National Car Hire
in Houston

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

No. With Hola Car Rentals, all costs and charges for your booking in Houston 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 Houston 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)

National Car Hire at Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) is not situated inside any terminal. All National and other major hire brands operate from the consolidated Rental Car Centre, which is approximately five minutes from the terminals by shuttle.

To reach the National counter, follow these steps after landing:

• Exit baggage reclaim and follow signs to Ground Transport. Key exit doors by terminal: Terminal A south side Door A-115, Terminal C south side Door C-105 or C-106, Terminal E Level 2 Door E-203 or west side E-101.
• Board the blue and white shuttle bus marked Rental Car Shuttle. Shuttles run every 5 minutes from 7:00 am to 11:00 pm, and every 10 minutes from 11:00 pm to 7:00 am, 24 hours a day.
• The shuttle journey to the National Rental Car Centre takes approximately 5 to 30 minutes depending on wait times.
• At the centre, proceed to the National counter, complete paperwork (allow 8 to 25 minutes, longer during peak hours), and inspect your vehicle before leaving.

Allow 45 to 90 minutes in total from landing to driving away under normal conditions at Houston IAH.

When you collect a National hire car at Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), your base rate is subject to airport-specific charges that do not apply at off-airport National locations in Houston.

The main IAH surcharges include:

• Airport Concession Recovery Fee: 11.11% of the base hire rate, capped at GBP 33.33 per contract.
• Customer Facility Charge (CFC) or Vehicle Licence Fee: approximately GBP 22.81 per contract, funding the consolidated Rental Car Centre shared by National and other brands.

These charges are passed directly to renters and are standard across all brands operating at IAH. They are separate from state and local taxes.

If you wish to avoid these airport-specific charges, National operates additional Houston locations outside the airport, such as 7600 Airport Blvd and 11730 Katy Fwy (Houston Energy Corridor). Off-airport National locations in Houston typically cost 15 to 30% less than the IAH site once concession and facility charges are included. Your booking confirmation will specify which charges are included in your prepaid rate and which are payable at the Houston counter.

Houston has an extensive cashless toll network managed mainly by the Harris County Toll Road Authority (HCTRA) using the EZ TAG system. Nearly all toll roads in Houston use overhead gantries that read transponders or photograph licence plates. There are very few, if any, cash toll booths on Houston roads.

When you collect your National hire in Houston, you have two main options for managing tolls:

• Unlimited toll package: pay a flat daily fee (typically US$11 to US$25 per hire day, depending on the location and package) for unlimited toll usage during your hire period.
• Pay per use: if you decline the package, National will bill the actual toll charges plus daily or administrative processing fees to your credit card, often days or weeks after returning the vehicle.

Estimated Houston toll costs range from approximately US$5 to US$20 per day depending on the roads used. If you plan to drive Houston’s motorways regularly, the unlimited package may offer better value. You may also opt out and use a personal transponder, but inform the National counter staff so they can deactivate the vehicle’s default device to prevent duplicate charges.

Texas has no congestion charges or emissions zones, so tolls are the only road fees to consider in Houston.

Yes, all Hola Car Rentals bookings include Tolls Cashback, which allows you to recover up to 5% of your total booking value for tolls paid during your National hire in Houston.

Houston’s toll network (mainly operated by HCTRA) is entirely cashless, so toll charges are common, especially on major routes. The Tolls Cashback benefit helps offset these costs.

To claim after your Houston hire ends:

• Email [email protected] within 30 days of returning your National vehicle.
• Use the subject line: Tolls Cashback - HOLA followed by your confirmation number.
• Attach your Hola Car Rentals booking confirmation, the National hire agreement signed at collection, and a toll receipt or statement showing charges paid during the hire period.
• Include your full name, travel dates, and the last 4 digits of the card used for your booking.

Refunds are issued to the original payment method and typically process within 7 to 10 working days after approval. For example, if your Houston National booking totalled US$400, the maximum cashback is US$20. If your actual Houston tolls were US$14, you receive US$14 back. Late submissions after 30 days are not accepted.

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

• A valid, original driver’s licence in the main driver’s name (not a digital copy).
• A major credit card physically printed with the main driver’s name, for the authorisation hold. Debit cards and prepaid cards are not accepted for the deposit.
• A passport or valid government-issued photo ID.
• Your booking confirmation or printed voucher.
• Round-trip flight tickets or travel itinerary showing your return date (required for international arrivals at Houston IAH).

If your driver’s licence is not in English and does not use a Latin (Roman) alphabet, such as Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, or Cyrillic script, an International Driving Permit (IDP) is mandatory alongside your original licence. For licences in English or other Latin-alphabet languages, an IDP is recommended but not strictly required at most National locations in Houston.

All documents must be physical originals. Digital copies shown on a phone or tablet are not accepted at the Houston National counter. Bring a backup credit card in your name in case your primary card is declined during the deposit authorisation.

Houston’s road layout can surprise many first-time visitors and directly impacts how you navigate your National hire in the city.

The two key features to understand are:

• Frontage roads: Nearly every Houston motorway has parallel service roads running alongside the main lanes. Traffic often weaves between the frontage road and the main carriageways. If you miss a motorway exit, you may need to use the frontage road to loop back, which differs from most cities outside Texas.
• Multilevel stack interchanges: Houston has more multilevel motorway-to-motorway interchanges than any other US city. Some ramps rise over 30 metres (100 feet). There are no cloverleaf interchanges. The I-45 and I-69 downtown interchange features single-lane ramps that can cause delays, and some exits require navigating traffic lights and feeder roads rather than direct ramps.

Additionally, downtown Houston and Midtown feature extensive one-way streets with four to six lanes, which can be confusing if you are used to two-way grids.

Using a GPS or navigation app is highly recommended when driving your National hire in Houston, especially around the downtown interchange areas and when transitioning between frontage roads and main carriageways.

Returning your National hire in Houston at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) is straightforward. The National return area is located at the consolidated Rental Car Centre, the same facility where you collected the vehicle.

Follow these steps when returning your Houston National hire:

• Drive to the Rental Car Centre and follow National signage to the return lane. A National agent will meet you to collect the keys and inspect the vehicle.
• Refuel before arriving. Refuel within approximately 16 km (10 miles) of the return location so the tank does not drop below full before you arrive. Keep your fuel receipt as proof.
• After returning the vehicle, board the correct return shuttle to your departure terminal. Separate shuttle buses serve Terminals A and B, C and D, and E. Shuttles run every 5 minutes from 7:00 am to 11:00 pm, and every 10 minutes from 11:00 pm to 7:00 am.
• After-hours return is available at the Houston IAH National location. If returning outside staffed hours, follow the key drop instructions provided in your rental agreement.

Allow extra time before your flight, as the shuttle journey adds approximately 5 to 30 minutes depending on wait times and terminal distance.

Yes, a major credit card in the main driver’s name with the driver’s name physically printed on the card is required for the security deposit hold at the Houston National counter. Debit cards, prepaid cards, and virtual or digital-only cards are not accepted.

At collection, National will place a temporary authorisation hold on your card. For standard vehicles in Houston, typical holds range from approximately US$300 to US$400, depending on the vehicle class, hire duration, and the specific National location. The hold reduces your available credit until your bank releases it after the hire ends.

Key points to remember:

• Even if you prepaid your Houston National booking in full, you must still present a physical credit card at the counter for the deposit hold.
• The hold is not a charge. It is released after you return the vehicle, but your bank may take up to 15 working days to reflect the release.
• Notify your bank before travelling to Houston to prevent fraud blocks on a high-value authorisation.
• Bring a backup credit card in your name in case your primary card is declined.

Most Hola Car Rentals bookings, including National hires in Houston, include travel assistance coverage provided by Terrawind Global Protection at no extra cost. This benefit is especially useful in Houston, where long motorway distances and multilevel interchanges can make breakdowns or accidents more stressful to manage alone.

The travel assistance typically covers:

• Medical cover for up to 5 passengers for non-pre-existing illnesses and accidents during the trip.
• Legal assistance in the event of a road accident.
• Compensation for baggage lost by the airline.
• Flight cancellation insurance.

To contact the assistance line 24 hours a day, call +1 888 980 9992 (toll-free or collect), contact WhatsApp at +1 208 910 1001, or email [email protected]. Have your Hola Car Rentals confirmation number ready when you call.

