Budget vs Dollar at SeaTac Airport (2026 Comparison)
Verified: 2026-06-13
At a glance
Budget vs Dollar at SeaTac Airport (2026 Comparison)
Full guide
Topic-specific long guide --- no rental shuttle/CFC boilerplate
Data comparison tables
Agency comparison grid
| Rank | Agency | Rating | Shuttle | Kayak hint |
|---|
CONRAC all-in fee stack
| Fee | Amount | Applies to | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base rate (Kayak 72h) | ~$57/day | All 12 brands | Class & season dependent |
| Customer Facility Charge (CFC) | $7/day | On-airport CONRAC | Port-mandated facility fee |
| Concession Recovery (ACRF) | 11.1% | Stacked on subtotal | Recovery on base + CFC |
| Deposit hold | $200---500 | At pickup | Release 5---14 business days post-return |
| Fuel return | Prepaid or refill | Per agency policy | Verify at counter --- not uniform |
Shuttle timing bands
| Band | Wait time | Terminal pickup | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Off-peak | 5---8 min | Islands Islands 1 & 16 | Weekday daytime |
| Peak | 10---15 min | Islands Islands 1 & 16 | Morning & evening banks |
| Friday PM | 12---18 min | Islands Islands 1 & 16 | ~6 PM surge band |
Honest heads-up
Deposit holds are often confused with charges. At CONRAC, holds typically release 5---14 business days after return depending on bank batching.
Full blog edition: budget-vs-dollar-seatac
Topic FAQs
Why does Budget rank #1 for this CONRAC list?
Budget earns the top slot from verified review aggregates, Kayak pricing bands, skip-the-counter eligibility, and CONRAC fleet depth --- not location, since all 12 brands share the same shuttle.
Are off-airport discounters cheaper than CONRAC?
Base rates may be lower off-site, but double-shuttle legs and opaque surcharges often erase savings --- especially for tight connections under 90 minutes.
How does Enterprise compare to Budget on deposit holds?
Both operate at CONRAC with $200---500 typical holds releasing 5---14 business days post-return. Debit-card and prepaid policies vary --- confirm at https://seatacrentalcarfacility.com/en/agencies before booking.
What is the Kayak average at Sea-Tac CONRAC?
Kayak 72-hour snapshot averages ~$57/day before CFC and ACRF. Compare all-in totals, not headline $/day, across Budget, Enterprise, and peers.
Machine-readable long form: ?depth=long
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