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Car Rental in Costa Mesa

  • Free cancellation on most offers
  • 24/7 customer service
  • No hidden fees
  • Pay later on many offers
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  • 12rental companies
  • 2pick-up points
  • from $46 per day
  • 9.7 top rated · Alamo

A rental car here costs $117 a day on average, about $824 for a week. The most popular car class is SUV, at about $119 a day. Green Motion is the cheapest for a small car, about $36 a day. Based on offers seen in the 12 months to Oct 2026.

  • In the terminal: 6 · Free shuttle bus: 2
  • Free cancellation: 12 of 12
  • Debit card accepted: 2 of 12
  • Alamo
  • Dollar
  • National
  • Avis
  • Enterprise
  • Sixt
  • +6

Where to pick up in Costa Mesa

Pick-up point Type Suppliers From / day Average wait
Orange County John Wayne Apt · 7 km Airport 12 $26 18 min
Orange County · 6 km City office 11 $45 22 min

Nearby, 18–43 km

Pick-up point Type Suppliers From / day Average wait
Anaheim 231 W Katella Ave · 18 km City office 3 $104 21 min
Anaheim Disneyland Ca · 18 km City office 2 $79 22 min
West Anaheim Downtown · 21 km City office 3 $32 15 min
Fullerton · 24 km City office 1 $79 23 min
Fullerton 729 W Commonwealth Ave · 26 km City office 1 $80 21 min
Long Beach Airport · 29 km Airport 7 $59 19 min
Corona · 43 km City office 1 $105 15 min

Car rental prices in Costa Mesa by car type

Class Typical cars Suppliers From / day Typical / day
Economy Mitsubishi Mirage, Chevrolet Spark, Ford Fiesta 10 $46 $78
Compact Nissan Versa, Kia Niro Electric, Kia Soul 11 $46 $76
Intermediate Toyota Corolla, Toyota Prius Hybrid, Hyundai Elantra 12 $51 $85
Standard Volkswagen Jetta, Nissan Altima, Toyota Corolla 10 $52 $80
Full size Chevrolet Malibu, Toyota Camry, Infiniti Q50 10 $54 $82
Small SUV Buick Encore, Jeep Renegade, Mini Countryman 8 $60 $85
Medium SUV Toyota Rav4, Hyundai Santa Fe, BMW X3 11 $73 $96
Large SUV Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, Ford Expedition 11 $89 $136
SUV Ford Flex 2 $89
Minivan Dodge Grand Caravan, Chrysler Pacifica, Dodge Durango 9 $101 $118
7-seat minivan Dodge Grand Caravan 1 $69
12-passenger van Ford Transit Passengervan 2 $116
15-passenger van Chevrolet Express 3 $89
Luxury Dodge Challenger RT, Chrysler 300, Audi A4 9 $87 $130
Premium Nissan Maxima, Cadillac XT6, Chevrolet Impala 9 $78 $123
Exotic Chevrolet Corvette 1 $865
Special Ford Flex 2 $112
Convertible Ford Mustang Convertible, BMW 4 Series Convertible, Chevrolet Camaro Convertible 9 $99 $150
Small or medium truck Nissan Frontier, Toyota Tacoma, Ford F-150 8 $69 $91
Large truck Dodge Ram, Chevrolet Silverado 4 $68

The from price is among the lowest prices seen. Half of the offers were cheaper than the typical price. Based on offers seen in the 12 months to Oct 2026. Rental companies guarantee the car class, not the exact model. Live availability and prices are shown in search results. How we collect prices

Chevrolet Aveo rental car in Costa Mesa United Auto Rental

Chevrolet Aveo

or similar

  • 5 seats
  • 2 bags
  • Automatic transmission
  • Air conditioning
from $46/day
Nissan Versa rental car in Costa Mesa Green Motion

Nissan Versa

or similar

  • 5 seats
  • 3 bags
  • Automatic transmission
  • Air conditioning
from $46/day
Hyundai Accent rental car in Costa Mesa Green Motion

