Cover from just £2.45*
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New York’s extensive public transport network can make hiring a car seem unnecessary, especially if you’re only interested in the main sights. But if you want to explore the beaches, cities and state parks beyond the New York City limits – and you should – getting a rental car could be ideal.
Language: English | Currency: US Dollar ($) | Avg. Flight time: 8 hrs 5 mins
New York is served by three international airports, all of which have plenty of car rental options. John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) is the busiest airport, while LaGuardia (LGA) is the closest to Manhattan. There's also the smaller Newark Liberty (EWR).
In terms of which rental companies serve New York’s airports, you’ll find major worldwide brands such as Avis, Enterprise, Hertz and Budget across all three, plus a selection of other top brands: with all that choice, you can find some pretty competitive deals for New York car hire in 2024.
Car rental companies at Newark Liberty (EWR) include:
New York is notorious for its gridlocked roads and endless traffic lights so be wary and patient when driving, especially in central areas such as Manhattan. If you know you’ll be spending the day in one particular area, you might find it easier to park up somewhere local and walk from place to place instead.
Parking can be tricky in the busiest parts of New York City's boroughs, especially in Manhattan. Most people use parking garages, particularly if they need to leave their car overnight. Garages are safe, but they're not particularly cheap. For shorter stays, the other option is to use on-street parking, which is usually paid for using a meter. If you can't see a meter, don't just trust your luck – double check you’re in an authorised parking zone.
Don't be discouraged by all of this – there's much to explore beyond the city, and if you’re venturing out for a day trip, you’ll find the roads quickly get less busy outside of NYC, as lower volumes of traffic and faster roads combine to keep things moving.
Driving time: Two hours 30 minutes
Whether you want to hike to a waterfall or try out ice fishing, Catskill State Park is ideal to visit at any time of the year. Along with its spectacular, untouched scenery, it’s also home to some quaint towns and villages. You can even ski at destinations such as Belleayre Mountain.
Driving time: Two hours
Also located in the Long Island region, Fire Island is a peaceful slice of heaven on the Atlantic coast. Full of sandy dunes and long stretches of beach, it’s relatively deserted for most of the year – except on Labor Day or on July 4, when it gets absolutely packed. If you're comfortable with the crowds, there's something to be said for coming to join the celebrations.
Driving time: 60-90 minutes
Located 35km (22 miles) east of New York City in Long Island, Oyster Bay is a picturesque coastal village that makes the perfect day trip if you want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. It was a holiday favourite of former president Theodore Roosevelt, and it’s easy to see why – elegant houses and pristine beaches rub shoulders with natural attractions like the Bailey Arboretum.
A fair fuel policy (also known as full-to-full or same-to-same) means you’ll only pay for the fuel you use. All car rental deals compared on TravelSupermarket come with a fair fuel policy, so you can book your hire car safe in the knowledge there will be no nasty surprises at drop-off. More information on TravelSupermarket’s commitment to fair fuel policies can be found here.
All rental deals compared on TravelSupermarket include mandatory fees (for example, one-way and young driver surcharges) in your rental quote at the time of booking, meaning you’ll know the full price of your car hire upfront.
Budget
9 locations in New York - John F Kennedy Intl Apt (JFK), Queens County, New York, United States
Airport location: Yes
Inclusions:
Policies commonly offered by supplier. Always check your deal's terms and conditions for full inclusions.
Free cancellation
Local taxes included
Unlimited mileage
Collision damage waiver
Theft protection
From
£28.17 /day
Avis
6 locations in New York - John F Kennedy Intl Apt (JFK), Queens County, New York, United States
Airport location: Yes
Inclusions:
Policies commonly offered by supplier. Always check your deal's terms and conditions for full inclusions.
Free additional driver
Free cancellation
Local taxes included
Unlimited mileage
Collision damage waiver
Theft protection
From
£30 /day
Thrifty
20 locations in New York - John F Kennedy Intl Apt (JFK), Queens County, New York, United States
Airport location: Yes
Inclusions:
Policies commonly offered by supplier. Always check your deal's terms and conditions for full inclusions.
Free additional driver
Free cancellation
Local taxes included
Unlimited mileage
Collision damage waiver
Excess insurance
Personal accident cover
Theft protection
From
£31.11 /day
Hertz
11 locations in New York - John F Kennedy Intl Apt (JFK), Queens County, New York, United States
Airport location: Yes
Inclusions:
Policies commonly offered by supplier. Always check your deal's terms and conditions for full inclusions.
Free cancellation
Local taxes included
Unlimited mileage
Collision damage waiver
Excess insurance
Personal accident cover
Theft protection
From
£33.63 /day
Sixt
8 locations in New York - John F Kennedy Intl Apt (JFK), Queens County, New York, United States
Airport location: Yes
Inclusions:
Policies commonly offered by supplier. Always check your deal's terms and conditions for full inclusions.
Free cancellation
Local taxes included
Unlimited mileage
Collision damage waiver
Theft protection
From
£35.58 /day
Alamo
14 locations in New York - John F Kennedy Intl Apt (JFK), Queens County, New York, United States
Airport location: Yes
Inclusions:
Policies commonly offered by supplier. Always check your deal's terms and conditions for full inclusions.
Free additional driver
Free cancellation
Local taxes included
Unlimited mileage
Collision damage waiver
Excess insurance
Personal accident cover
Theft protection
From
£36.92 /day
New York is one of the few cities in the US that allows drivers as young as 18 to rent a car. In fact, this policy applies across the entire state of New York. That said, you must have held a full driving licence for a minimum of 12 months. If you’re under 25, expect a ‘young driver surcharge’.
All the essentials: a full driving licence, an International Driving Permit and a credit card. It’s always useful to bring along a secondary form of ID, such as your passport. This does vary from one car hire company to the next, so do check in advance with your provider.
Taking out car hire excess insurance in New York isn’t mandatory, but it’s an extra that’s well worth paying for. To keep your costs down, consider going with a standalone insurance provider – they tend to offer more favourable rates than those offered by car hire companies.
You can rent a car with a debit card in New York, but you’ll save yourself a lot of time and money if you book online in advance using a credit card. For example, if you opt to pay with a debit card, you may have to put down a cash deposit as a security.
If you compare deals for hire cars in advance, you could get as good a deal for a rental at the airport as you would for one off-site in New York – if not better (even with a surcharge).
Yes. Most hire companies, from Sixt and Enterprise to Alamo and Budget offer one-way rental deals in New York. There’s usually a fee that comes with the convenience, so do shop around for the best deal.
You can hire a car on the same day in New York, but it’s more practical and cheaper to book online in advance. Book on the day and you may find that your choice of rental car is limited, too.
Yes. You can hire a car in New York if you are 21 years of age – but that’s not the minimum. You can be as young as 18, so long as you’ve been qualified for at least a year. For all drivers under the age of 25, a ‘young driver fee’ will be added to the cost of your rental.
A car hire in New York costs £64 per day on average, though prices will change depending on the car type you select
According to our data, on average you should book 17 days ahead to get the cheapest price
Intermediate is the most frequently booked car hire type in New York.
On average a car rental in New York costs £448 per week (£64 per day).
That depends on your holiday, but on average most TravelSupermarket users have booked their car for 3 days
In the last 30 days, TravelSupermarket has compared 8 companies to help find the best car hire deal for you in New York
Based on our data, a car for £48 a day would be a good deal, as it's 25% lower than the average price