BDL Car Rental: Location, Brands and How to Get There

The rental car center is the Ground Transportation Center, at 180 Schoephoester Road, Windsor Locks, CT 06096. It sits next to Terminal A, the main terminal.

It opened in July 2022. BDL says it replaced the old off-airport rental facilities, so you no longer ride a shuttle to reach your car. The airport lists nine brands, and every one of them is inside this building.

BDL publishes no counter hours on its rental page. Avis and Budget list their BDL counters as open 5 a.m. to 1:30 a.m., every day. For the other brands, call before a very early or late pickup. Numbers are listed further down.

After you collect your bags, follow the Rental Car signs inside Terminal A and go to level 2. The connecting corridor is by door 6. It is a sheltered walkway, and no shuttle bus is needed.

BDL has changed the arrivals area recently. The old center exit lane near the main TSA checkpoint is now permanently closed. New exit corridors on the east and west sides of the terminal lead to baggage claim, car rentals and ground transportation. Follow the posted signs rather than an older route you may remember.

If you need help getting to the center, wheelchair assistance is available. Ask your airline when you land, or ask at the rental counter when you return the car.

Terminal B handles some international arrivals, such as Cancun flights and charters, where you clear U.S. Customs. Take the shuttle to Terminal A, then go to door 6 on level 2 to reach the connecting corridor to the center.

Allow extra time after customs. Courtesy phones in Terminal B can connect you to ground transportation services if you are unsure where to go.

Follow signs for Departures. Get out at the Departures curb near doors 4, 5 or 6. Then follow the Ground Transportation Center and car rental signs and take the covered walkway into the building.

There is no parking for your own car at the rental pickup. If you need to leave a personal vehicle, use one of BDL's parking options and then walk or take a shuttle to the center, depending on where you park. The airport says the center is easy to reach from the parking garage or Terminal A.

BDL lists nine brands, with counters and customer service areas on three floors:

• Floor 2: Avis, Budget, Payless
• Floor 3: Enterprise, National, Alamo
• Floor 4: Hertz, Dollar, Thrifty

BDL notes that it lists these companies as a convenience and does not endorse them.

BDL gives a toll-free number and a local number for each brand:

• Alamo: 1-888-233-8749 or (860) 627-3470
• Avis: 1-800-331-1084 or (860) 627-3500
• Budget: 1-800-218-7992 or (860) 627-3700
• Dollar: 1-800-800-4000 or (860) 623-8214
• Enterprise: 1-800-261-7331 or (860) 292-7061
• Hertz: 1-800-654-3131 or (860) 627-3850
• National: 1-800-CAR-RENT or (860) 627-3470
• Payless: 1-800-PAYLESS (729-5377) or (860) 654-7652
• Thrifty: 1-800-367-2277 or (860) 623-8214

Numbers can change, so confirm on the company's website too.

Before your flight, follow the roadway signs to the Ground Transportation Center. After you drop off the vehicle, go to the third floor of the center. The connecting corridor to Terminal A is there.

Avis and Budget accept returns 24 hours a day: park and lock the car, then put the completed contract and the keys in the key drop box. BDL publishes no return hours for the other brands, so check your rental agreement, and leave extra time to return the car and walk to the terminal.

BDL says all rental services are now consolidated in the center, replacing the former off-airport facilities. We found no off-airport rental companies listed by the airport.

We also found nothing from BDL on Turo or other peer-to-peer rentals. If you booked one, follow the pickup instructions in your booking messages, and check the airport's website before you go.

BDL says the cost of the center is being financed by customer facility charge revenues, not taxpayer funds. The airport does not publish the amount of that charge on its rental page. Rental taxes and fees differ by company, so read the full total on your reservation before you book.