Car Rental at Santiago International Airport: The Best Companies

If you’re landing in Santiago International Airport (SCL) and you need a rental car, you have thirteen companies to choose from: Alamo, Avis, Hertz, Budget, Econorent, Localiza, Rosselot, Europcar, Chilean Rent A Car, Sixt, United Rent A Car, O’Clock Rent A Car and Keddy.

Santiago International Airport (Photo_: Guillermo Valin via Flickr)

Officially called Comodoro Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport, SCL is Chile’s main airport and is the gateway to this beautiful South American country. Be warned, however, Santiago Airport is currently undergoing an expansion and the pickup and dropoff area outside the terminal building is used by many different companies, complicating the process of picking up your car somewhat. A few of the pickup and dropoff areas are located in the industrial park near Rotonda Enea, so you’ll have to take a shuttle to get there.

To determine the best car rental companies at Santiago International Airport, TravelMag.com reviewed prices, vehicle choices and customer feedback and ranked them in three categories: most affordable, best for families and best luxury option.

MOST AFFORDABLE: EUROPCAR

Book at RentalCars.com

If you’re in the market for cheap car rentals, Europcar should be your first option. Europcar’s fleet runs the gamut from compact economy cars and pickups to full-sized SUVs and sedans. In addition to a varied fleet, Europcar is also one of the highest ranked car rental companies in Santiago Airport, with many renters commenting on the short waiting times and excellent service.

Europcar’s base prices are very affordable, and best of all, they include the collision damage waiver, theft protection and third-party liability in the base price. Other companies, such as Econorent, have a lower base price but do not include these necessary extras. Alamo also includes insurance in the base price, however, its rates are a bit higher than Europcar.

BEST FOR FAMILIES: ECONORENT

Book at RentalCars.com

Econorent offers high-quality vehicles at excellent prices, delivering a great value for your family’s vacation budget. With a kiosk in the airport terminal, Econorent is easy to find. Child and infant seats are available for rent for $5.95 per day. If you’re planning to take your family skiing in Chile’s world-famous mountain resorts, Econorent offers ski rack and snow chain rental for under $10 per day. GPS units are available as well, however, they only come in Spanish. If you’re going to be driving around with a family of 7 or more, however, Sixt is probably your best alternative, with 7-seater Kia Carnivals and 9-seater Hyundai H1s in its fleet.

BEST LUXURY OPTION: SIXT

Book at RentalCars.com

Sixt may not be the first name that comes to mind when you think of luxury cars, but at Santiago Airport it’s undoubtedly the champion. With plenty of BMV 5s, 6s, and 7s in it fleet, Sixt offers the widest selection of luxury rental cars in one place at Santiago Airport. They’re not cheap, but Sixt includes the collision damage waiver, theft protection and third party liability in the base price so you can drive out of SCL in style and security.