Avis Car Hire
Chicago

If your plans are mostly downtown (the Loop, Magnificent Mile, Museum Campus) and you’ll use trains, buses, and rideshares, a car is usually more hassle than help due to traffic and expensive parking. Skip the car until the day you’re leaving the city or doing day trips. For a downtown-focused stay, hiring a car is generally unnecessary.

A hire car is most useful if you’re planning suburban visits, multi-stop errands, or day trips outside the city—places like Indiana Dunes, Starved Rock, Galena, or Wisconsin destinations. It also helps if you’re staying outside the CTA rail grid or travelling with bulky luggage and multiple passengers. For trips beyond central Chicago, hiring a car is beneficial.

O’Hare hire cars are centralised at the airport’s Multi-Modal Facility (MMF), reached via the free Airport Transit System (ATS) train from the terminals. The set-up is straightforward, but queues can be long during peak periods. Overall, hiring at ORD is convenient, but allow extra time if you’re arriving at busy hours.

Most travellers reach the MMF in about 5–10 minutes on the free ATS train from the terminals, plus walking time. Add buffer time for crowded trains and station waits during peak periods. In most cases, hiring at ORD is efficient if you allow extra time.

The drive is manageable, but rush-hour congestion on I-90 (the Kennedy Expressway) can be intense and turn a short trip into a slow crawl. If you’re arriving around 7–9 AM or 4–7 PM, expect delays and more assertive driving. For a first visit focused on downtown, hiring straight away is usually optional at best.

Weekday rush hours are typically the toughest: roughly 7–9 AM and 4–7 PM, especially on routes like I-90 between O’Hare and downtown. Traffic also spikes around major events and summer weekends near lakefront attractions. If you can’t avoid those windows, a hire car becomes less convenient in the city.

Yes—downtown garages and hotel parking can be surprisingly expensive, and street parking can be limited or time-restricted. Many travellers find the parking cost outweighs the convenience if they’re mostly visiting central attractions. For a downtown stay, keeping a hire car is usually unnecessary.

If you’re spending the first part of your trip in the Loop and won’t drive much, waiting can save you days of parking fees and city-driving stress. If you’re immediately heading to the suburbs or taking a road trip, picking up at ORD is more practical. For most downtown-only itineraries, hiring later is the better choice.

Airport hires often cost more due to airport-related fees, even if they’re convenient. Off-airport or downtown locations can sometimes be cheaper, but you’ll trade savings for extra travel time and logistics. If convenience matters most, hire at ORD; if budget is the priority, compare off-airport options.

Driving in Chicago can feel hectic, with frequent congestion, assertive lane changes, and lots of one-way streets in some areas. Parking downtown is the bigger pain point, often costing more than expected. For city sightseeing, a hire car is usually more trouble than it’s worth.

Yes—Chicago’s public transport is strong for getting into the city and moving around major neighbourhoods without driving. Many visitors find trains and rideshares easier than navigating traffic and parking. If your plans are mostly in the city, hiring a car is generally unnecessary.

A common strategy is to skip the car while you’re downtown and hire for just the day-trip portion, which avoids paying for multiple days of parking. Day trips like Indiana Dunes or Starved Rock are far easier with a car than with public transport. For mixed city + day-trip itineraries, hiring a car is beneficial for part of the trip, not the whole time.

Yes—many major routes in the Chicago metro area use tolling, and much of it is cashless and electronic. That means you need a plan for toll payment before you start driving, especially if you’ll be on interstates like I-90. If you’ll mostly stay downtown, avoiding a hire car can also help you avoid toll hassle.

It’s possible depending on the route you take, and in the Chicago area many tolls are cashless and handled electronically. A navigation app may route you onto toll roads if it saves time, especially during congestion. If you want to keep costs simple, a hire car is optional unless you’re leaving the city.

These areas are popular and can be congested, especially at weekends and during summer, and parking is typically paid garage parking. You’ll usually spend extra time circling or entering busy garages compared with taking public transport or a rideshare. For these attractions, hiring a car is usually unnecessary.

Most Loop hotels charge for parking and you may not use the car much because attractions and public transport are close by. You’ll also deal with slow city driving and limited on-street parking rules. For a Loop hotel stay, a hire car is usually not worth it.

Yes—if you’re staying in suburbs near O’Hare or beyond, a car can be the simplest way to get around for dining, shopping, and visiting friends or offices. Public transport can be less direct for suburb-to-suburb trips. For suburban stays, hiring a car is beneficial.

A compact or mid-size is usually easiest for city driving and fitting into garages and tighter spaces. An SUV can be nice for families and winter confidence, but it may cost more to park and manoeuvre downtown. For most Chicago city trips, a smaller car is the best choice.

Winter can bring snow and ice, and major roads are typically cleared, but side streets and parking areas can still be slippery. AWD can add confidence, but careful driving matters more than drivetrain for most visitors. For winter road trips or suburban driving, AWD can be beneficial; for downtown-only travel, a car is usually unnecessary.

