13 Car Rental Companies That Offer Roof Racks

Man loading gear onto the roof rack of his rental car

Most major car rental companies offer some type of roof rack, usually for an additional charge. Available rack styles (ski racks, luggage racks, etc.) vary by location and vehicle type.

Some agencies also allow customers to install their own racks on the rental vehicle. Keep in mind that not all roof racks fit every vehicle, and if you do install your own, you’ll be held responsible for any damage to the vehicle.

We contacted the major U.S. rental agencies and researched their equipment policies to find the best car rental options that include or allow roof racks.

What We Recommend

Zipcar is your best option for affordability as it doesn’t charge an additional fee to rent a vehicle with a roof rack.[1]

Getaround also generally offers this service at no additional cost, though availability and pricing vary by the host.[2]

Note that Zipcar and Getaround don’t allow you to install your own rack.[1][2]

If you prefer traditional car rental companies over car-sharing, Budget offers the lowest rate for roof racks, at around $7 per day.[3]

Dollar Car Rental and Thrifty Car Rental offer more rack styles, however, providing ski racks, luggage racks, and bike racks at some locations. Rates typically run around $13.50 per day.[4][5]

Comparison Table

Use the table below to compare options and pricing for each car rental company when renting a roof rack.

Note that you can sort the table by tapping the arrows at the top of each column, or select the company name to find additional details in our list below.

Rental Company Available Racks Daily Cost
Alamo Rent a CarSki racks About $20
Avis Rent a CarSki racks About $18
BudgetSki racks and luggage racks About $7
Dollar Car RentalSki racks, luggage racks, and bike racks About $13.50
Enterprise Rent-A-CarSki racks and luggage racks $11 to $20
GetaroundCargo racks, ski racks, and bike racks Varies by the host; generally no cost
HertzSki racks and luggage racks $10 to $20
National Car RentalSki racks About $20
Payless Car RentalSki racks and luggage racks No cost for built-in racks; otherwise about $10
SIXTSki racks and bike racks Varies by location
Thrifty Car RentalSki racks, luggage racks, and bike racks About $13.50
TuroGear racks, ski racks, and bike racks Varies by the host
ZipcarSki racks, bike racks, and surfboard racks No cost
Table Plugin

The List

Below, we have the list of car rental companies that offer and allow roof racks, including which rack types are available and the cost. We also note whether each company allows you to install your own.

Our list begins with the overall best options based on the variety of racks available and pricing.

Note that availability varies by location and vehicle type; the rental agency may not guarantee your reservation. It’s best to call ahead to ensure your rental will be equipped with a rack if you request it.[3]

We confirmed this information by contacting local and corporate customer service representatives, as well as viewing policy documentation online.
Zipcar logo

Zipcar

  • Roof racks available: Ski racks, bike racks, and surfboard racks;[6][1] look for the word “Rack,” the Yakima logo, or the bike, surf, or ski icon when browsing available vehicles.[6]
  • Price: No additional fees[1]
  • Allows you to install your own? No[1]
  • Find a rental

Budget logo

Budget

  • Roof racks available: Ski racks and luggage racks at some locations;[7] note that Budget doesn’t guarantee roof rack availability.[3]
  • Price: Varies; generally around $7 per day[3][8]
  • Allows you to install your own? No[9]
  • Find a rental

Getaround logo

Getaround

  • Roof racks available: Cargo racks, ski racks, and bike racks; since Getaround is a peer-to-peer rental service, availability will vary by the vehicle owner.[10][2]
  • Price: Generally included in the rental cost, but vehicle owners set their own prices[2][11]
  • Allows you to install your own? No[2]
  • Find a rental

Dollar Car Rental logo

Dollar Car Rental

  • Roof racks available: Ski racks, luggage racks, and bike racks at some locations[12][4]
  • Price: Generally about $13.50 per day[4]
  • Allows you to install your own? Varies by location; typically, Dollar Car Rental discourages but doesn’t prohibit it. It’s best to call the location you plan to rent from to check its policy. If you’re able to install your own rack, you’ll be held financially responsible for any damage to the rental.[4][13]
  • Find a rental

Thrifty Car Rental logo

Thrifty Car Rental

  • Roof racks available: Ski racks, luggage racks, and bike racks at some locations[14][5]
  • Price: Generally around $13.50 per day[5]
  • Allows you to install your own? This is discouraged, though not prohibited; you will be held financially responsible for any damage to the rental if you install your rack.[5]
  • Find a rental

