If you see a Hertz airport concession fee on a reservation estimate, rental agreement, or final receipt, it generally relates to the cost of Hertz operating at an airport location. Hertz currently describes AFCR, or Airport Concession Fee Recovery, as a charge that reimburses Hertz for concession fees paid to the airport.
There is no single nationwide Hertz airport concession fee that applies identically to every U.S. rental. The amount and way the charge appears can depend on the airport, rental location, booking, and applicable local requirements. Always check the complete price breakdown for your specific rental rather than relying on a fee quoted for another airport.
What Is the Hertz Airport Concession Fee?
The Hertz airport concession fee is generally a cost-recovery charge connected with Hertz operating rental-car services at an airport.
Hertz’s U.S. rental information lists several similar descriptions, including Airport Concession Recovery, Airport Concession Fee Recovery, Airport Concession Fee Recovery & Airport Access Fee, and other location-specific variants. Hertz says these types of charges cover part of what it pays for the right to conduct rental business at an airport or certain other concession locations.
That distinction matters because the fee is not simply another name for the vehicle’s daily rental rate.
Your complete rental price can contain several different components, including the base rental rate, taxes, concession-related charges, facility charges, optional products, fuel-related charges, additional-driver charges, or other location-specific items.
Not every item applies to every rental.
Why Does Hertz Charge an Airport Concession Fee?
Operating a rental-car business at an airport can involve concession agreements and other airport-related costs.
Hertz’s current official explanation says AFCR reimburses the company for concession fees paid to the airport. Its rental qualifications page similarly says concession recovery charges cover part of the fees Hertz pays for the right to do business at certain locations.
This helps explain why comparing only the advertised daily vehicle rate can be misleading.
For example, two rentals with similar base rates could have different final totals if one is picked up at an airport and the other at a different type of location.
The actual comparison should therefore be based on the estimated all-in total, not simply the daily rate.
How Much Is the Hertz Airport Concession Fee?
There is no reliable single dollar amount that should be quoted for every Hertz rental in the United States.
Airport-related charges can vary by location, and Hertz’s own rental information identifies several different concession, facility, transportation, and location-related fees.
For that reason, an airport concession fee seen on somebody else’s receipt is not a dependable estimate for your rental.
The best places to check your actual charge are:
- The complete price breakdown during booking.
- Your reservation confirmation.
- The rental agreement provided at pickup.
- Your final rental receipt.
If you are still deciding where to rent, enter the same dates and vehicle requirements for the locations you are comparing and look at the full estimated totals.
Airport Concession Fee vs. Customer Facility Charge
These terms can look similar on a rental bill, but Hertz does not describe them as the same charge.
Hertz says concession recovery charges cover part of the fees it pays for the right to operate at an airport or other concession location.
By comparison, Hertz describes several Customer Facility Charge-type fees as airport-required charges used for rental-car facilities. Hertz also lists transportation-related fees that may support airport transportation services.
A receipt could therefore contain more than one airport-related line item.
Do not assume that two charges are duplicates simply because both mention the airport.
Quick comparison
| Charge | General purpose |
|---|---|
| Airport Concession Fee Recovery | Recovers part of concession costs associated with operating at the location |
| Customer Facility Charge | May relate to airport rental-car facilities |
| Transportation Fee | May support airport transportation services |
| Taxes or governmental surcharges | Depend on applicable state or local rules |
Your individual receipt and rental agreement should be used to determine which charges actually apply to your rental.
Can You Avoid the Hertz Airport Concession Fee?
Sometimes choosing a different rental location can change the total price, but you should not assume that selecting an off-airport branch automatically eliminates every airport-related charge.
Travel-industry guidance notes that airport rentals are often more expensive because of airport-related charges. However, some off-airport rental transactions can still be affected by airport concession arrangements, especially depending on the location and how airport customers are served.
The safer strategy is to compare actual quotes.
Before booking:
- Price the airport Hertz location.
- Price one or more genuine neighborhood locations.
- Compare the final estimated totals.
- Consider transportation costs to the off-airport branch.
- Check pickup and return restrictions.
- Confirm branch hours and rental requirements through official Hertz information.
Saving $20 or $30 on the rental itself may not help if reaching another branch costs more or makes your travel significantly less convenient.
Also, do not book an off-airport location assuming Hertz will pick you up from the airport. Hertz states that its local pickup and return service is not offered to or from airports because of airport concession agreements.
Why Did the Fee Appear on My Hertz Receipt?
First determine whether the concession fee was already included or disclosed in your reservation estimate.
Compare these documents:
- Original reservation confirmation.
- Any booking price breakdown.
- Rental agreement at pickup.
- Final rental receipt.
- Payment-card transaction.
Look for wording such as:
- Airport Concession Fee Recovery
- Airport Concession Recovery
- AFCR
- Concession Recovery Surcharge
- Airport-related recovery charge
Hertz uses several related names in its fee information, so the wording may not always be identical.
If the final total differs from the original estimated amount, do not automatically assume the concession charge caused the entire difference.
Other changes could relate to rental duration, return location, fuel, optional products, tolls, additional drivers, taxes, or other applicable charges.
Identify the exact line item before requesting a billing review.
What If the Airport Concession Fee Looks Wrong?
If you believe the fee does not match your booking documents, preserve the evidence before contacting support.
Keep:
- Reservation confirmation.
- Original quoted price.
- Screenshots of the booking breakdown, if available.
