Thrifty Car Rental in Ottawa

Hola Car Rentals is a premium partner of the leading car rental companies in Ottawa, including Thrifty, giving you exclusive access to our All Inclusive+ rate. This rate includes extra benefits that no other company can match:

• Full vehicle coverage with no deductible (applies only for certain rates and itineraries)
• Toll cashback: get back up to 5% of your total booking value for tolls charged during your rental
• Premium travel medical assistance for up to 5 passengers in case of emergency, covering up to CAD 200,000 (pre-existing conditions excluded)
• 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 at no additional cost, ensuring a unique Thrifty rental experience with complete protection and peace of mind during your trip in Ottawa.

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

The Thrifty counter serving Ottawa International Airport (YOW) is located off-airport at 170 Paul Benoit Driveway, not inside the terminal building. After collecting your baggage, you will need to take a shuttle from the terminal to reach the Thrifty facility.

• Exit the arrivals hall and follow signs to the rental car shuttle area
• Board the shuttle marked for Thrifty or the off-airport rental car zone
• Shuttle wait times are typically 5 to 15 minutes
• Allow 20 to 40 minutes total from landing to driving away, accounting for baggage claim, the shuttle ride, paperwork, and vehicle inspection

If you are picking up from a downtown Ottawa location such as 320 Catherine Street or 881 St. Laurent Boulevard, no shuttle is needed. Those Thrifty branches are street-level and accessible directly by taxi or rideshare from wherever you are staying in the city.

Contact the Thrifty location directly to confirm current counter hours before your arrival, as hours can vary by season and holiday.

To collect your Thrifty rental in Ottawa, you must bring the following physical documents to the counter:

• Your original, unexpired driver's license in the main driver's name
• A major credit card with the driver's name printed on the card (debit and prepaid cards are not accepted for the security deposit)
• A valid passport or government-issued photo ID
• Your booking confirmation or printed voucher
• Round-trip flight or cruise tickets if you are visiting Canada from abroad

If your driver's license is not in English and does not use a Latin alphabet (for example, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, or Cyrillic script), an International Driving Permit (IDP) is mandatory alongside your original license. For licenses in other non-English scripts, an IDP is strongly recommended. The IDP is a translation only and cannot be used without your original license.

All documents presented at the Thrifty counter in Ottawa must be physical originals. Digital copies shown on a phone or tablet are not accepted. If you are unsure whether your license qualifies, obtain an IDP in your home country before traveling to Ottawa.

Ottawa itself does not have toll roads within the city. However, if you plan to drive toward the Greater Toronto Area during your Thrifty rental, you may encounter Highway 407 ETR, Ontario's main toll highway.

• The 407 ETR is 100% cashless with no toll booths. Charges are applied by photographing the license plate of your rental vehicle
• If you drive the 407 ETR, Thrifty will be billed and will then charge your credit card for the toll amount plus an administrative fee
• A sample 25 km peak-period trip on the 407 ETR can cost approximately CAD 30.45 before any rental company processing fees
• GPS navigation may route you onto the 407 ETR by default for speed, leading to unexpected charges if you are not aware

At the Thrifty counter in Ottawa you may be offered a toll program (flat-rate daily pass or pay-per-use). Review the terms carefully before accepting, as enrolling in a flat-rate plan after a single toll use can result in daily charges across your entire rental period.

Ottawa has no congestion charges, emissions zones, or city-center driving fees. Tolls are limited to the 407 ETR if you travel toward Toronto.

Yes, you can get cashback on tolls paid during your Thrifty rental in Ottawa through the Hola Car Rentals Tolls Cashback benefit, which is included on all bookings.

If you drive on the Highway 407 ETR while traveling from Ottawa toward the Toronto area, or any other toll road during your Thrifty rental, you can claim up to 5% of your total booking value back for tolls paid.

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

Example: if your Ottawa Thrifty booking total was CAD 400, the maximum cashback is CAD 20. If you paid CAD 12 in tolls, you receive CAD 12 back. If you paid CAD 30, you receive CAD 20 (the cap). Refunds are processed to your original payment method within 7 to 10 business days after approval. Late submissions beyond 30 days are not accepted.