Turo logo

Turo

  • Roof racks available: Gear racks, ski racks, and bike racks[15]
  • Price: Set by each vehicle owner[16][17]
  • Allows you to install your own? No[16]
  • Find a rental

Hertz logo

Hertz

  • Roof racks available: Ski racks and luggage racks at some locations[18][19]
  • Price: About $10 to $20 per day[19]
  • Allows you to install your own? Varies by location; contact the rental counter you plan to use to check its policy.[19]
  • Find a rental

Payless Car Rental logo

Payless Car Rental

  • Roof racks available: Ski racks and luggage racks at some locations[20][21][22]
  • Price: About $10 per day for ski racks;[20] no charge for built-in luggage racks[22]
  • Allows you to install your own? No[22]
  • Find a rental

Enterprise logo

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Alamo Rent a Car

National Car Rental logo

National Car Rental

  • Roof racks available: Ski racks at some locations[31]
  • Price: Varies by location; generally around $20 per day[32]
  • Allows you to install your own?Yes[33]
  • Find a rental

Avis Rent a Car

Sixt logo

SIXT

  • Roof racks available: Ski racks in some locations[39] and bike racks on some vehicles[40]
  • Price: Varies by location[41]
  • Allows you to install your own? No[42]
  • Find a rental

Car Rentals That Don’t Offer Roof Racks

In the course of our research, we found that the following companies don’t offer or allow roof racks on their rentals.

  1. Zipcar customer service via Facebook chat[][][][][]
  2. Getaround customer service via Facebook chat[][][][][]
  3. https://www.budget.com/en/customer-care/faqs/global/rental-services[][][][]
  4. Dollar Car Rental customer service via Facebook chat[][][][]
  5. Thrifty Car Rental customer service via Facebook chat[][][][]
  6. https://www.zipcar.com/partners/yakima[][]
  7. Budget customer service (800) 214-6094[]
  8. https://www.ftc.gov/sites/default/files/documents/cases/2007/11/071120exa.pdf[]
  9. Budget customer service via Facebook chat[]
  10. https://blog.getaround.com/car-features-getaround-guests-love/[]
  11. https://en.getaround.com/help/articles/c15034f7053d#owners[]
  12. https://www.dollar.com/AboutUs/GeneralPolicies.aspx[]
  13. Dollar Car Rental customer service (800) 800-5252[]
  14. https://www.thrifty.com/AboutUs/content/GeneralPolicies.aspx[]
  15. https://explore.turo.com/discover-extras/[]
  16. Turo customer service via live chat[][]
  17. https://help.turo.com/adding-extras-to-your-trip-r1Fb44eVc[]
  18. https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/productservice/index.jsp?targetPage=skiracksUS.jsp[]
  19. Hertz customer service via Facebook chat[][][]
  20. https://www.paylesscar.com/en/customer-service/faq/global/equipment-options-special-requirements[][]
  21. https://www.paylesscar.com/en/customer-service/faq/global/glossary[]
  22. Payless Car Rental customer service via Facebook chat[][][]
  23. https://www.enterprise.com/en/help/faqs/additional-car-rental-equipment.html[]
  24. https://www.enterprise.ch/en/help/faq.html[]
  25. Enterprise Rent-A-Car customer service via live chat[][]
  26. Enterprise Rent-A-Car customer service via Facebook chat[][][]
  27. Enterprise Rent-A-Car customer service via live chat[]
  28. https://www.alamo.com/en/customer-support/car-rental-faqs/add-ons.html[][]
  29. Alamo Rent a Car customer service via Facebook chat[][]
  30. Alamo Rent a Car location customer service representatives[]
  31. https://www.nationalcar.com/en/support/car-rental-faqs/additional-equipment.html[]
  32. National Car Rental customer service via Facebook chat[]
  33. National customer service (844) 393-9989[]
  34. https://www.avis.com/en/customer-service/faqs/usa/equipment-requirements[]
  35. Avis.com test bookings[]
  36. Avis location customer service representatives[]
  37. Avis Rent a Car customer service (800) 352-7900[]
  38. Avis Rent a Car customer service via Facebook chat[]
  39. https://www.sixt.com/help-center/articles/ski-racks/#/[]
  40. https://www.sixt.com/mini-rental/mini-countryman/#/[]
  41. SIXT customer service (888) 749-8227[]
  42. SIXT customer service via Facebook chat[]
  43. ACE Rent a Car customer service via live chat[]
  44. https://www.foxrentacar.com/en/faqs.html[]
  45. https://www.foxrentacar.com/en/faqs/thumb_it-faqs.html[]
  46. Fox Rent A Car customer service via live chat[]

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *