Alamo Rental Car was founded in 1974. They were one of the first companies in the industry to allow unlimited mileage as part of its rental program. In its North American locations, Alamo rents primarily GM, Toyota, Volvo, and other known auto brands. Alamo is the largest renter to international travelers and developed the first online car rental system in 2005. They have set many standards in the industry. In 2007, Enterprise Rent-a-Car purchased Alamo by an exchange of stock and other financial collateral. All three Alamo, National and Enterprise brands are all under the parent company, Enterprise Holdings, Inc.
Economy prices for Alamo range from low to average in the industry, this gives them a competitive advantage. Alamo's quoted rates include all taxes, fees, and discounts. This eliminates being surprised with higher fees than anticipated when checking out.
Alamo's luxury car prices range from low to average in the industry. This lower price range allows more customers to rent luxury cars. The downside is that luxury cars are not available in all locations. In cities like New York, Alamo luxury cars are not offered. Many of their competitors offer luxury rentals across the board in every major city or state.
Alamo locations can be found in 50 states. Some competitors offer locations in some states, but not all. This is a significant advantage for frequent travelers because they can use the same company that they know and can collect membership points. This also makes renting a car available to residents in every state who need to rent a car locally.
Alamo has airport locations in all 50 states (and in Puerto Rico) with rental counters at most major airports throughout North America. Anywhere you land, there is a convenient Alamo location.
Alamo offers 24/7 roadside assistance to help you in case your vehicle has issues. Their roadside assistance costs $4.99 a day. This is average for most rental car companies and is moderately affordable.
One of Alamo's premier features is their online check-in. This allows renters to check in before arriving at the rental location, speeding up the rental process. In some Alamo locations, online check-ins allows customers to skip the rental counter entirely, going directly to the car attendant and receiving their keys. Travelers in a hurry or who have grown tired of waiting in long lines will greatly benefit from this option.
There is no on-site fuel discount with Alamo. The Fuel Service Option charges the local gas rate times the number of gallons held in the tank. It appears best to fill your own tank. Alamo says to bring the car back empty (if you select their prepay fueling option) since there is no refund for additional fuel in the tank at time of return.
Alamo customers do not have a prepay toll option through Alamo's website. If you want a toll pass for your vehicle, you have to ask at the rental counter when you are signing in to pick up your car. This can be problematic if you get to the rental counter and find out there are no more toll passes available. This additional step takes more time and makes checking in longer. Most car rental companies offer toll prepay. Customers of car rental companies that offer toll prepay options avoid this issue and have a guaranteed toll pass when they check in.
During business hours, you have to return the car and keys in person to the front counter. Some car rental companies offer an instant return. This allows customers to leave the car with the keys in it without having to checkout at the counter. Alamo also offers after-hours returns, allowing renters to return their cars to the lot, drop off their keys, and be on their way without needing to enter the rental location.
Customers traveling on a budget are well-suited for Alamo. Alamo is located in every state and offers a wide variety of vehicles. Alamo's online check-in service is compatible with renters who like to take care of everything online, which is an added convenience to customers. The only downsides are no prepaid toll passes, on-site fuel discounts, or instant returns. We recommend working with Alamo for your car rental needs.
Star Rating
73 Reviews
Review Breakdown
Sentiment Criteria
Oliver Sherren
Booked a Alamo car in Orlando but I found that the instructions were very unclear. Also, the price we paid for a tiny compact was ridiculous. After looking at prices on Turo.com, I don't think I'll be paying almost $80 a day for a car that can barely fit 4 people.
Clark Savage
I have rarely had a good experience with a car rental company, but this one is among the worst I've encountered. I made a reservation with them through Expedia, and when I got there and was under the gun to leave, I was told the car I had reserved wasn't there PLUS they charged me nearly three times what the Expedia contract stipulated. They are bait and switch crooks as far as I'm concerned. Expedia's customer service team even tried to work this out with them and they were shocked by how ridiculously they treated me. Expedia eventually suggested I try to get my credit card company to get back the money and Alamo is doing everything it can to block that. It's a pathetic story, but I have learned my lesson and will never rent from these scammers again!
Alamo's review score is 10.4% lower than the average review score of the top recommended Rental Cars Company
Kyle Johnson
Used Alamo at the San Diego airport. This was the smoothest experience we've had with any car rental. Very quick and efficient.
Nicole Johnson
We worried about renting in a pandemic, but we not only had a choice of cars, they were so clean and thoroughly disinfected!
Tommy McCarlie
Cars at decent rates -- what more can you ask for from such a simple business model?
