Almost all renters pick up their vehicles at the airport they fly into. Atlanta International Airport is by far the largest airport in the state. It also happens to have the largest selection of rental cars.

ATL is located in the center of the northern part of the state and is a significant drive away from the coastal part of it. If you intend to visit Savannah and other parts of the coast, then you may be better off flying into Savannah, where you can also easily find a rental car.

If staying in the city for some time before heading to other parts of the state, you can also pick up a rental car in the city when you're ready to use it.

The Southeast is a great place for a road trip — for example driving from Atlanta to New Orleans or down to Florida. Many, but not all, car rental companies allow one-way trips. Just search for your intended drop-off location and you'll see what's available.

Keep in mind: Most car rental companies charge a fee for one-way rentals, but this will be included in the total if you searched using your desired drop-off location.

As elsewhere in the Southeastern US, you may encounter many Spanish-speaking residents. The number of which won't speak English at all, though is very low.

As usual in the United States, if you speak English, you will have no problem communicating.

Mountains. Not many think of mountains when they think of Georgia, but there are mountains in the northeastern part of the state — the very southern part of the Blue Ridge Mountains. And truth be told, they are more like foothills than mountains.

The Appalachian Trail begins at Springer Mountain in Georgia. However, if you're looking to rent a car, you probably aren't going to be setting out to tackle the trail. But you can hike part of it. There are also many other hiking trails.

You can also do other things in the mountains like whitewater rafting. The Chattooga River on the border with South Carolina is an incredibly popular place for this. There's also hunting, fishing, and caving to be done.

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. This wildlife refuge in the very southeastern part of Georgia is popular with those loving the outdoors and animals. Truth be told, it is closer to Jacksonville, FL than any city in Georgia. But it is still an easy drive from Savannah.

While you can hiking in parts of the refuge, the real way to experience is by boat. You can either canoe, or you can take a motor boat through certain sections of it. It is mostly swamp, bog, and such. If you're luck (or unlucky depending on your dispoisttiion), you may see some alligators in addition to lots of other species of animals.

There are many gas stations all over Georgia. In Atlanta and other cities in the state, gas stations can be found almost everywhere you look. But once you get to the mountains or in the rural parts of the state, you may find long stretches of road without service. If you travel to these areas, be sure to fill up beforehand and not let your tank get too low.

Prices at Colorado's gas stations are shown per gallon (1 gallon = 3.79 liters).

As of June 2024, the average price in Georgia is $3.27 per gallon (or about $.86 per liter) for regular. This is a little below the national average. Prices in the state don't vary all that much. The northwestern part of the state has cheaper gas than Atlanta and the southeastern part of the state, but not by all that much.

The simple answer to this is probably for as long as you plan to stay in the state (or for the duration of your road trip if you plan to visit other states).

If you simply plan to stay in Atlanta for your entire trip, you may be able to get away without renting a car. Though, you still would be best off with a car if you plan to head outside of Midtown.

If you plan to head to the mountains, the coast, or to the smaller cities in the state (e.g., Savannah), then you will almost surely want to have a car.

Many head to Atlanta or Savanah for a weekend getaway. If you want to enjoy the beach or mountains, though, you'll likely want at least a week.

While prices may differ slightly depending on where you pick up a rental car, this probably won't matter much as you will be most likely to pick it up in Atlanta (or maybe Savanah if that is your destination).

In February, the lowest tourist season in Georgia, the average price of a rental car is $28 per day. In May, it is $55. And in July, it is $78.

Suffice to say that winter is the cheapest time to get a rental car in the state — but also the time when the weather is the least enjoyable for outdoor activities.

There are many cheap rental car companies in Georgia. On the whole, the state's car rental prices are lower than those in the rest of the United States. You may end up being able to find a car for as little as $50 a day — though be sure to see the caveats below.

Obviously, your destination also influences the price — cars tend to be more pricey around popular tourist destinations. However, that conventional wisdom doesn't hold all of the time. Prices are generally lower in the most popular places — namely, Atlanta — due to the sheer number of cars available there.

Keep in mind: Booking a car in advance is a tried and true method for getting a much lower price, especially if you plan to travel to Georgia during the high season. A car booked a month before the trip can cost half as much as the same car booked a couple of days before you travel.

