Car rental San Francisco airport

Search, compare and book your rental car

Pickup location
 Different return office?
   Driver age: 25-70
   I live in: United States
Compare car hire
Popular destinations: Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Orlando, San Francisco, Miami, Denver, Fort Lauderdale, Seattle
We compare rates from 800+ different supplier sites in more than 30.000 locations worldwide
Customers love us

Over 1 million customers trusted us to book the best car rental deal for them

Amend or cancel for free

Up to 48 hours before pickup

No extra fees

We don't calculate extra fees like credit card charges or reservation costs

Car rental San Francisco airport

San Francisco airport, officially named San Francisco International Airport (IATA: SFO, ICAO: KSFO), is often referred as SFO. It's a major international airport located about 20 kilometers south of downtown San Francisco, California, United States. Handling around 33 million passengers a year, it is the second busiest airport in California after Los Angeles International Airport, conducting flights to points throughout North America and serving as a major gateway to Europe and Asia. The airport has four terminals and seven concourses. SFO is a major hub of United Airlines, the world's largest airline. Other airlines serving at the airport include Air Berlin, Air France, British Airways, China Airlines, KLM, US Airways and more.

Start your holiday in a great way with car rental

There are many agencies that provide car rental at San Francisco airport: Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, National and Thrifty. They are all located at SFO's Rental Car Center, where travelers can easily pick up and drop off their rental car in one concentrated location. The Rental Car Center is accessible from the airport terminals by taking the AirTrain Blue Line. AirTrain operates 24 hours day, with stations located in all terminals, terminal parking garages, the Rental Car Center and SFO's BART station. Car rental at San Francisco airport provides tourists with great convenience when navigating the grand city of San Francisco and exploring its nearby cities and towns. It's handy to book a rental car at San Francisco airport in advance and just pick it up at the airport. You can rent a car at San Francisco airport via car rental broker holidaycars.com, which offers you Free Quote service to make sure you don't miss a good car hire deal.

Facilities at San Francisco airport (SFO) include:



Contact

San Francisco International Airport
PO Box 8097
San Francisco
CA 94128-8097
United States of America

Airport codes

IATA airport code: SFO
ICAO airport code: KSFO
Tips and experiences for San Francisco airport

Our customers rated San Francisco airport with an average of 9.2 based on 104 ratings, and these are the most recent tips, experiences and highlights.

01-02-2018

says:
Your reservation and card on file MUST have the same name. I had my husband's car which we had arranged, but they would not allow me to use it even though he provided authorization by phone. Payless Car Center is off of the airport. You have to ride the Air Train to the rental car center, then walk out to the curb and wait for the shuttle to pick you up. It's about a 5 minute or so drive to the rental car facility. San Francisco Airport is pretty big and has a lot of travelers. Give yourself enough time to get through security checkpoints and to your terminal prior to the departure of your flight. The toll for the San Francisco Bay Bridge can get pretty costly if you're having to travel over it throughout your trip. It runs upwards of $6 during rush hour and I believe $5 regularly. I am vegetarian, there are many vegetarian options. I ate at Golden Lotus Vegan Restaurant in Oakland. The food is phenomenal. I will be eating there again on my next trip. If you are a new visitor, Alcatraz and Pier 39 are a must. There are several tourist buses and cruises. Seafood is super fresh for those who love it. Skates By the Bay has a great view of the Bay while you're dining.
07-01-2018

says:
Stay away from San Francisco if you want better accommodation for less price. Since San Francisco is quite crowded and cost too much for just a small unit to stay at, you can travel about 25 minutes away to get better accommodations and less traffic. Also parking will also be free or much less. You will be able to visit San Francisco and the parks around the Silicon Valley area without paying way too much and spending most of the time sitting in traffic. While visiting San Francisco, don't forget to stop at Pier 39 to see the Sea Lions on the docks. Take pictures and listen to them as they complain for a space to sleep. Pretty hilarious! Lots of places to eat in the Mountain View area and places to shop. Don't forget to visit the Shoreline Bay Park in Mountain View if you like lots of birds and peaceful hikes. You can hike as much as you want or ride bikes along the trail while bird watching. There is also places to visit like Google and Apple headquarters. Don't forget the 17 mile drive to the Carmel by the sea and pack a lunch to dine at the seaside and watch surfers battle the waves!
06-01-2018

says:
Get a reservation in advance. check and choose the exact Vehicle for your needs. prepare your route in advance and get WAZE app. prepare the correct payment to go through Golden Gate Bridge while entering to San Francisco. Recommending to go to the "17 Miles Drive". Go to SONOMA county for wine tasting, don't drink it U R the driver !!!
04-01-2018

says:
All lines were long, but they went quickly. Make sure you have reservations and lot of money for parking.
04-01-2018

