Whether you rent or lease, long-term car rental (more than 28 days) gives you the flexibility to travel when and where you want. Here’s all you need to know before you book.
In this post
- How long can you hire a car for?
- Which companies offer long-term car hire?
- How to find a cheap long-term rental
- How much does long-term car hire cost?
- Long-term car rental benefits
- Long-term car hire vs. short-term car leasing
- FAQ
How long can you hire a car for?
More and more, car hire companies offer four, six-month and even year-long rentals. These vary from company to company, but the majority define long-term car rental as more than 28 days.
Find a long-term car hire
Long-term car rental providers in the UK.
Most major car hire companies (with the exception of Alamo) offer long-term car hire. Check the details of every policy to make sure you’re getting the right deal.
Pay particular attention to the type of car to make sure it suits your needs and if there are fixed mileage allowances. Companies often offer discounts if you book online rather than over the phone. Here are some of the most popular companies’ policies in the UK. Note policies will vary from country to country.
| Car rental company | Maximum rental period | Need to know |
| Budget | 90 days | Discounts are available for 31+ day rentals. |
| Enterprise | 89 days | No mileage limit for most vehicle classes |
| Hertz | Renews monthly | Free monthly valet service and 24-hour breakdown and recovery assistance |
| Avis | 90 days | No deposit required, no maintenance costs. monthly billing |
| Dollar | Renews monthly | Renter must ensure preventative maintenance, like oil checks, is done at a Dollar location or similar |
| SIXT | 365 days | Car subscription service allows customer to choose a mileage package or swap cars |
If you’re planning a trip try Ask AI within KAYAK’s car rental search. Here’s a sample prompt to get you started:
“Find me a long-term car rental from 2 June 2026 to 7 July 2026 in Malaga. The pick up and drop off should be the airport, otherwise I am flexible.“
What is the cheapest way to rent a car for a month or more in the UK?
KAYAK’s Car Hire Search Tool checks hundreds of car hire sites to find the cheapest available. You can even search by dedicated car type, from a people carrier to a convertible sports car. Here are some tips to get the best car hire deals using KAYAK:
- Use KAYAK’s price comparison tool to compare hire cars from 100s of sites
- Filter by price to see the cheapest deals
- If you don’t mind what car you drive, filter by size – smaller cars are often cheaper
- Compare up to 3 cars side by side to get a good idea of what’s included
- Not ready to commit? Set a Price Alert so KAYAK can track prices for you
Many car rental companies also offer discount codes for longer hire periods, so take some time to scour the internet for these. If possible, being flexible with the rental dates can help keep costs down, and so can booking in advance.
Note: Car rentals are usually most expensive when picking up from an airport, so be mindful of this if your budget is tight.
Don’t rush into a long-term car rental. It’s important to take the time to read through different car rental providers and check their terms meet your needs. You don’t want to get stuck in a long contract you want to escape from.
How much does long-term car hire cost?
The cost of long-term car hire can vary wildly depending on lots of factors. These include the location, how long you’re hiring for, what mileage is included and what type of car you want. Then there are the hire companies themselves, with some charging far less but without much in the way of customer service.
Let’s look at a few examples using KAYAK’s car rental comparison tool and searching for a one-month car hire.
It’s currently May 2026, and I can see that the best price for booking a 30-day car hire in Liverpool in June 2026 is a Seat Mii for £289. In Los Angeles, this is a Toyota Corolla for £605 and in Barcelona, it’s £394 for a Fiat 500.
Always check the rental company’s customer reviews before committing to a long-term car rental. For a quick insight, when searching on KAYAK, sort your results based on our recommendation.
Why choose long-term car rental?
Whether it’s a long-term rental to support your needs at home in the UK or to help you get around on a longer holiday abroad, having a cheap long-term car hire can make life much easier.
As well as being convenient, long-term car hire can be surprisingly cost-effective. Long-term rental pricing follows a simple principle: the longer you hire, the lower your daily rate. This is because rental companies prefer the guaranteed income and reduced admin of longer bookings.
I recently spent several weeks working in the beach towns of Andalucia in Spain where a car was the only realistic means of transport. The cost of car hire for one month was less than I would have spent on public transport and taxis – and the ease was priceless.
A long-term hire car can also give you flexibility. Rental contracts mean you can renew your monthly car hire, usually up to a period of three to six months. Longer contracts come with lower day rates than short-term hire, making it cheaper than you might originally expect. It can mean you have access to a wider range of car types, too.
What’s included in long-term car hire?
Long-term car rental packages typically include benefits to make them convenient for extended use. Here’s what you can generally expect:
- Maintenance and servicing: Routine maintenance is usually covered, so you won’t need to worry about oil changes or scheduled services during your rental period.
- Roadside assistance: Most long-term rentals include 24-hour breakdown and recovery cover as standard.
- Mileage allowance: Many providers offer generous or unlimited mileage, though some set caps – always check before booking.
- Basic insurance: Standard collision damage waiver and theft protection are typically included, with options to upgrade for fuller coverage.
- Deposit requirements: A refundable deposit is usually required, though some providers offer no-deposit options for longer rentals.
- Vehicle swaps: Some companies allow you to swap your car for a different model during the rental period. If you like driving different cars, this can be a good perk.
Long-term car hire vs. short-term car lease.
If you need a car for longer than a few months, you face the question of whether it’s better to hire a car or lease one. Generally speaking, long term car hire targets rentals of one to six months. Any longer and short-term car leases become an option for anything up to 24 months.
What are the benefits of long-term car hire?
- Flexible rental periods. You can hire a car for as long as you want it rather than a predetermined fixed period. Need to extend your rental? Most long-term rentals will let you up to a predetermined limit.
- Convenient booking. Book quickly and easily in advance just like you would any hire car. There’s less paperwork than when leasing and you won’t be subject to credit checks.
- No down payment required. Many rental providers don’t require an upfront lump sum.
What are the benefits of short-term car leasing?
- Longer rental periods. Most rental companies impose a long-term car hire limit of between three and six months. You can lease a car for years.
- It can be cheaper. The big plus with car leasing is that it’s almost always cheaper than hiring a car. That price gap only increases the longer you have the car.
Getting a long-term hire car comes with lots of benefits. It makes getting around easy, and removes the hassle of car maintenance and car insurance. If you’re going to be somewhere for three months, six months or longer, it offers convenience and mobility without the hassle of leasing or buying a car.
Before you hire a car, long or short term, there are plenty of things to consider. From the best way to pay to knowing what to do in an accident, KAYAK has guides to help.
Long-term car hire FAQs
Yes, there are more and more car hire companies offering car rentals for four months and even longer. Not all hire companies offer this long-term a rental though, so you may need to look around. Or you can, of course, use the KAYAK Car Hire Search Tool and let it do the hard work for you.
The cost of leasing a car varies depending on the type of car, where you’re leasing and for how long. When leasing, you may need to leave a down payment and pay admin fees up front. You may also face extra costs when you return it.
Multi-year rentals are usually cars that have been leased. If you need to rent a car for three years, you should lease rather than hire it. Leasing is cheaper than hiring and you may find it hard to get a hire car for such a long period.
Yes, there are UK companies that will lease cars for three months. Typically, car leases cover longer periods from six months to three years. More and more leasing companies are shortening leasing periods though, creating competition with short-term car hire companies. This can make it easier to get good prices, so it’s always worth checking both options.
The post Your guide to long-term car rental in the UK & abroad. appeared first on KAYAK Blog UK.
