Worst customer service ever. Called like 20 times and they never answered my call. So I had to call their main office and all they would do was try to reconnect my call to the counter at the George Bush airport in Houston to have me wait again and no answer. read more

Poor ..............pitiful...... poor service ...... this location is. Disgrace and should close to keep the brand's integrity............... read more

A straightforward experience after I made a reservation on priceline. The airport shuttle connects the terminals to the rental center where all the rental car companies are located - a well designed complex with covered parking. At pickup, the staff expectedly pushed insurance, upgrades, and gas packages on me. After that, it was smooth sailing: driving the car off the lot, and returning it to a courteous staff who promptly gave me a receipt acknowledging the full tank of gas. Given the sprawling city of Houston and its unending traffic jams, it's nice to have at least the car rental experience be stress-free. read more

I will NEVER rent from budget again! I originally left the lot with a vehicle that had engine problems & broke down within 30 minutes of my having it. Then I had to wait about 2 hours for a tow & another 45 minutes sitting at budget so they could verify the car came in, because apparently they didnt verify when I rode in on the tow truck!!!! I'm was absolutely livid! Thank god by the way that I wasnt with my kid or an older woman! Because that Texas heat will get to you sitting in a car!!!! Then the next car they gave me had a slow leak because I kept filling the tire with air & the light would come on by the end of the night! To top it off, my field gauge read "full" when I returned the car, he even documented it as such, yet they STILL tried to charge me a fuel charge!!!! NEVER again! read more

Worst experience EVER! I've never seen a line this long. Super slow service. I paid ahead and did digital check-in so only supposed to "stop by counter" to pick up keys, but they still made me wait over 30 min. in this insane line where there was NO SOCIAL DISTANCING and no ventilation. Terrible Covid protocols!! One counter person was wearing her mask on her chin and lower lip only and not staying behind her screen, even...why bother wearing one then!! It's a chin accessory at this point. They also still made me sign (with my finger) the filthy touchscreen (not cleaned in the 30+ min I was there), give my license and credit card to the unfriendly check-in person, even though I submitted all that info during my pre- checkin so no one would have to touch my things. Annoyed that I had to go through a full check-in and that my license had to be touched by the Budget employee, I asked her what the purpose of prepaying and digital check-in was since got me nowhere apparently. She was less than nice while not answering my question and handed me my key to the car I had selected (the only positive!). Before driving off, I wiped and sprayed down the inside of the car and put the windows down to air out car from any possible Covid. We wore masks for a while until reached our hotel and the car was sufficiently aired out. After checking into our room and ready to hit the road again, we got into car (now without masks) and it REEKED of intense cigarette smoke-- worse than any bar or night club. It smelled like the bottom of an ash tray to the point that we had to mask just to tolerate being in the car. Had we been closer to the airport and/or our stay was more than 24 hrs, I would have returned the car. But, our schedule didn't allow it. Also, the A/C only worked intermittently in hot Houston. Terrible experience overall. Will never use Budget if given a choice in the future. read more

Don't rent from this location! Having worked for the number one car rental agency in the U.S. (not these guys) I am aware of all of the tricks, upsells and pitfalls of renting cars. I rented under a government contract (Damage Waiver is included in the Gov rate) and they still went after me for damage on the vehicle from a previous rental even though I had pointed out the damage. Damage waiver is a good thing to take, but since it's part of the gov contract, I didn't sign for it. They are trying to charge me despite the fact the coverage is included and that I pointed it out to customer service agent. On top of that, the car wreaked of cigarette smoke, and they tried to hard sell me on upgrades and coverages. Very unprofessional outfit. read more

BUDGET IS THE BEST!!! A special thank you to Derrick K. at the Houston Airport for helping us with an upgrade from the blue Escape SUV into the white Dodge Caravan. Hire more employees like him! Situation: We were just told by Alamo that our "reservation" made weeks earlier was no longer valid. Sorry sir cant help you. Go away. Doesn't matter that you were coming from your moms funeral or that you have been traveling with 2 energetic kids under 4 with you or that you are lugging around a cart with 6 checked bags a diaper bag and a laptop bag. Nope. Had Alamo made this clear we would NEVER have rented from Alamo in the first place. NEVER RENT FROM ALAMO AGAIN! This review is a reward for Budget coming through at a difficult time, and then going the extra mile to make someones day. THANKS BUDGET! THANKS DERRICK K.!!! read more

