Cheap Car Rental in San Antonio

Car Rental in San Antonio: visiting one of the largest cities in Texas

San Antonio is a vibrant city well worth a visit. While it is the third largest city in Texas and the seventh largest city in the United States, San Antonio somehow retains a small-city feel and offers its visitors a vibrant downtown. Make the most of your visit to San Antonio and its surroundings by getting mobile via rental car. Book your rental today!

The heat in San Antonio can be intense, even in the shoulder seasons, though winters are typically chilly and rainy. Head to San Antonio in April to take advantage of over 100 events planned for Fiesta Week, though be sure to book your accommodations well in advance!

The de facto national language of the United States is English, but almost half of San Antonians speak Spanish as a native language. The primary indigenous languages originally spoken in the area were Comanche and a number of Coahuiltecan languages, though Huitepec and other Mixtec languages are primarily spoken today.

San Antonio is in the Central Time Zone, UTC-6.

The currency throughout the United States is the dollar. Credit cards are accepted at the vast majority of businesses and ATMs are also quite numerous.

Automobile hire is available in over 30 locations throughout San Antonio, including the San Antonio International Airport (SAT), downtown, and on DeZavala Road.

There are some excellent day trips from San Antonio, including scenic drives to the Mustang Island State Park, San Marcos, and Garner State Park.

Visa Regulations

38 nationalities can enter the United States as tourists without applying for a visa, though if you are among these nationalities, you are still required to fill out the ESTA in advance. Visit esta.us for more information. Visitors to the United States will be fingerprinted and biometrically photographed upon entry. If your nationality is not included in the visa-waiver program, you will be required to apply for a B-1 or B-2 visa in advance of your arrival.

Driving in San Antonio

While you may want to navigate San Antonio’s downtown and its many sights by foot—most major attractions are within walking distance—you will definitely want a car to see the rest of the city and its surroundings. Outside of downtown San Antonio, you’ll likely find that the streets are wide and the grid highly navigable.

Right-Hand Driving

• Traffic drives on the right-hand side of the road throughout the USA.

Speed Limits

• In the city: 30 mph (circa 48 km/h)
• On highways: 70-80 mph (112-128 km/h)
• Avoid morning and evening rush hours, from 7:30 to 9 am and 4:30 to 6 pm respectively, to make the most of your travel time, particularly because road construction frequently causes longer traffic jams in the San Antonio area.

Other Regulations

1. Parking is typically available in downtown San Antonio. Particularly if you’re planning on spending the day or the night in the downtown area, take advantage of parking garages, which typically offer better deals for longer stays.
2. An international driver’s permit in addition to your valid domestic driver’s license is required to drive in Texas.
3. While there are a number of toll roads in and around nearby Austin, at the time of writing, there were no toll roads in San Antonio. Some have been proposed, however.
4. While Texans can be issued a provisional driver’s license as young as 15, you will likely have to be at least 18 years of age to rent a car, and all drivers under 25 are likely to have to pay young-driver surcharges.

Other Tips

• If you’re interested in driving your rental car into Nuevo Leon, Mexico, talk to your rental company. Border zone travel is relatively uncomplicated, but your agency will need to provide you documentation to ease border travel, including providing car insurance that is also valid in Mexico. Some surcharges may apply for international travel.

Cheap Car Rental in San Antonio

Automobile hire in San Antonio typically starts at around $44 a day. Here are some of the best deals in San Antonio:

• Hyundai Accent or similar (economy class) – $24/day
• Nissan Versa or similar (compact class) – $25/day
• Jeep Cherokee or similar (intermediate class) – $34/day
• Chevrolet Cruze or similar (standard class) – $35/day
• Chrysler 200 or similar (fullsize class) – $36/day

Note that prices vary depending on the availability of each specific car and the season in which you rent. For the most accurate offers, use the search bar above.

Tips for Renting a Car Inexpensively in San Antonio

There is no seasonal variation in price for rental cars in San Antonio. Instead, you can make the most of your money by booking a car at the San Antonio International Airport, where car rental agencies such as Dollar, Thrifty, and Europcar keep prices low!

You can also drive your rental price down to below $30 a day if you extend your rental period to over a week!

Take advantage of special offers to save from 15% to 17% or book at least three months in advance to secure the cheapest rental car prices.