You found a rental car online for $39 per day. You’re feeling strong. Then the agent at the counter slides in a clipboard, smiles and starts asking questions. Forty minutes later, you’re driving away with a bill of about $85 per day.
This is not bad luck. This is the business model.
According to the December 2025 industry report cited by KiplingerThe average daily rental car rate at 100 US airports is $62.25 – and that’s before the agent goes to work for you.
I’ve been writing about money since before most rental car websites existed. Pitches change. There is no playbook. Here are the seven add-ons that most often attract travelers, and how to refuse them without losing your place in line.
1. Loss Waiver
This is the big one. The agent will look you in the eye and warn that if you scratch the bumper, you will lose thousands. Then they offer “peace of mind” for $13 to $30 per day.
This is the catch. It is almost never insured. This is a waiver – the rental company simply agrees that it won’t come after you for damages.
And here’s what they don’t tell you. Your own auto policy probably already covers rental cars in the US, so many credit cards cover them for free, as long as you pay by card and decline over-the-counter coverage.
Before you fly, call your insurer and your card issuer, or find answers in writing online. Many issuers, including American Express, offer secondary coverage, meaning their coverage applies only after your individual policy.
2. Phantom damage from AI scanner
It’s new, and it’s ugly. Hertz is placing AI-powered scanners, made by a company called UVI, at airport locations to inspect cars before and after each rental.
according to CBS NewsAn Atlanta renter was billed $80 twice for two small dents plus a $190 processing fee — $350 total — for damage he didn’t even notice.
The reaction became so rapid that in August 2025, Senator Richard Blumenthal asked for answers From the CEO of Hertz about its damage-charge process and the fees it charges customers.
What to do? Before you get out of the car, make a slow motion video of yourself walking around the car. Hit the dashboard, mileage, fuel gauge and every wheel. Do the same when you return it. And don’t forget the interior.
If any allegations come forward after a week, you will have proof.
3. Prepaid Fuel
The pitch seems appropriate. Pay for the already filled tank and skip the gas stop on the way back to the airport. very convenient!
It’s almost always a loser. You are paying for a filled tank whether you use a filled tank or not. Any gas you leave in the car is a gift to the rental company.
Unless you plan on drowning in smoke, fill your luggage five minutes from the airport and keep the receipt. You’ll pay local pump prices, not the rental company’s markup.
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4. Toll Transponder ‘Convenience’ Fee
If you’re driving in Florida, Texas, the Northeast, or anywhere with cashless tolls, this will cut it. National, Alamo and Hertz generally charge $4.95 per day in “feature” fees Every day you trigger the transponder – even just once.
avis moves forward. Its e-Toll Unlimited flat fee runs from $10.99 to $25.99 per day depending on location, whether you use a toll road or not.
It’s been a racket for years. One Investigation The New York City Comptroller’s Office found that rental companies at LaGuardia and JFK were charging convenience fees of up to $21.49 per day – and most were billing customers at the higher cash toll rate instead of the discounted E-ZPass rate.
What Works: Bring your own E-ZPass, SunPass, or FasTrak from home and register the rental plate to your account. Or use cash lanes where they still exist. Either move could save $50 or more on a week-long trip.
5. Airport Pickup Tax
Pick up your car at the airport and you’ll have to pay an airport concession recovery fee and a customer convenience fee – often $15 to $25 a day – before you leave home.
Renting a place a few miles from the airport can cut down on much of that. Simply negotiate the price of an Uber or shuttle to get there and compare the total. Off-airport often still wins.
For more information on shopping rates before you book, see How to Get the Best Deal on a Rental Car.
6. Small add-ons that aren’t small
GPS units: Up to $15 per day. Satellite radio: A few bucks per day. Child seat: $10 to $15 per day. Add a few of these up for a week and you’re looking at an extra $150 to $200.
The solution is simple. Your phone is a better GPS than anything rental – mount it on the vent and download offline maps before you take off.
Your car seat from home is free, and you already know it is suitable for your child. Streaming on your phone replaces satellite radio.
Bring what you already have. Leave the rest.
7. Additional driver and underage driver fees
Adding a second driver costs about $13 per day at most major chains. Drivers under the age of 25 typically face a youth renter surcharge of $20 to $30 per day on top of the regular rate.
There are a few ways around this. In about 10 states – including New York, California, Texas and Illinois – state law requires rental companies to add a spouse or domestic partner as a free additional driver. AAA and Costco Travel memberships sometimes waive additional driver fees in other states.
Ask. Then ask again. Then ask the manager.
bottom line
The Federal Trade Commission has called on rental car companies to delay disclosure of mandatory fees until customers are deeper into the booking process. Car rentals would have been included in the agency’s original 2023 junk fee proposal, but final rule Which came into effect in May 2025, leaving the industry largely free to play the same game.
Advertised rate is fodder. The fee itself is a trap. The agent over the counter is paid to bridge the gap between the two.
You don’t need to fall for any of this. Call your insurer. Bring your own gear. Take video at pickup time and return. Say no with a smile.
Your wallet will thank you.