The rental cars themself are decent, but the customer service is terrible. I called to change the drop off location and the lady I spoke with was so incompetent. She wouldn't tell me if there was a price change and sent me a confirmation email with the same drop off location. I told her about it and she rushed me off the phone saying I should wait for an email which never came. Next, I tried to confirm the change by chat with someone else who told me the third party (Expedia) had to do it which was a bold face lie. Finally, I contacted an Expedia representative who contacted Budget. The Budget representative told her it could be done, but it would double the price. An addition $600 just to change where I drop off a car is ridiculous. I have a relative who is passing away in the ICU and this company would not make an accommodation. I'm pretty pissed. I'll never use this company again. read more

Check out went smooth. Clerk was friendly and helpful. Reserved a economy car month ago and received a free upgrade for a Toyota 4Runner. Did NOT want the upgrade as we reserved a economy car so we wouldn't have such a high gas bill while traveling on our vacation. We were told they were out of cars. Went to the garage to pick up the rental and there were cars everywhere. The clerk at pick up was rude and unprofessional. The ladies at drop off were all very nice. This trip ended up costing us double in gas due to the upgrade. If I reserve a car I expect to receive a car. If I wanted a gas guzzler I would have reserved one. read more

If I could leave no starts I would. Budget Car Rental most definitely let me down. During the process of picking up my reservation and after charging my credit card their system had a glitch that resulted in them charging me for the vehicle but it failing to generate a contract. I was told by the merchant (Budget) to contact my bank who informed me that the merchant would have to be the one to reverse the charge. However Budget told me it was nothing they could do and once the system sees there was no contract generated for the rental agreement it will release the funds within 48 hours. So now I have no funds to cover another rental because they are tied up in a rental I have no access to. What about my trip I had planned? Well customer service and it's managers was no help and in the end all they could do for the inconvenience was offer me a free rental voucher for ONE day on a future rental. read more

Overall, the experience was pretty good and much better than expected. I would like to see kiosks available for anyone and not just their program members. The agent was quick (3 to 4 minutes) and I was on my way. Car was exactly where it should be with a full tank and in good condition. The windows were a bit dirty so it made it a little difficult as night to see out the sides but otherwise the car was fine. I would rent from here again for sure. They price was also less than most everyone else as an added bonus. Enjoy! read more

This will probably be the last time I rent from this place, a year ago, I rented a Dodge Dart, great shape and condition, but I got a flat in the rain, I called and asked for roadside assistance, but they refused to help. I told them that the tire had a "Bolt" in it and was un-repairable, I had to call my own AAA to put on the spare in the rain. So last week, I rented a Toyota Sienna from these people, pretty good deal so I said what the hell, got in the van and it smelled like someone threw up in it. Went form IAH to Sugar Land, (41) miles then the maintenance light comes on. Well it needed an oil change, and was most irritating to have a yellow light come on and stay on! Then the van wouldn't start sporadically, had to keep cranking the engine. LAST TIME BUDGET! read more

As others have noted, I wish I could leave less than one star, and will NEVER rent from a Budget location ever again. First off, while I did pay $60 total extra for insurance coverage, my $206.59 quote that purportedly included all taxes, fees, and surcharges escalated to $543.95 upon checkout. Part of that ridiculous inflation was due to a straight up ripoff on my fuel surcharge. I returned my Dodge Charger with over a half tank of gas remaining, but was billed $166.03(!) for fuel service. I asked the employee at the point of return why it was so high, and he told me they billed $10 per gallon for any gas that needed to be refilled. However, the gas tank on the Dodge Charger is only 18.5 gallons, so I was clearly getting ripped off. I told this to the employee, who basically responded "not my problem" and sent me on my way. Again, I feel completely cheated by this experience and will never rent from any Budget location ever again. I'd recommend others steer clear and opt for literally any other rental car provider. read more