- Rental agreement.
- Final receipt.
- Pickup and return locations.
- Rental dates.
- Payment transaction.
- Any communication about pricing changes.
Then compare the amount and description of the fee across the documents.
A clear support request might explain:
Which charge you are questioning, where it appears, what amount was expected, what amount was charged, and which document supports your concern.
This is more useful than simply saying that the rental was too expensive.
A billing review does not guarantee that Hertz will remove or refund a charge. The outcome depends on the rental records, applicable terms, location, and circumstances.
Which Hertz Support Channel Should You Use?
The most suitable support route depends on when you discover the issue.
| Situation | Generally best place to start |
|---|---|
| Checking airport fees before booking | Official Hertz booking quote and location information |
| Existing reservation has an unclear charge | Reservation management or current Hertz support |
| Charge appears while collecting the car | Hertz rental counter at the pickup location |
| Completed rental has a questionable charge | Post-rental billing/customer support |
| Need a copy of the receipt | Official Hertz receipt service |
| Booking was made through another travel company | Check the booking provider and Hertz documentation |
| Unresolved billing complaint | Official Hertz customer-care or complaint channel |
Hertz currently maintains an online Support Hub covering fees and other rental questions. Contact methods and availability can change, so use Hertz’s current official website or app rather than an old phone number or email address copied from an unofficial source.
What to Prepare Before Contacting Hertz
Having complete information ready makes the question easier to investigate.
Depending on your situation, prepare:
- Reservation or rental agreement number.
- Full name on the booking.
- Pickup airport and rental location.
- Return location.
- Pickup and return dates.
- Vehicle information.
- Payment method used.
- Original reservation estimate.
- Rental agreement.
- Final receipt.
- Screenshots showing the price breakdown.
- Exact name and amount of the disputed fee.
- A brief description of the issue.
Do not send full payment-card numbers, passwords, security codes, or other unnecessary sensitive information through unofficial channels.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Looking only at the daily rate
A $40 daily rate does not necessarily mean your rental will cost exactly $40 per day after applicable taxes, fees, and other selected items.
Compare the full estimated total.
Assuming every airport charges the same amount
Airport concession arrangements and location-related charges vary. A fee seen at one airport should not be treated as the nationwide Hertz rate.
Confusing concession fees with facility charges
These can appear as separate items and can have different purposes. Hertz’s fee definitions distinguish concession recovery from several facility and transportation charges.
Assuming off-airport always means fee-free
Some off-airport rental arrangements can still involve airport-related concession costs. Compare the actual total rather than choosing a location based only on its address.
Discarding the original quote
Keep your reservation confirmation until the rental and any billing questions are completely resolved.
It gives you a reference point if you later need to compare the estimated and final charges.
How to Make a Hertz Billing Question Easier to Resolve
Be specific.
Instead of writing:
“My Hertz bill has extra fees. Please fix it.”
Explain:
- Which fee you are questioning.
- The amount.
- Where it appears.
- Your pickup location.
- Whether the fee appeared on the original quote.
- Which document shows the difference.
- What clarification you need.
For example, you might ask Hertz to explain why a particular concession recovery charge appears on the final receipt when you cannot identify the same item in your original pricing documents.
This asks for a factual review without assuming in advance that the charge is incorrect.
Final Takeaway
The Hertz airport concession fee generally refers to an Airport Concession Fee Recovery charge associated with the concession costs Hertz pays to operate at an airport location. Hertz currently describes AFCR as reimbursing it for fees paid to the airport for concessions.
There is no universal U.S. amount that should be assumed for every Hertz airport rental.
Before booking, compare the complete estimated price rather than the base rate alone. If the fee appears unexpectedly after the rental, compare your reservation, rental agreement, final receipt, and payment transaction before contacting Hertz through its current official support channels.
Important pricing, fee descriptions, rental requirements, and support options can change by airport, location, reservation, and date. Verify booking-specific information through Hertz’s official website, app, rental documents, or rental location.
hertzcustomerservice.co.uk is an independent informational website and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or operated by Hertz or The Hertz Corporation.
FAQs
What is the Hertz airport concession fee?
The Hertz airport concession fee generally refers to Airport Concession Fee Recovery. Hertz says AFCR reimburses it for concession fees paid to the airport.
How much is the Hertz airport concession fee?
There is no single amount that applies to every U.S. Hertz airport rental. The applicable charge can depend on the airport, rental location, booking, and other location-specific conditions.
Can I avoid the Hertz airport concession fee?
A genuinely off-airport location may sometimes have a different fee structure or lower total, but that should not be assumed. Compare complete quotes because some off-airport rental arrangements can still involve airport-related charges.
Is the Hertz airport concession fee the same as a customer facility charge?
Not necessarily. Hertz describes concession recovery as recovering concession-related operating costs, while customer facility charges may be collected for airport rental-car facilities.
Why did the Hertz airport concession fee appear on my final receipt?
The charge may apply to your rental location and may be shown as Airport Concession Fee Recovery, Airport Concession Recovery, AFCR, or similar wording. Compare your original reservation estimate, rental agreement, and final receipt before deciding whether the charge differs from what was quoted.
Can I dispute a Hertz airport concession fee?
You can ask Hertz to review or explain a charge you believe does not match your reservation or rental documents. Keep the original quote, rental agreement, receipt, and payment record, but do not assume that requesting a review guarantees removal or reimbursement.