Car Hire
at Birmingham Airport

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

No. With Hola Car Rentals, all costs and charges for your booking at Birmingham 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 Birmingham 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 Birmingham Airport, hire car counters are located inside the terminal near the baggage reclaim area, with no shuttle or people mover required. After clearing customs and collecting your bags on the ground floor, follow the hire car signs directly to the counters.

Brands including Budget, Avis, and Enterprise have counters in or immediately adjacent to the baggage reclaim area, with some operations extending into Section 1B of the ground-level parking deck at 5900 Messer Airport Hwy, Birmingham, B33 8GQ. Hertz and other major partners also operate from this same terminal and parking deck setup.

Once you complete paperwork at the counter, your vehicle will be located in the adjacent parking garage or across the road in the car park, depending on the brand. Allow 5 to 15 minutes to walk to your vehicle after counter processing.

Hire car counters at Birmingham Airport generally operate from 7:00 AM to midnight daily, though exact hours vary by brand. As a general reference, Enterprise operates approximately 7:00 AM to 11:59 PM and Avis from 8:00 AM to 12:00 AM Monday through Sunday.

After-hours collection is not available at Birmingham Airport, as counters close overnight with no service before 7:00 to 8:00 AM. If your flight arrives late, plan your collection for the following morning during counter hours.

After-hours vehicle returns are permitted at Birmingham Airport via key drop boxes located next to the Avis and Enterprise booth near the walkway to the terminal. Budget renters should note that after-hours returns may carry liability until the next business day. Always confirm current hours on your booking confirmation before travel, as hours can change on public holidays.

For international arrivals at Birmingham Airport, allow 90 to 150 minutes from landing to driving away. Birmingham Airport has a single terminal, which simplifies navigation, but immigration and customs processing adds significant time for non-US citizens.

• Immigration and customs: 20 to 60 minutes (longer for non-US passport holders)
• Baggage reclaim: 10 to 20 minutes
• Counter processing: 10 to 30 minutes
• Walking to your vehicle in the adjacent parking deck: 5 to 15 minutes

Domestic arrivals at Birmingham Airport can typically complete the process in 30 to 60 minutes total. To avoid delays at the counter, have your driving licence, passport, credit card, and booking confirmation ready before you reach the desk.

To pick up a hire car at Birmingham Airport, you must present the following physical documents at the counter. Digital copies are not accepted.

• A valid, original driving licence in the main driver’s name
• A passport (required for international visitors) or valid government-issued photo ID
• A major credit card with the driver’s name printed on the card, for the authorisation hold
• Your booking confirmation or printed voucher
• Round-trip flight tickets or itinerary showing your return date (required for foreign visitors, especially when using a debit card)

If your driving licence is not in English or uses a non-Latin alphabet (such as Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, or Cyrillic), you must also carry an International Driving Permit (IDP) alongside your original licence. The IDP is a translation only and is not valid without the original licence.

At Birmingham Airport, debit cards are accepted at select brands such as Avis and Enterprise, but only with a valid driving licence and proof of a return ticket. Prepaid cards are not accepted for the authorisation hold.

Yes, Alabama has several toll roads you may encounter when driving from Birmingham Airport, and the state uses its own system called the Alabama Freedom Pass rather than National networks like E-ZPass or SunPass.

Common toll roads in Alabama and their standard rates for a 2-axle vehicle include:

• Montgomery Expressway Bridge (Alabama River Parkway): US$1.50
• Tuscaloosa Bypass (Joe Mallisham Parkway): US$1.50
• Emerald Mountain Expressway (Dozier Road): US$1.75
• Foley Beach Express Toll Bridge: US$2.75

Unlike many other US states, Alabama toll booths accept cash, credit cards, and the Alabama Freedom Pass transponder, so cashless-only roads are not a concern on most routes near Birmingham Airport.

Your hire vehicle at Birmingham Airport may come with a toll transponder or plate-based billing. At the counter, you can choose an unlimited toll package (typically US$11 to US$25 per day depending on the brand) or pay per use, in which case the rental company will charge actual tolls plus an administrative fee to your card after the hire ends.

At Birmingham Airport, hire car partners 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.

The hold is not a charge. It reduces your available credit until the rental company releases it after you return the vehicle. Your bank controls how quickly the hold disappears from your statement, which can take up to 15 business days after release.

• Only a physical, major credit card in the main driver’s name is accepted for the deposit at Birmingham Airport
• Debit cards and prepaid cards are not accepted for the authorisation hold
• Premium or speciality vehicles may carry a higher hold amount
• Bring a backup credit card in case your primary card is declined

If your card is issued by a non-US bank, notify your bank before travel to prevent fraud blocks on the in-person authorisation at Birmingham Airport.

Yes, all bookings made through Hola Car Rentals include Tolls Cashback, which reimburses up to 5% of your total booking value for tolls paid during your hire at Birmingham Airport or on any Alabama toll road you drive.

Alabama has several toll roads you may use when driving from Birmingham Airport, including routes near Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, and the Gulf Coast. Any tolls you pay, whether through the rental company’s transponder programme or directly at a toll booth, are eligible for the cashback claim.

