🦃 Thanksgiving 2025 Car Rental Trends: Where Prices Rose (and Fell) Across America's Busiest Airports
Travelers, get ready! Thanksgiving 2025 car rental prices are telling a surprising story.
Well, it's that time of year again: we're heading into the busiest travel period of the year. Every November, millions of Americans take to the skies (and the roads) for Thanksgiving. While airfare often grabs the headlines, car rentals are the hidden cost that can make or break your holiday budget.
To help travelers plan smarter, we wanted to create a blog that can guide you in planning ahead for Thanksgiving. We analyzed car rental prices at the 21 busiest U.S. airports for Thanksgiving 2025 (Nov 27–30) and compared them with the same period in 2024 (Nov 28–Dec 1). The findings reveal where costs have jumped, which airports offer the best value, and what trends are shaping this holiday season.
📊 How We Gathered the Data & Methodological Note
All prices represent publicly available rental rates for standard airport pickups, averaged across multiple suppliers for four-day rentals across the main vehicle categories (Economy, Intermediate, SUV, and Luxury) at 21 major U.S. airports: Orlando Airport, Miami Airport, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Charlotte Douglas International Airport, George Bush Intercontinental Airport, San Francisco International Airport, Philadelphia International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, Harry Reid International Airport, Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Denver International Airport, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, Chicago O'Hare International Airport, General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, LaGuardia Airport.
To ensure accuracy, we calculated the Thanksgiving long weekend periods for both years:
- 2024: Thanksgiving fell on Thursday, November 28 → Nov 28 – Dec 1
- 2025: Thanksgiving will fall on Thursday, November 27 → Nov 27 – Nov 30
All data was gathered directly from Carla's internal database, representing a sample size of 1,519 real market searches. Identical search parameters were applied for both years to provide a clean, year-over-year comparison of Thanksgiving travel pricing trends.
Price Change Legend
Click any airport marker to view detailed pricing breakdown
✈️ The Big Picture: 2025 Prices Edge Up, But Not Everywhere
Overall, car rental rates rose in 2025 compared to 2024, especially for SUVs and luxury cars. The average across all 21 airports increased roughly 9–12%, though certain airports bucked the trend with sharp declines in specific categories.
A few standouts:
- SUVs saw the biggest average rise, up nearly 15% year-over-year.
- Luxury cars stayed volatile, some airports dropped sharply while others doubled.
Economy cars remained the most stable, with wide regional variations (from $7/day in Orlando to $124/day in New York City).
💰 2025's Most Expensive Airports
| Rank | Airport | Avg. Daily (All Classes) |
|---|---|---|
| 1️⃣ | Newark Liberty (EWR) | ≈ $136 |
| 2️⃣ | LaGuardia (LGA) | ≈ $136 |
| 3️⃣ | JFK (NYC) | ≈ $112 |
| 4️⃣ | Boston Logan (BOS) | ≈ $124 (luxury class spikes the average) |
| 5️⃣ | O'Hare (Chicago) | ≈ $84 |
New York and Boston clearly dominate the top end. A luxury car at General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport now costs a staggering $267/day, more than double the rate at most other hubs.
💸 Most Affordable Airports for Thanksgiving 2025
| Rank | Airport | Avg. Daily (All Classes) |
|---|---|---|
| 1️⃣ | Miami (MIA) | ≈ $19 |
| 2️⃣ | Orlando (MCO) | ≈ $34 |
| 3️⃣ | Fort Lauderdale (FLL) | ≈ $42 |
| 4️⃣ | Houston (IAH) | ≈ $56 |
| 5️⃣ | San Francisco (SFO) | ≈ $53 |
Florida airports offer exceptional value. In Orlando, economy and intermediate cars averaged just $7/day, down from $13 and $29 in 2024.
🔺 Biggest Price Changes Year-Over-Year
| Airport | Category | 2024 → 2025 Change |
|---|---|---|
| Boston (BOS) | Luxury | +481% ($46 → $267) |
| Atlanta (ATL) | Intermediate | +110% ($41 → $86) |
| O'Hare (ORD) | SUV | +89% ($42 → $80) |
| Newark (EWR) | Economy | +69% ($73 → $124) |
| Orlando (MCO) | Intermediate | –76% ($29 → $7) |
Northeastern airports experienced surging demand for premium vehicles, while Sunbelt markets saw significant price relief.