The rental car hub is large and clearly marked. We always find the Budget people with the car that we reserved ready and waiting. Especially love that when you drop off the rental it is automated and then a quick shuttle to airport terminal. read more

Not bad! Exactly one rental and it was FINE on every front! No reservation, I walked up and was inside a car within 15 minutes. Decent rate. The agent was helpful and personable. My Chevy SUV was just fine, and check in at 4 am on return was swift and easy. read more

The rental clerk would not let me rent because I had a debit card. Even though it said visa on it she would not allow me to rent. So I used a different car rental company The worst part is my dad had died that am and I was in tears and trying to get a car and the lady did not care one bit! Luckily Thrifty Rental was able to accommodate me and had a little compassion as well. read more

I forgot to fill up gas. He Charged me 150 for half tank of gas without even a heads up. I asked him to reverse it because at that rate I could rent the car for two more days or just return with a tank of gas in 20 minutes. He said he couldn't. WHY?!?! Lazy and ungrateful for my business, which budget won't be getting any more read more

We got into a car accident and needed a car to get to and from work. After reading the terms and agreements of budget that clearly state they rent cars to people between the ages of 21-24 for an extra fee and paying that fee, we went to pick up our car and the lady went on to tell us we aren't allowed to rent the car because we aren't 25. She gave us a number to call to get a refund but upon calling we quickly realized it was a fax machine. Overall it was a waste of time, hard earned money, and energy. read more

I was charged $200 for a naturally occurring crack in the windshield, obviously not caused by me. I will NEVER rent from this unethical company again in the future. read more

I returned my Daughter, Tori's Rental car to the George Bush Airport location on January 4th and tried to get a receipt. They said, "Don't worry about it, we will email it to you". When I received the email, they said I dropped off the car on the 7th. So, they took an extra $247.61 out of my deposit. I called Budget, they gave me a case number of #316 724 39 and said that they can't fully refund my deposit. I called over 5 different people trying to explain the situation and the fact that I did drop it off on time. They denied me all 5 times. Oh well. So, I'm writing this to let you know that Budget Rental Car may steal your money. I don't think Budget did it on purpose but I know Budget will not listen to their customers and have no problem stealing from them. read more

Horrible service. Couldn't give me a car even though I had money. They took it of and I had to talk to the manager. Lots of confusing stuff happened and pissed me off! read more

Budget - Manager - Car Rental Near Me - Houston, Texas

Landed at 11:30 the line was 15 people deep because budget closes "after hours" and moves their customers to Avis where they have 1 check in person... although budget advertises as "open 24hrs" . read more

Returned the rental car a full day early and they would not adjust the price. The lady was very rude and unprofessional. I guess this company doesn't adjust prices based on time like the other rental car companies. When I requested to get the vehicle back since I paid for it they wouldn't give the vehicle back. Bad business. read more

