Thanksgiving · Christmas · New Year · Spring Break

Holiday Car Rental in Miami and South Florida

When to book, what it costs, and which vehicle fits your trip — across Miami-Dade County, Broward County and parts of Palm Beach County. Delivered to you, or collected at a designated self-pickup meeting point.

Holiday planning Book earlier for major travel periods

Rates from $85/day

Service area 50 miles from Miami Gardens

Check Availability Or call (786) 981-1177

During the holidays the beaches, airports, cruise terminals and the roads between them all run busy at once. This guide covers the season holiday by holiday: when to reserve, which vehicle fits the trip, how the airports and cruise ports work, and how to get around a region built for cars.

South Florida’s holiday season runs from Thanksgiving through Easter. The table below sets out Amped’s planning recommendation for each holiday and the vehicle type that usually suits it. These are Amped’s recommendations for travelers who want a specific vehicle, not market statistics.

Vehicle recommendations are explained in the vehicle selection section, with links to each model.

When to visit South Florida, and what a trip costs

December through March is South Florida’s winter travel season, when rates and availability can be more constrained. Late April through early June is usually warm, with lower rates and fewer visitors.

South Florida's high season is the inverse of most of the country's. When the north freezes, this region fills up. Daytime highs from December through February sit in the mid-70s to low 80s with low humidity, which is why Amped recommends booking lodging, flights and vehicles further ahead during those months.

Hurricane season officially runs June through November, with peak activity in September and October. In practice this means late-summer travel is cheaper and usually fine, but travel insurance is worth the money and flexible bookings matter more than usual.

What car rental and lodging cost by season

• Winter season (Dec–Mar): rates and availability on lodging, flights and vehicles can be more constrained.
• Shoulder (Apr–May, Oct–Nov): warm weather, generally lower rates and fewer visitors than the winter season.
• Summer (Jun–Sep): can offer lower rates and greater availability, alongside heat, humidity, thunderstorms and hurricane-season considerations.

Thanksgiving car rental in Miami: what's open and when to book

Thanksgiving week can bring heavier airport, highway and beach traffic, especially around the days immediately before and after the holiday. Amped recommends reserving several weeks ahead for Thanksgiving trips when you need a specific vehicle type — the Thanksgiving car rental guide for Miami covers the holiday in detail.

Thanksgiving here looks different from the northern version: beaches are busy, restaurants run holiday service, and many visitors are families trading the cold for a long weekend in the sun. Inbound travel tends to concentrate on the Tuesday and Wednesday, and outbound travel on the Sunday.

If you are flying in around the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, allow extra time at the airport; a vehicle delivered to your hotel removes the counter queue from the arrival day.

Whether the counters are even open on the day is the question most travelers ask first, and the answer varies sharply by branch — our guide to car rental open on Thanksgiving in Miami covers what stays open, when to book, and how delivery works on the holiday itself.

Christmas car rental in Miami and Fort Lauderdale

Christmas and New Year’s week is a major South Florida travel period, and the last two weeks of December carry a dense event calendar. For Christmas and New Year’s travel, Amped recommends booking earlier when vehicle selection is important. Planning the trip itself? See the Christmas in Miami and South Florida guide.

December is South Florida at full tilt. Art Basel opens the month and fills Miami Beach and the Miami Design District. The Winterfest Boat Parade lights up the Intracoastal through Fort Lauderdale. Holiday displays, seasonal markets and outdoor events run across all three counties — and the winter weather is well suited to many outdoor activities. Palm trees in string lights, 78 degrees, no coat required.

The practical consequence is that lodging, restaurant reservations and parking near major events can all be harder to arrange during the same weeks. Building the plan around a delivered vehicle rather than an airport counter removes one queue from the week. A Tesla rental in Miami or a three-row SUV can both be delivered to an approved address.

New Year's Eve in Miami: getting around and parking

New Year’s Eve can bring road closures, rideshare surcharges and limited parking around major celebration areas such as Downtown, Brickell and Miami Beach. Plan transportation in advance.

Downtown Miami's countdown, the Miami Beach fireworks and hundreds of private events all run the same night. Rideshare surcharges and wait times can both increase late in the evening. Road closures around Miami's Bayfront Park and Ocean Drive begin in the afternoon.

