Car rental in Illinois

Use the same magic that powers our flight search to find cheap car rentals in Illinois

Compare car rentals on price, ease of pickup, a fair fuel policy, and more

Find Illinois car rental deals you can modify or cancel if your plans change

Illinois car rental at a glance

Most popular rental companyRoutes Car Rentals
Most popular carSmall
Cities to choose from74, Chicago is most popular
Cheapest price found$48 per day, Champaign
Cheapest monthJanuary
Best time to book4 weeks before
To give you an idea of how much renting a car in Illinois could cost, we've pulled prices from Champaign.

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Find the cheapest time to rent a car in Illinois

The cheapest month to rent a car in Illinois is January, when the average cost per day is $40. If that doesn’t work for you, the second cheapest month is June, when the average cost per day is $40. Keep in mind when you’re looking to book, that the most expensive month to rent a car in Illinois is October.
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To give you an idea of how much renting a car in Illinois could cost, we've pulled prices from Champaign.

Explore Illinois

All you need to know about Illinois

Side of the roadRight
CurrencyUS Dollar
LanguageEnglish
Speed limitMotorwayVaries from state to state
Speed limitBuilt-up areaVaries from state to state
Age to rent a car21
The information here is based on our understanding as of January 2024. For the most current and accurate information, it’s recommended to check official government sources.

Car rental in Illinois: FAQs

You will need insurance to rent a car in Illinois, but you won't necessarily need "extra" insurance. Different car rental companies offer different insurance policies, so make sure you look at the details when you pick a deal.
To rent a car with most companies in Illinois, you need to be at least 21 years old. Some companies may have extra fees to pay if you are under 25 years old, so make sure you check before you book.
The best-rated car rental company by our travelers in Illinois is Payless. You can rent a car with them for $0 on average per day.

If you want to learn more about Payless, you can dig deeper here.
The types of documents you’ll need to rent a car in Illinois depend on the car rental company you go with. But in general, you will need a valid driver's license, ID, and passport. Once you’ve booked a car rental in Illinois, you can easily get in touch with your chosen provider to find out.
It’s easy to rent a car in Illinois. First, you need to decide where in Illinois you want to pick up your car from.

Once you’ve decided where you want to go, simply enter your dates and search for the best deal for you. Once you’ve found your deal, you’ll be redirected to the provider to book with no extra fees.
You can rent a car for as long as you like, depending on availability. If you know what dates you’re needing wheels for, start searching with Skyscanner today.
You may need a credit card to rent a car in Illinois. It all depends on which car rental company you choose.
It depends where in Illinois you want to visit. The most popular place to go is Chicago. On average, it costs $125 per day to rent a car there. The lowest price we could find is $70 per day.

Getting the cheapest car rental in Illinois

Here are some tips to help you score the best prices and hit the road for less.

Pick the right ride

Make sure you pick the right type of car for your trip. You can easily filter by "seats" and "transmission," and even choose only to see "electric" or "hybrid" vehicles. You can also filter by "car type," so whether you're looking for a luxury car or a more modest mini, you'll find what you need fast. The most popular car type in Illinois is Small.

Compare across companies

The most popular car rental companies in Illinois are Routes Car Rentals, Hertz, and Dollar. The cheapest company we've found is Hertz. To find a great price, you can easily compare across different trusted car rental companies using Skyscanner.

Get your timing right

It can really pay to play around with your timings and compare dates for your car rental to get a great price. The best time to book a bargain is 4 weeks before. The cheapest prices we've found are $48 a day and $48 a week.

Be flexible

Not sure where in Illinois you're going to visit? There are lots of places to pick up your rental car. Being flexible on your pickup location can help you get a great price, all while seeing more of Illinois. We've found that the most popular place to pick up a car in Illinois is Chicago. The cheapest place to pick up your rental car is Champaign.

Rent a car long-term in Illinois

Looking to rent a car for more than a few weeks? It could be cheaper to rent for a full month. This can cut the admin costs for car rental companies and give you some extra time to explore too. Try it today and search for 30 days' worth of car rentals.

Save on fuel

You can make your money go further by finding a car rental deal in Illinois with "unlimited mileage" or a "full-to-full" fuel policy. This can save you cash on topping up the tank.