Ithaca car rentals

Ithaca car rentals

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Cheap car rentals in Ithaca

Economy$49/day
Compact$49/day
Intermediate$56/day
Standard$59/day
Full-size$56/day
Pickup truck$55/day
Supplier choice$47/day
Intermediate SUV$57/day
Standard SUV$59/day
Open air all terrain$65/day
Best rates found by KAYAK users in the past hours.

Top tips for renting a car in Ithaca

  • If you are looking into cheap car rentals in Ithaca, keep in mind that when Cornell University and Ithaca College have major events, car rental availability will run out quickly. Therefore, times of the year when you need to secure cheap car rentals in Ithaca well in advance are mid-August, which is Freshman Week, mid-October, which is homecoming, and mid-May, which is graduation.
  • Ithaca, New York is known for its gloomy weather. The sky is almost always gray, and it is very often raining, sleeting, or slushing down freezing rain. It can also be incredibly windy. Because of these weather conditions, it is important that when you secure a car through KAYAK from one of the Ithaca car rentals you drive with caution. Make sure that you know where the windshield wipers are and how to work them when you get into your rental car. Also, know where the headlights are in case you need to turn them on during the day in inclement weather. In the colder months, make sure you locate the defrost button before you drive off the rental car agency lot.
  • Ithaca is very much a college town, which means that many of the drivers on the road with you will be under the age of 22 and relatively inexperienced. So, once you secure your car from one of the cheap car rentals in Ithaca, make sure you drive with caution. Give a wide berth to cars turning on Ithaca’s narrow city streets, especially when the turn is uphill. Be prepared for impaired drivers from Thursday night (when weekend drinking traditionally starts at Cornell) thru Sunday. Stay well back from other drivers when the roads are slippery.
  • Traveling to a new city can be both exciting and unnerving at the same time. Having to deal with bus schedules or train timetables and fitting them into your itinerary can also present a challenge. You could make your trip easier by renting a car from Ithaca car rentals because modern rental cars come with high-tech navigational systems that’ll help you get exactly where you want to go. You'll have the flexibility and convenience to travel to places like the Northeast Classic Car Museum, about 65 miles away, or drop in at the Pleasant Valley Wine Co, 44 miles away, for some wine tasting, all at your own pace.
  • The Ithaca Tomkins Regional Airport has a designated car rental counter that you will find inside the baggage claim. The cars are located right outside, eliminating any need for airport shuttle transfers. This is the same area where you return the car once your trip is over. From the counter, you'll find several Ithaca car rentals, including Budget, Avis, Enterprise, Hertz, and National. You can book a car through KAYAK and pick it up at the airport at your convenience.
  • Jaywalking in Ithaca is quite notorious, to the point that the Ithaca police had considered having a jaywalking patrol. A lot of pedestrians ignore crosswalk signs, so be on the lookout to avoid accidents. Potholes are something else to watch out for on Ithaca roads. Roads like Spencer Street, Cayuga Street, Buffalo Street, Marshal Street, and many more, especially when you venture out to rural areas, can pose a challenge.
  • Morning rush hours in Ithaca spans from 7am-10am, with its heaviest around 9am. Sometimes it stretches to 11am before resuming regular traffic. Route 13 bears most of the congestion, so avoiding it during these times may save you a headache. Keep in mind that there are traffic cameras to catch any unlawful behavior.
  • 25% of our users found rental cars in Ithaca for $62 or less
  • Book your rental car in Ithaca at least 2 weeks before your trip in order to get a below-average price
  • Off-airport rental car locations in Ithaca are around 8% more expensive than airport locations on average
  • Economy rental cars in Ithaca are around 9% cheaper than other car types, on average

FAQs about renting a car in Ithaca

Ithaca car rental reviews and directory

Avis

7.8

Cleanliness

7.8

Comfort

7.8

Pick-up/Drop-off

7.7

Value for money

7.7

Locations in Ithaca

1 Culligan Drive

+1 607 257 0441

Monday07:00 - 18:00
Tuesday07:00 - 18:00
Wednesday07:00 - 18:00
Thursday07:00 - 18:00
Friday07:00 - 18:00
Saturday09:00 - 13:00
Sunday09:00 - 13:00
View deals

276 Sing Sing Road Suite 9

+1 607 739 5689

Monday07:00 - 18:00
Tuesday07:00 - 18:00
Wednesday07:00 - 18:00
Thursday07:00 - 18:00
Friday07:00 - 18:00
Saturday09:00 - 13:00
Sunday09:00 - 13:00
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Reviews

10.0 Wonderful

May 2021

KAYAK

Pros:

The staff was friendly, helpful and professional.