Mario
had an amazing experience with this rental company! very good car with no problems both before and after.
Katie Lewis
Alamo has been the best company to work with! Very professional staff. My car was ready when I got there
Scott A. Johnson
Alamo is a mid-range priced car rental agency with decent cars. They often run out of the class of car I reserve and so I often get a complimentary upgrade to another vehicle class. The employees are friendly and helpful. A couple times I have had issues with cars (like tire pressure lights on when picked up).
Irinna Danielson
When looking for an affordable rental car to fit our own family, Alamo has been great. The prices are good, the locations are convenient, often at the airports that we're flying into, and the vehicles have been in good condition. Good experience at an affordable price.
AF
It was good, but it seems like a few of the cars that I've rented from them have a faint smell of smoke. They just didn't seem as clean as some of the other companies I've rented from.
Robert Okray
When I rent cars, it’s always from Alamo, the customer service is exceptional. Never had any problems.
Dayna
We had the best experience with Alamo for a car rental in Florida. Our car was super clean and practically brand new. The customer service was excellent!
Brittany Wilkinson
We got an Alamo car rental a few months ago. It was very clean and easy to rent. We got the car we needed at a good price that fit our group and all of our bags. I would definitely use them again.
Jim Robinson
ABSOLUTELY OUTRAGEOUS, DISHONEST AND UNFAIR We rented a car for 5 days for 351.00. Changed the reservation to the next morning to drop off at a different airport same state where they have another office and they charged me OVER 2,000.00! They said there was NO ONE I COULD TALK TO as a supervisor. NEVER AGAIN.
bee tomaz
rented a car for 10 days and after one week they called my ex husband and told them the car was being repossessed because I had it for 7 days too long. wheni called they blamed Priceline.. very dissatisfied and my ex husband is causing drama for my family.. not cool at all. now they are saying the $12 a day price isnt valid and trying to charge me $450 when I'm struggling during the pandemic. horrible.
Steve Jones
I recently had my first experience renting a vehicle through Alamo and it was a decent experience. They have a great selection of cars at a great price. Customer service was great too. I will definitely use them again in the future.
Austin Stelmach
Rented a mini-van through Alamo while in Florida. Worked great, easy to return, helpful staff!
Randi Nelson
Alamo was fantastic while we had our vacation in Mexico. They had great costumer service and we were pleased with our experience and the price of the rental care
Jami Lucas
We recently rented large vans for a family trip and were very pleased with the cleanliness and customer service.
Zabsanti
I recently rented a car from this service and their services was very welcoming. Their staff was very patient with my non english speaking parents and they provided us with a very good car for our stay in that city.
russbayles
Rented a Mustang for me and my son for a quick baseball trip. Customer service was very fast and the car was awesome. We will always try to use them.
Sage Loveland
My last car rental was with Alamo and my experience was flawless. No waiting in line, just signed a couple papers, picked my lovely car and was off. It was very easy and all employees were friendly.
Fife32
I had an incredible experience with Alamo in Mexico. They were very accommodating with our family and we had a satisfied family experience.
mccandless24
We used Alamo for our last car rental and I was beyond happy with the service and quality of our vehicle. The check-in was fast and we were in our vehicle in no time. Bringing back the car was just as easy in and out and on our way to catch our flight. Would recommend.
Julie Taylor
The car was clean and well maintained. The rental process took forever. There was only one associate there for most of the process and the line was huge. We had a long drive ahead of us and the wait for the car was so frustrating.
Kaitlyn Rios
Alamo has always been super professional and care about my end price for the rentals I get. They are cost cost aware and look for great deals. I am impressed with the availability of different styles of cars as well.
David T
I have had bad and good experiences with Alamo. Pretty good selection of cars, but customer service.
Nichole Hiatt
We rented a vehicle in Florida last month and Alamo was great to work with. The car was clean and ran perfectly; customer service was friendly and even told us about a toll pass we could get that would save us money while we were there.
Anne
Got a free car upgrade and a discount due to my sister being a state employee.The customer service I received was good and the people were very helpful and patient, especially since our younger nieces and nephews were there.
Audrey Mitchell
Alamo was the company used when needing a car for a quick trip. Nice quality cars and service.
Amy Christian
Alamo tends to have the best prices when I’m searching for car rentals. The pricing is upfront and doesn’t have weird hidden fees like other companies do. Easy to use kiosks
Denise Riggs
I recently rented a car from Alamo in Los Angeles. It was a great experience. We checked in at a self kiosk which was really nice as I didn’t have to listen to anyone trying to upgrade or have me add things on I didn’t want. We finished there and then were told on the screen to walk outside and to go in the parking lot and then to pick any car in our category. The car we rented was a 2020, had that new car smell. It was in perfect condition. The process was so easy and Alamo is my new favorite car rental company.
amy rex
Alamo is great if you don't have a credit card. They will take a debit instead.
Bryndie
Good company to rent a car from. Got to the desk super late after a long flight and they were so kind and accommodating and gave us a free upgrade which was awesome.
Jillaine Clark
I have loved Alamo because they are usually thr cheapest car rental whenever I've needed one! They're super reliable and great quality too!
Reckholdt
We rented a van from Alamo and it was a great experience. We got a great deal. The van was very new and very clean. I was impress.
PessoaJ
We have rented through Alamo multiple times and give them 5 stars. They always try to be quick and efficient and get you in your rental car as quickly as possible!
Juliann Mecham
Had a great experience with Alamo in Mexico. Fun people, great workers, great car. Over all great experience.
TERENCE COURSEN
easy to book a car. great employees to deal with. easy pick up and drop off.
Tim H
I reserved a truck at Pittsburgh airport for a hunting trip. I requested a4 wheel drive since I would be driving thru some rough terrain in the mountains. I was told that there was no guarantee that I would actually get 4WD upon presenting myself at the counter but most all of their trucks are 4WD, so not to worry. Arrived at the counter & was told I was upgraded to premium and they had a 4WD truck available. I checked out, jumped in the truck to head to my destination only to find that I was lied to by the Alamo rep. The truck was NOT 4WD, but I had already rented it and was out of the airport. Upon exiting I asked where the 4WD button/switch/gear shift was located & the kid processing me out didn’t know. I would have gone to any of the half fixed agencies and rented what I wanted had I known this before committing to Alamo. I was lied to and have a bad taste over the whole experience! I had to bum rides from friends as this truck had inadequate tires and NO 4WD. I won’t be back Alamo...
Kristi Young
I rented in Florida. Be aware that you will be charged a $3.95 ADDITIONAL charge for every day you incur a toll on a toll road, almost double the toll). Also be aware that in addition to the charges you pay when reserving the rental car, you will be charged for a list of services when you drop off your car (facility fee, concierge fee, surcharge recovery, wtf that is, etc.). In total, I ended up paying $376 to reserve, $135 at drop off + $12.72 for 4 electronic tolls, the service fees were 4 times what the tolls cost. I feel ripped off bigly for a 1 week rental. Not renting from Alamo again. Buyer beware. $477.72 = $67.67 PER DAY
Tom Gourley
When I have dealt with Alamo I have found their customer service representatives to be very friendly and helpful. Often times they offer upgrades to a nicer car for no added cost. They are also very competitively priced and are often located close to the airports I use. I use them as often as I can.
Martha Gourley
Overall Alamo has the best prices on rental car. They provide clean and well maintained cars. They make it easy to pick up and return the car.
Stephanie
Alamo Colorado Springs Airport customer service is the absolute best. They are friendly, kind, and forgiving. Especially when their customer (my family) cuts it too close returning the rental car with barely enough time to make our flight. 😳 We made our flight! We are very grateful for their kindness in an especially stressful situation. The pick-up and drop-off agents were both wonderful and so helpful. We highly recommend renting from Alamo COS—A++ customer service all the way! 🤗
George Schwamb
Myself and my wife went to Raleigh/Durham rented a car from Alamo car rental. The worst experience ever.we rented the vehicle two weeks ago and two weeks later they put the transaction through for the vehicle. The worst experience ever they rented a vehicle with practically no breaks and a tire blew. I would not recommend Alamo to my worst enemy. Never in my life have I ever rented a vehicle from any auto rental company and had that ever happened. On a 0 to 10 and 0 being the extreme worst that they could get I rate them a 0
Rischelle Mikkelson
Alamo is one of my favorite car rental companies. They are at almost every location that I travel to and always have reasonable deals. The agents are always kind and helpful and they often offer free upgrades.
Shawn
Always happy with the cars and the he rental experience at Alamo. Shuttle service is nice too.
Alyssa Boren
The employees were kind when giving us the car and when we returned it. The cars were in great condition and looked clean when it was given to us.
Don Boren
Car was clean and ready to go when we got to the rental agency. The counter staff was kind and considerate.
Amy Boren
Great price! We had no problems picking up the car and they even upgraded us for no extra charge. Great customer service!