Booking a car for a longer period of time is also a good idea — due to different commissions and other fees, booking a car in Georgia for a longer period can cost significantly less per day.

Price is obviously a huge factor when choosing a car rental company, but it shouldn't be your only consideration — often, for a couple of dollars more, you can find a much better overall deal. Instead, try to look for a company that offers both a good price and has a good rating from previous renters.

Also, make sure you are familiar with the rental conditions! Different rental car suppliers will have different conditions. The rental conditions can influence the final price of the car and are important to be aware of in general.

You can find the rental conditions when searching for a rental car on our website.

Some of the most important things when picking up a rental car is knowing your rental car supplier's fuel and mileage policies along with its driver requirements.

Mileage policy :
A rental supplier's mileage policy is the maximum permitted distance that you are allowed to travel per day (or sometimes per week) with your rental car. Once you exceed the permitted distance, you will be required to pay an extra fee for every additional mile you drive. There might also be the maximum permitted mileage for the whole of the rental period.

Different rental car suppliers have different mileage rules. It's important to know about them before booking your car, especially if you plan to drive a lot or travel long distances during your trip.

Also keep in mind that many rental companies restrict the allotted mileage for residents of Florida.

You can find the supplier's mileage policy in their rental conditions:

Driver requirements:
Different rental car companies will have different requirements for drivers. These may include:

Choosing the right insurance is very important as it will protect you in case anything goes wrong during your rental period. If you have your own personal insurance, it may or may not cover your rental car — you should ask your insurance carrier to find out.

Your credit card may also cover your rental car. Be sure to check with your credit card company in advance.

If you are an international customer (that is, you do not reside in the US or Canada), then your rental rate will almost surely include a Collison Damage Waiver. Unless you have a zero deductible rate, the CDW will have a deductible — an amount you'll be liable for in the event of any damage to the car. For this, we suggest adding our Full Coverage to your booking — an added bonus being that it covers many parts of the car that the CDW may not!

Check the Insurance section of our Help Center to learn more about choosing the right insurance and everything related to it.

Small cars are the cheapest type of rental car in Georgia. Intermediate and larger cars aren't all that much more expensive. SUVs also don't cost that much more.

All of the major brands also have huge fleets at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. And while some of the smaller companies that you may not have heard of before may offer what looks like a lower price, be sure to find out how much their mandatory fees cost like their toll package. Also, see in advance if they will accept your car insurance as coverage as some of them only accept insurance from certain companies. If you are required to purchase the rental company's coverage, expect the total price to perhaps double.

The main factors for choosing a rental car should be the price and rating of the company. Keep in mind that the well-known large brands have been operating in Georgia for decades.

To pick up a rental car, you'll need to have your booking confirmation voucher, passport, driver's license, a credit card on the main driver's name, and all the other necessary documents.

When making the reservation, you will see your rental car's pickup location, of which there are many types. Since most travelers tend to pick up their rental cars at the airport, we'll mainly focus on the pickup locations in or near the airport. These are the most popular pickup location types:

• Meet & Greet. With this type of pickup location, you'll be met by an employee of the car rental company in the arrivals hall of the airport which you normally enter right after leaving the baggage claim area. The employee will usually have a printed sign with your name on it. The employee will take you to the company's office to proceed with signing the rental contract and collecting the car's keys.
• In the terminal. In this case, you will have to find your rental car company's desk yourself. The desk will be usually located in the arrivals hall. Once you've found the desk, you can present your documents and continue with the pickup procedure. Do keep in mind that you might have to wait in line.
• Shuttle bus. In certain cases, the car rental company's desk might be located outside the airport's terminal. Sometimes you can reach it on foot, but in most cases, you need to take a shuttle bus. For this, you'll need to find the shuttle bus stop inside the airport, the location of which will be given to you when making the booking. Sometimes, the shuttle bus is shared by multiple car rental companies while others have their own shuttle service just for them. Look for the name and the logo of your rental company to make sure you take the right shuttle bus.
• Delivery service. This type of pick-up is similar to Meet & Greet but takes even less time to complete as you won't need to go to the car provider's office to sign the agreement.
• Car rental center. This means that your car rental company shares its location with other companies. The car rental center is located in the arrivals hall, in another part of the terminal, or in a separate building next to the terminal.
• Outside terminal. This pick-up location means that your car rental company has an individual desk located outside the airport's terminal, but within the larger airport complex, that can usually be reached on foot

At the pickup location: After the car rental company checks your documents and make sure you have enough deposit on your credit card, you will receive the car's keys and be taken to the rental car which will usually be parked in a nearby parking lot.