Hyundai Accent

or similar

  • 5 seats
  • 2 bags
  • Automatic transmission
  • Air conditioning
from $48/day
Mitsubishi Mirage rental car in Costa Mesa Enterprise

Mitsubishi Mirage

or similar

  • 5 seats
  • 2 bags
  • Automatic transmission
  • Air conditioning
from $49/day
Hyundai Venue rental car in Costa Mesa Budget

Hyundai Venue

or similar

  • 5 seats
  • 2 bags
  • Automatic transmission
  • Air conditioning
from $64/day
Kia Soul rental car in Costa Mesa Budget

Kia Soul

or similar

  • 5 seats
  • 3 bags
  • Automatic transmission
  • Air conditioning
from $66/day
Kia Niro Electric rental car in Costa Mesa Avis

Kia Niro Electric

or similar

  • 5 seats
  • 3 bags
  • Automatic transmission
  • Air conditioning
from $67/day
Ford Fiesta rental car in Costa Mesa Dollar

Ford Fiesta

or similar

  • 5 seats
  • 2 bags
  • Automatic transmission
  • Air conditioning
from $69/day

Car rental companies in Costa Mesa

Prices and conditions come from searches on TREWL and may have changed. Ratings come from CarTrawler customer reviews, as shown in searches up to Oct 2026. Live availability and prices are shown in search results. How we collect prices

Alamo

In the terminal 47 min wait Credit card only
9.7
Excellent 5000+ reviews
from $74/day
Ratings, policies and office

Customer ratings

Value for money 9.6 Cleanliness 9.5 Service at the rental desk 9.8 Pick-up process 9.6 Drop-off process 10.0

Included in the price

  • Taxes

Policies

  • Unlimited mileage
  • Free cancellation up to 48 h before pick-up
  • Pre-registration available

Extras (paid at the desk)

GPS · Ski rack · Infant seat · Child seat · Booster seat

Office

Alamo in Orange County
19051 Airport Way North, Santa Ana, 92707, CA
8336792046

Dollar

41 min wait Credit and debit cards
9.2
Excellent 5000+ reviews
from $74/day
Ratings, policies and office

Customer ratings

Value for money 9.6 Cleanliness 10.0 Service at the rental desk 8.3 Pick-up process 8.6 Drop-off process 9.5

Policies

  • Unlimited mileage
  • Free cancellation up to 48 h before pick-up
  • Pre-registration available

Extras (paid at the desk)

GPS · Ski rack · Infant seat · Child seat · Booster seat

Office

Dollar in Orange County
18601 Airport Way, Suite 71, Santa Ana, CA, United States, 92707
(866) 434-2226

National

In the terminal 22 min wait Credit card only
8.7
Excellent 500+ reviews
from $100/day
Ratings, policies and office

Customer ratings

Value for money 8.4 Cleanliness 8.8 Service at the rental desk 8.6 Pick-up process 8.6 Drop-off process 9.1

Policies

  • Unlimited mileage
  • Free cancellation up to 48 h before pick-up

Extras (paid at the desk)

GPS · Winter tires · Ski rack · Infant seat · Child seat · Booster seat

Office

National in Orange County
19051 Airport Way North, Santa Ana, 92707, CA
8336792045

Avis

In the terminal 29 min wait Credit card only
8.6
Excellent 5000+ reviews
from $111/day
Ratings, policies and office

Customer ratings

Value for money 8.0 Cleanliness 8.0 Service at the rental desk 8.6 Pick-up process 8.7 Drop-off process 9.8

Policies

  • Full to full
  • Unlimited mileage
  • Free cancellation up to 48 h before pick-up

Extras (paid at the desk)

GPS · Infant seat · Child seat · Booster seat

Office

Avis in Orange County
18601 Airport Way John Wayne Orange County Apo, Santa Ana, 92707, CA
949-660-5200