7.2 Good

Jun 2019

KAYAK

Pros:

the lady at the court when I dropped off was unbelievably rude! Very disappointing.

10.0 Wonderful

Jun 2019

KAYAK

Pros:

Very small airport, so there was only one desk and the line was short!

Cons:

The rental car parking area is not covered, which is not great if it is raining and you are lugging your suitcases through puddles to get to the car.

10.0 Wonderful

Jan 2019

KAYAK

Pros:

This was my first time ever renting a car, so I was a little nervous, but Avis was such a great company to go with! The whole process was very easy, I spent no more than 10 minutes picking up my car and even less time dropping it off in the city I traveled to. Thanks Avis!

Cons:

The only issue I had was that my credit card expiration date was entered incorrectly, and I had to call to correct this issue the following week. It took about 20 minutes over the phone to get it resolved but everything else went great!

4.0 Mediocre

Dec 2018

KAYAK

Pros:

it was fine

Cons:

i had to get a car by 5 pm 12/24, because they were closed after that and the following day. Since i had to pick up earlier than i wanted to, my time was diminished with family for the holiday.

2.0 Poor

Mar 2018

KAYAK

Pros:

They did not have the car ready on time. The customer representative was rude.

1 out of 5

Budget

7.8

Most popular

Cleanliness

7.9

Comfort

8.0

Pick-up/Drop-off

7.8

Value for money

7.9

Locations in Ithaca

1 Culligan Drive

+1 607 257 0441

Monday07:00 - 18:00
Tuesday07:00 - 18:00
Wednesday07:00 - 18:00
Thursday07:00 - 18:00
Friday07:00 - 18:00
Saturday09:00 - 13:00
Sunday09:00 - 13:00
View deals

276 Sing Sing Road, Suite 9

+1 607 739 5689

Monday07:00 - 18:00
Tuesday07:00 - 18:00
Wednesday07:00 - 18:00
Thursday07:00 - 18:00
Friday07:00 - 18:00
Saturday09:00 - 13:00
Sunday09:00 - 13:00
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Filters

Show reviews that mention

Reviews

8.0 Very good

May 2021

KAYAK

Cons:

Drop off

10.0 Wonderful

Oct 2020

KAYAK

Pros:

Staff was excellent

4.4 Mediocre

Dec 2019

KAYAK

Pros:

convenient drop off

Cons:

everything else

10.0 Wonderful

Sep 2019

KAYAK

Cons:

Check in and check out was prompt and easy. Very happy!

10.0 Wonderful

Jul 2019

KAYAK

Pros:

Brand new Fusion Hybrid. Great gas mileage for a long trip. Efficient pickup and drop-off

Cons:

Nothing.

6.8 Okay

Apr 2019

KAYAK

Cons:

I got TWO tickets because the inspection sticker had expired and had to exchange the car. The guy didn't even say "Sorry."

1 out of 8

Enterprise

8.9

Very good

18 reviews
Best rated

Cleanliness

9.3

Comfort

9.0

Pick-up/Drop-off

8.1

Value for money

8.8

Locations in Ithaca

2621 Corning Rd

+1 607 796 5300

Monday08:00 - 17:00
Tuesday08:00 - 17:00
Wednesday08:00 - 17:00
Thursday08:00 - 17:00
Friday08:00 - 17:00
Saturday09:00 - 13:00
Sunday00:00 - 00:00
View deals

803 Cascadilla St

+1 607 275 9000

Monday08:00 - 17:00
Tuesday08:00 - 17:00
Wednesday08:00 - 17:00
Thursday08:00 - 17:00
Friday08:00 - 17:00
Saturday09:00 - 13:00
Sunday10:00 - 14:00
View deals

991 State Route 13

+1 607 758 9000

Monday08:00 - 17:00
Tuesday08:00 - 17:00
Wednesday08:00 - 17:00
Thursday08:00 - 17:00
Friday08:00 - 17:00
Saturday09:00 - 13:00
Sunday00:00 - 00:00
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Show reviews that mention

Reviews

9.2 Wonderful

Sep 2020

KAYAK

Pros:

Very friendly and competent staff at both pickup and drop off. Helpful under difficult circumstances.