I rented a car from this Houston George Bush airport location from 24th thru 26th May memorial day weekend. I reached after midnight and took the shuttle to the rental location. The gentleman behind the desk, Scott, handled my reservation. He tried to sell me collision insurance which I declined. I told him I already have auto insurance and that covers rentals as well. Then he told me that I would still have to pay the deductible even if my auto insurance covers the collision. I told him that my Visa card will cover the deductible that I would otherwise have to bear. He kept arguing with me asking whether I was sure and I told him that I was sure. Then he went on to complete the paperwork and asked me to sign at various places. I tried to spend some time reading what I was signing and he appeared to be exasperated that I was not quickly signing. He told me "Sir it is all standard stuff". I said "Yes I know most of it is standard but I still like to glance through it before I sign, I am not reading every line". Mind you it was not as if I was holding up a line, the last flight had arrived already and there was not s single person behind me in the line. Anyway after all the signatures were completed he asked me to choose between Kia Soul and a Mazda3. I opted for Mazda3. No other conversation happened. After taking the keys and walking to the parking lot, I saw it was a Ford Focus. I didn't have the energy or inclination to go back to Scott and deal with him again about the Mazda3. I just did a quick walk around to check for damages and drove out the Ford Focus. Now, I am from Michigan where I don't pay any tolls and I am not aware of how the toll system works when you are in a rental car. I drove from the airport to Katy and paid tolls using cash on the way. At Katy, my cousins told me later that there must be a toll transponder in the car that I could have used to pay tolls. I thought that would a good idea on the way back to the airport. On 26th I turned the transponder on (there was an on-off switch and a note clearly saying that tolls will be recorded on switching the transponder on). I drove back to the airport, zipped through all the toll lanes, filled gas and returned the car. After a few days I saw credit card charges of very high amounts for toll. I called the Budget toll number which was on my rental agreement and asked them for the breakup of the toll charges. On receiving the breakup, I was told that there was convenience charge of $3.95 per day for all 3 days for using the transponder. I told them that first of all why are they charging me $3.95 for all 3 days when I used the transponder only on the way back to the airport (the last day). They said that is how it was, the charge would be for the entire duration of the rental. Next I asked them why this convenience charge was imposed when this toll convenience charge was not mentioned in the rental agreement that I signed. Heck, Scott did not even mention anything about tolls in Houston or transponder in the car, leave alone anything about any convenience charge for using a transponder. At this point the woman on the phone started getting exceedingly exasperated and started raising her voice telling me that everything in the agreement cannot be explicitly explained. So I told her that I agree that everything cannot be explained but at least should that information not be on the rental agreement that I signed? I mean the agreement I signed mentions that I declined loss & collision insurance, I declined the offer for paying upfront for a full tank of gas and the other terms and conditions of rental. Where was the convenience charge mentioned? How can you hold me liable for something that I did not sign? Anyway she said she could not help me further and hung up after a while. At this point I decided to dispute this convenience fee with my credit card company (my credit card company has assured me that I was not liable for anything that I did not sign) and have currently filled up all the paperwork for this dispute with a copy of the rental agreement that I had signed. Folks, learn from my experience. When you rent a car, take your time to go through the rental agreement. Do not just start signing everything in haste. Ask about insurance, ask about any toll charges and how those are recorded, ask about every conceivable thing you can think of that these people don't care to explain to you but which come and bite you later after your credit card is already charged. Yes I understand that you are tired getting off a plane but 10 minutes of your alertness will save you days of trouble and heartache later on. And try not to rent from these rude condescending Budget people who really don't know anything about customer service and will nickel and dime you in every humiliating way. Now I know why they are Budget and how you pretty much get what you pay for. read more

I rent fifteen to twenty vehicles a year, mostly through Enterprise or Hertz. I decided to try Budget on a recent trip to Houston, and found it to be the worst rental car experience I have ever had. Prior to departing the IAH rental car facility, I told the attendant the vehicle was damaged, and to please note it on my rental agreement (which he did). Importantly, he told me not to lose this slip or documentation, because "You know that Budget is a bad company, right?" I asked him what that meant, and he advised that the company was known to come after people for damage on vehicles that previously occurred. Later, I found the vehicle to have a terrible shimmy, and was in need of a desperate front end realignment, but that no other SUVs where available given my location near Galveston, Texas. When I returned the vehicle, they noted the vehicle issues, and again the attendants told me not to lose my rental agreement, and that Budget is a bad company. I have never, ever, used a company where their employees told me directly that their company was not to be trusted, nor can I believe that I would be pursued for damages, where it is clearly documented I was not at fault. About two weeks after the rental, I received a bill for approximately $100 regarding the damages. I provided my documentation, but they said nothing was in their system and that nothing could be done, but in good faith they would refund me the $29 administration fee. I will never, ever, rent from Budget again. read more

I had a reservation to pick up my car at 11:30pm and when I got there they could not honor my reservation. Now after midnight I had no way to get to my hotel. The other car rental brands were able to honor their rentals but Budget could not. This sent me on a journey with my luggage trying to get through dark parking lots by myself so an Uber could come pick me up. When I called Budget for help the next morning they hung up the phone on me. read more

