Car Rental at Charleston Airport

Hola Car Rentals is the only premium partner of the top car rental brands operating at Charleston 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 rental 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 rental experience and peace of mind throughout your trip at Charleston Airport.

No. With Hola Car Rentals, all costs and charges for your booking at Charleston 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 Charleston 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 rental 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 Charleston Airport, all major on-site rental brands are located in the Rental Car Pavilion at 5500 International Blvd, North Charleston, SC 29418. No shuttle is needed for most brands.

After collecting your bags from baggage claim in the main terminal, follow the Rental Cars signs toward the end of the terminal. To reach your vehicle, cross the street from baggage claim, follow the skywalk and rental car garage signage to a second garage, then take the elevator or stairs down one level. Your brand's lot will be clearly marked (for example, Budget and Avis are to the left).

The following brands are accessible by this short walk or skywalk at Charleston Airport:

• Alamo
• National
• Avis
• Budget
• Enterprise
• Hertz

Thrifty and Dollar operate off-site and require a shuttle from the terminal. If you are arriving on an international flight, complete immigration and customs first, then collect your bags before heading to the counters.

Counter hours at Charleston Airport vary by brand, and no company offers full overnight service, so plan your arrival accordingly.

• Avis: approximately 6:00 AM to 12:00 AM daily
• Budget: approximately 7:00 AM to 1:00 AM daily
• Hertz: approximately 5:30 AM to 12:30 AM daily
• Alamo, National, and Enterprise: early morning to late evening, aligned with peak flight operations

Counters at Charleston Airport are closed during the overnight window, so after-hours pickup is not available. If your flight lands late at night, confirm that your chosen brand's counter will still be open when you arrive. For returns after hours, you can park in the designated space on Level 1 of the five-tier parking deck and drop your keys and contract in the counter drop box. Hertz's drop box is located at the end of the pickup counter.

To collect your rental car at Charleston Airport, you must present the following physical documents at the counter:

• A valid driver's license (original, not a digital copy)
• A major credit card in the main driver's name, with the driver's name printed on the card, for the security deposit hold
• Your passport or government-issued photo ID
• Your booking confirmation or printed voucher
• Round-trip flight or cruise tickets
• Any applicable entry visas

If your driver's license is not in English and does not use a Latin (Roman) alphabet, for example if it is in Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, or Cyrillic script, an International Driving Permit (IDP) is mandatory. For licenses in other non-English scripts, an IDP is strongly recommended. The IDP is a translation only and must be carried alongside your original license at Charleston Airport.

All documents must be physical. Digital versions shown on a phone or tablet are not accepted at the counter.

South Carolina has one primary toll road: the Southern Connector on Interstate 185, a 16-mile route connecting I-185 to I-385 near Greenville. This road is not immediately adjacent to Charleston Airport, but you may encounter it depending on your travel route within South Carolina.

The Southern Connector uses the PalPass (also called Palmetto Pass) electronic toll system. Payment options include:

• PalPass transponder (electronic)
• Cash with exact change at certain ramps, including Highway 20 and Fork Shoals Road
• Credit or debit card (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, AMEX) at mainline plazas only; PIN debit is not accepted

Typical car tolls on the Southern Connector range from US$0.075 to US$3.00 for the full 16-mile stretch. There are no congestion charges, emissions zones, or city-center fees in South Carolina.

At the Charleston Airport counter, you can enroll in your rental company's electronic toll program (such as e-Toll, TollPass, or PlatePass) for approximately US$3.95 to US$4.95 per day, capped at around US$19.75 per rental period, plus actual toll amounts. If you drive through a cashless toll without enrolling, the rental company will charge you the toll at the highest undiscounted rate plus an administrative fee that can reach US$15 per toll.

Yes, a major credit card is required to rent a car at Charleston Airport. The card must be in the main driver's name, with the driver's name physically printed on the card, and must be presented in person at the counter.

The credit card is used to place a temporary security hold, not a charge, on your available credit. For standard vehicles at U.S. airport locations, this hold is typically around US$300 to US$400, though the exact amount is set by the rental company at the Charleston Airport counter and may be higher for premium or specialty vehicles.

Debit cards, prepaid cards, and virtual or digital-only card numbers are not accepted for the deposit hold. Even if you prepaid your booking online, you must still present a physical credit card at pickup.

A few tips to avoid issues at Charleston Airport:

• Notify your bank of your travel dates to prevent fraud blocks on the authorization
• Bring a backup credit card in your name in case your primary card is declined
• Make sure your card has enough available credit to cover the hold plus any expected charges

Every booking made through Hola Car Rentals includes Tolls Cashback, which reimburses up to 5% of your total booking value for tolls paid during your rental, including any tolls you encounter while driving from Charleston Airport.

If you travel on the Southern Connector (the main toll road in South Carolina, using the PalPass system) or pass through toll roads in neighboring states, you can claim this benefit after returning your vehicle.

To claim your Tolls Cashback after your Charleston Airport rental:

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

The refund is issued to the same payment method used for your original booking and typically processes within 7 to 10 business days after approval. Claims submitted after 30 days are not accepted. This benefit covers toll charges only, not administrative fees from the rental company or traffic fines.

Yes, after-hours returns are available at Charleston Airport even when the counters are closed. The return area is on Level 1 of the five-tier parking deck, which has a covered walkway connecting it to the terminal.

To complete an after-hours return at Charleston Airport:

• Follow the Rental Car Return signs to Level 1 of the parking deck
• Park in your brand's designated space
• Drop your keys and rental contract in the drop box at your brand's counter; Hertz's drop box is located at the end of the pickup counter
• Take all personal belongings from the vehicle
• Keep a photo of the fuel gauge and odometer as evidence of the car's condition at return

Note that counter hours at Charleston Airport end before midnight for most brands, so if your flight lands late, plan to use the drop box procedure. The rental company will process the return the following morning when the counter reopens. If you have concerns about charges after an after-hours drop, keep all paperwork and your final fuel receipt.

