Phoenix airport rental car center

- 2168 E Garfield St, Phoenix, AZ 85006

Introduction / Overview

Welcome to the essential starting point for your Arizona adventure: the Phoenix Airport Rental Car Center. Located just a stone's throw from the Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) terminals, this massive, consolidated facility is designed to streamline the car rental process for every visitor and returning Arizona resident. It is not a single rental agency but a state-of-the-art, 2.55 million-square-foot facility—one of the largest in the nation—that houses all airport-based rental companies under one roof.

The concept behind the Phoenix Airport Rental Car Center (RCC) is simple but highly effective: move all rental car operations, counters, and vehicle lots to a single, easily accessible location off-site. This consolidation minimizes vehicle traffic around the terminals, reduces pollution, and, most importantly for you, the customer, creates a single, efficient point of service. Instead of navigating multiple shuttle routes, you simply ride the fully accessible, automated PHX Sky Train directly from your terminal to the RCC.

Whether you are flying in for a quick business trip in Downtown Phoenix, planning a family road trip to the Grand Canyon, or heading north to the cool pines of Flagstaff, securing your vehicle starts here. The RCC hosts a vast array of major rental brands, offering travelers unparalleled choice and competition in pricing, from economy cars for city driving to rugged SUVs necessary for exploring Arizona’s beautiful but often demanding desert and mountain terrain.

Location and Accessibility

The Phoenix Airport Rental Car Center is located slightly east of the airport terminals, serving as a dedicated facility for all airport-affiliated car rental transactions.

The physical address for this consolidated Car Rental Agency hub is:

2168 E Garfield St, Phoenix, AZ 85006, USA

Accessibility is a key design feature of the RCC, ensuring a smooth transition for all travelers from air to road:

• PHX Sky Train Access: The most convenient way to reach the center from any terminal (Terminal 3 or 4) is by riding the free, 24-hour PHX Sky Train. The train features accessible boarding and quickly moves passengers directly to the RCC station.
• Wheelchair Accessible Entrance: The customer service building offers wheelchair-accessible entrances, with automatic doors and elevators leading to the various counter levels.
• Wheelchair Accessible Parking Lot: The facility includes clearly designated, compliant accessible parking spaces, ensuring that customers with mobility needs have easy access to the customer service areas and their rental vehicles.
• Wayfinding Assistance: The airport provides Aira, a free visual interpreting service via smartphone, to assist passengers with visual impairments in navigating the terminals, the Sky Train, and the Rental Car Center.

Services Offered

As a consolidated facility housing numerous Car Rental Agencies, the RCC offers a comprehensive range of services and amenities that benefit all customers:

• One-Stop Shop for Major Brands: The Center is home to over a dozen major national and international rental brands, including Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National, Sixt, and Thrifty, providing a single location to compare rates and select vehicles.
• Diverse Vehicle Selection: Agencies collectively offer every vehicle type imaginable for the Arizona climate and topography, including fuel-efficient economy cars, convertibles, four-wheel-drive SUVs for northern trips, passenger vans, and luxury sedans.
• Customer Service Counters: Each rental agency maintains its own dedicated service counter within the main customer service building, allowing for personal assistance, contract finalization, and addressing any questions about the rental agreement.
• Payment Flexibility: While each agency has its own specific rules, the Center broadly accommodates major payment methods. The common payment standard across all agencies in the facility is acceptance of:
  • Credit Cards: Required for most transactions, especially those involving specialty or high-value vehicles.
• Retail and Amenities: The main lobby includes customer amenities such as restrooms, seating areas, vending machines, and sometimes a café/market, offering a place to grab a snack or coffee while finalizing paperwork.
• Drop-off and Return: The facility is designed for efficient 24-hour returns for many agencies, ensuring a quick and easy drop-off process regardless of your flight time.

Features / Highlights

The design and function of the Phoenix Airport Rental Car Center offer specific benefits that enhance the traveler’s experience in Arizona:

• Seamless Sky Train Connection: The fully automated Sky Train link ensures rapid, stress-free transfers from the baggage claim to the car rental counter, eliminating long waits for overcrowded shuttles.
• Simplified Returns Process: By consolidating all returns to a single, well-signed facility, the process of dropping off your vehicle before a flight is clear and efficient, saving valuable time.
• Competitive Pricing Environment: Housing numerous competitors in one building fosters competitive pricing and allows travelers to shop for the best deal without having to travel across the city.
• Enhanced Accessibility Features: The facility's design goes beyond basic compliance, incorporating ramped access, accessible restrooms, and easy access to the fully accessible PHX Sky Train, making it a reliable choice for all travelers.
• Convenient Bag Check: Some airlines offer the option to check your luggage directly at the Rental Car Center, allowing you to ride the Sky Train back to the terminal with only your carry-on, simplifying the airport check-in process.

Contact Information

For general inquiries about the Phoenix Airport Rental Car Center itself (not specific to any single rental agency), the location details are:

Address: 2168 E Garfield St, Phoenix, AZ 85006, USA

Note: To contact a specific car rental company (e.g., Hertz, Avis, Alamo) regarding a reservation, please use the toll-free number or local phone number listed on your booking confirmation for that specific agency.

What is Worth Choosing

Choosing the Phoenix Airport Rental Car Center as your car rental destination is less about choosing a single brand and more about choosing efficiency, convenience, and variety. The fact that all major players are located here means you get to benefit from the widest selection of cars—from the most budget-friendly compact to a high-performance SUV for desert exploration—backed by the promise of a professionally managed, high-volume operation.

For local Arizonans or visitors, the ease of access via the PHX Sky Train is the single biggest time-saver. You avoid the cumbersome process of waiting for individual rental company shuttles that circulate between the terminals and far-flung lots. At the RCC, you step off the train, walk a short distance, and are at your chosen rental counter.

In a state where personal vehicle travel is essential for visiting attractions like the Desert Botanical Garden, Scottsdale’s Old Town, or embarking on a long drive up to the mountains, starting your trip with a seamless, stress-free rental process at the consolidated Phoenix Airport Rental Car Center sets the perfect tone for your time in Arizona.

Phoenix airport rental car center

2168 E Garfield St, Phoenix, AZ 85006, USA