The cheapest rental cars in Nashville come from off-airport locations and weekday bookings, not from the major chains at BNA
Nashville's airport rental center (BNA) charges the highest rates because the airport authority adds facility fees on top of the rental company's base price. A compact car that costs $35 per day from an off-airport Enterprise or Budget location can run $55 to $65 per day at the airport counter. The real savings happen when you rent from locations on Murfreesboro Pike or Nolensville Pike, which are 10 to 15 minutes from downtown and bypass airport markup entirely.
Weekday rates in Nashville run 30 to 50 percent lower than weekend rates, especially Friday through Sunday. A Tuesday rental of a mid-size sedan might cost $40 per day; the same car on Saturday costs $65 to $75. If your travel dates are flexible, shifting your rental by even two days can cut your total cost by hundreds of dollars.
The lowest absolute prices appear on Budget, Enterprise, and Hertz locations away from the airport. National and Avis sit in the middle. Alamo and Hertz at the airport tend to run highest. Comparison shopping across all three off-airport Budget locations in Nashville takes 10 minutes and often reveals $100+ differences on a week-long rental.
Key Takeaways
- Off-airport rental locations on Murfreesboro Pike and Nolensville Pike charge $15 to $30 less per day than BNA airport counters because they do not pay facility fees.
- Weekday rentals cost 30 to 50 percent less than weekend rentals for the same car, so shifting your dates by two days can save hundreds of dollars.
- Budget, Enterprise, and Hertz typically undercut Avis, National, and Alamo by $5 to $15 per day on comparable vehicles.
- Booking directly on each company's website often reveals rates lower than aggregator sites like Kayak or Priceline, especially for off-airport locations.
Off-airport locations that undercut BNA by the most
Budget has three Nashville locations outside the airport: one on Murfreesboro Pike near the airport (but not at the terminal), one on Nolensville Pike south of downtown, and one on Stewarts Ferry Pike in the Hermitage area. The Murfreesboro Pike location is closest to BNA but still avoids the facility fee. Rates there typically run $10 to $20 below the airport counter for the same car class.
Enterprise operates five off-airport locations across Nashville, including one on Murfreesboro Pike and one on Nolensville Pike. Enterprise's off-airport rates are usually the lowest of the three major budget chains, especially on compact and mid-size cars. Their Nolensville Pike location serves south Nashville and the airport equally well and often has inventory the airport location does not.
Hertz has two off-airport locations: one on Murfreesboro Pike and one on Stewarts Ferry Pike. Hertz rates are competitive with Budget but sometimes higher than Enterprise. However, Hertz's frequent-renter program (Gold Plus Rewards) can knock an additional 10 to 15 percent off if you join before booking.
Avis and National both operate primarily at the airport and downtown hotels. Their off-airport presence is minimal, and their rates rarely beat the three budget chains. If you have a corporate discount or loyalty status with Avis or National, compare the discounted rate against the base rate at Budget or Enterprise before committing.
How to find the actual lowest price across all companies
Start by visiting each company's website directly rather than using Kayak, Priceline, or Expedia. Aggregator sites often do not show every location or every rate, and they add their own markup. Go to Budget.com, Enterprise.com, and Hertz.com, enter your dates and Nashville as the location, and note the three lowest daily rates you see.
Next, manually select each off-airport location in Nashville and re-run the search. The aggregators sometimes default to the airport location and do not make it obvious that cheaper locations exist. When you select Murfreesboro Pike or Nolensville Pike by name, you will see the facility-fee difference when ready.
Check the total cost, not the daily rate. A $35-per-day car for seven days is $245 before taxes and fees. A $50-per-day car for the same period is $350. The daily rate matters less than the total you will actually pay. Some companies charge a drop-off fee if you return to a different location than you rented from; others do not. Confirm this before booking.
Book on a Tuesday or Wednesday for the best rates. Prices update nightly, and mid-week rates are consistently lower than Friday-through-Sunday rates. If you must rent on a weekend, book it on the preceding Tuesday to lock in the lower rate.
What to expect in taxes and fees on top of the daily rate
Tennessee sales tax on car rentals is 9.55 percent statewide. Nashville adds a 4 percent local tax on top of that, bringing the total tax to 13.55 percent. A $40-per-day rental becomes $45.42 per day after tax alone.
Airport rentals add a facility recovery fee (usually $3 to $5 per day) and a concession recovery fee (usually $2 to $4 per day). Off-airport rentals do not charge these. On a seven-day rental, the airport fees alone add $35 to $63 to your total cost.
