Situated 5km east of the city of Punta Gorda (PGD) in Charlotte County, Florida, Punta Gorda Airport has recently seen a healthy increase in activity, with numerous low-cost flights offered by Allegiant Air now operating in and around the area.
On the tarmac at Punta Gorda Airport (Photo: rayb777 via Flickr / CC BY 2.0)
The Rental Car Centre is conveniently located just across from the Bailey Terminal. There are seven major car rental companies based in the centre, with most opening as early as 5am.
To determine which car rental companies offer the best vehicles across our three categories (Most Affordable, Best for Luxury, Best for Minivans), TravelMag.com carefully researched prices, availability, policies and customer reviews of the car rental companies operating out of PGD airport. Here are our findings.
For cheap car hire, we found both Hertz and Alamo to have the best deals in this category. On our sample dates, Hertz had a Fiat 500 at a little under $46 per day while Alamo had a Mitsubishi Mirage at $47 per day or at $65 per day with a GPS rental, a free tank of fuel and no extra charge for any additional drivers over the age of 25. Alamo offers a similar package for additional drivers between the ages of 21-24, but their price ascends to $81 per day.
There is a surprising large selection of luxury cars available at Punta Gorda airport, with all the main operators offering competitive deals. On our sample dates, Budget had a Ford Edge for a respectable $56 per day. The latest Edge models boast state-of-the-art systems including ‘Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go and Lane Centering’. For a roomier and more established vehicle, Enterprise’s Chevrolet Tahoe’s offers big V-8 performance and a smooth, comfortable ride. In early Spring, they were being offered at $82 per day.
From driving en masse to the Everglades National Park to cruising the beaches and back streets of downtown Miami, there are scores of interesting things to do and see in Florida. If you are touring the region in a group of seven or fewer, we’d suggest Alamo’s Dodge Grand Caravan which, at $56, works out at a mere $8 per person. If Alamo is out of stock, then almost all the other rental companies at Punta Gorda Airport have the same car at a similar price. For something bigger, National had a Ford Transit for rent at just under $100 per day.
