September 15, 2024 - Halfway through September, Maui car rental prices for most vehicle categories are still within their low season range, This week, for some vehicle categories, prices for an airport rental are lower than rentals from nearby off-airport locations. This is a reversal of the usual pattern of lower prices off-airport. Details are below.

We call this an unusual price trend reversal because usually prices for airport rentals are higher than off-airport prices for every vehicle category. For the first eight months of 2024, the price difference was just under $75/week for economy cars, and higher for other higher priced vehicles. The difference is due to two factors: a. additional mandatory taxes and fees that are levied on airport rentals, and b. a discretionary "convenience premium" that rental companies charge, over and above the airport taxes and fees. We covered these details in our blog post of January 28, 2024, titled Maui Car Rental Airport Fees.  

CHEAPEST ONE-WEEK RENTAL PRICES FOR MONDAY 9/16/24

This week the cheapest price for a one week car rental from Maui's Kahului Airport (OGG) is $225 (down $14 from last week). For a rental from nearby off-airport locations served by shuttle, the cheapest price is $174 (up $7). These prices include all taxes and fees, but they do not include insurance or any other optional add-ons like roadside assistance or re-fueling.

For 2024, the median prices so far for a one-week car rental were $276/week from the airport (which is $51 more than this week's price) and $201/week for an off-airport rental ($27 more than this week's price). Prices below their median values for the year reflect a low- season level.

These rates are for the lowest advertised price on an economy or compact vehicle. We also track the price for various other vehicle categories (mid-size, SUV, Jeep, convertible, minivan) that cost more - you can find these below. Rates are down from the previous week across all vehicle categories except Jeeps and convertibles, that are almost unchanged.

We collect Maui car rental price data as part of our weekly survey of car rental prices for a one-week rental. Every Sunday, we check prices for a one-week rental beginning the following day, Monday. The companies included in the survey are Ace, Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Fox, Hertz, National, NU, Payless, SiXT, and Thrifty. See our blog post on customer satisfaction ratings for these Maui car rental companies .

The lowest advertised rate week by week for the entire last year is shown in the accompanying chart.

MAUI CAR RENTAL PRICE SURVEY BY VEHICLE CATEGORY FOR 9/16/24

Below, we present the tabulated results of the lowest advertised price, based on our survey taken on 9/15/24, for a one-week rental from Maui's Kahului Airport (OGG), beginning on Monday, 9/16/24, for seven vehicle categories, Economy Car, Midsize Car, Convertible, Jeep, SUV, 7-passenger SUV, and Minivan. The companies covered in this survey are the same listed above. The results are also shown in the accompanying chart.

For each vehicle category, we list the lowest price for both airport rentals and off-airport rentals, with the name of the company offering that price. The numbers are illustrated in the price chart that accompanies this post.

Usually, more than 90% of the time, this last-minute price is the lowest available price for the rental, lower than a price booked in advance. See our research on When is The Best Time to Book a Car in Maui.

Category Off-OGG Co, OGG Co.
Economy $174.00 NU $225.00 SiXT
Midsize $314.00 SiXT $264.00 SixT
Jeep $700.00 SiXT $563.00 SixT
Convertbl $662.00 NU $820.00 Budget
SUV $468.00 NU $397.00 SixT
7 St SUV $468.00 NU $428.00 Thrifty
Minivan $283.00 NU $364.00 Dollar

THIS WEEK'S SIGNIFICANT TRENDS IN MAUI CAR RENTAL PRICES

1. For three different vehicle categories - mid-size, Jeep, and SUV - the airport rental prices are lower than the off-airport prices. This is an unusual reversal of the usual pattern of higher prices to rent from the airport versus off-airport.
2. One of the price leaders for off-airport rentals, ACE Rentacar, is completely absent from the listings on multiple rental aggregator/Online Travel Agent (OTA) platforms. .
3. This week, the price for renting an economy vehicle from the airport, $225/week, is only $1 above the low price for the year, set during the May shoulder season.

HOW TO CHECK RATES AND AVAILABILITY FOR MAUI CAR RENTAL

Either click through to to our Cars & Rates section, or check our booking site at rentals.mauicarrental.biz. This site gives you access to all vehicles from eight different companies - Ace, Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Payless, and Thrifty - at all their Maui locations, that include the Airport rentacar center, Kahului town locations nearby the airport, and resort locations in Kihei/Wailea, and Ka'anapali. With so many options to choose from, you are assured to find the rental car that matches your preferences and your budget for your Maui trip - and there is never a cancellation penalty if you have to change plans.

Price Data Sources: rentalcars.com, rentals.mauicarrental.biz