When you pick up your Thrifty vehicle in Ottawa, a temporary authorization hold will be placed on your credit card. This is not a charge but it reduces your available credit until the hold is released after you return the car.

• Typical hold amounts in Canada range from CAD 300 to CAD 500 for standard vehicles
• Some Ottawa locations may require a minimum authorization of approximately CAD 750
• Premium or larger vehicle classes may carry higher holds
• The hold is released after drop-off, but your bank controls when it appears back on your account, which can take up to 15 business days

You must present a physical major credit card with the driver's name printed on the card at the Thrifty counter in Ottawa. Debit cards, prepaid cards, and virtual or digital-only cards are not accepted for the deposit. Even if you prepaid your booking online, a physical credit card is still required at pick-up.

To avoid issues, notify your bank of your travel to Ottawa before your trip, confirm sufficient available credit, and bring a backup credit card in your name as a precaution.

Yes, Thrifty allows one-way rentals from Ottawa locations, meaning you can pick up the car in Ottawa and return it to a different Thrifty location elsewhere in Canada.

• A one-time drop-off fee applies in addition to the rental rate and varies by route, vehicle class, and season
• The drop-off fee is shown during the booking process under the section labeled as charges due at destination
• One-way rentals are subject to vehicle availability at both the Ottawa pickup location and the chosen return location
• Cross-border one-way rentals (for example, Ottawa to a US city) may be restricted or carry significantly higher fees depending on Thrifty's current policies

When booking a one-way Thrifty rental from Ottawa, always review the details page for your selected rate to confirm whether a drop-off fee applies and what the exact amount is. This fee cannot be prepaid and is paid directly at the Thrifty counter in Ottawa or at the return location as specified in your agreement.

If you need to change your return location after booking, contact support promptly, as mid-rental route changes must be approved by the partner and may increase the fee or affect availability.

Ottawa has several local driving characteristics that can catch first-time visitors off guard when navigating in a Thrifty rental vehicle.

• Downtown Ottawa features a deliberate network of one-way streets in areas such as Centretown, including streets like Metcalfe, Lyon, Kent, and O'Connor. These are not always intuitive for visitors expecting a standard grid layout
• Certain protected intersections, such as Laurier Avenue and Nicholas Street, prohibit right turns on red at all times. This differs from most other Canadian cities where right-on-red is generally permitted outside Quebec
• Protected bike lanes, raised cycle tracks, and separated crosswalks are common in central Ottawa, requiring drivers to be attentive to dedicated cycling signals and turn restrictions
• Some rural and northern approaches to Ottawa use 2-plus-1 road configurations with alternating passing lanes, which can be unfamiliar to drivers expecting standard divided highways

Ottawa has no emission zones or congestion charges. Speed enforcement is present in downtown areas where intersection designs are built to slow traffic for pedestrian and cyclist safety. Always observe posted speed limits and turn restriction signs when driving your Thrifty rental in Ottawa, particularly in the downtown core.

Yes, Thrifty charges an additional driver fee in Ottawa when the cost is not already included in your rate. The fee for Thrifty is US$13.50 per rental day plus applicable taxes, with a maximum cap of US$189 plus taxes for the rental period.

Before assuming the fee applies, check your booking confirmation. Some rates explicitly state that one additional driver is included at no extra charge. If your confirmation shows this, you should not be billed at the Thrifty counter in Ottawa for the first additional driver.

• The additional driver must be present at the Thrifty counter in Ottawa at the time of pick-up
• They must present a valid driver's license and any required International Driving Permit
• Both the main driver and the additional driver must sign the rental agreement
• Anyone who drives the vehicle without being listed on the agreement is not covered by the rental protections

If you need to add more than one additional driver beyond what your rate includes, each will incur the per-day fee. Confirm the total cost with the Thrifty agent in Ottawa before signing the agreement.

Most bookings include travel assistance coverage provided by Terrawind Global Protection, which can be valuable if something goes wrong during your Thrifty rental in Ottawa or while traveling in the region.

• Travel insurance with medical coverage for up to 5 passengers
• Legal assistance in the event of a road accident, which is particularly useful if you are involved in an incident on Ottawa's downtown streets or on rural highways approaching the city
• Compensation for baggage lost by the airline
• Flight cancellation insurance

If you need emergency assistance during your Thrifty rental in Ottawa, 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 and Hola Car Rentals confirmation number ready when you call. Follow the coordinator's instructions and keep all receipts and reports for any reimbursement claim.

