"Dollar's base rates are genuinely competitive. The fee stack adds 35-50% before a single option, and the counter is where the gap between prepared and unprepared travelers is widest. Join Dollar Express Rewards before you show up - it's free, removes the deposit hold for VISA members, and waives the additional driver fee for your spouse."
Dollar's prices are real. An economy car at Miami International runs $26/day—and that number holds at the booking stage. What happens between that rate and the actual total is the part worth understanding before you get to the counter.
Dollar is owned by Hertz Corporation, which acquired the brand along with sister company Thrifty in 2012. The three brands operate independently—different loyalty programs, different pricing, different counter experiences. The overall review picture is rough, but the brand average obscures more than it reveals. The airport you pick up from matters more than any aggregate score.
What Dollar charges at the counter
The mandatory surcharge stack at US airports is the first thing to understand. It's not unique to Dollar—every national brand carries it—but it's the reason a quoted rate and an out-the-door total look so different. At MIA, the breakdown on a 2-day economy rental: airport concession fee recovery (11.11%), customer facility charge ($5.35/day), a Florida state surcharge ($2.02/day), and a vehicle license fee (4.41%). None of those are optional. Everything below the first two rows is.
| Fee | Typical charge | Risk | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mandatory surcharge stack | 35-55% on top of base rate | High | Can't avoid this one. At MIA, a $26/day economy car carried $28.31 in fees and taxes on a 2-day rental - airport concession fee (11.11%), facility charge ($5.35/day), state surcharge, and vehicle license fee. All mandatory. |
| Deposit hold | $200 (credit) / $500 (debit) | High | Can't avoid this one. Dollar holds funds on top of the rental total at pickup - $200 for credit cards, $500 for debit. Unavailable for the full rental period. Dollar Express members with a VISA on file skip the hold entirely. |
| Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) | ~$36.99/day (MIA) | Medium | You can decline this. Waives your financial responsibility for vehicle damage. Most personal auto policies and many travel credit cards cover rental car collision - check before the counter, not at it. |
| Liability Insurance Supplement (LIS) | ~$16.09/day (MIA) | Medium | You can decline this. Provides up to $1 million in third-party liability coverage. State minimum liability is included in every rental by law. Unnecessary if you carry adequate personal auto insurance. |
| PlatePass electronic tolls | $14.99/day or $9.99 per toll + toll rate | Medium | You can decline this - but only if you avoid toll roads or pay directly. If you decline and hit an electronic toll, Dollar charges $9.99 per toll incurred plus the full undiscounted toll rate, capped at $90 in admin fees per rental. |
| Additional driver fee | Varies by location | Medium | You can decline this by not adding a driver. Dollar Express members add a spouse or domestic partner free of charge. All other additional drivers pay a per-day fee - amount varies by location, shown in local policy before confirming. |
| Underage driver fee (ages 20-24) | Varies by location | Medium | Can't avoid this if the renter or an additional driver is 20-24. Applied on top of the additional driver fee where both apply. Minimum rental age at most US locations is 20; Michigan, New York, and Quebec allow 18. |
| Refueling charge | Varies - per gallon estimate | Medium | Avoidable: return with a full tank and a fuel receipt from within 10 miles of the return facility. Prepaid fuel option available at checkout - no refund for unused fuel if you return with a partial tank. |
| Early return fee | $25 | Low | Avoidable. Applies only to non-prepaid rentals returned more than 24 hours before the scheduled return time. Call 1-866-434-2226 to adjust your return date before returning early. |
| Late return fee | $16/day (max 5 days) | Low | Avoidable with a call. Charged in addition to extra rental days. Call the on-rent help desk to update your return time before it becomes an issue. |
Dollar Car Rental General Policies and MIA local policy, dollar.com. Booking simulation conducted August 2026.
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The deposit hold
At pickup, Dollar places an authorization hold on top of your estimated rental charges: $200 extra on a credit card, $500 extra on a debit card. Those funds sit unavailable for the full rental period and release after the final charge settles—which can take several business days post-return. Dollar Express members who have a VISA registered to their profile skip the incremental hold entirely, which is the most practical reason to sign up before any Dollar rental.
Loss Damage Waiver
LDW at $36.99/day at MIA would add $73.98 to a two-day rental where the base was $52. That's more than the car itself costs to rent. LDW isn't insurance—it's a contractual waiver of your financial responsibility for vehicle damage. Most personal auto policies extend to rental cars for collision and comprehensive, and many travel credit cards provide secondary or primary rental coverage as a cardholder benefit. Know your coverage before you walk in, and the LDW decision at the counter is already made. The guide on avoiding the rental insurance upsell covers exactly how to confirm your existing coverage and what to say at the counter.