To claim your Tolls Cashback after returning your vehicle at Birmingham Airport:

• Email [email protected] within 30 days of vehicle return
• Use the subject line: Tolls Cashback - Reservation [Your Confirmation Number]
• Attach your Hola Car Rentals 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 business days after approval. Claims submitted after 30 days are not accepted.

When hiring at Birmingham Airport, your total cost includes more than the base hire rate. Several mandatory fees are added at the airport location that may not be part of your prepaid rate.

• Alabama state auto hire tax: 1.5% statewide
• Customer Facility Charge (CFC): a per-day fee charged at Birmingham Airport to fund the hire car facilities in the terminal and parking deck
• Airport Concession Recovery Fee (ACRF): a percentage added by hire companies to recover the cost of operating at Birmingham Airport

These fees are standard at all US airport hire locations and are separate from your base hire rate. If your booking confirmation shows Taxes and Fees as Included, you should not be billed separately for those items at the Birmingham Airport counter. If you are charged for something not listed on your confirmation, the No Extra Charges© guarantee may apply.

Always review the itemised pre-contract at the counter before signing to confirm all charges match your booking confirmation.

Yes, drivers aged 21 to 24 can hire a car at Birmingham Airport, but a young-driver surcharge applies and certain vehicle classes are restricted.

In Alabama, the standard minimum age is 25 for surcharge-free hires. Drivers between 21 and 24 are permitted at Birmingham Airport with brands such as Budget, Avis, Enterprise, and others, but will pay a daily underage fee at the counter. The surcharge amount varies by brand:

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

Vehicle class restrictions also apply at Birmingham Airport for under-25 renters. Economy, compact, and intermediate SUV categories are generally available, while full-size, premium, luxury, minivan, and convertible classes are typically restricted to drivers 25 and older.

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. Check your booking confirmation to see if the waiver is shown.

Yes, after-hours vehicle returns are available at Birmingham Airport via key drop boxes located near the hire car counters in the ground-floor car park.

To complete an after-hours return at Birmingham Airport:

• Follow the Hire Car Return signs to the 1st floor of the car park, the same area as pickup for Avis, Enterprise, and Budget
• Record the mileage and fuel level before leaving the vehicle
• Place your completed hire agreement and keys in the brand-specific key drop box next to the Avis or Enterprise booth, or near the walkway to the terminal
• Take a photo of the dashboard showing the odometer and fuel gauge as evidence
• Keep a copy of your hire agreement

Important: Avis and Enterprise key drop boxes at Birmingham Airport are accessible 24 hours. Budget renters should be aware that after-hours returns may leave you responsible for the vehicle until the next business day when staff process the return. Refill the fuel tank before returning, as there is no on-site fuel station at Birmingham Airport. The nearest stations are on Messer Airport Hwy.

An International Driving Permit (IDP) is not always mandatory at Birmingham Airport, but it is strongly recommended in certain situations and required in others.

• If your driving licence uses a non-Latin alphabet (such as Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, or Cyrillic), an IDP is required alongside your original licence at Birmingham Airport
• If your licence is in English or uses the Latin alphabet, an IDP is recommended but not strictly required by most hire partners at Birmingham Airport
• The IDP is a translation document only and must always be presented together with your original licence. It is not a standalone licence and will not be accepted alone

At Birmingham Airport, international visitors must also present their passport alongside a non-US driving licence at the hire desk. Obtain your IDP in your home country before travelling, as US organisations such as AAA do not issue IDPs to non-US licence holders.

Yes, one-way hires are available at Birmingham Airport, allowing you to pick up in Birmingham and return the vehicle to a different city or airport. However, a drop-off fee may apply depending on your route.

How one-way fees work from Birmingham Airport:

• Same-city routes (airport to centre of Birmingham or vice versa): often no drop-off fee
• Birmingham Airport to another city in Alabama or a neighbouring state: a drop-off fee typically applies, with the amount varying by distance, vehicle class, and hire brand
• Long-distance or cross-country one-ways: fees are usually higher and some routes may not be permitted

The drop-off fee for your specific route from Birmingham Airport will be shown during the booking process under the To Pay at Destination section. It cannot be prepaid and is paid directly to the hire company at collection. If no fee appears during booking, no one-way charge applies to your route.

Cross-border one-ways (for example, driving into Mexico or Canada) are generally restricted or require prior partner approval. Always check your hire agreement for territory rules before leaving Birmingham Airport.

Yes, most bookings made through Hola Car Rentals include travel assistance coverage provided by Terrawind Global Protection, which can be valuable if you experience an emergency while driving from Birmingham Airport through Alabama or neighbouring states.

Coverage typically includes:

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

This benefit is particularly useful when driving longer distances from Birmingham Airport, such as towards the Gulf Coast or into neighbouring states, where you may be far from major medical facilities.

To reach assistance 24 hours a day, call +1 888 980 9992 (toll-free) or contact 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 US or Canadian residents. It is available to international visitors arriving at Birmingham Airport from outside North America. Check your booking confirmation for the exact coverage terms and limits that apply to your reservation.