Enterprise

24 min wait Credit card only
8.6
Excellent 2000+ reviews
from $83/day
Ratings, policies and office

Customer ratings

Value for money 8.2 Cleanliness 8.6 Service at the rental desk 8.9 Pick-up process 8.5 Drop-off process 8.9

Policies

  • Unlimited mileage
  • Free cancellation up to 48 h before pick-up

Office

Enterprise in Orange County
18601 Airport Way, Santa Ana, 92707, CA
9498362725

Sixt

In the terminal 21 min wait Credit card only
8.2
Excellent 2000+ reviews
from $72/day
Ratings, policies and office

Customer ratings

Value for money 7.6 Cleanliness 8.4 Service at the rental desk 8.3 Pick-up process 8.0 Drop-off process 8.7

Policies

  • Unlimited mileage
  • Free cancellation up to 48 h before pick-up

Extras (paid at the desk)

GPS · Infant seat · Child seat · Booster seat

Office

Sixt in Orange County
18601 Airport Way, Santa Ana, 92707-5200
+1-8887498227

Hertz

In the terminal 19 min wait Credit card only
7.5
Very good 2000+ reviews
from $89/day
Ratings, policies and office

Customer ratings

Value for money 7.2 Cleanliness 7.8 Service at the rental desk 7.3 Pick-up process 7.0 Drop-off process 8.4

Policies

  • Unlimited mileage
  • Free cancellation up to 48 h before pick-up
  • Pre-registration available

Extras (paid at the desk)

GPS · Ski rack · Infant seat · Child seat · Booster seat

Office

Hertz in Orange County
18601 Airport W. North, Santa Ana, Ca, Orange County, 92707, CA
9492246700

Thrifty

15 min wait Credit and debit cards
6.7
Good 5000+ reviews
from $72/day
Ratings, policies and office

Customer ratings

Value for money 6.3 Cleanliness 7.4 Service at the rental desk 6.4 Pick-up process 6.1 Drop-off process 7.7

Policies

  • Unlimited mileage
  • Free cancellation up to 48 h before pick-up
  • Pre-registration available

Extras (paid at the desk)

GPS · Ski rack · Infant seat · Child seat · Booster seat

Office

Thrifty in Orange County
18601 North Airport Way, Santa Ana, CA, United States, 92707
(877) 283-0898

Budget

In the terminal 8 min wait Credit card only
5.9
Average 10000+ reviews
from $104/day
Ratings, policies and office

Customer ratings

Value for money 5.7 Cleanliness 6.0 Service at the rental desk 5.8 Pick-up process 5.3 Drop-off process 6.7

Policies

  • Unlimited mileage on selected cars
  • Free cancellation up to 48 h before pick-up

Extras (paid at the desk)

GPS · Infant seat · Child seat · Booster seat

Office

Budget in Orange County
18601 Airport Way, Suite 73 John Wayne Orange Co. Apt, Santa Ana, 92707, CA
949-252-6240

Green Motion

Free shuttle bus 14 min wait Credit card only
4.4
Poor 500+ reviews
from $45/day
Ratings, policies and office

Customer ratings

Value for money 3.8 Cleanliness 5.0 Service at the rental desk 4.1 Pick-up process 3.8 Drop-off process 5.4

Policies

  • Full to full
  • Unlimited mileage
  • Free cancellation up to 48 h before pick-up
  • Pre-registration available

Office

Green Motion in Orange County
Atrium Hotel, 18700, MacArthur Blvd, Irvine, 92612, CA
001 949-752-6664

U-Save

1 min wait CDW included Credit card only
3.4
Poor 50+ reviews
from $46/day
Ratings, policies and office

Customer ratings

Value for money 3.1 Cleanliness 5.0 Service at the rental desk 2.5 Pick-up process 2.4 Drop-off process 4.2

Included in the price

  • Collision damage waiver (CDW)
  • Theft protection (TP)
  • Deductible from $2 500