Having a rental vehicle for the surrounding days can make multi-stop trips easier, even if you use a car service for New Year’s Eve itself. Travelers planning activities across Miami, Miami Beach or neighboring destinations should consider the distances between stops when choosing transportation.

Snowbird season: monthly car rental from January to March

January through March brings long-stay visitors escaping northern winters. Rentals of 30 days or more receive Amped’s 20% long-term discount, which lowers the per-day cost compared with a short booking.

January through March brings many seasonal visitors to South Florida, and travel conditions stay busier for a sustained stretch rather than for a single weekend. Travelers planning longer stays should reserve early when dates and vehicle choice are important. For a stay of several weeks, the per-day cost falls at the weekly and monthly discount thresholds.

Extended stays also change what vehicle makes sense: an electric vehicle has no fuel to buy over a long stay. Current 30-day rates are $2,040 for the Chevrolet Equinox EV RS, $2,136 for the Tesla Model 3, $2,160 for the Nissan Rogue SV, $2,280 for the Tesla Model Y and $2,760 for the Nissan Pathfinder SV, before the booking fee and applicable taxes — see monthly car rentals in Miami.

Spring Break and Easter car rental in South Florida

Spring Break can bring heavier beach traffic through March. Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale Beach and Hollywood Beach can become very busy at weekends, and local authorities have applied measures such as traffic enforcement, road closures and residential parking restrictions during high-impact periods in past years.

Spring Break activity in South Florida concentrates on the coastal strips. Miami Beach has run a formal high-impact period in past years, with measures that have included traffic loops, curfews and stepped-up towing. If your trip is family-oriented, the beaches north of Fort Lauderdale and through Palm Beach County may offer a quieter alternative during March — the Fort Lauderdale Beach Park guide and Haulover Park guide both cover quieter stretches of sand.

Easter weekend brings a second, more family-weighted surge, with busy beaches and parks from Good Friday through Easter Sunday.

Fourth of July and Memorial Day car rental in Miami

Summer holidays are hot and humid, and rates can be lower than during the winter travel season. Fourth of July brings fireworks and increased beach traffic across South Florida.

Memorial Day weekend opens the summer season and coincides with high-attendance events on Miami Beach. Fourth of July sees fireworks from Crandon Park on Key Biscayne through Palm Beach, with increased evening traffic near popular waterfront viewing areas. Labor Day closes the season.

Afternoon thunderstorms are near-daily from June through September. They are usually brief and intense rather than all-day, but they make an air-conditioned vehicle considerably more appealing than waiting outdoors for a rideshare.

Labor Day weekend car rental in South Florida

Labor Day is the last major summer holiday weekend in South Florida. Rates and availability can differ from the winter travel season, so compare your dates when planning the trip.

Labor Day weekend can bring increased activity at South Florida beaches and state parks from Saturday through Monday. Lodging rates and availability vary by property and travel date, so compare options when planning the weekend.

Labor Day also falls within the more active portion of Atlantic hurricane season, so flexible travel arrangements can be useful.

South Florida packs beaches, museums, gardens, cultural neighborhoods and the Everglades into about a hundred miles. Most of it needs a car to reach comfortably. Here's where to start, by the kind of day you want.

Most of these sit twenty to sixty minutes apart, and almost none are well served by transit. That's the practical case for having your own vehicle — see choosing the right vehicle for what fits your group.

Three days covers Miami and one day trip. Five days lets you add Fort Lauderdale or the Everglades. A week is enough for the Keys. Who you're traveling with changes the plan more than how long you stay — families, couples and groups want different versions of the same region.

A rental vehicle can make these itineraries easier, particularly for trips to the Everglades, the Florida Keys and destinations spread across Broward County. For multi-stop Miami days, compare the convenience and cost of driving with rideshare and available transit options — see planning a multi-city South Florida trip for how to base yourself in one place and drive out.

South Florida has three commercial airports: Miami International (MIA), Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood (FLL) and Palm Beach International (PBI). Allow extra time at any of them during major holiday travel periods. Amped Auto Rentals supports MIA and FLL handoffs; PBI sits outside the standard advertised 50-mile service area, so confirm before booking if you are flying into PBI.