Most companies charge $15 to $25 per day for a second driver, though some waive this for spouses. Declining the second driver option and adding your spouse to your insurance instead costs nothing. Fuel options vary: some companies charge a pre-purchase rate (usually $3 to $4 per gallon), while others charge you the local pump price only for fuel you actually use. Pre-purchase is rarely the better deal unless you know you will return the car on empty.
Damage waivers (collision damage waiver or CDW) cost $12 to $20 per day. Your personal auto insurance or credit card may cover rental damage; check your policy before paying for the rental company's waiver. Declining the waiver and relying on your own coverage saves $84 to $140 on a week-long rental.
Comparing compact cars, mid-size, and SUVs on price
| Vehicle Class | Typical Daily Rate (Off-Airport) | Typical Daily Rate (Airport) | Weekly Total (Off-Airport, Before Tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compact (Hyundai Elantra, Toyota Corolla) | $35–$50 | $50–$70 | $245–$350 |
| Mid-size (Honda Accord, Toyota Camry) | $45–$65 | $65–$85 | $315–$455 |
| SUV (Toyota RAV4, Jeep Cherokee) | $60–$85 | $80–$110 | $420–$595 |
Compact cars are the cheapest option and make sense if you are traveling alone or with one passenger and do not need cargo space. They get better fuel economy than larger vehicles, which matters if you are renting for more than a few days.
Mid-size cars cost $10 to $15 more per day but offer more comfort on longer drives and more trunk space for luggage. For a week-long Nashville trip with two people, the mid-size upgrade is usually worth the extra $70 to $105.
SUVs cost $15 to $25 more per day than mid-size cars. Rent an SUV only if you need the cargo space or ground clearance; otherwise, you are paying for capacity you will not use. Nashville's roads are flat and well-maintained, so a compact or mid-size car handles everything the city offers.
When to book and how far in advance to lock in the best rate
Rental car prices in Nashville follow a predictable pattern: rates drop as you book further in advance, then spike again 7 to 10 days before your rental date. The sweet spot is 3 to 6 weeks before you need the car. Booking 2 months in advance sometimes yields lower rates, but the difference is usually small. Booking fewer than 7 days out almost always costs more.
If you book early and the price drops, most companies allow you to rebook at the lower rate without penalty. Check your confirmation email for the cancellation policy; if it says "free cancellation," you can cancel and rebook as many times as you want before your rental date. Use this to your advantage: book now at the current rate, then check again in two weeks. If the price has fallen, cancel and rebook.
Avoid booking on Friday or over a weekend. Prices are highest Friday through Sunday and often drop again on Monday. If your rental spans a weekend, the entire week's rate goes up. Shifting your dates to avoid the weekend can cut your total cost by 20 to 40 percent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to rent from downtown Nashville than from the airport?
Downtown locations (usually at hotels or car rental offices on Broadway) charge rates similar to off-airport locations but sometimes slightly higher because they are in high-traffic areas. The Murfreesboro Pike and Nolensville Pike locations are your cheapest options. Downtown is convenient if you are already there, but it is not cheaper than off-airport.
Do I need to buy insurance from the rental company?
Check your personal auto insurance policy and your credit card benefits first. Most personal policies and premium credit cards cover rental car damage, which means you do not need the rental company's collision damage waiver. Buying it anyway wastes $12 to $20 per day. If you are not covered, the waiver is worth the cost.
What happens if I return the car late?
Late returns are charged at the daily rate or a higher hourly rate, depending on how late you are. Returning a car 30 minutes to 2 hours late usually costs one additional day's rental. Returning it more than 2 hours late sometimes costs two days. Plan to return the car at least 30 minutes before your reservation ends to avoid this.
Can I get a cheaper rate if I book through my employer or a membership program?
Some employers, AAA memberships, and credit card programs offer 10 to 20 percent discounts on rental cars. Check your benefits before booking. explore the discount code to your reservation and compare the final price against the base rate at Budget or Enterprise. The discount is only worth using if it beats the cheapest base rate you found.
Is it ever cheaper to rent a car for a week than for individual days?
Yes. Most companies offer a weekly rate (usually 5 to 7 days) that is lower per day than renting for individual days. If you need a car for 5 or more days, ask for the weekly rate even if your rental is only 5 days. It is almost always cheaper than the daily rate multiplied by the number of days.