Which car hire company is considered to be the best in The Big Island?

Taking our users’ ratings and reviews into consideration, National (8.6 rating), Alamo (8.5 rating) and Enterprise Rent-A-Car (8.4 rating) seem to be the best car hire companies in The Big Island.

How far in advance should I hire a car in The Big Island for the best price?

Booking early can save you upwards of 13% on your car hire. Booking your vehicle at least 89 days in advance can you get you a great below-average price in The Big Island.

Can I rent a car for a month in The Big Island?

The length of time you can book a rental for is subject to the inventory of the supplier. When renting a vehicle from The Big Island it should be possible to rent a car for a whole month if needed.

Cheap Car Hire in The Big Island

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What is the cheapest time to rent a car in The Big Island?

January

Rp 1,027,454

February

Rp 1,128,516

March

Rp 926,393

April

Rp 892,706

May

Rp 859,019

June

Rp 993,767

July

Rp 1,111,672

August

Rp 976,924

September

Rp 791,645

October

Rp 842,176

November

Rp 808,489

December

Rp 1,280,107

Currently, the cheapest month to rent a car in The Big Island is September. The most expensive time to rent a car is December. The cheapest prices for each month are shown above, but prices will vary based on availability, how far out you book your rental car, and of course, car type.

Top rental agencies in The Big Island

Dollar

6.5

Okay

170 reviews•6 locations

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Overview

Recent reviews

2.0

Poor|Nov 2024

I reserved a Jeep Wrangler but apparently all of the Wranglers dollar had were in for service. I was offered very few options and then was talked into a Ford f-150. Very quickly I realize that I was in a very unsafe vehicle. Tires were low vehicle did not seem to have been maintained. Later that day the vehicle would not even go into drive. I contacted support they asked me to bring it in the next day. The vehicle locked up again so he tow truck had to come pick the vehicle up. After that I was charged 400 plus dollars for one day rental.

4.0

Mediocre|Aug 2023

Was given a damaged vehicle and when I pointed it out to the lady she got really unpleasant towards me until she physically saw the damage then was given a lesser value car in its place

8.0

Very Good|Jun 2023

Actually really great. Easy to get the shuttle

4.0

Mediocre|Feb 2023

Check in took forever, mostly because they insisted on using a broken chip reader for the credit card that they already had on file. There were a crazy number of additional charges that weren't included in the initial reservation fee. I had called twice to confirm and was told final charges could only be confirmed at check-in. I didn't want to be auto-upgraded to a bigger car that I was less comfortable driving.

1 out of 57

Alamo

8.6

Very Good

40 reviews•3 locations

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Overview

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

8.5

Very Good

36 reviews•6 locations

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Overview

Payless

7.9

Good

31 reviews•2 locations

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Overview

Recent reviews

8.0

Very Good|Jul 2023

Very convenient location, but with only one person working the line can get long. Car was good and so was the price.

8.0

Very Good|May 2023

Good

10.0

Wonderful|May 2023

I travel in business. They were quick to get me the car and fast to drop off. No additional charges. Simple. Thank you!

2.0

Poor|Jan 2022

The first car they tried to give me was such a wreck & filthy I refused it. The second one offered was only slightly better. Not a decent car. And I paid way way too much.

1 out of 11

Hertz

7.6

Good

83 reviews•8 locations

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Overview

Recent reviews

6.0

Okay|Apr 2023

The vehicles are not very clean. The first truck I was given had a dead battery. The second one needed an oil change. The third one I had to clean when I got home to get rid of the smell of cigarettes and to get a clear windscreen. The counter staff were helpful but whoever checks the vehicles after “cleaning” needs some serious training.

10.0

Wonderful|Mar 2023

I picked up my car at the airport in Hilo, where I live, for a weekend around the island with family. I think the car could have been a little cleaner, but it wasn't a deal breaker and the process was quick and easy. The associate at the desk was friendly and funny, Mr. Panama I will call him. If every time I rent from Hertz I get to see his face, I will gladly return.

8.0

Very Good|Mar 2023

Dean at the counter was excellent! He was friendly, professional, and super helpful! He resay set the tone for our short trip in Hilo!

1 out of 28

Budget

7.4

Good

72 reviews•2 locations

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Overview

Recent reviews

10.0

Wonderful|May 2023

Easy peazy

8.0

Very Good|Apr 2023

In Kona, all the rental car companies need to do a better job at cleaning the car windows. The car we had, the windows were so dirty that you could hardly see the back window. At some point, that becomes a safety issue especially on an island where the street lights are dimmed.

4.0

Mediocre|Mar 2023

While I was very happy to be able to rent a 4x4 it was not well maintained, steering was loose, windshield wiper fluid empty and visor broken.