My experience at THIS Budget has converted me to being a Budget customer only! I arrived in IAH on July 4th at like 6am. I have made reservations on Hotwire with Alamo. So, that is where I went first. To tell you the truth, I don't know why I could not get my car at Alamo. But, the guy was trying to get to some chick that worked at National and every time, I would try to talk to him or ask him a question, he would answer in a hurry and dash back over to her. It got to the point where he would not even bring his ass back over to the Alamo counter. So, I left. I was in TEXAS alone with my two kids and I still needed to drive many, many, many miles into the country to get to my family. After dealing with the Alamo guy, I was so upset and confused. I walked over to Budget...still very much in panic-mode and the agent there was a total "gift from Heaven"! Seriously, part of me is convinced that she was an angel. Of course I prayed first because after dealing with "the loverboy" at Alamo, I was ready to just explode with tears and very bad words! But, the angel was so kind and calm and helpful, she had me in a daze. She matched my Hotwire quote from Alamo and even helped me to organize my finances better....FOR REAL!!!! I don't know her name...but, if you run into the Budget Angel of IAH...let her bless your travels too. read more

Beware the IAH Houston airport location of Budget Rental Car. They overcharged me yesterday for my rental fee by 50%. I happened to notice it and they said it was because I used the rental less than 75 miles, thus I had to show them proof of gas purchase or they automatically charge $14.99 fuel charge. I happened to have my gas receipt so I got a refund, but I was pretty pissed that they tried to sneak that charge past me with no warning, and it wasn't something I wanted to deal with when trying to catch my flight. Also, their contract doesn't mention the grace period like most companies do. It is pretty stingy (only 29 minutes). read more

Picking up and dropping off the car was Super easy, thanks for running an efficient business.

When I originally booked, I didn't believe the negative reviews, but believe me, renting from Budget was definitely a zero star experience. Despite prepaying, I had my credit pulled for using a debit card, was triple charged + incidentals, and the staffmembers were very unfriendly. I have never given a one star review in my life, but Budget deserves this one. There are way better companies out there to rent from. read more

I recently rented from Budget at George Bush International Airport (IAH) on a rental booked through Priceline by the company I worked for. Check out seemed to go fine, but apparently when I told Shantria behind the counter that I couldn't add any upgrades, coverage, or options to the rental, that didn't stop her from slipping a $6.99/day roadside assistance to the rental. Once I got the car, it smelled like someone had bathed in perfume inside the car. All of our rental cars in the group from Budget smelled the same way. Then, upon returning the car, the wireless handheld computer system for car check in was not working, so I had to go back to the counter to check in the car. At that point, since I had driven under 75 miles, they added a $13.99 flat fee for fuel...despite the fact that I had just fueled the car up at one of the gas stations close to the airport. Watch the rental agreement closely before you sign ANYTHING. And look over the receipt upon returning the car. If I have to constantly watch my back for extra add on fees, then it's not worth it to me to rent from Budget. Back to National I go, hi-ho! read more

They need a -25. I called the main number to budget. I was transferred 9 times. I was even given a phone number to Avis. UGH. When I explained this was the wrong person. How could I receive a bill for a vehicle I never rented. They insisted I provide them my credit card number. Yeah right. I repeated "prove that I walked in to IAH Budget rent a car and obtained a car (drove off in the car)" It specifically states you must have MORE than one for of ID to prove it is you. I told them Tuesday, Wednesday and TODAY.....THIS IS FRUAD. I was asked to give them my credit card number. Please ....please....please BEWARE. Especially if you have a common name. Some one at the IAH location and the North freeway location has a scam going. The car was dropped off at the North Freeway location near Spring High School. This has been a NIGHT mare to deal with AFTER DEALING with the flood. read more

Rented a car on 12/27/14, car was paid in full at pickup, they needed a credit card in case something happened, I get my credit card bill in with a $155 charge. I called corporate they said it was for insurance I put on the car, I plainly told the barely English speaking clerk I did not need the insurance that my insurance would cover any damages, needless to say he checked the box and I signed the contract as it was 8 pages long and didn't have time to read the thing. I will never rent from budget again and wouldn't recommend them to an enemy and as for the 1 star they wouldn't have got that if it would have let me share this review with no stars read more

