How Much Does It Cost to Rent a Car for a Week?

A week-long car rental is one of the most common rental scenarios — long enough that pricing works differently than a single-day booking, and varied enough that two people renting the same class of car can pay very different amounts. Here's how weekly rental pricing actually works and what drives the total bill.

What a Weekly Rental Actually Costs

Weekly rental rates are typically quoted as a flat rate for 7 days, not simply 7 times the daily rate. In most cases, the weekly rate is cheaper per day than booking seven individual days. Rental companies bundle the week as a discount incentive, and most major agencies have a defined weekly rate structure.

As a rough baseline, weekly rentals in the U.S. generally fall somewhere in these ranges:

These figures reflect base rental rates only — before taxes, fees, and add-ons. The final bill can run 30% to 50% higher once everything is included.

What Drives the Price Up or Down

No two weekly rentals cost the same, because pricing is shaped by several overlapping factors.

Location and market demand have an outsized effect. Renting at a major airport almost always costs more than renting at an off-airport location in the same city, partly due to airport concession fees passed along to renters. Markets with high tourism demand — beach destinations, ski towns, major cities during events — see sharply elevated rates. Smaller markets with less competition can cut both ways.

Rental timing and advance booking matter significantly. Rates fluctuate like airline tickets. Booking weeks in advance during off-peak periods often yields much lower prices than booking last-minute during a holiday weekend or summer peak.

The rental company affects price in both directions. Large national chains compete heavily on price in most markets but may have more fee layers. Smaller regional companies sometimes offer lower base rates but vary in fleet quality and policies.

Vehicle age and availability within a class also factor in. If a company's economy fleet is mostly booked, they may have limited inventory and higher prices — or they may upgrade you at no cost to move available inventory.

The Fees That Inflate the Total 💸

The base weekly rate is only the starting point. Common add-ons and fees include:

• Taxes and government fees — these vary significantly by city and state, and airport surcharges alone can add $50–$150 to a week-long rental
• Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) or Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) — typically $15–$35 per day; this is the most significant optional charge most renters face
• Liability insurance — some states have minimum liability requirements; renters may already be covered by their personal auto policy or credit card
• Additional driver fees — most companies charge per day for each additional driver, which adds up over a week
• Young driver surcharges — renters under 25 typically pay a daily surcharge, often $25–$35 per day, which can nearly double the base rate
• GPS or child seat rentals — small daily fees that accumulate over seven days
• Prepaid fuel options — convenient but often priced above pump rates
• Mileage caps — less common in the U.S. but worth checking, particularly on specialty or luxury vehicles

Insurance: The Variable That Changes Everything

Whether you need to pay for the rental company's insurance coverage depends on what you already have. Your personal auto insurance policy may extend to rental cars — typically for the same coverages and deductibles you carry. Some credit cards offer secondary or even primary CDW coverage when you pay for the rental with that card and decline the rental company's coverage.

The right answer here depends entirely on your own policy terms, your card's benefits, and what you're comfortable with. Reading your policy or calling your insurer before renting is the most direct way to know where you stand.

One-Way Rentals and Mileage

If you're renting for a week but returning the car to a different location, expect a one-way drop fee. These vary widely — sometimes a flat fee, sometimes hundreds of dollars depending on the distance and the company's fleet repositioning needs. Cross-country one-way rentals during certain periods can run surprisingly high.

Most U.S. weekly rentals come with unlimited mileage for standard vehicle classes, but it's worth confirming — some companies impose limits on specialty vehicles, trucks, or out-of-country travel.

What Changes the Final Number Most 🔑

The gap between a $300 week and a $900 week often comes down to:

• When and where you book — off-airport in the shoulder season versus airport rental during peak travel
• Whether you pay for the rental company's insurance or use existing coverage
• Whether there's a young driver on the reservation
• Which vehicle class you select and what's actually in stock

The base rate a website quotes is the floor, not the total. For a true cost comparison between companies or booking dates, it's worth pricing the same pickup location, vehicle class, and dates to identical specs — and then comparing the itemized totals at checkout, not just the headline rate.

Your final cost depends on your travel dates, pickup city, age, insurance situation, vehicle needs, and how far in advance you book. Those variables don't move together, which is why weekly rental costs span such a wide range.