4.0

Mediocre|Mar 2023

Old car, not clean

8.0

Very Good|Mar 2023

Window and mirrors very dirty and hard to see through. Side mirrors wouldn’t come clean, tried wiping them down. Can’t fit much luggage in trunk if roof down. Had to keep roof up until we could drop off our luggage. Engine and transmission seemed bagged, not much power and sounded like it had an exhaust issue. Automatic gear changing seemed to hang up and stay at high RPMs periodically. Fun to drive, glad to have a convertible, next time hopefully will get a mustang instead.

2.0

Poor|Mar 2023

Don’t use Budget. It’s not worth the money you save. We landed in Kona Hawaii at 5:00 pm, in plenty of time to enjoy the evening. But we had to wait two hours at the rental office for our car, which killed the entire evening. The car was also an old dinged up clunker with USB ports that didn’t function and very dim headlights. The AC was also anemic. Terrible rental car experience. Next time I’m paying a few more bucks for a better rental car agency.

1 out of 24

Thrifty

6.9

Okay

53 reviews•5 locations

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Overview

National

8.8

Very Good

28 reviews•3 locations

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Overview

Recent reviews

10.0

Wonderful|Dec 2021

The gas tank was not completely full when I picked up the car. I did not realize it until I had already left the rental agency. It was probably a couple of gallons short. The agency was so busy last night, there was no way I was going to raise the issue as we had a flight to catch. When I picked up the vehicle, the agents kindly drove it right up to us. The problem being there was no place to actually adjust the seats etc. before I left. Not a big deal, but I would rather have time to familiarize myself with the car before I was expected to drive away.

10.0

Wonderful|Dec 2021

Up graded but no charge, nice but took a few extra minutes to get vehicle delivered to us. Would have been faster to have us go get it.

6.0

Okay|Dec 2021

The experience was fine once I finally got in the car. There was no clearly designated shuttle to National from the airport, and only half as many shuttles in place as needed: the airport was a mob scene of people attempting to secure a space on a shuttle. Once at the rental kiosk their were long lines (40 minutes). Helpful service person upon reaching the counter. Then…another 30 minute wait with a crowd of 50+ people waiting for cars to be cleaned and delivered for rental. A terrible two hour ordeal to start a vacation.

8.0

Very Good|Dec 2021

Corey was a big help. Good employees and rates

10.0

Wonderful|Nov 2021

There was only one "standard" car available when we arrived, a Nissan Altima, which wouldn't have been our choice of vehicles, but it was OK... very low to the ground

10.0

Wonderful|Oct 2021

The staff were all so nice! We found a guy's credit card on the floor board under the driver's seat and another wrapper in the Jeep. We didn't mind. But if someone else found his card, they might have tried to use it. We've shredded it.

1 out of 10

Car rental FAQs

Which car hire company is considered to be the best in The Big Island?
Taking our users’ ratings and reviews into consideration, National (8.6 rating), Alamo (8.5 rating) and Enterprise Rent-A-Car (8.4 rating) seem to be the best car hire companies in The Big Island.
How far in advance should I hire a car in The Big Island for the best price?
Booking early can save you upwards of 13% on your car hire. Booking your vehicle at least 89 days in advance can you get you a great below-average price in The Big Island.
Can I rent a car for a month in The Big Island?
The length of time you can book a rental for is subject to the inventory of the supplier. When renting a vehicle from The Big Island it should be possible to rent a car for a whole month if needed.

Browse thousands of different options on Cheapflights for your next trip

Airport car hires in The Big Island

Waimea (Big Island) Waimea Kohala Airport car rentals

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Cheap Car Rentals in The Big Island

What is the cheapest time to rent a car in The Big Island?

Discover the most affordable period to rent a car in The Big Island and save money on your trip. The monthly average price data is based on historical data over the last year and was last updated on 17 April 2025.

Top rental agencies in The Big Island

Explore the leading car rental agencies in The Big Island known for their outstanding service and extensive range of vehicles to choose from. There are currently 8 car rental companies in The Big Island. Reviews were last updated on 17 April 2025.

Overview

Overview

Overview

Overview

Overview

Overview

Overview

Overview

Car rental FAQs

Find answers to frequently asked questions about car rentals in The Big Island, including policies, requirements, and more. FAQs were last updated on 17 April 2025.

Which car hire company is considered to be the best in The Big Island?

How far in advance should I hire a car in The Big Island for the best price?

Can I rent a car for a month in The Big Island?

Browse thousands of different options on Cheapflights for your next trip

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Airport car hires in The Big Island

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No Surprises

Free cancellation