Cheap Car Rental in Anchorage

Tips for renting a cheap car in Anchorage

Need a cheap car rental in Anchorage? With Economybookings, you can easily compare multiple providers to find the best possible deal. With so much to experience across Southcentral Alaska, a quick comparison can save you time and money on a car that will help you reach it all.

• Compare pickup locations – Select the broader urban area instead of a specific location to unlock more deal options, including off-airport savings.
• Slightly adjust pickup times and dates – Even changing your booking by an hour can reveal lower rates.
• Choose the right car for your trip – A compact car will likely meet all your needs if you intend to stick to Anchorage, but a four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicle can come in handy if you plan to drive the rougher (and sometimes, unpaved) backcountry roads in areas like Denali and Chitina.
• Book early – While Anchorage generally operates year-round, rental demand in Alaska tends to spike during the summer season (May to September), major holidays, and large events like cultural festivals and business conventions. Booking in advance helps secure lower prices and better vehicle selection.

Tips When Renting and Driving a Car in Anchorage

• Rent a car if you plan to visit places beyond Anchorage, where mass transit options tend to be much more limited.
• Watch out for rush hour traffic on the Glenn Highway, as it’s the one major road connecting Anchorage to suburbs in the Chugiak-Eagle River and Mat-Su regions.
• You can pick up your car at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC), and at various storefronts around the city.
• Choose a small car for better mileage and easier parking around the city.
• Pick a car with four-wheel drive for longer drives into rural mountain and coastal regions.
• Inspect the car and take photos before and after rental.

Driving Tips in Anchorage

• Drive on the right side of the road, and prepare to wait your turn when you need to turn left.
• Look out for stop lights—green means go, yellow signals that you must prepare to stop, and red is stop. At most intersections with stop lights, there will also be dedicated stop lights for left-turn lanes.
• Some roundabouts can be found in various neighbourhoods around town – give way to traffic coming from the left.
• Alaska law requires headlight use from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise, during inclement weather (like heavy rain or snow), and whenever else outside visibility falls below 1,000 feet.
• Horn use should be reserved for emergencies or warnings.
• Traffic usually moves faster in the left lanes on highways.
• Expect to pay around $2 per hour for parking in Anchorage. When in the city, you can use the PayByPhone app for contactless payment.
• NEVER cross a set of double yellow lines.
• Try the GasBuddy app to locate area gas stations and check prices. If you have a Costco membership, you can refuel there and take advantage of their very cheap gas.
• Keep your driver’s license, rental papers, and proof of insurance with you at all times. (Due to ongoing federal immigration raids across the US, you may also want to keep your passport or proof of valid passport within easy reach as well.)
• The Glenn Highway extends east from Anchorage to the Richardson Highway at Glennallen, and it operates as a multi-lane freeway between Anchorage and the Mat-Su Valley suburbs. Meanwhile, the Seward Highway extends south from Anchorage to the town of Seward on the Kenai Peninsula. These highways can be useful for reaching more places, but expect heavy traffic during weekday rush hours (7:00 to 9:00 AM, and 4:00 to 6:00 PM).

Speed Limits

In Alaska, most major highways operate with a 65 mph (105 km/h) speed limit, including the Glenn and Seward Highways in Anchorage. However, other highways may have lower posted speed limits of 60 mph (97 km/h), 55 mph (89 km/h), or 50 mph (80 km/h). And for other roads, expect speed limits of 25 mph (40 km/h) in residential districts, and 20 mph (32 km/h) in business districts and on smaller alleys. Always watch for posted signs, as limits can vary.

Road Signs

US road signs are typically noticeable and well-placed. They are almost always in English and use symbols for quick understanding. Speed limit signs are in miles per hour (mph). In Portland, look out for signs marking dedicated rail crossings, bus lanes, bike lanes, and school lanes, which may have special speed limits and other restrictions.

Tolls and fees

As of 2026, Alaska only has one toll road: the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel that carries the Portage Glacier Highway under Maynard Mountain, about 56 miles southeast of Anchorage. Drivers can expect to pay a toll of $11-$38 (depending on vehicle size), and the toll covers a full round-trip journey to and from Whittier.

If you plan to drive to any of Alaska’s state and national parks and public lands, note that many of these parks charge vehicle entry fees. For instance, Denali National Park charges $15 for a standard pass and a heightened surcharge for international visitors. (If you’re an international visitor who plans to visit multiple national parks, it might be worth paying $250 for the full annual pass.) At Alaska State Parks, expect to pay $5-$10 per vehicle and $10-$45 per night if you plan to camp at the park.