Policies

  • Full to full
  • Unlimited mileage
  • Free cancellation up to 48 h before pick-up
  • Pre-registration available

Office

U-Save in Orange County
Atrium Hotel, 18700 MacArthur Blvd, Irvine, 92612, CA
001 949-752-6664

United Auto Rental

Free shuttle bus Credit card only
from $55/day
Ratings, policies and office

Customer ratings

Value for money 0.0 Cleanliness 0.0 Service at the rental desk 0.0 Pick-up process 0.0 Drop-off process 0.0

Policies

  • Limited mileage
  • Free cancellation up to 48 h before pick-up

Office

United Auto Rental at Orange County John Wayne Apt
3931 Birch Street, Newport Beach, California(CA), United States, 92660
949-222-0222, 888-660-0101

Rental conditions in Costa Mesa

Based on 12 suppliers here and nearby. Data from the 12 months to Oct 2026.

Debit card Accepted by 2 of 12 suppliers: Dollar and Thrifty.
Credit card Usually required, in the main driver's name. 10 of 12 suppliers list no debit option.
Mileage Unlimited at all 11 suppliers that list a mileage policy. The other 1 do not list one.
Transmission All cars are automatic.
Electric and hybrid Toyota Prius Hybrid, from $80 a day.
Cancellation Free up to 48 hours before pick-up at 12 suppliers.
Insurance included Theft protection (TP) (1 supplier), Collision damage waiver (CDW) (1 supplier). Deductible: $2 500.
Free additional driver Enterprise
Extras GPS (8 suppliers), Infant seat (8 suppliers), Child seat (8 suppliers), Booster seat (8 suppliers), Ski rack (5 suppliers), Winter tires (1 supplier)
Special offers Pre-registration available (6 suppliers), Free additional driver (1 supplier), Special discount (1 supplier)

Driving in the USA: drive on the right · 0.08% blood alcohol (0.05% in Utah) · 0.02% for new drivers. Driving rules

Cities near Costa Mesa

Car rental in Costa Mesa: what to expect

Customers report an average wait at the desk from 1 min at U-Save to 47 min at Alamo.

For a small car, U-Save is the cheapest at about $46 a day and is rated 3.4 out of 10. Alamo is rated 9.7 and costs about $81.

100% of the cars offered here are automatic. Mileage is unlimited at all 11 suppliers that list a mileage policy. Most suppliers allow free cancellation up to 48 hours before pick-up.

People who search here most often live in the USA, Ukraine and Germany. 9% of searches return the car elsewhere, most often at Larnaca Airport (LCA) and Los Angeles Airport (LAX). A typical rental lasts 6 days.

Car rental in Costa Mesa: FAQ

How much does it cost to rent a car in Costa Mesa?
Car rental in Costa Mesa starts from $46 per day, and the average price is $117 per day. Based on offers seen in the 12 months to Oct 2026. At the average daily rate, a rental costs about $353 for a 3-day weekend and $824 for a week. Rentals of a month or longer usually get a lower daily rate. The final price depends on the season, the car class, the rental company and how early you book.

What are the most popular types of rental cars in Costa Mesa?
These are the car types people opened most often in searches on TREWL in Costa Mesa over the last 12 months, with their average daily prices:
  • SUV: $119 per day
  • Van: $144 per day
  • Compact: $77 per day
Based on offers seen in the 12 months to Oct 2026. Smaller cars are usually the cheapest, while SUVs, vans and premium cars cost more but offer extra space and comfort.

Which car rental companies are the most popular in Costa Mesa?
These are the rental companies people opened most often in searches on TREWL in Costa Mesa over the last 12 months:
  • Enterprise, average price $147 per day
  • Dollar, average price $90 per day
  • Hertz, average price $105 per day
Based on offers seen in the 12 months to Oct 2026.

