Touch down after a long flight, clear the jet bridge, and here comes the real Los Angeles test: do you ride the courtesy bus to pick up your Avis at the airport, or do you push the rental to tomorrow and grab a cheaper in-town counter? That decision swings on a few local realities, including where Avis actually lives at the airports now, the hours you can count on in the neighborhoods, and which fees show up on your receipt in LA versus Orange County or the Valley.
If you want the shortest path from baggage claim to a set of keys, Avis at the airport will oblige. If you are watching budgets or traveling at odd hours, some of the downtown and Westside counters give you cleaner returns and avoid a couple of airport-specific line items. Below is what has changed in the last couple of years, and how to pick the counter that fits the way this city works week to week.
Avis serves flyers from the LAX Rental Car Center at 5251 W 98th St, with a free courtesy bus from each terminal. Walk out to the Lower/Arrivals curb and wait beneath the purple "Car Rental" sign; the bus runs to the consolidated facility for pickup and return. The Avis LAX address is the same for both legs, and the counter supports 24-hour operations with after-hours return always open.
The shift to the consolidated center matters. The airport built a centralized complex to pull most rental counters under one roof, which has changed the curb flow and where you meet your shuttle. For Avis customers, the play is still simple: purple sign, courtesy bus, then straight upstairs to the counters at 5251 W 98th.
A few practical LAX numbers to keep in your head. Avis will rent to drivers 21+, and the posted underage surcharge is $27 per day for renters under 25. Debit cards are accepted for renters 25+ at LAX, but a hold applies. Most rentals require an authorization equal to the estimated charges plus $200 on a credit card, or $250 if you prepaid with a debit card.
Often, yes, for one reason: airport rentals usually add a Customer Facility Charge that helps pay for the rental-car center and its transport system. At LAX that fee is structured as a per-day charge with a five-day cap, so a one-week rental sees it only on the first five days. Neighborhood counters do not collect LAX's per-day facility charge because you are not an airport transaction there.
The trade-off is hours and flexibility. Avis Downtown LA at 888 S Figueroa St, Ste 130 keeps office hours of 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Mon-Fri and 8:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Sat-Sun. This location requires you to return during open hours, which is normal for in-town counters. If you need a late-night drop, you will want the airport.
On the Westside, the Santa Monica store at 1027 Broadway runs 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Mon-Fri, 8:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Sat, and 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Sun. Like Downtown, Santa Monica requires returns during business hours. Both locations advertise local free pickup service if you arrange it with the counter, which can spare you a rideshare across a few blocks of traffic.
One more city policy that saves headaches: Avis quotes a 29-minute grace period for late returns on the standard daily clock, after which partial- then full-day charges kick in. That clock runs at neighborhood counters the same way it does at the airport.
| Counter | Where | Hours | After-hours return | Getting there | Local detail |
| Avis LAX | 5251 W 98th St, 90045 | Sun-Sat: Open 24 hrs | Yes, always open for returns | Free courtesy bus from purple "Car Rental" sign | Airport rentals include a per-day facility fee with a 5-day cap. |
| Downtown LA (Figueroa) | 888 S Figueroa St, Ste 130, 90017 | Mon-Fri: 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Sat-Sun: 8:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. | No, return during office hours | Short rideshare from most DTLA hotels; free local pickup available | No LAX facility fee; watch the clock if your return is outside open hours. |
| Santa Monica (Broadway) | 1027 Broadway, 90401 | Mon-Fri: 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Sat: 8:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Sun: 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. | No, return during office hours | Walkable from central Santa Monica; free local pickup available | Neighborhood counter that avoids the airport fee and suits beach stays. |
| Burbank Airport (BUR) | 2501 N Hollywood Way, Ste 7, 91505 | Mon-Fri: 5:30 a.m.-11:00 p.m. Sat: 6:00 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Sun: 6:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m. | Yes, key drop at the return area | From baggage claim, walk to the Rental Car Center, about 10 minutes | Often calmer than LAX for both pickup and return times. |
Every location above is active and current. Addresses and hours are live on Avis' own location pages, and the LAX bus pickup point and 24-hour return policy are spelled out on the airport location page and mirrored in airport materials about the consolidated facility.
At LA-area Avis counters, the minimum renter age is 21. Expect a posted $27/day underage surcharge if you are 21-24. California law stretches the free additional driver list beyond just spouses or domestic partners to include your child, sibling, or grandparent, provided they meet the usual license and age rules. That is a very LA-friendly quirk if you are trading the car between family across town.
Plan for a temporary authorization at pickup that equals your estimated charges plus a hold. At LAX and most city counters, Avis states a hold of $200 with a credit card or $250 if you prepaid a debit card reservation. The hold is separate from the actual rental charges and reverses after return per your bank's timing.
Most classic LA routes do not hit barrier toll booths, but Orange County's 73/133/241/261 roads are all-electronic, and the I-10 and I-110 express lanes use variable tolling. If you roll through a tolled lane without paying directly, Avis will activate its e-toll setup for you and pass through both the toll and a convenience fee. The current posted convenience fee is $6.95 for each day you incur a toll, capped at $34.75 per rental, with a lower corporate rate if your rental is tied to a company AWD code. If you never use a toll, you never pay the fee.
Renting at LAX normally includes an airport Customer Facility Charge applied per rental day, capped after five days, which funds the centralized rental complex and its people-moving system. That fee does not appear on a rental that originates at an in-town Avis, because it is an airport facility charge. That is the big structural reason locals book neighborhood counters for weeklong trips when timing allows.
Think of Avis' clock as a 24-hour cycle with a small buffer. You have a 29-minute grace on the back end; beyond that, partial- then full-day late charges stack up. This is especially relevant for Santa Monica and Downtown LA, where the desk must be open to check in the car.
If your plan lives inside the usual tourist triangle of LAX, Hollywood, Westside beaches, and Downtown, you can steer around tolls entirely by staying on the 405, 10, 101, and surface streets. If work drags you south into Irvine or north onto express lanes at rush hour, the e-toll program is a backstop rather than a must-buy. The key is whether you intend to drive a tolled segment at least once. If yes, the per-usage day fee plus the toll is cheaper than a missed toll by mail and the time wasted trying to reconcile it after the fact. The convenience fee is charged only on days you incur a toll, not every day of your rental.
No. The Santa Monica Broadway counter requires returns during office hours, and the desk posts 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. on weekdays with shorter weekend hours. If you need a late-night handoff, return to LAX, which runs 24 hours with after-hours returns.
Exit baggage claim to the Lower/Arrivals roadway and wait beneath the purple Car Rental sign. The free courtesy bus runs to the consolidated Rental Car Center at 5251 W 98th St for both pickup and return.
Expect an authorization equal to your estimated charges plus $200 with a credit card. If you prepaid a debit-card reservation, the typical hold is $250. The bank releases it after the car checks in.
Minimum renter age is 21. Avis lists a $27/day underage surcharge for renters 21-24 at the LAX location, and that policy is reflected across LA-area counters.
To narrow the choice: if your flight schedule is tight or you land late, book LAX and enjoy the 24-hour return. If your pickup can wait until morning and you are staying in Downtown or the Westside, an in-town counter trims airport facility fees and keeps you out of the horseshoe entirely.
Published: September 10, 2026 · Reviewed by the This Los Angeles editorial team