says:
Golden gate Carmel and big sur national park Route 1 driving Pier 39 Boulding bakery China town tour and Tea testing. Lombard street driving Ripleys believe it or not.
03-01-2018

says:
Arrive early at the airport. Book your rental car in advance and shop for deals. Check in as soon as possible to get a good seat on your flight. Window or aisles are the best when travelling solo! Travel as much as you're able. Be kind to the people making your travel possible!!! Have as much fun as possible! Buy souvenirs. Get a rewards credit card and pay it off every month! Live. Love. Learn. Repeat.
24-12-2017

says:
Definitely find a rental car deal online and book before you arrive. However choose the 'pay on arrival' option so that you still have flexibility to switch companies at the last second. If you have a printout of your offer you're in a good position to negotiate a similar or better rate with another car rental company. I've had great experiences with Hertz, Avis and Advantage. I've had a bad experience with Fox.
21-12-2017

says:
Make sure you contact Golden Gate Bridge to pay toll on north to south direction.
31-07-2017

says:
Travel as much as you can! With a nice, fuel efficient, and reliable vehicle it makes road tripping so much more fun and stress-free! Put your feet in the ocean and soak up the sun! Try new foods and drinks and meet new people! Stay off the phone and enjoy whatever is in front of you! Advantage is there for you the whole way!
28-07-2017

says:
Good experience at the airport
27-07-2017

says:
Stay on the outskirts of San Francisco, it is much cheaper. Make sure you stay in an area that you can access the metro and while you are in San Francisco use the metro. It is cheaper than renting a car and very easy to get around. If you are site seeing in San Francisco, when you first arrive , ride one of the hop on hop off tours located through out the area to get your bearings. Don't hop off - just ride, listen, and follow the map making mental notes of where you want to visit at a later time. We used our phone gps to locate the sites and walked to them or called uber/lyft to get to the sites if they were not within walking distance of the hop off site when we went back. Don't be afraid to ask, San Francisco people are generally friendly. Make sure you ride the nobb hill cable car it's easier and quicker to get on to and takes you to the financial district and the pier. It's only a short Walk Back to pier 33 from the main peer. The top selling items in San Francisco are hoodies and jackets because the climate and weather are atypical of the rest of California - dress accordingly. Go to Alcatraz and get your tickets way , way , way before you visit. They sell out quickly.
27-07-2017

says:
The Thrify car representative was so attentive and kind. We were impressed by his ability to answer all of our questions and go over all of our concerns. We appreciated his compassion for another customer who was having trouble completing his transaction. Thrifty provided quality service and we left satisfied and happy. Car rentals can be stressful experiences but we left comfortable and satisfied. We waited a long time in line before we reached the service counter. I would suggest more representatives. Also, our estimated charges when we reserved online were not accurate.
21-07-2017

says:
Make sure to rent a car. Its easier to get around on your own. People are friendly. Its cheaper to stay a few miles out of the city limits, where gas, food and stay are cheaper. Staying out of the city limits have easier access to vineyards and wine tasting experience. Its a good place to relax and to have fun. I liked the pier 39.
13-07-2017

says:
You have to wait around 1 hour to get your car papers. All rental cars in San Francisco have a long waiting time. It was a high season.
08-04-2017

says:
Travelling to downtown San Francisco - use the BART if there is a station near your hotel. It's cheap and runs regularly.
23-03-2017

says:
Gold dust lounge
08-03-2017

says:
Do your homework
08-03-2017

says:
We travel to California several times a year and enjoy visiting the Bay Area and the Monterey Peninsula. The climate is perfect and the restaurants are superb.
07-03-2017

says:
Drive slowly over a few days and stop in the small towns along the way from Sausolito, SF, Santa Cruz and Monterey.
01-03-2017

says:
Near Las Vegas go visit the Hoover Dam, route666 and the Grabd Canyon all in one day.
28-02-2017

says:
Berkeley was very nice
20-02-2017

says:
San feancisco ia beautifull fisherman worf is beautifull the golden gate park is special China town is crazy There are só Nice museus And places tô visit
01-02-2017

says:
San Francisco: Twin Peaks, Coit Tower, Lombard Street (aka Crooked Street), piers, Fisherman's Wharf, Golden Gate Park, 14 Ave Tile Steps and the hill above Outside SF: north through Golden Gate, Vista Point, Sausalito, Muir Woods; south: drive Pacifica (number 1) south along coast; area: Silicon Valley (if you're geek: IT campuses: Google, Apple, others)
16-01-2017

says:
Rental car 4x4, for going to snow place
15-01-2017

says:
Love it Nd recommend to all
15-01-2017

says:
To do's : Should definitely explore Yosamite national park for the picturesque views. Can also explore driving through the Pacific coast highway for an amazing beach view experience. Also driving along Lombard street and Golden Gate bridge. This way, you are able to cover most of the important bits in exploring San Fransisco.
11-01-2017