PlatePass electronic tolls
Dollar's optional PlatePass costs $14.99/day for unlimited electronic tolls. If you decline and drive a cashless toll road anyway, the charge is $9.99 per toll incurred plus the full undiscounted toll rate, with a $90 cap on admin fees for the rental period. In Florida—where many roads are all-electronic—this is a real exposure. A personal transponder (SunPass or E-Pass) registered to your account and confirmed with Dollar in advance is the cleanest workaround. Some locations accept them; confirm before assuming. If you're thinking about the fuel decision at the same time, the rental car fuel policy guide breaks down the prepaid versus standard comparison.
Additional and underage drivers
Dollar Express members add a spouse or domestic partner free. Anyone else costs extra—Dollar publishes no flat rate, so check the local policy for your airport before you commit. Drivers aged 20-24 pay an underage fee on top, where both apply. The additional driver fee guide has the full cross-supplier comparison if you're benchmarking.
Fuel
Dollar's standard policy: return with a full tank and a fuel receipt from within 10 miles of the return facility, and no refueling charge applies. The prepaid fuel option at checkout estimates the gallons needed and charges upfront—no refund for fuel left in the tank at return. At MIA, the prepaid option showed $40.05 flat for a 2-day economy rental. Whether that's worth taking depends on local fuel prices and how confident you are in returning the car full. If you're not sure, the standard policy almost always comes out cheaper for a prepared traveler.
Does Dollar Express change the math?
Dollar Express Rewards is free to join and provides three benefits that matter before you show up at the counter: Skip the Counter at select locations, a waived deposit hold for VISA members already on the profile, and a complimentary additional driver for a spouse or domestic partner. Those three together address two of the most common friction points—the deposit surprise and the additional driver upsell.
There are no elite tiers—no equivalent to National's Emerald Club or Hertz Gold Plus Rewards' upper levels. If you rent frequently enough that status recognition matters, Dollar Express isn't built for that. For occasional travelers, the counter-friction benefits outweigh the flat earning structure.
Which Dollar airports are worth booking
Most of what drives Dollar's Trustpilot score is counter friction and post-return billing—insurance added after a verbal decline, PlatePass charges arriving weeks later, fuel disputes despite a full tank. Those aren't fleet problems or systemic failures; they're information asymmetry, concentrated at specific airports. The table below shows where that concentration sits.
The scores reflect where the counter friction concentrates—not whether Dollar is worth booking. That's a different question.
| Airport | State / Region | DiscoverCars score | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta (ATL) | Georgia | 4.9 | 45 | Very poor |
| Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) | Texas | 6.6 | 31 | Poor |
| Houston Intercont. (IAH) | Texas | 6.6 | 59 | Poor |
| Memphis (MEM) | Tennessee | 6.7 | 11 | Poor |
| New York JFK (JFK) | New York | 6.9 | 99 | Poor |
| Pittsburgh (PIT) | Pennsylvania | 7.1 | 21 | Below average |
| Boston Logan (BOS) | Massachusetts | 7.2 | 98 | Below average |
| Chicago Midway (MDW) | Illinois | 7.3 | 21 | Below average |
| New York LaGuardia (LGA) | New York | 7.5 | 21 | Average |
| Chicago O'Hare (ORD) | Illinois | 7.9 | 77 | Average |
| Las Vegas (LAS) | Nevada | 8.0 | 163 | Good |
| Miami (MIA) | Florida | 8.3 | 179 | Good |
| Phoenix (PHX) | Arizona | 8.3 | 135 | Good |
| Charlotte (CLT) | North Carolina | 8.5 | 39 | Very good |
| Cleveland (CLE) | Ohio | 8.5 | 20 | Very good |
Dollar DiscoverCars location scores, sorted lowest to highest. Source: DiscoverCars, accessed August 2026.
Dollar's international footprint consistently outperforms the US locations in the complaint data: Canada 8.7 (649 reviews), Portugal 8.6 (1,350 reviews, including 8.9 at Faro), Italy 8.5 (664 reviews), Morocco 8.5 (1,121 reviews). The complaint patterns that dominate the US reviews don't translate to these markets in the same way.
Is Dollar worth booking?
The price gap is real and it holds. What the complaint data shows is that most of what goes wrong at Dollar—insurance added after a decline, a PlatePass charge weeks later, a fuel dispute—is counter friction, not fleet quality or structural failure. Dollar Express exists precisely to reduce that exposure: skip the counter where it's available, waive the deposit hold, remove the additional driver upsell for your spouse. A traveler who shows up with their insurance sorted and Dollar Express active is largely insulated from the patterns that drive the reviews.
At the weaker airports—Atlanta, Houston, Dallas—the same preparation applies, just with slightly more attention at the counter. Read the contract before you sign. Photograph the car before you leave the lot. Those two habits close most of the post-return dispute window regardless of location score.