I wish I could leave a lower rating. This was the WORST experience renting a car I've ever received. I have always used Enterprise in the past without a problem but since they did not have the car I wanted available I thought I would try Budget. Customer Service seemed pleasant and I gave them the specific dates I would be renting the car which was for a week and a half. I also advised that I did not want the insurance. When I returned the car they added extra charges stating I advised them I would only be using the car 1 day and insurance was added as well. The 2 women at customer service were incredibly rude and stated "I could not prove anything". They did reduce the charges somewhat but they were double what I was quoted. We also were not informed that using their toll pass would be an automatic additional fee of $19.95. If I had known that I would have avoided the tollway the one time I used it. Also, a certified letter was waiting for me at my post office advising if the car was not returned charges would be pressed. I will never use them again and the only thing I've learned out of this is to always read the small fine print on the back of the forms and always check reviews online. read more

Fast checkin and checkout. Car was in good condition and helped me navigate my way around Houston. I gave 4 instead of 5 stars for 2 reasons 1- The rep that helped when i picked the car up seemed to hate her job. I asked why i was being charged a security deposit, and she acted like i should know 2- I called customer service when i incorrectly thought i was being charged an extra security deposit after returning the car. The rep i talked too there wanted me to call back for updates, rather than contacting me with updates. Aside from those incidents with the reps, honestly being my first car rental, this is as seamless and good as it gets. I booked online , so maybe that factored into my not having to argue with reps about insurance read more

So when we got here, the rep who was 'assisting' Petra, was giving us such a run around about the rental car, even though we had paid via their website directly for coverage, the rep printed out a page insisting that we were not covered and declined service. I attempted to show the rep the paid confirmation receipt from the website email directly on my phone, but she pushed the phone away not looking at it saying 'I'm not looking at that sir'. I unfortunately had to get the supervisor involved because the rep was still insisting that this was not accurate. Upon getting the supervisor, we attempted to explain the situation in full stating that we did not go through a '3rd party company' as the rep was trying to insist. Needless to say, 30mins later the supervisor had to step in and resolve the issue. Thank God the supervisor was there to set this straight. Overall, the rep who 'helped' us, was horrible. Definitely zero customer service skills and should not be behind a desk. read more

I arrived at 12:30 AM, I had a reservation for Hertz, but no one was there, there was no after hours service, even though they had my flight number. The only booths open were Avis and Budget, and both said they were closed online, so I had to wait in line. Avis had a massive line, like 12 people, and budget maybe three (and two clerks). So I waited at Budget, it was obvious they had the same cars as Avis so whatever. Anyway, the lady behind the counter was extremely pleasant even though I know everyone was waiting to go home. She found me a car, plugged in my FastBreak info including discount code, and then found me a better discount code that save me an extra $20. They only had sports cars and pickups available, so I was already paying a lot more for my rental than I planned at Hertz, so I really appreciated this. She sent me to the Avis lot to get my car. Like I said, they share cars. The only snafu was that *everyone* coming in late was renting from Avis or Budget, and there was only one exit booth open, so that took an extra 20 minutes. read more

I needed a car to tour around the city, and escape family when needed. I few in early and they had a car waiting. I took the car for 4.5 days and the prices was cheap. They try to up sell you on everything, but thats business. I just filled my tank before return (at 4AM), and the shuttle to the airport was waiting outside. Really good ending to a weekend with family. read more

This review was from last year. I was so happy with my experience at the avisbudget group at IAH. I have special needs due to my health and the lady in the parking lot where I picked up the vehicle went above and beyond helping me find a vehicle that would work for me. Her name was Barbara Bell. She was amazing!!! And then when I returned, again the staff was super, super helpful. read more

Terrible customer service. I expect an attempt at an upsell when I reach an American Car Rental desk, but never been LIED to on multiple occasions. "You selected a 4-door, but you're getting a 2-door that won't hold your luggage, unless you upgrade more than the car we already promised you". LIES! "You only have basic insurance" when the rental already includes full CDW and SLI. LIES! What is the $150 "Non package items"? "Oh, taxes are 48%" LIES! Never met such a bunch of crooks. Avoid at all costs! read more