Formally called the Bob Hope Airport, the Hollywood Burbank Airport BUR is situated in the east of Los Angeles, close to Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena and the city’s sprawling downtown area.
Burbank Airport (Photo: Owen Lystrup / Unsplash)
Known for having one of the worst public transport services in the world, most visitors choose to rent a car on arrival at Los Angeles. To cater for this demand, there are a large number of car rental companies, 10 in total, that can all be found in one convenient location: the Regional Intermodal Transportation Center (RITC). Renters can access this nearby facility by using the elevated conveyer walkway, or simply by making the short walk (approximately 7 minutes).
To determine which rental car companies offer the best vehicles across our three categories (Most Affordable, Best for Luxury, Best for Minivans), TravelMag carefully researched prices, availability, policies and customer reviews of the 10 car rental companies operating out of BUR. Here are our findings:
Most affordable: Alamo
Dollar has the cheapest prices at Burbank Airport with its Chevrolet Spark over $40 cheaper than its main rivals and unlimited mileage thrown into the deal if you book through rentalcars.com. So, what’s not to like? Well, a few things. Before jumping to make a reservation, potential renters need to understand that pick-up times are particularly long at BUR with many users complaining about queues and a general lack of staff. For a safer bet, we would recommend Alamo that not only has fine selection of vehicles but also receives outstanding customer feedback.
Best for Luxury: Alamo
Planning on cruising through the Hollywood hills in style? Alamo’s philosophy of offering value for money stretches to their premium cars which come at surprisingly affordable rates. Renters have a choice between elite vehicles like the Cadillac XTS as well as more sporty options like the Ford Mustang Convertible. They even rent out large, luxury motors like the 7-seater Chevrolet Tahoe that includes state-of-the-art technology and generous leg room allowing passengers on the back two rows to stretch out in style. Alamo’s parent company, Enterprise, came in a close second with a fleet of cars that incorporates models from Jaguar, Maserati, Range Rover and several elite electric SUVs.
Best for Minivans: National
With Disneyland only a few hours away and the Hollywood Hills in the close distance, many families arriving at BUR look for a large and comfortable minivan to get around. National’s fleet includes SUVs and a number of large vehicles like the Ford Transit that can seat up to 15 people. For smaller groups, they have the Dodge Grand Canyon which, under normal circumstances, consumes a respectable 25 miles per gallon—an important consideration when driving through Los Angele’s heavily congested streets.