Discover Anchorage and Alaska by Car

If you intend to primarily stay in the city, you might be able to pull off a car-free trip. But if you’re thinking about exploring more of Alaska, a personal car will ensure that you get where you want to go. With a rental car, you won’t have to worry about limited rail service.

A car offers flexibility and freedom to discover hidden spots that are much harder to reach via public transportation in the US. This especially rings true in Alaska, including the state’s world-famous nature preserves like Denali National Park and Chugach National Forest.

When to Visit

Alaska has plenty to offer year-round, but many areas are affected by seasonal conditions. Winter can be a great time to play in the snow and see the Northern Lights, but some areas outside the large cities may have restricted access or be closed entirely due to the very harsh winter weather this far north. This is a major reason why summer is Alaska’s peak travel season, as many more parks and attractions are wide open to explore.

For the best road trip weather, the May-September summer season is probably your best bet for open and safe roads. If you’re trying to avoid peak tourist traffic, the tail end of the summer season (in August and September) might work out well, when US students return to school and fall colors start to appear. Whenever you plan to hit the open road, make sure to pack water and sunscreen, and to check weather forecasts before leaving.

Languages & Communication

English is the primary language spoken in Alaska, but the state is highly multicultural and home to diverse communities. As you explore, you may encounter Alaska Native indigenous communities who continue to preserve and utilise their own languages. Under Alaska law, Inupiaq, Siberian Yupik, Central Alaskan Yup'ik, Alutiiq, Unangax, Dena'ina, Deg Xinag, Holikachuk, Koyukon, Upper Kuskokwim, Gwich'in, Tanana, Upper Tanana, Tanacross, Hän, Ahtna, Eyak, Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian are recognised as official state languages alongside English, and you might encounter some native speakers when travelling into indigenous communities.

With all of that said, Alaska is very well-equipped to welcome global visitors, especially in a city like Anchorage. Most signage and services are available in English, and hotel, restaurant, and retail staff tend to have experience in assisting various non-English speakers.

Currency & Payments

Since Alaska is part of the United States, the US dollar ($, or USD) is used everywhere. Credit and debit cards are widely accepted, and contactless payments have largely become commonplace around Alaska. ATMs are easy to find throughout the city and suburbs, but keep in mind that ATMs will charge extra fees if they are not affiliated with your bank, and that banks tend to be more sparse in rural areas.

Top Driving Routes in and Around Anchorage

• Even if you’re not planning to stay in the city for long, Anchorage itself is worth at least a day trip to explore the urban core and its vibrant arts scene, its collection of fascinating museums, and its surprising variety of restaurants and bars
• Chugach State Park – Around 20-40 minutes east of Anchorage; less than an hour away from downtown, this park stretches across nearly 500,000 acres and has some 280 miles of trails that provide ample opportunities for hiking, biking, hunting, fishing, gold–panning, ATV riding, and (seasonal) snowmobiling
• Nancy Lake State Recreation Area – Around 1.5-2 hours north of Anchorage; a short-ish drive from the city leads to this tranquil park that’s picture-perfect for fishing, canoeing, paddleboarding, and camping, especially during the (relatively) warm summer months
• Kenai Fjords National Park – Around 2-2.5 hours south of Anchorage; come to see the namesake fjords and the 40 tidewater glaciers that stretch from the mountains to the sea, and stay to explore more of the Harding Icefield that extends for some 700 square miles
• Lake Clark National Park and Preserve – About a 1 hour flight from Anchorage; primarily accessible via air taxi or bush plane, this park offers spectacular scenery of massive mountains, granite spires, icy glaciers, and the turquoise waters of its namesake lake, and it might be the state’s best park for serious sportfishing
• Denali National Park and Preserve – About 4-5 hours north; this park is famous for having North America’s tallest mountain, but it also provides critical habitat for local wildlife like moose, caribou, grizzly bears, Dall sheep, and wolves, making this a prime destination for wildlife watching
• Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve – About 3.5 hours east; not only is this the United States’ largest national park and preserve (extending for some 13 million acres!), but it also includes the nation’s second-highest peak at Mount St. Elias, and it’s a nice park to ditch the larger tourist crowds and try more backcountry hiking, mountaineering, rafting, and camping