Car Rentals at Edmonton International Airport

Edmonton International Airport is located approximately 26km, or 16 miles south southwest of downtown Edmonton, and is one of the busiest airports in the province of Alberta, Canada. It is also rated as the fifth largest airport in terms of passenger traffic in the country. The airport has been allocated the official airport code of YEG. Although arriving passengers can take buses and taxis to their following destinations, many prefer to rent a car, from one of the Edmonton International Airport car hire companies. There are several international car rental companies available, and all of which provide quality vehicles at competitive car rental rates.

There are two main terminal buildings at Edmonton Airport, referred to as the South Terminal and the North Terminal. Various areas of the airport have recently been expanded, and current expansion works are under way to link the terminals with a new concourse, and to add additional retail space for passengers. The terminal of the passenger’s arrival will depend on the origin of the flight, and perhaps the airline company in use. However, regardless of the point of arrival, the Edmonton International Airport car rental companies are within easy reach, as they are found in the airport parkade building, nearby the terminals. They are on level P1 of the parkade. The companies available are Hertz, Avis, Europcar, Budget, National, Auto Europa, Alamo and Enterprise, and each of these companies provide their own car rental benefits, and a wide choice of vehicle categories.

National Car Hire is a good choice for business renters, as the company has focused their services on providing for the needs of the frequent airport traveller, and Alamo has, for many years, offered excellent options for leisure travellers. Avis offers a wide range of vehicles for all occasions, while Europcar has been a favourite choice for ‘green’ vehicles and chauffeur driven vehicles at many locations around the world. At Edmonton Airport, Europcar customers will need to go to the National Car Hire counters in order to collect their vehicles. For ‘budget’ prices, Budget is certainly the best option and further low rental rates are offered by the company Auto Europa, who have provided car rental services for over fifty years. They currently have offices at over 8,000 rental locations around the world. Hertz is one of the most famous car hire companies in the world. They have thousands of rental locations as well, and even offer more specific rentals at some of their locations. Hertz provides affordable vehicles as well as cars of a more luxurious variety.

The car hire companies of Edmonton International Airport are open during most hours of the day, and for seven days a week, however, their hours of operation may vary on bank holidays. It is recommended for all passengers to rent their vehicles in advance of their arrival at the airport. Online reservations are the most convenient. Cheaper rental rates can be available for earlier bookings, and it brings peace of mind in knowing that your ideal car will be ready for your arrival. It is wise to hire any additional items of equipment required in advance as well, for example, child seats and satellite navigation systems. Child seats come in sizes suitable for infants and toddlers, and booster seats can be requested for older children. In Canada, all occupants of a vehicle should be wearing a seatbelt. Ski-equipped vehicles are often available as well, for persons who intend driving to the mountain holiday resorts nearby.

The above mentioned items of equipment will cost a few extra CAD per day of hire, or per car rental contract, however, hand controls for disabled drivers are free of charge. This device is ideal for persons with a lower limb disability, as it operates the brake and accelerator pedals of an automatic vehicle, and may include a steering wheel knob. From the rental location of Edmonton International Airport, hand controls will require an advanced reservation, at least a few days before your arrival from the majority of car hire companies.

Smaller sized cars can be considered as more affordable, and larger sized cars can be expected to be hired at higher rental rates. Cars for four or five people are often the same or similar to the Suzuki Swift, Nissan Versa, Hyundai Accent Sedan, Kia Rio, Toyota Yaris, Pontiac G6 and the Chevy Cobalt. These are all cars that are offered for quite affordable rates. Larger SUVs that could be more expensive, but ideal in many circumstances, include the Ford Explorer, Ford Expedition, Ford Escape, GMC Yukon, Chevrolet Tahoe and Chevrolet Suburban. The last two mentioned can seat seven passengers. The Dodge Grand Caravan as a Minivan vehicle can seat seven as well. Additional cars to hire from Edmonton Airport may include the Hyundai Elantra, Chevrolet Impala, Chrysler 300 and Ford Fusion. From the car rental companies at Edmonton International Airport, one way hire services and cross border rentals may be possible to arrange as well, should the customer only be going one way, or if the car will be driven across the border into the United States.

Driving a rented car in Canada is quite simple. The roads are well organised and in good condition. They are also fairly easy to navigate within the cities. In all the major cities, there are parking lots where vehicles can be safely parked, and metered street parking areas. Around Edmonton, there are many places that are often frequented by visitors, for example, Fort Saskatchewan just north of Edmonton, and the Elk Island National Park to the east. The main road leading past the airport is the Queen Elizabeth II Highway. Always follow the speed limits for the roads, which are in general, no more than 50kph in urban areas, 100kph on open roads and 130kph on motorways and highways.

Contact your favourite Edmonton International Airport car hire company for all further details regarding their car rental services and car rental rates.