The verdict
If you haven't booked yet: Join Dollar Express Rewards first—it's free, takes two minutes, and the waived deposit hold alone changes the calculus for debit card renters. Pull up your credit card's rental car benefits before you look at prices, so the LDW decision is already made before you reach the counter. Then check your specific pickup airport's location score before committing—Dollar's network has a wider spread than the brand average suggests. The Dollar vs Thrifty comparison is useful if you're choosing between the two sister brands for the same dates.
If you're already booked: Confirm Dollar Express is active on your reservation and check whether Skip the Counter is available at your airport. Screenshot your booking confirmation with the itemized total. At the lot, photograph every panel before driving off and note any existing damage on the rental agreement—that two-minute walkthrough closes most of the post-return dispute window.
If you've returned the car and have a question about a charge: Start with Dollar's Executive Customer Service team at executivecustomerservice@dollar.com or (239) 301-7000—BBB formally recommends this as the first step before filing a complaint elsewhere. Have your rental agreement number and a copy of your final receipt. If the charge is for damage, attach the photos from pickup and return. If Dollar doesn't respond or resolve within one week, file a chargeback with your credit card issuer. If you booked through a third-party platform, that platform's resolution process comes first.
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- Atlanta is the weakest Dollar location in the US network by a clear margin. If ATL is your pickup, check what else is available before committing.
- The debit card deposit hold is $500 on top of the rental total. Those funds are unavailable until after the car is returned and charges settle.
- PlatePass charges appear post-return, sometimes weeks later. If you declined it and drove any electronic toll road, expect a $9.99 admin fee per toll incurred.
- LDW can easily match or exceed the base daily rate. Check your personal auto policy and credit card coverage before the counter - that decision is easier made in advance than under counter pressure.
- Post-return damage claims are the most common complaint pattern. Photograph or video every panel and every wheel before leaving the lot.
- Fuel receipt required within 10 miles of the return facility. Keep it - Dollar disputes sometimes turn on whether a receipt was presented at return.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dollar Car Rental a legitimate company?
Dollar has operated since 1965 and is part of Hertz Corporation, which acquired it in 2012. It's a legitimate national brand with 669 locations worldwide. Complaint volumes are high relative to competitors, but the data shows those complaints are concentrated in specific airports. Location scores on DiscoverCars range from 4.9 (Atlanta) to 8.5 (Charlotte) - pickup location matters more than the brand average.
What is Dollar Express Rewards and is it worth joining?
Dollar Express is free to join. Core benefits: Skip the Counter at select locations, a waived deposit hold for members with a VISA on their profile, and a complimentary additional driver for a spouse or domestic partner. The program earns 1 point per $1 on non-prepaid US and Canada rentals, redeemable for free days. There are no elite status tiers - unlike Hertz Gold or National Emerald Club. For occasional travelers, the counter-friction benefits outweigh the absence of status tiers.
I already booked Dollar - what should I do before pickup?
Three steps. First, sign up for Dollar Express Rewards if you haven't - the waived deposit hold for VISA members is the most practical benefit. Second, check your personal auto insurance policy and the rental car coverage on your credit card before you arrive, so the LDW decision doesn't happen under counter pressure. Third, read the local policy for your specific pickup airport - Dollar's logistics (parking structure, shuttle, Express booth location) vary significantly by location.
Dollar charged me after I returned the car. What are my options?
Contact Dollar's Executive Customer Service at executivecustomerservice@dollar.com or (239) 301-7000 first - BBB formally recommends this before escalating. Have your rental agreement number, the final receipt, and any photos from pickup and return ready. For damage disputes, timestamped photos showing no damage at both pickup and return are the key evidence. If Dollar doesn't resolve within one week, file a chargeback with your credit card issuer. If you booked through a third-party platform, start with that platform's dispute process.
How do I avoid PlatePass charges on a Dollar rental?
Decline PlatePass and avoid all electronic toll roads, or set up a personal transponder registered to your account before the rental - where the toll authority permits it. In Florida, SunPass or E-Pass work at most electronic toll points. Confirm with Dollar that a personal transponder is accepted at your pickup location before assuming it is. If you accidentally hit a toll after declining, the charge is $9.99 per toll plus the undiscounted toll rate, capped at $90 in admin fees for the rental period.
Is Dollar the same company as Thrifty?
Dollar and Thrifty are both owned by Hertz Corporation, which acquired both brands in 2012. They operate independently - different loyalty programs, separate pricing, and distinct counter experiences. Dollar Express members get no benefits at a Thrifty counter. If you're weighing the two, the compare page covers how their pricing and location scores stack up at the airports where both brands operate.
Which Dollar location has the best scores?
Among US airports with significant review samples, Charlotte (CLT) scores 8.5 across 39 reviews, Miami (MIA) scores 8.3 across 179, and Phoenix (PHX) scores 8.3 across 135. Las Vegas (LAS) is reliable at 8.0 across 163 reviews. Internationally, Dollar scores particularly well in Portugal (Faro 8.9, 279 reviews), Canada (8.7, 649 reviews), and Italy (8.5, 664 reviews).