says:
rent a bike, ride the golden gate park and the presidio and then and cross the golden gate bridge to sausalito. Come back by ferry boat. Great experience, healthy and a beautiful way to appreciate the city's green without suffering its steep hills !
10-01-2017

says:
I would visit the coast from the Golden Gate to Monterrey, make a trip to the Lick Observatory for a tour, and travel the winding Highway 130 to get out of the traffic for awhile. The views of the Bay area from there are great!
10-01-2017

says:
Japantown is GREAT!
06-01-2017

says:
San Francisco is a beautiful city that offers something for everyone! The top tourist attractions are all worth visiting. I would not use the San Francisco City Sightseeing bus company again, but there are many other options to choose from.
04-01-2017

says:
Eat a ton!
03-01-2017

says:
Souley Vegan---do it!
27-12-2016

says:
SF is very easy to drive around and haveing a car makes it simple to visit places like Golden Gate Park and the Cal. Academy of Science, the redwood forest in Marin County and Sausalito. On top of usual tourist activities, like Alcatraz, that is the ability to get around was pefect.
20-12-2016

says:
Try to book early and try not to make any mistakes in the original reservation. Everything worked out great in LA where I dropped it off. A little slow and sloppy in SF but decent overall
16-12-2016

says:
Park away from Embarcadero and make sure to see Lombard Street!
28-09-2016

says:
Go and visit Alcatraz.
30-08-2016

says:
I went to Napa, which is beautiful and easy to reach. Go there!! Is my advice.
30-08-2016

says:
Don't get paypass from the rental car company! You can use the Fastrak website to register the plates on your rental for the period of time you're driving with a credit card to pay your tolls. Don't forget to check out Wine Country and the East Bay!
30-08-2016

says:
Walk across the golden gate for sure. City is beautiful to walk around in
29-08-2016

says:
Love San Francisco. So much to do there. A fun city to visit.
28-08-2016

says:
Book your car today so you can see places where one should have a car!
26-08-2016

says:
Must see: The obvious places like golden gate bridge, pier 39, but also the japanese garden in golden state park (even if you do not like gardening, it is very Zen there) The Bart public transport is very good, so for the first 3 days you do not have to rent a car :-) rent a bike instead.
25-08-2016

says:
I live in San Francisco. Here are my top tips for visitors: Bring warm clothing. It may seem counterintuitive (especially during summer) but you will freeze to death while you wait for the cable car or walk across the GG Bridge. Bring warm jacket, warm pants, snug caps. Besides that, there are SO many fun things to do here. Skip the main tourist attractions (Fisherman's Wharf, Chinatown, Dolores Park) and visit Golden Gate Park, Lands End, Stern Grove, Ocean Beach, Baker Beach, Crissy Field. One final thing: When you return your rental car to SFO it can be very confusing because of poor signage. Allow extra time for getting lost!
25-08-2016

says:
Make sure you see the Golden Gate Bridge
24-08-2016

says:
Lots of things to do and see. We visited w my daughter in the marina district.
20-08-2016

says:
Stay more than a week.
07-08-2016

says:
Bring some warm clothing to San Francisco. We drove north along the coast and it was beautiful! Temperature was pleasant but did get a bit chilly in Frisco and along the coast. Great trip!!
06-08-2016

says:
Don't take upgrade if it's to expensive
06-08-2016

says:
Walk on the Golden Gate Bridge. Don't drive to Lombart street very slow traffic. Walking is a better experience. Parking is very expensive. Use transit instead
03-08-2016

says:
We visited more cities: San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Parks in Arizona and Las Vegas. I recommend this tour as very interesting and give an idea of what SUA is in terms of nature and human constructions.
01-08-2016

says:
Didn't rent car for city, but to get to Yosemite. Car rental for city not a good idea, as parking is sparse unless only for one day. San Francisco is a wonderful destination, and should be experienced by all ages.
31-07-2016

says:
Golden Gate Bridge
27-07-2016

says:
Plan hour itinerary before you get there and make reservations
26-07-2016

says:
We love SF but this trip was to visit Napa Valley wine country.
23-07-2016

says:
Get their early
22-07-2016

says:
We stayed in Bodega Bay and watch the movie "The Birds" which is where the movie was filmed. Went to Armstrong Redwood Forest(awesome), a wine tour and a day at Fisherman's Wharf and cable car ride in San Fran
18-07-2016

says:
Be wary about accepting car hire's fuel price
18-07-2016

says:
Get up early and see the city and the sun wake up.
17-07-2016

says:
The sunset boat cruise was really nice.
16-07-2016

says:
Take time to enjoy the city!
12-07-2016

says:
San Francisco Chinatown
11-07-2016

says:
We drove through Yomemite to Mammoth Lakes and highly recommend it as a summer destination. Beautiful vistas and highly enjoyable views and lakes.
10-07-2016

