Drivers aged 21 to 24 pay a daily young-renter surcharge and face vehicle class restrictions
• Most premium, full-size, luxury, SUV, and van categories are restricted to renters aged 25 and older

If you are aged 21 to 24 and booking a Thrifty hire in Washington, choose economy, compact, or intermediate vehicle classes to maximise availability. The young-renter surcharge is paid at the Thrifty counter and is not included in your pre-paid rate.

All standard requirements still apply regardless of age: a valid driver’s licence, a major credit card in the main driver’s name for the deposit, and any required International Driving Permit.

Yes, most bookings made through Hola Car Rentals include travel assistance provided by Terrawind Global Protection, which can help if an unexpected situation arises during your Thrifty hire in Washington.

Core benefits typically include:

• Travel and 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

This benefit is designed for situations such as a medical emergency or a legal issue following a collision while driving your Thrifty vehicle in Washington or on surrounding highways in Virginia or Maryland.

To reach assistance 24 hours a day, call +1 888 980 9992 or contact WhatsApp at +1 208 910 1001. Have your Hola Car Rentals confirmation number ready when you call.

Important: this cover applies only to travellers who are not residents of the United States or Canada. If you hold a US or Canadian address, you do not qualify for this benefit. It also does not cover damage to the Thrifty hire vehicle itself, which is handled separately by CDW/LDW.

Thrifty hires in Washington 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:

• At pickup, check the fuel gauge with the Thrifty 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 return location before dropping off the vehicle
• Keep your final fuel receipt showing the date, time, and station address

If you return the Thrifty vehicle in Washington with less fuel than recorded at pickup, you may be charged for the shortfall at the partner's refuelling rate, which is typically higher than the pump price, plus a refuelling service fee.

For after-hours returns at the Washington location, leave your fuel receipt in the return envelope and keep a photo of the full gauge on your phone as evidence.

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

How the fee works:

• Returning to a different Washington location within the same city area may not trigger a fee
• Returning to a different city or state will typically incur a one-way drop-off fee, which varies by route, vehicle class, and season
• Cross-border one-way hires (for example, from Washington to Canada) may be restricted or carry significantly higher fees

The drop-off fee, if applicable, is shown during the booking process under the section labelled as amounts due at destination. It is not pre-paid and is not covered by No Extra Charges© unless it was not disclosed at the time of booking.

If you need to change your return location after booking your Thrifty hire in Washington, contact support as soon as possible. Mid-hire route changes must be approved by the partner and may result in re-pricing or additional fees.

No, Washington, DC does not have a congestion charge, emissions zone, or city-centre driving fee of the kind found in cities like London or New York. You can drive your Thrifty hire throughout Washington without paying any entry fee to access the city centre.

Tolls in the Washington area are found only on specific motorways and bridges in neighbouring Virginia and Maryland, not within DC itself. Common examples include the 495 Express Lanes, the Wilson Bridge on I-95/I-495, and the Dulles Toll Road leading to Dulles Airport (IAD). All of these are fully cashless and charge electronically.

Your Thrifty vehicle is equipped for electronic toll billing. If you plan to use any of these routes during your Washington hire, review the toll programme options at the counter to understand whether a daily unlimited package or pay-per-use billing better suits your itinerary. Hola Car Rentals also offers Tolls Cashback of up to 5% of your booking total for tolls paid during your hire.

When picking up your Thrifty hire in Washington, two main types of protection are worth reviewing before you sign the hire agreement.

Collision Damage Waiver (CDW/LDW) covers damage to the Thrifty vehicle itself from a collision, theft, or vandalism. A deductible may apply unless your confirmation explicitly shows zero excess. CDW/LDW does not cover damage you cause to other vehicles or people.

Third-Party Liability (LIS/ALI/SLI) covers bodily injury and property damage you may cause to others while driving. In Washington, DC and across most US states, minimum liability is not automatically guaranteed by state law for all hire situations. Hola Car Rentals strongly recommends adding supplementary liability cover to your Thrifty booking.

• CDW/LDW: protects the hire vehicle you are driving
• LIS/ALI/SLI: protects third parties injured or whose property is damaged
• These two coverages are separate and complement each other

Review your booking confirmation to confirm which protections are already included in your Thrifty rate for Washington. If you have questions about what is covered, check the hire agreement at the counter before signing.