Whichever airport you use, the rental counter is usually the slowest part of a holiday arrival day. Having the vehicle delivered to your accommodation, or collecting it at a designated meeting point, removes that step — see contactless car rental without the counter.

Car rental at PortMiami and Port Everglades

PortMiami and Port Everglades are major South Florida cruise ports. Cruise turnaround periods can bring concentrated passenger traffic, so travelers continuing their trip by rental car should plan their ground transportation in advance.

Cruise passengers face a specific problem: everyone disembarks in the same two-hour window. Rideshare wait times at the terminals on a holiday turnaround day can be substantial, and taxi queues move slowly. Travelers extending their trip with a few days on land — increasingly common over the holidays — benefit most from having a vehicle waiting. Miami's Bayside Marketplace sits right by the PortMiami terminals if you have hours to fill.

If your sailing departs from or returns to Miami, see the PortMiami car rental guide; delivery and collection are arranged in advance and are subject to terminal access on your sailing date. For Port Everglades sailings, Fort Lauderdale arrangements are covered on the Fort Lauderdale and FLL car rental page.

Holiday traffic, tolls and driving in South Florida

I-95 is the region's spine and the primary congestion point. Florida's Turnpike is the faster paid alternative. Many express lanes are cashless and toll-by-plate, so understand how your vehicle handles tolls before you drive.

The South Florida roads that matter

• I-95: runs the full length of the region north to south, and is the spine of the Miami to Fort Lauderdale drive. Allow extra time during weekday morning and afternoon commuting periods, and on major holiday travel days.
• Florida's Turnpike: tolled, generally faster, and the better choice for longer north–south runs.
• I-595: the main east–west connector in Broward, linking FLL and Port Everglades inland.
• A1A: the scenic coastal route. Slow, beautiful, and jammed during Spring Break and every holiday weekend.
• US-1 / Dixie Highway: the surface-street alternative to I-95, with frequent lights.
• Brightline: the higher-speed rail line linking Miami, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton and West Palm Beach. Useful for a single city-to-city hop, but it won't get you to a beach, the Everglades or most hotels — you'll still need a car at either end.

Driving times between Miami, Fort Lauderdale and the Keys

Distances people consistently underestimate, measured from Downtown Miami. Times are typical off-peak; add 30 to 60 percent during holiday periods and rush hour.

Holiday-specific traffic notes

• The Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after are the two worst days of that week.
• Christmas week runs heavy all day rather than in defined peaks — normal rush-hour logic does not apply.
• New Year's Eve brings planned closures around Downtown Miami and Miami Beach from mid-afternoon.
• Spring Break weekends bring traffic loops and restricted access on Miami Beach.
• Fourth of July evening gridlock forms around every waterfront fireworks location.

Parking is the second half of the problem. Miami Beach, Downtown, Brickell and Fort Lauderdale Beach all run paid municipal parking with app-based payment, and event-period rates climb steeply. Budget for it the way you would budget for meals.

Match the vehicle to your group size and driving distance. Couples and small groups usually do well in a sedan or compact SUV; families and airport runs with luggage need three rows. The current lineup runs from $85/day to $115/day — compare the Amped fleet for rates at every length.

Families & groups

SUV space for beach gear and luggage without the bulk. Requests increase over Thanksgiving and Christmas, so reserve earlier if an SUV matters to your trip.

Compare SUV rental in Miami →

Maximum seating

When you need three rows specifically — airport runs with luggage, larger families, or one vehicle for a group. Seats up to 8 passengers, from $115/day.

See the Nissan Pathfinder rental in Miami →

Mid-size electric

Real cargo room without SUV bulk, and a practical all-rounder for beach days and city driving. Tesla crossover option from $95/day.

See the Tesla Model Y rental in Miami →

Rather than a counter, the vehicle is delivered to an approved hotel, vacation rental or address, or collected at a designated self-pickup meeting point — see car rental delivery in Miami for how the handoff runs.

Charging an electric rental car in South Florida

South Florida has dense charging coverage. Tesla Superchargers are widely available across all three counties, and most hotels, malls and public garages offer Level 2 charging.