At Charleston Airport, the standard minimum age to rent a car without a surcharge is 25. Drivers aged 21 to 24 can rent but will be charged a daily young-renter surcharge, and most vehicle classes are restricted to drivers 25 and older.

Vehicle classes typically restricted to drivers under 25 at Charleston Airport include:

• Full Size and Full Size SUV
• Standard, Minivan, and Van
• Convertible, Luxury, Premium, and Premium SUV

Drivers aged 21 to 24 are generally limited to Economy, Compact, Medium Sedan, Standard Sedan, Compact SUV, and Medium SUV categories.

If you are from Latin America or the Caribbean and are aged 21 to 24, certain Hola Car Rentals rates fulfilled by Avis or Budget at Charleston Airport may waive the young-renter fee. This waiver must appear explicitly on your booking confirmation and applies to the main driver only. Additional drivers aged 21 to 24 are still subject to standard surcharge rules.

South Carolina does not have a state law equivalent to New York or Michigan requiring rentals to drivers under 21, so the minimum age at Charleston Airport is 21 for most brands.

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 Charleston Airport rental or while driving in South Carolina.

This benefit covers up to 5 passengers and typically includes:

• Travel insurance with medical coverage for accidents and non-pre-existing illnesses
• Legal assistance in the event of a road accident
• Compensation for luggage lost by the airline
• Flight cancellation insurance

If you need assistance during your Charleston Airport rental, contact Terrawind 24 hours a day, 7 days a week:

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

Have your full name, Hola Car Rentals confirmation number, current location, and a brief description of the situation ready when you call.

Important: this benefit does not apply to residents of the United States or Canada. It also does not cover damage to the rental vehicle (that is handled by CDW/LDW) or third-party liability (covered by LIS/ALI/SLI). Always contact Terrawind before incurring expenses where prior authorization is required.

Yes, you can add an additional driver to your rental at Charleston Airport, either at no cost if your rate includes it, or for a daily fee paid at the counter if it does not.

Daily fees for additional drivers at Charleston Airport, when not included in your rate, are approximately:

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

Check your booking confirmation before arriving at Charleston Airport. If it states Additional driver free of charge, the first extra driver is covered at no cost.

Requirements for adding a driver at Charleston Airport:

• The additional driver must be present at the counter at pickup
• They must show a valid driver's license (and an IDP if their license uses a non-Latin alphabet)
• Both the main driver and the additional driver must sign the rental agreement
• For Avis, Budget, and Payless, additional drivers must generally be at least 25 years old

Only drivers listed on the rental agreement are covered by the rental protections, so never let an unlisted person drive the vehicle.

Rentals picked up at Charleston Airport follow a Full-to-Full fuel policy by default. This means you receive the vehicle with a full tank and must return it full to avoid additional charges.

To avoid fuel charges on your Charleston Airport rental:

• Check the fuel gauge with the agent at pickup and confirm the starting level is recorded on the rental agreement
• Take a photo of the dashboard showing the odometer and fuel gauge at pickup
• Refuel within approximately 10 miles of the Charleston Airport return location before dropping off the car
• Keep your final fuel receipt showing the date, time, and station address

If you return the vehicle below the recorded starting level, the rental company may charge you for the fuel shortfall at their own refueling rate, which is typically higher than pump prices, plus a refueling service fee.

South Carolina generally has fuel prices below the National average, which is a practical advantage when refueling near Charleston Airport before your return. Some counters may offer an optional prepaid fuel plan; if you accept it, any unused fuel is typically non-refundable, so the Full-to-Full approach is usually the better value.

Yes, one-way rentals are available from Charleston Airport, allowing you to return the vehicle at a different location. However, a drop-off fee may apply depending on the route, rental company, vehicle class, and season.

How one-way fees work for Charleston Airport rentals:

• Same-city routes, such as Charleston Airport to downtown Charleston, often have no drop-off fee
• Routes to other cities or states typically carry a drop-off fee that varies by distance and vehicle class
• Cross-border one-ways, for example from Charleston Airport to a location in Canada, may be restricted or carry higher fees

During the booking process on the Hola Car Rentals website, any applicable drop-off fee for your Charleston Airport route will be shown on the rate details page under the To pay at destination section. This fee cannot be prepaid and is paid directly to the rental company at pickup.

If you need to change your return location after booking, be aware that this may reprice your rental and recalculate the drop-off fee. Always confirm the fee shown on your booking confirmation matches what the counter presents at Charleston Airport.

When picking up a rental car at Charleston Airport, two main types of coverage are worth understanding before you arrive at the counter.

Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) or Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) reduces your financial liability for damage to the rental vehicle itself, including collision, theft, and vandalism. A deductible may apply unless your confirmation explicitly states zero. 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 South Carolina, as in most U.S. states, there is no law requiring rental companies to include state-minimum liability coverage by default, so this protection is not automatically guaranteed. Hola Car Rentals strongly recommends adding Liability Insurance Supplementary (up to US$300,000) to your Charleston Airport booking.

Key points to check before arriving at Charleston Airport:

• Review your booking confirmation to see which coverages are included in your rate
• Confirm CDW/LDW and LIS/ALI/SLI are listed on the rental agreement at pickup
• Add all drivers to the agreement, as coverage applies only to named drivers
• Report any incident to the rental partner immediately using the number on your confirmation

CDW/LDW and LIS/ALI/SLI are separate protections. Pairing both gives you the most complete coverage for your Charleston Airport rental.