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Short answer: At Hilo Airport, National rates best on Google (4.6), with Alamo and Enterprise at 4.4. Budget and Avis sit at 3.8, Hertz at 3.6, and Dollar, Thrifty and Payless lower. In town, Enterprise on Halekauila Street (4.7) and the local Hilo Auto Sales and Rentals (4.8 on 331 reviews) rate highest.
A Hilo car rental is simpler than on Maui or Oahu: the airport is small and the rental offices are right across the street from the terminal. Below is every rental desk at Hilo International Airport (ITO) and the main ones in Hilo town, with each public Google rating and review count, pulled on October 20, 2026.
Rental companies at Hilo Airport, by Google rating
The official Hilo Airport rental page lists nine companies on airport: Alamo, Avis, Budget, Payless, Dollar, Hertz, National, Thrifty and Enterprise. Their offices are on the ground level across the street from the terminal.
| Company | Google rating | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| National | 4.6 | 128 |
| Alamo | 4.4 | 329 |
| Enterprise | 4.4 | 186 |
| Budget | 3.8 | 398 |
| Avis | 3.8 | 219 |
| Hertz | 3.6 | 206 |
| Dollar | 3.3 | 123 |
| Thrifty | 3.2 | 112 |
| Payless | 2.1 | 18 |
Ratings and review counts are from each company’s Hilo Airport listing on Google Maps, checked October 20, 2026. Dollar has a second airport listing at 3.6 on 40 reviews.
The Enterprise group (National, Alamo, Enterprise) leads here, and it also rates near the top at the other Hawaii airports we checked. See the ratings for every Kona Airport desk if you are flying into the other side of the island.
Booking a car for the Big Island? Check prices for your dates before you land.
Off-airport and local companies in Hilo
| Company | Address | Google rating | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hilo Auto Sales and Rentals | 595 Kalanianaole St | 4.8 | 331 |
| Enterprise (Halekauila St) | 10 Halekauila St | 4.7 | 218 |
| Automotive Solutions Hawaii and Car Rentals | 60 Kuhio St | 4.8 | 63 |
| Hertz (off airport) | 400 E Kawili St | 4.2 | 41 |
| Affordable Rental Cars | 646 Hualani St | 3.6 | 45 |
Same Google Maps snapshot, October 20, 2026.
Hilo Auto Sales and Rentals runs HiloRentalCars.com. Its site describes it as a locally owned company with rates from $25 a day and weekly and monthly discounts. With any local company, check how pickup works and how old the car is on the booking page.
How to pick
- Easiest pickup: one of the nine airport companies across the street. National, Alamo and Enterprise have the best ratings.
- Booking the cheapest rate: if it is at Dollar, Thrifty or Payless, read the most recent reviews and photograph the car before you leave.
- Longer stay on a budget: a local company like Hilo Auto Sales and Rentals, which advertises weekly and monthly discounts.
Driving to Kona or Mauna Kea? Check your contract first in the Saddle Road rental car guide. Parking at the airport instead? See Hilo airport parking. Still deciding? Start with do you need a rental car on the Big Island.
Arriving by cruise ship? See which Hilo desks run a free pier shuttle.
For a day trip from Hilo up to Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, the Crater Rim Drive guide covers the $30 vehicle fee and which parts of the summit are open.
Compare rental rates for the Big Island →
Photo: Daniel Torobekov on Pexels.
Researched and written by Neo Pecorro. Ratings come from public Google Maps listings, and the airport company list comes from Hawaii Airports. Ratings change, so check the current listing before you book.
Last updated: October 20, 2026.