Inspect the car: Upon picking up the car, you will have to sign a document called the check-out form. If your rental car has any scratches or other types of damage, they should be listed on the form. Inspect the car carefully — if it has any scratches or other issues that are not listed, make sure to point them out to the employee before signing the check-out form. The form will also list the mileage and the amount of fuel the car has at the pickup time.

Take photos: It is generally a very good idea to take photos of the car before picking it up, preferably from multiple angles and including the inside of the car with the odometer showing the previous mileage on the car and of the amount of fuel in the tank (read more about fuel on our Fuel Policy section above). The photos should have a timestamp to show the date and time when they were taken; most pictures taken with mobile and digital cameras have them.

Find out the drop-off location: Before leaving with the car, make sure you find out the exact drop-off location and the directions to get there. While it will often be the same as the pickup location, it might also be in a completely different part of the airport (this is especially the case with the larger airports that have multiple terminals).

Returning the car: When dropping off the car at the end of your trip, carefully check the vehicle in the presence of an employee of the rental company. If any new scratches or damages are found, the company employee should point them out in your presence. If there are none, the car's check-in form should state that the car has been returned in the same condition. The same applies to the cleanliness of the car (if you return a car that is not clean, the company might later charge an extra cleaning fee). Make sure to check the car's trunk and the glove compartment to avoid leaving any personal belongings in the vehicle.

You might also want to add some extras for your rental car such as a GPS system, a child's seat, second-driver permission (if you're traveling with a friend or a family member who can and wants to drive). it goes without saying that winter equipment like snow chains is never needed (nor available) in Florida. Be sure to search for them in advance and add them before making the booking. Not every rental car supplier will have all of these extras available. Adding extras will influence the final price of a car and different car rental companies offer them for different prices.

In 2018, Georgia passed a law legalizing the use of speed cameras in school zones. They are widely used and there are signs to warn you that they are there. Of course, this just applies to school zones, — you don't have to worry about speed cameras elsewhere.

There are also red light cameras in Georgia that will capture a photo of your license plate if you run a red light. So pay attention and make sure to stop if the light is turning red.

Keep in mind that if you are caught with a camera, whether it be a speed camera in a school zone or a red light camera, the ticket will be sent to the rental company via the license plate on the car. You can expect that the rental company will tack on an extra fee for administering the fine.

Your best bet to avoid being charged with drunk driving is to not drink at all before getting behind the wheel. That being said, anything over .08% BAC is a DUI in Georgia. While cannabis is legal in some states, it is not in Georgia. Do not attempt to bring any into the state.

No, there are no toll roads in Georgia. There are, however, Express Lanes in the Atlanta Metro area. These can be found in the Atlanta area. These work as lanes you can pay to take (with dynamic pricing) and HOV lanes (with 3+ people in the car). Either way, you must have a Peach Pass to use them. Rental companies offer a package that has it, but it comes with an extra daily fee. Of course, if you just avoid those lanes, there's no need to purchase this.

Note: Tolls become much more of an issue if you intend to visit Florida as part of your trip.

On the Florida Turnpike and in the Orlando area, it is possible to pay tolls with cash. However, Georiga's Peach Pass also works in Florida. This means that if the rental car company offers a Peach Pass with your rental car, you will also be able to use it in Florida.

However, on the off chance that the transponder is neither removable nor able to be switched off, you should be extra cautious. The cash lanes in Florida also accept electronic toll payments. This means that even if you pay in cash, you will still be charged through your rental contract (and if you declined the toll pass, you will be charged an extra, often exorbitant, administrative fee).

Finally, if you plan to travel all the way to South Florida, keep in mind that tolls in that region of the state are all electronic. This means cash is not accepted. Without a toll pass, you may risk exorbitant fines for using the toll roads. Of course, they can always be avoided.