Snow, ice, wind, and reduced visibility can slow traffic and make braking distances longer, especially on bridges and less-travelled streets. Parking can also get trickier during snow events and restrictions can change quickly. In winter, a hire car is beneficial mainly for essential driving or trips outside the city.

A people carrier is great for luggage, pushchairs, and multi-stop days, especially if you’re visiting the suburbs or doing day trips. Downtown, the size can make garages and tight turns more stressful and parking more expensive. For family trips with driving outside central Chicago, hiring a people carrier is beneficial.

A car helps with carrying gear and reaching lakefront spots, but summer weekends can bring traffic and limited parking near popular areas. You may still prefer public transport for the busiest lakefront zones and use the car for less-crowded spots or early arrivals. For lakefront plans plus gear, hiring a car is optional but helpful.

Yes—destinations like Indiana Dunes, Starved Rock State Park, and Galena are far simpler and faster by car than by piecing together trains and rideshares. A car also lets you control timing, stops, and weather adjustments. For day trips outside Chicago, hiring a car is clearly beneficial.

Driving can be frustrating around popular North Side areas during events, with tighter parking and heavier traffic. Public transport or rideshare often wins for convenience, especially on match days. For North Side nightlife or events, hiring a car is usually unnecessary.

Traffic is often lighter at night, but one-way streets, frequent lane changes, and confusing turns can still make it demanding for visitors. Parking rules and garage access may also be harder to navigate late. For night-time city plans, a hire car is usually optional and often unnecessary.

Yes—many travellers hire only when they’re ready to leave the city and plan the pick-up/exit to avoid rush-hour windows. Using a navigation app and leaving early morning can reduce stress and time on the road. For road-trip-focused travel, hiring a car is beneficial if you time it right.

Plan on paid garages, consider reserving a space ahead of time, and factor parking cost into your daily budget. On-street parking is often limited or restricted and can burn time quickly. If you expect to park downtown frequently, hiring a car is usually not worth it.

Returns are centralised at the MMF, and airport signage typically makes it straightforward to find the hire car return as you approach ORD. You’ll still want extra time for congestion and for getting back to your terminal via the ATS. Returning at ORD is generally convenient, so hiring can be beneficial when you truly need a car.

Give yourself extra buffer for returning the car, riding the ATS back, and dealing with peak-time crowding or traffic near the airport. Busy travel periods can create longer queues and slower movement through the MMF and terminals. If your schedule is tight, hiring a car is optional and may add stress.

Yes, long waits can happen at the MMF during peak arrivals, holidays, and major events, even if you have a reservation. Planning extra time (and checking in online if available) helps reduce the pain. If you don’t truly need a car, hiring at ORD is optional and sometimes not worth the wait.

For many visitors, hiring only for the days you’re leaving the city or doing day trips saves money and avoids downtown parking hassles. Keeping a car the entire time often means paying to park it while you use public transport anyway. For most Chicago visits, a part-trip hire is the best choice.

For a short city stay, public transport and rideshares are usually faster and simpler than dealing with parking, tolls, and traffic. A car tends to sit unused while you visit downtown attractions. For 1–2 days in the city, hiring a car is generally unnecessary.

Usually not—moving a car means repeatedly dealing with parking and traffic, which can be slower than walking and public transport for central neighbourhoods. A car tends to help more for trips beyond the core city. For neighbourhood-hopping in the city, hiring a car is usually unnecessary.

Yes, suburban driving is generally more straightforward than downtown, with easier parking and simpler road layouts. You’ll still want to avoid peak rush-hour periods on major routes. For suburban itineraries, hiring a car is beneficial.

If your shopping plans are primarily outside downtown or involve carrying multiple bags, a car is convenient and often cheaper than multiple rideshares. In the Loop, parking and congestion can erase the benefit. For shopping in the suburbs, hiring a car is beneficial.

Road congestion is often worst on Tuesday/Wednesday afternoons and evenings before the holiday and Sunday/Monday afternoons and evenings on the return, with mornings typically smoother. Airports and hire car centres can also be busier, so pick-up and return may take longer. During holiday peaks, hiring a car is beneficial mainly for necessary driving or out-of-city trips.

Yes—Chicago’s motorway network makes it practical to head towards Wisconsin, Indiana, or Michigan, but you should plan for toll roads and metro congestion when leaving the area. Starting early in the day can make the exit from Chicago much easier. For a regional road trip, hiring a car is beneficial.

Usually no—congestion and parking searches can make driving slower than public transport for many city trips, especially downtown. A car is best when you’re travelling beyond the core neighbourhoods or carrying lots of gear. For most in-city sightseeing, hiring a car is unnecessary.

Yes, the area around O’Hare has plenty of services, and it’s usually easy to refuel a few miles before the airport. The main challenge is timing around traffic as you approach the airport return. For convenience on return day, hiring a car is fine if you plan a quick refuelling stop.

Yes—many travellers hire at O’Hare and head straight to the suburbs or out of town, limiting time in the densest downtown traffic and parking zones. Planning routes to avoid rush hours makes a big difference to stress. If you’re avoiding downtown driving, hiring a car is beneficial for suburban and road-trip plans.