Car Rental - Detroit

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Locations: Hertz has car rental pick-up points throughout Detroit and the surrounding suburbs, including Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport. Find the location that works best for your itinerary.

Fleet: Michigan's roads open up quickly once you leave the city. See the full Hertz vehicle range and rent a car for wherever your Detroit adventure takes you.

Things to do: Few American cities have reinvented themselves quite like Detroit. Discover attractions, landmarks, and experiences that make the city worth exploring.

Useful rental information: Plan ahead with clear, practical guidance on car rentals in Detroit, including flexible bookings, one-way trips, and answers to common questions.

Detroit car rental

With a Detroit car rental from Hertz, your journey into the ‘Motor City’ begins the moment you hit the road. Fly into Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, and you're only about 20 miles from downtown. That puts you within easy reach of the scenic waterfront Renaissance Center and the iconic Woodward Avenue corridor.

Choose from a broad fleet of vehicles, including spacious SUVs for family trips to Dearborn or a sleek sedan for navigating the city at your own pace.

Once steeped in automotive history but recently transformed by a reinvigorated cultural scene, Detroit car rental opens up a city that rewards exploration. Discover the murals of Eastern Market and the green spaces of Belle Isle before taking the open road north through Michigan's small towns at your own pace.

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Detroit rental locations

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Map data ©2026 Google
Map data ©2026 Google

Detroit rental car options

Popular vehicles to rent in Detroit

Things to do in Detroit

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Belle Isle Park

99 Pleasure Drive, Detroit, MI 48207

Belle Isle is an island park that sits on the Detroit River, a short drive across the MacArthur Bridge from the mainland. It's one of the city's most cherished green spaces, home to the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory and the Belle Isle Aquarium. The drive from Downtown takes about 15 minutes with your Hertz rental, and parking options are available throughout the park. It's a good spot for walking trails, cycling paths or simply watching boats move along the river. Come at sunset for some of the most breathtaking views the city has to offer, especially when the skyline reflects across the water.

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The Whitney

4421 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201

A staple of fine dining in Detroit, The Whitney occupies a beautifully preserved 1894 Romanesque Revival mansion in Midtown Detroit, originally built for lumber baron David Whitney Jr. Today it operates as one of Detroit's most celebrated fine dining venues, serving classic American cuisine across a series of ornate dining rooms filled with original stonework, stained glass and period pieces. The menu leans toward beef, seafood and seasonal ingredients.

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Shinola Hotel

1400 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48226

Shinola Hotel sits in the heart of downtown Detroit on Woodward Avenue, occupying a group of restored historic buildings, making it one of the city’s best places to stay. The interiors draw heavily on Detroit’s manufacturing identity, with custom millwork, curated art and mid-century design running throughout the 129 rooms and public spaces. San Morello, the on-site Italian restaurant, is a strong reason to stay in for the evening. And the Living Room bar is a settled, comfortable spot to relax before a night out in the city.

Long term car rental

If you're staying in Detroit for an extended period, a long term car rental gives you the flexibility to stay mobile without repeatedly renewing shorter bookings. It's a practical solution whether you're visiting for business across the metro area or settling in for a longer stay across Michigan.

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One-way car rental

Planning a trip between Detroit, Chicago or nearby airports is simpler with a one-way car rental. Pick up your vehicle in Detroit and drop it off at your final destination without having to double back.

 

Business rental 

For business travel between Detroit Metropolitan Airport, downtown and corporate hubs like Dearborn, Southfield, and Troy, a car rental keeps your schedule on track. With Hertz Gold+ and skip-the-counter pickup, you can land, collect your vehicle and head straight to meetings without unnecessary delays.

Popular road trips from Detroit

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Detroit to Ann Arbor

45 miles & 45-minute drive

Head west along I-94 for a short but rewarding drive to one of Michigan's most beloved cities. Home to the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor offers a compact and walkable downtown filled with independent shops, restaurants and cultural venues. It makes an easy half-day trip from Detroit or a relaxed full day if you want to explore the city at a slower pace.

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Detroit to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

270 miles & 4-hour drive

There's a reason Sleeping Bear Dunes was once voted the most beautiful place in America. Drive northwest through Grand Rapids and the scenery builds steadily, but nothing prepares you for the moment the dunes appear above Lake Michigan's shoreline. Go early, bring water for the climb, and stay long enough to catch the light changing across the water in the afternoon.

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Detroit to Chicago

281 miles & 4-hour and 30 minute drive

Head west along I-94 past Ann Arbor and Kalamazoo before Chicago's skyline gradually comes into view on the horizon. The route passes through some of the Midwest's most open driving country before delivering you up to the adventure that is Chi-town. The food alone could fill a week, and the lakefront on a clear day is the kind of thing that makes the drive back to Detroit feel genuinely hard to start.

FAQS when renting a car in Detroit

Car rental pricing in Detroit can vary depending on factors such as the type of vehicle you choose, your travel dates, and the length of the rental period. If you’re picking up at the airport or opting for larger vehicles, such as SUVs or 5-passenger options, daily rates may increase depending on timing and demand.


After collecting your luggage at DTW, follow the Ground Transportation signs to the lower level. Free shuttle buses run from the McNamara Terminal Parking Garage and the Big Blue Deck of the Evans Terminal to the Hertz Rental Car Campus. The journey takes around five to ten minutes.


Hertz has multiple pick-up points across Detroit and the wider metro area, including Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport. You can select the ideal pick-up point depending on where you arrive in Detroit and the itinerary you’ve got planned for your trip. 


At the counter, Hertz offers a range of optional protection products, including Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) and Liability Insurance Supplement (LIS), just to mention a few. For a full breakdown of what each option covers, visit the Hertz Customer Support Hub.


Book early, keep your dates flexible where possible, and use the booking widget on this page to compare options across the fleet. Joining Gold+ also gives you access to added value on every rental.


Hertz offers a broad range of vehicle categories to suit different trips. You can choose compact cars ideal for city driving and business travel, or larger SUVs and vans for family visits or longer journeys across Michigan. 


Yes, a car rental in Detroit makes it easy to explore the city at your own pace. Detroit’s public transit covers central areas but has limited reach across the wider metro. A rental car is the most practical way to access attractions like the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Belle Isle and destinations further into Michigan.