🔻 Notable Price Declines
- Orlando (MCO): Economy –48%, Intermediate –76%
- Miami (MIA): Luxury –52% ($73 → $35)
- Phoenix (PHX): Luxury –65% ($228 → $81)
- Las Vegas (LAS): Luxury –64% ($232 → $84)
These reductions likely reflect increased fleet availability and softer off-peak demand before the December holiday rush.
🚙 Price Trends by Vehicle Class
| Car Class | 2024 Avg. | 2025 Avg. | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | $52 | $59 | +13% |
| Intermediate | $55 | $63 | +15% |
| SUV | $74 | $82 | +11% |
| Luxury | $138 | $120 | –13% |
Averages across all 21 airports
Mid-range categories experienced the most pressure, while luxury pricing softened as fleets normalized and premium demand declined outside major business hubs.
🕹 Why Are Prices Moving This Way?
Several forces appear to be driving 2025's Thanksgiving rental patterns:
- Earlier Booking Windows – Travelers are reserving vehicles further in advance, creating temporary shortages in popular classes.
- Fleet Replacement Costs – After years of limited new-car supply, rental companies are still updating fleets at higher purchase prices.
- Regional Demand Swings – Florida and the Southwest saw early bookings for fall getaways, keeping supply plentiful by late November, while the Northeast's urban hubs experience last-minute surges.
- Shift Toward Practical Vehicles – Families continue to favor SUVs, driving that category's double-digit price growth.
💡 Tips for Thanksgiving Travelers
To avoid sticker shock at the counter, here are a few data-backed suggestions:
- Book at least three weeks early. Prices rose up to 25% within the final two weeks before Thanksgiving last year.
- Compare nearby airports. Flying into Oakland instead of San Francisco or Fort Lauderdale instead of Miami can save $20–30 per day.
- Economy still rules for savings. Even at high-cost airports, economy cars stay the most price-resilient option.
- Check total trip cost. Luxury and SUV rentals often carry higher insurance and fuel surcharges that aren't visible in daily rates.
🌎 Regional Analysis
New York Metro (JFK, LGA, EWR): The nation's most expensive rental market, with average rates of $112–$136/day across all vehicle classes. Strong demand and limited lot capacity drive consistent premium pricing.
California (SFO, LAX): Balanced pricing across categories ($52–$64/day average) indicates adequate fleet supply meeting demand, resulting in stable rates without extreme fluctuations.
Southeast (MIA, FLL, MCO): The most affordable region, with economy and intermediate cars as low as $7–$13/day in Orlando. Abundant pre-winter fleet availability creates highly competitive pricing.
🧾 Strategic Implications
For Travelers:
Early booking is essential, SUVs rose 15% year-over-year, and luxury rates spiked over 400% at some Northeastern airports. Airport selection matters: Sunbelt locations can save $20–$30 daily. Economy vehicles offer the most price stability, while SUVs are now the highest-demand category requiring advance reservations.
For Rental Agencies:
High-yield opportunities exist in Boston, Chicago, and New York, where premium-class demand and last-minute surges support dynamic pricing strategies. Florida's competitive economy/intermediate market can attract budget travelers and create upsell opportunities. Fleet allocation should prioritize SUVs in Northeastern hubs while leveraging surplus inventory in Southeast markets. Data-driven content marketing, highlighting regional trends and category-specific insights can position agencies as trusted travel-planning resources.
🚀 Final Takeaway
Thanksgiving 2025 car rental pricing reveals a market in transition. Strategic planning and comparison shopping can yield substantial savings, while rental agencies have clear opportunities to optimize revenue through regional fleet allocation and targeted pricing. Whether traveling to Florida's affordable markets or navigating New York's premium rates, informed decisions ensure smoother journeys and better value during America's busiest travel weekend.