Important: this travel assistance benefit applies only to non-North American customers. Canadian and US residents do not qualify for this coverage. Always review your booking confirmation for the exact terms and limits that apply to your specific reservation.

Thrifty rentals in Ottawa follow a Full-to-Full fuel policy by default. You receive the vehicle with a full tank and must return it full to avoid additional charges.

• At pick-up, check the fuel gauge with the Thrifty agent and confirm the starting level is recorded on the rental agreement
• Take a photo of the dashboard showing the odometer and fuel gauge before leaving the Ottawa location
• Refuel within approximately 15 km of the return location so the gauge does not drop before you arrive
• Keep your final fuel receipt showing the date, time, and station address

If you return the Thrifty vehicle in Ottawa with less than a full tank, you may be charged for the fuel shortfall at the partner's refueling rate, which is typically higher than the pump price, plus a refueling service fee.

Ask the Thrifty agent in Ottawa at pick-up to recommend the nearest gas stations to the return location. You can also use a navigation app to find stations close to the drop-off point before you make your final approach. For after-hours returns, leave your fuel receipt in the return envelope and keep a photo of the full gauge on your phone.

Returning your Thrifty rental in Ottawa depends on which location you are dropping off at.

• For the Ottawa Airport location, follow signs marked Rental Car Return to the Parkade (P1) at the airport. This is separate from passenger arrivals and departures lanes
• For downtown Ottawa Thrifty locations such as 881 St. Laurent Boulevard or 320 Catherine Street, return the vehicle to the address shown on your rental agreement
• Arrive with a full tank of fuel and keep your receipt as proof
• Allow the Thrifty agent to inspect the vehicle with you present and confirm the return on your agreement

If you are returning outside of business hours, contact the Thrifty location in Ottawa in advance to confirm whether after-hours key drop is available and where the drop box is located. Note that your liability for the vehicle may continue until the branch formally checks it in during business hours, so document the vehicle's condition with photos at the time of return.

Check your rental agreement for the exact return address and any specific instructions provided by Thrifty for your Ottawa reservation.

Whether Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) or Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) is included in your Thrifty rental in Ottawa depends on the specific rate you selected at the time of booking. Check your booking confirmation to see if CDW or LDW is listed under your coverage details.

CDW and LDW reduce your financial liability for damage to the Thrifty rental vehicle caused by a collision, theft, or vandalism. A deductible may still apply unless your confirmation explicitly states zero deductible.

• CDW and LDW do not cover third-party liability, meaning damage or injury you cause to other people or their property
• In Canada, provincial law requires every vehicle to carry third-party liability, and this statutory coverage is included by default when renting in Ottawa
• You can purchase supplemental liability (LIS/ALI/SLI) for higher limits if needed
• Common exclusions include tires, undercarriage, roof damage, and incidents involving unauthorized drivers or prohibited use

If an incident occurs during your Thrifty rental in Ottawa, prioritize safety, contact local authorities if needed, and notify Thrifty immediately using the number on your rental agreement. Report the incident promptly, as delays can affect your coverage.

If your flight to Ottawa is delayed, Thrifty will generally hold your reservation for up to 24 hours from the original scheduled pickup time, provided you arrive during the counter's operating hours.

• If the delay is less than 24 hours, your Thrifty booking in Ottawa should be protected. Make sure you arrive while the counter is open
• If the delay exceeds 24 hours, contact Hola Car Rentals support as soon as possible via WhatsApp at +1 (786) 999-8312 or by email at [email protected] to explore options. Changes are not guaranteed but the team will assist where possible
• Do not simply not show up without contacting support, as a no-show may result in the booking being forfeited with no refund

For flights arriving at Ottawa International Airport (YOW), remember that the Thrifty counter is located off-airport at 170 Paul Benoit Driveway and requires a shuttle from the terminal. Factor in additional time for the shuttle and counter process when estimating your arrival at the Thrifty desk.

It is always a good idea to have the Thrifty Ottawa location's contact number from your rental agreement saved on your phone so you can notify them directly if your arrival is significantly delayed.