Which car rental company has the best reviews in Costa Mesa?
According to customer reviews, the highest-rated car rental companies in Costa Mesa are:
  • Alamo: rated 9.7/10 by 5000+ customers, average price $132 per day
  • Dollar: rated 9.2/10 by 5000+ customers, average price $90 per day
  • National: rated 8.7/10 by 1000+ customers, average price $125 per day
Ratings cover value for money, car cleanliness, desk service, and the pick-up and drop-off process. Ratings come from CarTrawler customer reviews, as shown in searches up to Oct 2026.

Which is the cheapest car rental company in Costa Mesa?
By the average daily price of a small car (mini, economy or compact), the cheapest rental companies in Costa Mesa are:
  • Green Motion: about $36 per day
  • U-Save: about $46 per day
  • United Auto Rental: about $55 per day
Based on offers seen in the 12 months to Oct 2026. For the lowest price, book early, choose a smaller car and check the fuel policy and deposit before you pay.

Where do I pick up my rental car in Costa Mesa?
It depends on the rental company, and the pick-up type is shown for each company on this page.
  • Desk in or next to the terminal: Alamo, National and Avis
  • Free shuttle bus to the rental office: Green Motion and United Auto Rental
Your booking confirmation always includes the exact pick-up address and instructions.

Can I pick up a car in Costa Mesa and return it somewhere else?
Yes, one-way rentals are possible with many companies, but they usually charge a one-way fee, which is higher for longer distances or for drop-offs in another country. In Costa Mesa, one-way rentals are offered by Sixt. Enter a different drop-off location in the search form to see one-way prices with the fee included.

What is the minimum age to rent a car in Costa Mesa?
The minimum age to rent a car in Costa Mesa is usually 21, although some companies accept drivers from 18 and others require 23 or 25 for larger or premium cars. Drivers under 25 usually pay a daily young driver fee, and some companies limit younger drivers to smaller car classes. You also need to have held your driving license for at least one year.

Can I rent a car in Costa Mesa with a debit card?
Rental companies in Costa Mesa typically accept major credit cards such as Visa, Mastercard and American Express. The card must be in the main driver's name and have enough funds for the security deposit. Debit and prepaid cards are accepted only by some companies, sometimes with a higher deposit or extra checks. Companies that accept debit cards in Costa Mesa: Dollar, Sixt and Thrifty. The accepted cards are listed for each company on this page.

Which car rental companies in Costa Mesa offer unlimited mileage?
9 rental companies in Costa Mesa include unlimited mileage on all cars, among them Alamo, Dollar and National. Sixt and Budget offer it on some cars only. The mileage policy is shown in each offer before you book. With limited mileage, every kilometer or mile over the daily allowance is charged extra.

What fuel policy do rental companies use in Costa Mesa?
The fuel policy is shown for each company on this page. The most common ones in Costa Mesa are:
  • Full to full: you get the car with a full tank and return it full. This is usually the cheapest option because you only pay for the fuel you use at pump prices. Refuel near the drop-off point, or the company will charge for the missing fuel plus a service fee. Offered by Avis, Hertz, Green Motion and U-Save.
  • Same to same: you return the car with the same fuel level as at pick-up.

Can I rent an electric or hybrid car in Costa Mesa?
Yes. Companies offering electric and hybrid cars in Costa Mesa include Avis, Budget and Dollar. The cheapest is Budget, from $67 per day. Hybrids need no charging. With a fully electric car, check the charging options along your route and the company's charging policy before you set off.

What extras can I add to a car rental in Costa Mesa?
You can add extras when you book or at the rental desk:
  • Additional driver: another person can share the driving if they meet the same requirements as the main driver (age and a valid driving license). Most companies charge a daily fee, but in Costa Mesa Enterprise includes an additional driver for free.
  • GPS navigation, to find your way on unfamiliar roads
  • Child seats, infant seats and booster seats, which are required by law for young children in most countries
  • Extra insurance that lowers or removes the excess you pay if the car is damaged.
Extras are limited, so it's best to reserve them together with the car.

Rent a van, SUV or luxury car near Costa Mesa