Considering a one-way car rental? Need to pick up your vehicle in one location and return it to another, or even another country? Here’s what you should know.
First, it is important to know that yes, you can return a rental car to a different location. That’s called a one-way rental, and it’s designed for trips where driving back to your starting point doesn’t make sense — linear road trips, open-jaw flights, moving to a new city, or itineraries across multiple hubs.
Most rental companies allow it domestically and, in some regions, internationally. Availability, price and rules depend on your pickup and drop-off points, travel dates, and vehicle class, and most routes include a drop-off (drop/inter-city) fee that’s shown when you price your itinerary.
Below you’ll find how it works in practice, what influences the price, when cross-border drop-offs are possible, and how to keep the bill under control.
What is a one-way car rental and how does it work?
A one-way rental means the car is picked up in Location A and returned to Location B. It’s the ultimate tool for flexibility and convenience, enabling you to tailor your travel plans to your specific needs.
Availability depends on the route, supplier policy, and dates, but the booking flow is straightforward. When you search, enable the option “Return car to a different location”, choose your drop-off city or airport, and compare results. On reputable comparison platforms, the total price usually already includes any applicable drop-off fee, so you see the real cost up front.
Why travelers choose it: you avoid backtracking, save hours of driving, and can plan a route that matches your flights instead of forcing your flights to match the rental car. It’s common on busy corridors (think Los Angeles → San Francisco or Boston → New York) and between major hubs where suppliers can easily rebalance their fleets.
The same logic applies in other countries: city-to-city returns are widely offered where demand and logistics support them.
Before you confirm your booking, take a moment to scan the essentials in the offer details: mileage rules (unlimited vs. limited), fuel policy, deposit/credit card requirements, age rules (under-25 may pay a surcharge), and any permission notes if you plan to cross borders. If you’re comparing prices, run two like-for-like searches on the same dates and times, one round-trip and one one-way.
The difference between the two totals is a practical proxy for the drop fee on your route.
Does it cost more to return a rental car to a different location?
Usually, rental companies charge a return fee, but it depends on the pick-up and drop-off location, date of reservation, car category and more.
The drop charge helps the supplier cover the cost of repositioning the car and keeping the right number of vehicles where travelers actually need them. That fee is not fixed: it moves with demand and the operational realities of a route. Five factors drive most of what you’ll see:
- Route distance and direction. Long, low-demand or unbalanced routes generally cost more. Returning to a major hub can be cheaper than returning to a small outpost because fleet circulation is easier at big locations.
- Dates and seasonality. Holidays, summer peaks and long weekends push prices up; off-peak mid-week returns can be noticeably cheaper.
- Vehicle category. Larger vehicles (SUVs, vans) and premium models can carry higher drop charges than compact or midsize cars.
- Supplier policy. Brands price differently. Some actively promote popular one-way corridors and set competitive fees there.
- Pickup/drop-off type. Airport ↔ downtown combinations can price differently; large airports often have better fleet availability.
How to keep costs in check: If you can be flexible, test nearby drop-off locations (airport vs. city), tweak pickup/return times to avoid peaks, and try a different car class, as downsizing can reduce both base rate and drop fee.
Popular “A→B” routes sometimes have lower charges because vehicles flow both directions. Keep an eye out for relocation specials (when suppliers need cars moved, rates can drop). Plus, while booking early usually secures better choice and pricing, it’s smart to recheck closer to your trip, inventory shifts can improve deals on some corridors.
How far in advance should I book a one-way car rental?
Generally, the earlier you book, the better. This gives you a wider selection of cars to choose from and increases your chances of getting a good deal. However, last-minute bookings can sometimes also yield great deals, especially if rental companies are trying to move their inventory.
Who has the cheapest one-way car rentals?
It’s difficult to say. Because the cost of the Return Location fee is the combination of several things as described in the question before. Each rental company has its own price and it’ll depend a lot on the distance from one point to the other.
At Rentcars, you can simulate these fees included directly in the rate, so it’s much easier to choose the best cost-benefit for you.
Can you return a car in a different state?
Yes, you can rent a car one-way out of state. In the US, it’s common to pick-up rental cars with plates from different states (they must have gotten there somehow, right?).
However, generally speaking, rental companies also charge the one-way rental extra fee based on how far the drop-off is from the pick-up as they’ll have to return it to its original city. This way, the more you drive away from the pick-up address, the more expensive the fee will be.
You’ll see the same dynamics described above: the longer and less balanced the route, the more you should expect to pay. Returning to a major hub (for example, a larger airport) often helps.
Can you return a car in a different country?
In some cases, yes. This is most common in Europe, where crossing borders is fairly easy. Usually, rental companies will let you cross borders with the rental car, but a cross-border fee may be also applied in addition to the one-way rental fee.
As the rules vary a lot depending on the location and the rental company, we always suggest you check the specific policies of each city, country and company. Two layers of rules apply:
- One-way permission between the pickup and return countries; and
- Cross-border permission to drive the vehicle across each border along your route.
If allowed, you may see both a cross-border fee and a drop fee. You’re also responsible for meeting legal requirements for every country you enter (e.g., toll vignettes, road taxes) and carrying valid documentation (driver’s license that the destination accepts; International Driving Permit where required; and insurance that remains valid across borders). Because policies vary by supplier and country, always check the rental’s Terms & Conditions section for an explicit list of allowed countries and any exclusions.
Remember the age and license considerations: many suppliers rent from 21+, with under-25 surcharges in some markets. Minimum ages can be higher for premium categories. Your driver’s license must be valid for the full rental and, in some places, accompanied by an IDP.
If you add an additional driver, the same age and license rules apply and an additional driver fee may be charged.
What to confirm before you book (in one sitting): That your pickup and drop-off locations are correct, the total price includes any one-way charge, the mileage and fuel rules fit your plan, cancellation is acceptable, your card limit covers the deposit, and all cross-border permissions you need are clearly stated.
Can I avoid one way rental fees?
It’s not common, but it happens. For highly popular road trips, this may be the case. If a lot of people rent a car from point A to point B and vice versa, the rental company doesn’t necessarily have to return the car to its original city.
Renting one-way with Rentcars
On Rentcars you can search for car rentals in over 160 countries and 350 rental companies. When you do, just check the option that says “Return car to different location”, enter the information asked and look for the best options!
Rentcars stands as one of the most comprehensive car rental platforms globally, leading the segment with a broad range of options. You can compare prices and car rental alternatives from hundreds of car rental companies worldwide.
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