Car Rental at Portland Airport

Portland International Airport keeps the rental process unusually compact: the Rental Car Center sits inside the parking structure directly across from the main terminal, reachable through the south tunnel on foot in roughly five minutes from baggage claim — no shuttle bus required. From touchdown to driving out, budget 30 to 60 minutes, with the longer end more likely during peak summer arrivals when counter queues build. Once on the road, the Portland metro area has almost no toll infrastructure — major tolling projects on Interstates 5 and 205 were halted, and the only toll crossings in Oregon are the Bridge of the Gods and the Hood River Bridge over the Columbia River, well outside the city. That means the toll pass programs rental companies offer at the counter are rarely worth adding for most Portland itineraries. Fuel is a different consideration: Oregon prohibits self-service pumping, so an attendant fills the tank at every station, and pump prices in the Portland area typically run around US$5 per gallon — plan to refuel before returning the car to avoid the fuel service markup. The deposit hold at pickup runs roughly US$200 to US$400 depending on vehicle class, placed on a credit card in the primary driver's name. International visitors whose license uses a non-Latin script — Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or Cyrillic — should bring an International Driving Permit alongside the original license.