Should You Prepay for Rental Car Gas This Thanksgiving?
Use current pump prices and your return route to pick prepaid gas, self-refuel, or penalty rates wisely.
Skip prepay for most Thanksgiving rental trips unless you will return the tank nearly empty. Prepaid fuel means you buy a full tank at pickup and can return at any level with no refund for unused gas. That choice matters when return lanes and nearby stations run crowded.
AAA projected nearly 73 million Americans driving for Thanksgiving Nov. 25-Dec. 1, 2025, about 90% of travelers, according to AAA travel data.
The Energy Information Administration reported $4.153 per gallon for the week ending Nov. 2, 2026, with California at $5.748, in its fuel update.
Verification note: Program terms and availability can change. This page was checked against linked sources on November 05, 2026.
How prepaid fuel works
Hertz says renters can buy a full tank at pickup and return at any fuel level. The price is described as competitive with local stations, but there is no refund for unused fuel, as explained in its fuel options page. Enterprise offers a similar prepay plan where you pay for a full tank and may return empty with no refund.
Avis also gives no credit for unused fuel under its prepaid option. That structure punishes short trips. If you drive 40 miles and return half full, you paid for gas you did not burn.
What if you return low without prepaying?
If you decline prepay, you must return full or the company refuels for you. Avis lists an $11.99 per gallon refueling surcharge at its St. Croix airport location, according to its location rental terms.
Hertz separates a We Refuel option for that case. The price covers both fuel and the refueling service combined, so airport refueling costs more than filling the tank yourself. During Thanksgiving week, that penalty hurts more.
A late return with low fuel leaves little time to hunt for a cheaper station.
When does prepay make sense?
Prepay fits a driver who will burn nearly a full tank. You skip a holiday refuel stop and return empty without a penalty charge. For example, a 15-gallon tank at $4.153 per gallon costs about $62 to replace.
Return half full after prepaying and you leave about $31 of value in the tank. West Coast renters face higher stakes, with California at $5.748 per gallon in the same weekly survey. Wasting half a tank there wastes more money.
How to choose at the counter
Check your route before you sign. Use these quick checks at pickup. Photograph the fuel gauge and prepay terms at pickup.
Fill within 10 miles of the airport and keep the receipt to avoid a dispute.
- Will you drive 250 miles or more and return near empty? Prepay can save a stop.
- Making short local visits with an airport return? Decline prepay and plan to refuel.
- Returning late or with kids and luggage? Convenience may outweigh a small loss.