Cons:

Initially we were told that no car was available despite our reservation, making me panic. Issue was resolved though.

4.0 Mediocre

Jun 2020

KAYAK

Cons:

The original car smelled of smoke. I asked to change the date of the rental and if that would also change my rental price. I was told no, but later they charged me more and unfortunately there was no way to dispute it since it was my word against theirs.

10.0 Wonderful

Dec 2019

KAYAK

Pros:

Really easy to book and great customer service!

10.0 Wonderful

Oct 2018

KAYAK

Pros:

Fast and easy

Cons:

Nothing

10.0 Wonderful

Jan 2017

KAYAK

Pros:

Friendly service, great price!

10.0 Wonderful

Sep 2016

KAYAK

Pros:

Great customer service, speedy check-out process, received a clean and gas efficient car...I have no complaints!

1 out of 4

Hertz

7.4

Cheapest deal

Cleanliness

8.6

Comfort

8.2

Pick-up/Drop-off

7.1

Value for money

7.0

Locations in Ithaca

1 Culligan Drive

+1 607 257 8677

Monday08:00 - 17:00
Tuesday08:00 - 17:00
Wednesday08:00 - 17:00
Thursday08:00 - 17:00
Friday08:00 - 17:00
Saturday09:00 - 13:00
Sunday10:00 - 14:00
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Filters

Reviews

8.0 Very good

Sep 2019

KAYAK

Pros:

Car

Cons:

Customer service

7.2 Good

Jun 2019

KAYAK

Pros:

- Clean car that was in the desired category

Cons:

- Very limited staff availability for pick-up and drop-off

10.0 Wonderful

Apr 2018

KAYAK

Pros:

Read above

Cons:

Read above

5.2 Fair

Mar 2018

KAYAK

Cons:

The very tight grace period of 30 mins if you are late to drop off the car, will be a reason why I would make sure not to rent a car from them anymore!!!!

7.6 Good

Dec 2017

KAYAK

Pros:

They helped us change drop off locations

Cons:

The windshield washer was either Frozen or broken but we couldn't clean the windshield driving on dirty winter streets which left us feeling a bit inconvenienced and unsafe.

8.0 Very good

Nov 2017

KAYAK

Pros:

Everything went smoothly with the rental itself. Although I have not yet seen the final charges on my credit card statement, so cannot comment on that as yet.

Cons:

While checking out the car the customer representative asked me to choose among certain rental options in a way that made it appear as if the stated choices were obligatory. For instance, he indicated that when I returned the car I could choose between two options for refueling (both of which incur extra fees). There are, in fact, three options for refueling, the third being refueling the car oneself (in this case the cheapest option). We went back and forth for several minutes discussing the two former refueling options before I saw a sign indicating that I could, in fact, refuel the car myself. Had I not seen this sign I would have been unwittingly led into spending additional money. In a similar vein, I was asked if I would like a particular model of vehicle. I realized that I was, again, being unwittingly guided into spending more money on an upgrade rather than a choice among equally priced cars. My recommendation is that it should be fine to rent a vehicle from the Ithaca Airport Hertz office so long as one comes prepared to avoid the verbal traps that are set; carefully laid traps which are intended to make one unwittingly cough up additional money.

1 out of 3

Easirent

No score available yet

2 locations in Ithaca

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Locations in Ithaca

Elmira/Corning Regional Airport

Opening times not available

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Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport

Opening times not available

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Filters

No reviews available

117 travelers who rented a car in Ithaca gave the car agency they used an average rating of 8.0

Car rental locations in or near Ithaca

Good to know

Most popular agency

Budget

Most popular car type

Economy

Average price

$79/day

Good deal

$62/day

When to book a rental car in Ithaca

Average daily price per month
Rental car prices as pick-up date approaches