Dollar Introduce
For residents and visitors of California seeking an affordable and straightforward solution for their transportation needs, Dollar Car Rental at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) presents a cost-effective option. Positioned at one of the Bay Area's major travel hubs, Dollar is a key provider of car rental agency services, offering a diverse fleet to suit nearly any travel itinerary, from quick city commutes to extended road trips along the scenic Pacific Coast Highway or deep into the California interior. As a women-owned business, the agency brings a commitment to service and value to the competitive SFO rental market.
Dollar's main appeal lies in its generally competitive pricing, often making it an attractive choice for budget-conscious travelers. The company provides a range of vehicles, including compact cars like the Chevrolet Spark, midsize sedans such as the Volkswagen Jetta, and various SUVs and vans, ensuring you can find a suitable model for navigating San Francisco's steep hills or escaping to Napa Valley or Yosemite National Park. While Dollar aims to provide a reliable service, potential users, especially those traveling to California from overseas, should be aware that the high-volume, cost-conscious model may occasionally lead to significant wait times at the counter and in some cases, less-than-ideal initial customer service experiences, as indicated in customer feedback. However, the overall mission is to offer easy access to transportation to start your California journey.
The Dollar Car Rental facility is centrally located within the San Francisco International Airport (SFO) consolidated Rental Car Center, which pools most major agencies into a single, highly accessible location.
- Address: 780 N McDonnell Rd Lot C, San Francisco, CA 94128, USA
Accessibility: Getting to the Rental Car Center from any SFO terminal is seamless and free via the AirTrain Blue Line. The AirTrain operates 24 hours a day and provides direct service to the building where the Dollar counter is located on the 4th floor. This eliminates the need for external shuttles and is particularly convenient for travelers. Furthermore, the location is designed to be accessible to all customers, featuring a wheelchair accessible entrance and a wheelchair accessible parking lot. However, once inside the center, customers should be prepared for potential high traffic at the rental counters, especially during peak travel times, which can lead to lengthy queues despite the central location and use of online check-in services.
Dollar functions as a full-service car rental agency and transportation service, ensuring customers can access the necessary vehicle and payment infrastructure for their trip. The core focus is on providing a wide fleet selection and convenience where possible.
The range of services offered includes:
- Comprehensive Vehicle Fleet: Providing a large assortment of rental cars, from economical compact models (e.g., Chevrolet Spark, Ford Focus) ideal for city driving to larger vehicles such as SUVs (e.g., Nissan Pathfinder, Chevrolet Equinox) and passenger vans suitable for family or group travel across California.
- On-Site Airport Rental: Operating directly within the SFO Rental Car Center, offering direct pick-up and drop-off, making it a primary point of access for air travelers.
- Payment Flexibility: Accepting a variety of payment methods, including major credit cards, debit cards (subject to specific identification and qualification requirements, especially at airport locations), and NFC mobile payments for convenience.
- Specialty Rentals: Availability of specialty vehicle types like convertibles (e.g., Volkswagen Jetta Convertible) and various truck and van options, though availability can fluctuate, and certain vehicle classes may have specific payment restrictions.
- One-Way Rentals: Allowing customers to arrange for a one-way trip, dropping the vehicle off at another Dollar location within California or across the country, though fees will apply.
- Digital Check-in Options: Encouraging customers to use online check-in to potentially streamline the paper-work portion of the rental process, although counter wait times remain a documented factor.
Dollar Car Rental emphasizes several key features to attract customers, particularly those looking for a deal and certain conveniences in their rental experience.
Highlights and differentiating features include:
- Active Military Discounts: Offering special discounted rates, fee waivers for additional drivers or underage drivers, and other benefits for active-duty military, veterans, National Guard & Reserve, and government personnel traveling on official or leisure business.
- Cost-Effective Pricing: Generally positioning itself as a more budget-friendly option compared to premium brands, providing high value for money for those seeking a cheaper base rate.
- Accessibility-Focused Facility: Providing a welcoming environment for all customers with a wheelchair accessible entrance and a wheelchair accessible parking lot at the SFO Rental Car Center.
- Women-Owned Business Status: Identifying as a women-owned enterprise, supporting diversity in the major Bay Area business sector.
- 24-Hour Operations for Returns: The SFO location often offers 24-hour return service, providing flexibility for customers with late-night or early-morning flight schedules.
- Clean and Well-Maintained Fleet: Despite high usage, customer feedback often notes that the vehicles are reasonably clean and in satisfactory condition for travel.
For general inquiries, reservations, or to address concerns regarding a current or upcoming rental at the SFO location, please use the following contact information.
- Address: 780 N McDonnell Rd Lot C, San Francisco, CA 94128, USA
- Phone (Toll-Free): (866) 434-2226
Choosing Dollar Car Rental at SFO is an option best suited for California users who prioritize budget and have a degree of flexibility in their travel timeline. The primary value proposition is its competitive base rates, making it one of the more economical choices in the high-cost San Francisco market. The availability of active military discounts is a significant financial benefit for service members and their families. Furthermore, the strategic location within the SFO Rental Car Center, with its AirTrain connectivity, provides an easy drop-off and return process, saving time when catching a flight.