Important: this travel assistance benefit does not apply to residents of the United States or Canada. It is designed for international visitors hiring a National in Houston. It also does not cover damage to the National vehicle itself (covered by CDW/LDW) or third-party liability (covered by LIS/SLI). Always check your booking confirmation for the exact terms and coverage limits applicable to your Houston hire.

Yes, you can add an additional driver to your National hire in Houston, either as part of your rate or for a fee payable at the counter.

For National hires in Houston, the additional driver fee is US$15 per day plus applicable taxes when not included in your rate. Some Hola Car Rentals rate plans explicitly include one additional driver at no extra cost. Check your booking confirmation for the line that states Additional driver free of charge to confirm whether your Houston National hire includes this.

Requirements for adding a driver at the Houston National counter:

• The additional driver must be physically present at collection to show a valid driver’s licence and sign the rental agreement.
• They must meet the minimum age requirements. In Texas, the standard minimum age is 25 for most vehicle classes, with a young-driver surcharge applying to drivers aged 21 to 24.
• If their licence is not in a Latin-alphabet language, an International Driving Permit (IDP) is required alongside the original licence.

Only drivers listed on the Houston National hire agreement are covered by protections such as CDW/LDW and liability cover. Anyone not named on the contract who drives the vehicle may void those protections.

Drivers aged 21 to 24 can hire a National in Houston but will be subject to a young-driver surcharge payable at the counter. The standard National young-driver fee in the United States is US$15 per day plus applicable taxes.

Additional restrictions apply to under-25 renters at Houston National locations:

• Most premium, full-size, luxury, SUV, minivan, and speciality vehicle classes are restricted to drivers aged 25 and over.
• Economy, compact, and intermediate categories are generally available to drivers aged 21 to 24.
• Drivers under 21 cannot hire from National in Houston under standard policy.

Texas does not have the same exceptions as New York or Michigan, where state law requires rentals to drivers aged 18 and over. In Houston, the minimum age at National is 21, with the surcharge applying until the driver turns 25.

If you are aged 21 to 24 and booking a National hire in Houston, include the daily surcharge in your total cost. The surcharge is paid directly at the Houston National counter and is not part of your prepaid Hola Car Rentals rate.

Whether your National hire in Houston includes Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) or Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) depends on the specific rate plan you selected when booking through Hola Car Rentals. Check your booking confirmation for the line referencing Car Hire Insurance or CDW/LDW to verify what is included.

If CDW/LDW is included in your Houston National booking, it reduces your financial liability for damage to the vehicle from a collision, theft, or vandalism. A deductible or excess may still apply unless your confirmation explicitly states zero excess.

Important limitations to note for your Houston National hire:

• CDW/LDW covers the vehicle only. It does not cover injuries or property damage caused to others. For that, you need Third-Party Liability (LIS/SLI).
• Coverage applies only to drivers listed on the National hire agreement. Unlisted drivers void the protection.
• Prohibited use, such as off-road driving or driving under the influence, voids CDW/LDW regardless of the plan.
• Items such as tyres, the undercarriage, and the roof may be excluded. Review the National hire agreement at the Houston counter for the full list.

If an incident occurs during your Houston hire, report it immediately to National using the number on your hire agreement.

Yes, National operates several Houston locations beyond the George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) Rental Car Centre. Choosing an off-airport National location in Houston can reduce your overall cost by 15 to 30% because airport-specific charges, including the 11.11% concession recovery fee and the approximately GBP 22.81 customer facility charge per contract, do not apply at city branches.

Known National locations in Houston include:

• George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH): 17300 Palmetto Pines, Houston, TX 77032 (airport fees apply).
• 7600 Airport Blvd, Houston, TX 77061.
• Houston Energy Corridor: 11730 Katy Fwy, Houston, TX 77079.

If you are arriving by air at Houston IAH and plan to collect from an off-airport National branch, you will need to organise your own transport from the terminal to that branch, as the IAH shuttle only serves the consolidated Rental Car Centre. Check the operating hours of your chosen Houston National location before booking, as city branches may have more limited hours than the 24-hour airport facility. Your booking confirmation will specify the exact pickup address and any fees payable at the Houston National counter.