Range anxiety is largely a non-issue here. The region is geographically compact — Miami to Fort Lauderdale is about thirty miles, Miami to Palm Beach about seventy — and charging infrastructure along the I-95 corridor is dense. A typical holiday itinerary of beaches, restaurants and attractions rarely exceeds a hundred miles a day.

The one trip that needs planning is the Florida Keys. Charging thins out considerably south of Homestead, so leave with a full charge and identify your stops before you go — our Florida Keys road trip guide covers the route in detail.

Charging instructions are provided with every EV rental. Gasoline vehicles must be returned at the same fuel level documented when the vehicle is released to the customer. Electric vehicles must be returned at the same charge level documented when the vehicle is released to the customer. Vehicles returned below the documented starting fuel or charge level are subject to applicable refueling or recharging charges. For the details, see the guide to charging your EV rental in South Florida.

Holiday car rental booking checklist

Amped recommends booking lodging and the vehicle at the same time, around 60 to 90 days ahead for peak season. Confirm which of the three airports you are flying into, check whether your dates overlap a major event, and plan parking before you arrive.

• Book flights and lodging early for Thanksgiving through Easter — Amped suggests 60–90 days for peak dates
• Reserve the vehicle at the same time you book lodging, especially if you need a specific vehicle type
• Confirm which airport you are actually flying into; MIA, FLL and PBI are far apart
• Check whether your dates overlap a major event like Art Basel or the Orange Bowl
• Plan parking in advance for Miami Beach, Brickell and Downtown
• Understand how tolls are handled before you drive the Turnpike or express lanes — applicable toll charges are reconciled after the rental through Amped Auto Rentals’ SunPass account
• Pack for a South Florida vacation — afternoon storms are routine in summer
• Consider travel insurance for trips during hurricane season
• Build extra time into airport departure days over holiday weekends
• Identify charging stops if you plan to drive to the Florida Keys

Amped Auto Rentals prices the same way over a holiday as it does the rest of the year: a daily vehicle rate, a booking fee, applicable taxes, and a delivery fee that depends on the length of the rental. The figures below are the current governed rates, and this is the one place on this page where they are listed in full.

Coverage is required before a vehicle is released. Customers may use qualifying personal auto insurance when the policy includes comprehensive and collision coverage that extends to the Amped rental vehicle and is verified through Canopy Connect before vehicle release. If you do not have qualifying personal auto insurance, Bonzah Standard Protection may be available for an eligible direct booking at $50.13 per day, subject to the provider’s applicable terms, limits, conditions and exclusions. Full policy detail is in the Terms & Conditions and the Florida car rental FAQ.

There are two ways to collect an Amped vehicle over a holiday. Delivery brings the vehicle to an approved hotel, vacation rental, residence, office or airport handoff location within the service area, and collection works the same way at the end of the rental. Self-pickup is free at a designated meeting point, which is usually the cheaper option on a rental shorter than seven days. Neither involves a traditional walk-in rental counter — see how rental car delivery works in Miami.

The designated self-pickup meeting points are the Wawa at 2700 NW 183rd Street in Miami Gardens, and the Wawa at 106 S State Road 7 in Hollywood. These are third-party meeting points used for vehicle handover only. They are not Amped offices, branches, storefronts or rental counters, and Wawa is not involved in the rental.

Staying in a vacation rental over the holidays? Delivery to an approved address is the usual arrangement — see car rental delivery for Airbnb stays in Miami.

These are service areas within Amped’s 50-mile South Florida service area, not separate Amped locations. Each page covers rates, delivery and local detail for that area.

Holiday car rental FAQ

Holiday car rental by city and vehicle

Once your dates are set, these guides cover the specifics by holiday, city and vehicle:

• Thanksgiving car rental in Miami — who's open on the day, and when to book
• Miami Beach electric car rental — for trips centered on South Beach and the barrier island
• Fort Lauderdale electric car rental — Broward County and Port Everglades
• Hollywood electric car rental — between Miami and Fort Lauderdale
• Electric car rental in Boca Raton and Delray Beach — Palm Beach County

Last reviewed: September 2026. This guide is updated quarterly and ahead of each major holiday season. Published by Amped Auto Rentals, operated by Clear, Bright & Smart Diversified Holdings LLC (Florida, est. September 2020). Reservations and enquiries: (786) 981-1177 or [email protected].