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Is Advantage Rent A Car legit?

Low-price, mostly off-airport brand often sold via Expedia; frequent complaints about forced insurance and add-ons at the counter.

Most surprise-charge complaints at OGG
Rental car companyadvantage.comChecked October 16, 2026 by Nurullah GökdoğanHow we check
1 · Is it a real company that delivers?
Legit, but be careful

Advantage is a real rental company that does hand over cars, but BBB gave it an F for unanswered complaints (2024) and reviewers on every platform report being pushed into insurance and add-ons that raise the price well above the quote.

2 · Will you pay what you were quoted?
Frequently not

Repeated reports (WFTV 2024, KUTV 2019, Trustpilot 2026, ConsumerAffairs) of insurance, toll packages and fuel added at the counter or after declining, with totals far above the booked price.

How fair is Advantage Rent A Car?

Five checks, 1–5 each. 3 is average for rental cars.

Price honestyIs the final bill close to the quote?Repeated reports (WFTV 2024, KUTV 2019, Trustpilot 2026, ConsumerAffairs) of insurance, toll packages and fuel added at the counter or after declining, with totals far above the booked price.Sources:wftv.comkjzz.comie.trustpilot.comconsumeraffairs.com
1/5
Claims and refundsDo damage and cleaning bills arrive after return?Reviewers describe damage claims including pre-existing damage, deposits not returned, and refunds that needed chargebacks.Sources:ie.trustpilot.comconsumeraffairs.com
2/5
Pick-up and deliveryHow quick is pick-up, and can you skip the counter?Off-airport locations with shuttles, long lines, and some reservations not honoured.Sources:ie.trustpilot.comconsumeraffairs.com
2/5
Fine printDeposits, debit cards, age rules and fuel termsSome locations require a full insurance declarations page as proof of liability cover, a rule WFTV found was not shown in the location's online terms; the company admitted its terms display was inconsistent.Sources:wftv.com
2/5
SupportHow do disputes end?BBB F rating is for unanswered complaints; Trustpilot and ConsumerAffairs profiles are unclaimed and reviewers report calls and emails going unanswered. Refunds in the news cases came only after media involvement.Sources:wftv.comie.trustpilot.comconsumeraffairs.com
1/5

Fees to expect

Counter insurance (when proof of own cover is not accepted)Reported by WFTV, Sept 2024; refunded after the story.Source:wftv.com
Example: $516 added to a 3-week Orlando rental ($437.09 booked, $953.23 paid)
Insurance add-on (Salt Lake City example)KUTV, Aug 2019.Source:kjzz.com
$267, half refunded after complaint
Young driver, refuelling service, toll device, additional driverCheck the rental agreement before signing.Source:gethuman.com
Exist, but amounts not found in Advantage's published terms

Rules that cost renters money

Drivers under 25
Daily young driver surcharge applies under 25; amount not found
Fuel
Refuelling service fee if returned with less fuel; reviewers report fuel charges after declining
Proof of insurance
Some locations (e.g. Orlando) ask for a full insurance declarations page, not just an ID card

Common problems, and how to avoid them

1
Forced or pressured insurance at the countervery commonAvoid it: Bring a printed declarations page from your auto insurer (not just the ID card) and a credit card that covers rentals.Source:wftv.com
2
Toll packages charged after being declinedCommonAvoid it: Confirm the toll line reads 'declined' on the contract and keep a photo of it.Source:kjzz.com
3
Deposits and refunds slow or not returnedCommonAvoid it: Pay by credit card so you can dispute; keep fuel and return receipts.Source:ie.trustpilot.com

What customers say

“Horrible customer service, no one returns your calls and they treat you like your the criminal when filing a claim.”
Yazmin Rivera · Trustpilot · 2026
“they refused to honour the reservation.”
Daniel Nica · Trustpilot · 2026
“Do not rent a vehicle from Advantage.”
Yasemin (Tampa, FL) · ConsumerAffairs · 2026
“Nobody's deceived, sir.”
Advantage Orlando manager (quoted by WFTV) · WFTV Action 9 · 2024

Short excerpts from public reviews, chosen because they describe the patterns above. They are examples, not a sample.

Alternatives worth comparing

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Highest J.D. Power score of the big rental brands; fees are standard, but damage-claim disputes are the recurring complaint.

#4 of 13 · 55/100Alamo Rent A Car

Enterprise group's leisure brand: usually cheaper, but reviewers report counter upsells and charges they say they declined.

#7 of 13 · 46/100Budget Rent a Car

Avis's lower-priced sister brand; accepts debit cards and young renters, but expect the usual extras at the counter.

#2 of 13 · 58/100Simplest rules

Questions people ask about Advantage Rent A Car

Is Advantage Rent A Car legit?

It is a real company that rents cars, but proceed with caution: BBB rated it F in 2024 for unanswered complaints, and reviewers often report being pushed into insurance and add-ons.

Does Advantage accept my own car insurance?

Some locations require your insurer's full declarations page as proof of liability cover; an ID card alone may be refused, leading to costly counter insurance.

Why was my Advantage total higher than my Expedia quote?

Counter-added insurance, toll packages and fuel charges are the usual causes; check every line before signing and dispute by credit card if needed.

Sources

Last checked October 16, 2026. Fees and policies change, so confirm on advantage.com before you book. Something wrong or out of date? Tell us and we’ll fix it in the open. We are not affiliated with Advantage Rent A Car and earn nothing from it.