Car Rental at 'San Diego - Airport'

Airport location, terminals and transportation

San Diego International Airport is both civil and military aviation facility. It is located a few kilometres from the centre of the city of San Diego. The near-border location of the airport (San Diego borders on Mexico) accounts for its use as a military aviation facility. It was opened in 1928. The airport was named in honour of the famous American aviator Charles Lindbergh. Even now the airport is still known as Lindbergh Field. In 1934, it started servicing international flights and received the status of the international airport. The airport comprises one runway and handles about 20 million people a year. Passengers are serviced in 3 current terminals, which are Terminals 1 and 2 West, Terminal 2 East. Coast Guard Air Station San Diego is deployed near the southeast corner of the airport.

You can get to the airport from other districts by means of suburban railway connection provided by Amtrak Intercity and COASTER. Taxi stands are placed at the exit of the arrival area. The employees of the support service can help you get into various means of transport such as shuttles or taxis.

Rental offices, how to find them, where to return car

At San Diego International Airport, you can rent a vehicle at the Consolidated Rental Car Center, where all the leading car rental companies are concentrated. Free shuttles depart regularly from the airport terminals to the Consolidated Rental Car Center and back. The Center is situated next to the economy parking lot along the Pacific Highway. The clients receive and return their leased vcehicles in the parking lot of this Center.

In order to reach the Consolidated Renral Car Center, you should get to the Pacific Highway/Sassafras intersection and then follow the signs. The cars, which have been rented at the airport, are also returned to the parking lot of the Center as well. The information and links to contact the car rental companies are found on the information boards, as well as on the official website of the airport. The following car rental firms provide their services at the airport: Advantage, Alamo, Budget, Dollar, Economy car rental, Enterprise, EZ Rent-A-Car, Fox Rent-A-Car, Firefly, Payless, Sixt, Hertz, Thrifty, Avis, National, and Zipcar.

It is recommended to make a preliminary reservation through different online services, so that you can be sure that you will be able to get the most suitable vehicle. At the same time, it will help you keep down the cost of renting. Both debit and credit cards are accepted for payment. The rental cost will be higher for the drivers under the age of 25 years.

Long-term and short-term parking, hotels nearby

There are three convenient parking lots beside the terminals. Long-term parking (found in Harbor Drive) and economy parking (on the Pacific Highway) are available in the territory of the airport. Constantly running shuttles provide connection between the parking lots and the terminals of the airport. The colour of the shuttle indicates its route. Green colour corresponds to long-term parking, and blue colour corresponds to economy one. A valet parking service is offered near Terminals 1 and 2.

Quite a number of hotels with different levels of service are nestled next to the territory of the air terminal. The nearest hotels are the Hilton San Diego Airport, the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina, the Holiday Inn Express, the Motel 6, the Courtyard by Marriott and others.