Thrifty Car Rental

I recently rented a car from Thrifty Houston Intercontinental Airport United State of America, and the experience was outstanding from start to finish. The staff was friendly, efficient, and made the entire process quick and stress-free. What really impressed me was the helpful advice I received at the counter — the representative suggested upgrading to a slightly larger car for extra comfort and better handling for the long drives I had planned. I decided to take their recommendation, and it turned out to be perfect! The upgraded car was comfortable, fuel-efficient, and made the trip so much more enjoyable. The vehicle was spotless, well-maintained, and ran beautifully the entire time. Returning it was just as easy — no hidden charges, no hassle, and excellent customer service throughout. I’m really glad I chose Thrifty and will definitely rent from them again. Highly recommended for anyone looking for great cars and staff who genuinely care about their customers’ experience!- G.F.O.

6 months ago

Very disappointing experience with Thrifty at the Houston (IAH) airport. 1/16/2026 7:47 PM At the counter, at IAH airport an agent named Justin pressured me into purchasing a $14.99/day toll package after telling me I would be charged much more per toll if I didn’t buy it. I clearly explained my travel plans and even showed my GPS route. He insisted so I believed him. So I believed and took his recommendation and purchased the 2 day toll Package. In reality, I only passed through two tolls at $1.50 each, which confirmed the information I was given was inaccurate and the toll package was unnecessary. I found out the agents make commission per extra packages they sell( insurance, tolls, etc). 0n 1/16/2026 in the evening when I got to my hotel, I contacted Thrifty through Facebook Messenger, an agent named Maria dismissed my concern and redirected me to the Texas toll authority instead of addressing the misleading sale. I requested escalation and was connected with Freddy, who said the toll package had been removed. It was not I later found out. On my last day today 1/18/2026, after returning the vehicle at IAH, I went back inside the airport to the same counter of thrifty and was told the charges had not yet been removed from my account. So now I am speaking to the 4th agent and supposedly he removed the charges and provided a receipt confirming the correction. I hope he wasn’t being misleading like his coworkers; Justin, Maria and Freddy. However, hours later, today 1/18/2026 7:36PM, my credit card still showed a pending charge of $239 (includes $200 deposit that should be refunded an $38.31 toll Package) that appeared to include the toll package, creating continued confusion and frustration. This entire experience required multiple contacts and corrections for an issue that should never have happened in the first place. Based on my experience and the number of similar complaints online, this appears to be an ongoing issue with aggressive upselling and poor follow-through on billing corrections. Renters should carefully review add-ons and verify charges immediately.

3 months ago

Car was in good condition despite not fully cleaned. During pick up, the agent was adamant in selling insurance top up, which you have to decline aggresively (as by law, it's up to the customer to decide whether to take up the additional insurance or not). During return, i didnt receive any mail confirmation that Deposit was released, and has to call the hotline number to confirm. Overall, its a mix feeling knowing other Thrifty locations are serving well. Remember to always take videos during pickup and return

2 months ago

Update 27th Feb: Following engagement with Thirfty Customer Service - I've amended my review from 2 stars 4; they excellently handled my complaint. Original Review: Car was as expected, nice and clean and the car I was expecting. Pick up and drop off area very easy to navigate and the price was really good, although it was via a 3rd party. Echoing the majority of complaints on here, I was mis-sold the pre-pay fuel - I had documentation from my 3rd party agent which stated this was optional, but the desk agent said "business is done at the desk", he was rude, and I felt pressured into purchasing this. Would I use again? Probably for the price, but I'll know better next time when it comes to the optional extras.

a month ago

I was improperly charged a late return fee even though I returned the vehicle on time, in full compliance with my rental agreement. This charge appears to be the result of your staff failing to scan the vehicle barcode promptly upon return. I should not be held responsible for an internal delay caused by your employee. This is unacceptable. I expect this incorrect fee to be refunded immediately after reviewing your return records, including the XR gate scan time. This experience has seriously damaged my trust in your company. Unless this issue is resolved promptly, I will not use your services again and will not recommend your company to others.

a month ago