However, potential renters must temper the advantage of low cost with the reality of occasional operational issues, particularly concerning counter wait times and vehicle availability. Customers have reported waiting over an hour in line, even with online check-in, and some have experienced frustrating payment processing and initial service attitudes. It is essential for renters, especially international travelers using non-standard payment methods, to confirm all documentation and payment requirements well in advance. Should an issue arise, the difference between a frustrating experience and a resolved one often comes down to encountering a helpful and competent agent. Therefore, while Dollar offers a fantastic price point and a clean fleet, a cautious approach is warranted. By allowing extra time for pick-up and using self-advocacy to ensure service satisfaction, Dollar can still be a highly rewarding and affordable option for exploring California.
Dollar Details
From the business
- Identifies as women-owned
Highlights
- Active military discounts
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible entrance
- Wheelchair accessible parking lot
Payments
- Credit cards
- Debit cards
- NFC mobile payments
Dollar Photos










Dollar Location
Dollar
780 N McDonnell Rd Lot C, San Francisco, CA 94128, USA
Dollar Reviews
scamdeskcounterprepaidupsell30 minutestollqueueexpedialine
★ 5★ 4★ 3★ 2★ 1At the SFO rental counter only one person was working and the line wrapped three times. It took us over an hour to get to the front of the line (even if checked in online). People in front of us waited over two hours. When we finally got more help, two workers would help 1-2 people then go to back. Another man came from behind the counter to make those with more than one in their party have one get out of line. (This was time wasted that could have been spent helping others.) Then we were told the wait after check in would be 1hr or more. Luckily for us, it wasn’t. Some people got to the front and were told no cars were available. Worst service ever. Makes me not want to rent from Dollar, Thrifty/Hertz.
July 13 · Sylvia SalazarAVOID AVOID AVOID.We travelled from Dublin, Ireland to my home state of CA to visit family. I've been doing this for 8 years and have never had any issues.When asked to swipe our card for the deposit, it was declined. Then all our cards were declined multiple times. This has never happened to us, even once, in all our travels at any location.The attitude we were met with was horrendous. We were told our only option was to forfeit our original booking and payment and rebook from scratch. We were heavily pressured to do this. Obviously we were not going to, and when that was clear, they refused to work with us and only spoke to us with awful disdain.At this time, we heard the same thing happening with many other foreign visitors. At what point does it become clear that your payment processing is the issue? And the ONLY option we were all presented was to completely rebook???Mind you, I also made clear I was pregnant and exhausted. I was told to "step aside and figure your issues out."None of us conceded. Then after over an hour, a new agent Adonte, came over and solved everyone's issue under 10 minutes. He was truly kind and patient.I am thankful for him, but why were the other agents so completely awful and incompetent? I can only imagine this was an unethical sales tactic to drive sales. I will NEVER book with Dollar anywhere in the future.
October 16 · Brittani TexeiraI have to write my first review because reading these I was lowkey scared. I didn't look at the reviews before renting, but I read them on my way to SFO. I was worried, but everything went even smoother than expected! I rented a car for a day from 8 am to 9:30 pm. I arrived at 8:30, only 3 people in line, waited not even 10 minutes. The counter guy was so nice and didn't even try to sell me things I didn't need like a toll pass or insurance etc. which I really appreciated! (I don't know his name, unfortunately). The car was great and in perfect condition. The $200 caution went back into my credit account 6 days after my rental (from Saturday to Thursday). Returning the car was also really easy. Honestly, I had a great experience and would recommend them.
April 12 · JulieTerrible rental company, stay away from them, totally scam. I booked GMC Yukon, paid them 5 days in advance, when I went there to pick up the vehicle at San Francisco airport, I had to wait 30 min at front desk so they can find a car for me, but when they found one, it was a Ford Expedition, not GMC Yukon. I told them I can't take this, they said well, then cancel your reservation. I couldn't cancel as it was not refundable policy with third party booking. After a long conversation, I had to take the vehicle they offered, the vehicle was dirty, old with 120K miles on it, scratched all over outside, and the suspension were terrible with rough ride. The gas was one quarter only instead of full tank. I was half way on the way to Sacramento for a business meeting the oil change light came on. I had no chance to return. Very bad rental services, I will never rent with them again and I recommend you do not rent with them too as you will have a bad experience. No wonder why their rating is only 2 star. I wish I had read the reviews first.
October 15 · Sayed AjmalHORRIBLE EXPERIENCE. First, we waited in line for 2 hours before we even got to the counter. The rental associate was trying to scam us left and right, and trick us into paying way way way more money than was necessary, and was quite rude. We rented car seats for our 2 children, and they charged $200 for 2 car seats for 6 days, when these car seats probably each cost less than $25. They didn't install the car seats for us, so we had to wrestle with them for about 30 minutes (with no operating instructions) to get them in the car, and they didn't even fit properly. I DO NOT EVEN THINK THESE CAR SEATS WERE SAFE!!!! Then, on top of everything else, they charged us twice and one of the charges was overcharged by about $400 and we are having the hardest time getting them to refund the $400. Plus, we paid for a mid-sized SUV, and we got the smallest SUV we have ever seen, and couldn't even fit our minimal luggage into the car. Everything, from top to bottom, of this experience was atrocious. These rental car companies are essentially criminal organizations at this point.
September 22 · Krista Van Velzen
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