says:
Always a great city!
05-07-2016

says:
The most beautiful city in the U.S. dont miss the stunning views of the Golden Gate bridge from Marin Headlands. And be the first to find new places in rapidly developing Dogpatch.
04-07-2016

says:
Great place to visit! Been there dozens of times.
02-07-2016

says:
wake up early, there is a huge traffic later on.
02-07-2016

says:
Alcatraz, Chinatown, Muir Woods and all the redwood forest.
01-07-2016

says:
If you are visiting in the summer, bring a sweatshirt:)
30-06-2016

says:
I go to motorcycle swapmeet at Dixon.Very nice meet but traffic is so bad,take to 4hours usuary 1hour haif.
27-06-2016

says:
SUPER place to visit and hang out.
26-06-2016

says:
Don't travel during peek season too crowded
25-06-2016

says:
SF is great.
24-06-2016

says:
travel destination was LA to visit friends
20-06-2016

says:
McWay Falls (Big Sur, California) and the Ventana Restaurant on the way.
19-06-2016

says:
1. Visit Alcatraz island - I highly recommend checking availability and buying your tickets online early through Alcatraz Cruises. The best tours are Early-bird - depart at 8:45 am or night tour - allow visitors to stay on the island till 9:25 pm 2. Walk and eat in Sausalito 3. Ride San Francisco's historic cable cars 4. Try riding a bicycle or car down Lombard Street
19-06-2016

says:
Traffic is bad in the Bay area, allow plenty of time when traveling.
16-06-2016

says:
Go to the Gulf Beaches, Daily Eats, Fresh Kitchen is delicious! PJ's Oysters in Indian Shores is good food.
16-06-2016

says:
The golden gate park has many options some free- walk stowe lake or the botanical garden- For about $8 you can walk around the Japanese Tea Garden. There are many museums right there as well-the Natural History Museum & the DeYoung Art Museum.
07-06-2016

says:
Check out Oakland Zoo! Amazing experience for kids.
03-06-2016

says:
Seafood, wine, explore
02-06-2016

says:
Be prepared in case of weather delays for your flight!
31-05-2016

says:
travel to Sonoma valley.
31-05-2016

says:
Go across Golden Gate Bridge such a great view and go to Saint Bonita Lighthouse..stunning!
24-05-2016

says:
I grew up in San Francisco and although my old neighborhood is pretty much the same, the busier parts of the city are now very crowded, traffic is intense, and roads are not good. Still, there is no city like San Francisco and visitors should have a wonderful experience there.
12-05-2016

says:
Car rental is cheaper than taxis, trams etc as it is easier to get around than you think - Bay Bridge only bottleneck if heading further afield. Howe ver, great city for walking the main centre attractions from Fishermans Wharf to Port, Coit Tower, Lombard St, Union Square etc...old trams are unique and exciting ride end to end.
11-05-2016

says:
biking from fisherman' wharf to the golden gate bridge is fun
12-04-2016

says:
not touring, travelling elsewhere
05-04-2016

says:
Went smooth from start to finish.
22-03-2016

says:
Get smaller cars for San Francisco.
12-03-2016

says:
We loved Fisherman's wharf and the surrounding piers. It's great to be near the water and watch the boats on the bay.
07-03-2016

says:
Bus system throughout the city is the way to go. Very reasonable price and can ride all day getting on and off wherever and whenever you choose. The hit a lot of the touristy area.
18-02-2016

says:
Stay out of traffic
04-02-2016

says:
Cycle around the city a great way to see the city.
14-01-2016

says:
Fox Travel is convenient and easy to work with!
14-01-2016

says:
Go for the city tour - really awesome!
14-01-2016

says:
I would call the actual car rental company a day before to validate your vehicle and the deposit amount required to eliminate surprises. In addition, I would check-in on-line for your flight to pay the cheaper baggage fee. Don't forget your car charger for your cell phone!!
11-01-2016

says:
a great city to visit
06-01-2016

says:
Go on the city tour. ...was fantastic!
15-11-2015

says:
The food, scenery, and people are wonderful.
06-11-2015

says:
Great city. Have fun. Give yourself plenty of time to see the sights as the fog cam ruin visibility in a moments notice
07-10-2015

says:
Give extra time to pick up and return your rental car.
26-07-2015

says:
Amazing city and surroundings. Must visit.
22-06-2015

says:
Very expensive destination. Parking is cost prohibitive +/- $40 per night. We stayed on Fishermans Wharf area. If you haven't been there in over 10 years things have changed a lot. Go during the week if you can for less crowds. I love San Francisco. Bring plenty of sweaters and long pants!
09-06-2015

says:
Visit Muir Woods-beautiful!