Survey
Florida Car Rental Rates Soar This Christmas
December 19, 2014

Renting a car in Florida this Christmas is going to cost travelers significantly more than usual. The latest survey from CheapCarRental.net has found that rental car rates in the Sunshine State have skyrocketed in response to the upcoming holiday.

In coming up with the rankings, the survey compared the rental car rates of 30 popular U.S. destinations. The Christmas period spanning December 23–27, 2014 served as the basis of comparison. With a daily rental rate of $133 for the cheapest available car, West Palm Beach is not only the costliest destination in the state but also the second priciest in the nation. When one considers that renting a vehicle in the city usually costs a mere $20 per day, that $133 figure represents a price hike of nearly 600%. Relatively speaking, no other considered destination even comes close to increasing its rates that much.

Only New York City beats out West Palm Beach in the daily price department. Travelers to the Big Apple this Christmas can expect to spend $178 per rental day. Florida shows up on the survey several more times, first with Fort Myers taking the number four spot. Raising its rates by more than 300% in light of the Christmas holiday, Fort Myers is averaging $98 per day for its least expensive rental car. Following just on its heels is Sarasota, Florida. At an average of $97 daily, it ranks as the survey’s fifth most expensive destination in which to rent a car.

The following table shows the car rental rates of 30 popular U.S. destinations during the Christmas timeframe and compares them to regular prices. The rates shown reflect the average daily rate for the cheapest available car for the period spanning December 23 through December 27, 2014. Regular rates indicate the average rental car rates for the month of January.
  • 1. New York City $178 (+177%)
  • 2. West Palm Beach $133 (+ 583%)
  • 3. Honolulu $106 (+278%)
  • 4. Fort Myers $98 (+294%)
  • 5. Sarasota $97 (+81%)
  • 6. Portland $89 (+155%)
  • 7. Denver $88 (+287%)
  • 8. Baltimore $85 (+76%)
  • 9. Boston $81 (+94%)
  • 10. Philadelphia $80 (+14%)
  • 11. Fort Lauderdale $77 (+207%)
  • 12. Los Angeles $73 (+215%)
  • 13. Palm Springs $72 (+71%)
  • 14. Orlando $71 (+311%)
  • 15. Jacksonville $66 (+172%)
  • 16. Tampa $60(+192%)
  • 17. Atlanta $58 (+82%)
  • 18. Miami $58 (+272%)
  • 19. Las Vegas $56 (+114%)
  • 20. New Orleans $55 (+139%)
  • 21. Seattle $47 (+139%)
  • 22. Chicago $45 (+3%)
  • 23. San Diego $42 (+108%)
  • 24. San Francisco $38(+81%)
  • 25. Dallas $37 (+3%)
  • 26. Houston $35 (-20%)
  • 27. Austin $35 (-28%)
  • 28. San Antonio $34 (-9%)
  • 29. Washington DC $29 (-27%)
  • 30. Phoenix $23 (-20%)


About the Survey:
Rates were established on December 13, 2014 via a leading car rental comparison engine. Each city’s main airport was chosen as the Pick-Up and Drop-Off location.

Press Contact: Michelle Walters, press@cheapcarrental.net