Renting a Car for Thanksgiving 2026 in Brooklyn and Queens

By Megan, Marketing, Drivo Rent A Car. Prices checked October 12, 2026.

Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26. When people call us about a car for the holiday, they ask two things. They want to know what it will cost and when they should leave the city. Here is what we tell them.

The short answer is to rent the car for five days. Pick it up Wednesday morning and get on the road before 11 a.m. Then bring it back on Monday. On October 12, Wednesday to Monday cost less than half as much as Wednesday to Sunday. The rest of this guide explains why and takes you through the trip from booking to the drive home.

You can book at Drivo Coney Island or Drivo LaGuardia. Both are open on Thanksgiving Day.

How much does a Thanksgiving car rental cost?

Start with the price, because it depends a lot on the days you pick. Here is what an economy car cost for Thanksgiving week when we checked on October 12. The prices include taxes and fees. In each range the lower price is Coney Island and the higher price is LaGuardia.

• Wednesday to Monday (5 days). About $480 to $550.
• Tuesday to Sunday (5 days). About $510 to $630.
• Saturday to Sunday, the whole week (8 days). About $530 to $550.
• Wednesday to Sunday (4 days). About twice the price of Wednesday to Monday.

You might expect the shortest trip to cost the least. It doesn't. Wednesday to Sunday is the trip most people want, so it's the one that costs the most. In a normal week four days with us costs about $210 to $330. Over Thanksgiving those same four days can cost 3 to 5 times as much. Our booking system prices a five-day rental in a different way, so adding Monday brings the total down by about half.

Prices can also go up as the holiday gets closer. Every booking leaves fewer cars for everyone else. When we checked on October 12 there were already fewer kinds of cars left for Thanksgiving week than for the week before. So book early and check the price with a Monday return before you pay.

A few other things can change your total. Your age matters. Drivers 21 to 24 pay $25 more each day. Drivers 18 to 20 pay $79.99 more each day, and they can rent only economy and compact cars. If you plan to share the driving, a second driver costs $5 a day in New York.

You can pay when you pick up the car or pay when you book and save 10%. Just know that canceling a paid booking costs $150. Pay early only when your plans are set. The last cost is tolls. The best way to cut them is to bring your own E-ZPass, and we explain why further down.

When is the best time to leave NYC for Thanksgiving?

Once you have a car, the next question is when to go. The answer is early. Leave Tuesday before noon or Wednesday before 11 a.m. If you can wait, Thanksgiving Day itself has light traffic all day. For the drive home, come back Sunday before 11 a.m. or on Monday morning.

These times come from INRIX, a traffic data company. AAA shared them in its forecast for Thanksgiving week 2025. The 2026 times come out in November.

This year has a few more things to plan around. Tuesday, November 24 is a Gridlock Alert Day. That means the city expects some of its worst traffic of the year. NYC public schools close on Thursday and Friday, so Wednesday is the last school day before the break.

If you're heading east, watch the Long Island Expressway. Last year the drive to the Hamptons took over 4 hours on the Tuesday afternoon before Thanksgiving. That's more than twice as long as usual.

Wednesday is also the busiest day of Thanksgiving week to pick up a rental car. That's another reason to come in early. Coney Island opens at 8 a.m. and LaGuardia opens at 6 a.m. You can pick up your car and still be on the road before 11.

Which way out of NYC for a Thanksgiving road trip?

Where you're headed decides which bridge you cross. The good news is that none of these routes goes into Manhattan below 60th Street. So you won't pay the $9 fee for driving there.

To New Jersey, Philadelphia and the Jersey Shore

From Coney Island, take the Belt Parkway west to the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge and cross Staten Island on I-278. If you're going to Philadelphia, take the Goethals Bridge to the New Jersey Turnpike. If you're going to the Shore, take the Outerbridge Crossing to the Garden State Parkway instead.

From LaGuardia, the easier way is the Grand Central Parkway to the RFK Bridge. Then take the Cross Bronx Expressway to the George Washington Bridge. The bridges into New Jersey don't charge you on the way out. You pay them when you come back.

To Long Island, the Hamptons and the North Fork

Long Island is the only direction with no bridge tolls. From Coney Island, take the Belt Parkway east and it turns into the Southern State Parkway. From LaGuardia, take the Grand Central Parkway east and it turns into the Northern State Parkway. The Long Island Expressway works from both branches. Just leave early, because it was last year's worst Thanksgiving drive.

To Westchester, Connecticut and New England

From Coney Island, take the Belt Parkway east to the Van Wyck (I-678) north and cross the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge. From LaGuardia, the Whitestone is only a few minutes away. Once you're over the bridge, take I-95 for Connecticut and Boston or the Hutchinson River Parkway for Westchester. Connecticut has no highway tolls.

To the Hudson Valley, the Catskills and upstate

Cross into the Bronx on the RFK, Whitestone or Throgs Neck bridge. From there take the Major Deegan (I-87) north to the New York State Thruway. The Thruway charges by how far you drive.

One more note if you rent a cargo van. Work vans aren't allowed on any parkway in New York, so stick to the expressways.

How much are bridge tolls in 2026?

Most of these trips cross at least one toll bridge. Here is what each one costs a car this year.

How you pay makes a big difference. Every Drivo car pays tolls by its license plate. If you don't bring an E-ZPass, we bill you for the tolls after you return the car. You pay the highest toll rate plus $9.95 for each day you go through a toll.

Here's how that adds up on a real trip. A round trip from Coney Island to Philadelphia crosses the Verrazzano twice and the Goethals once. With your own E-ZPass the tolls come to about $32. Without it they can come to about $67, because of the higher rate and two days of the $9.95 fee. New Jersey Turnpike tolls are extra either way.

So if you have an E-ZPass, bring it. Put it on the windshield and make sure it works before you leave.

What do you need to pick up the car?

When you come in for your car, bring these with you.

• Your driver's license and a card in your name. LaGuardia does not take debit cards from local renters. Some Brooklyn branches take debit cards if you bring two government IDs and a recent utility bill. The bill must match the address on your license. Call 855-550-0008 to check first.
• Room on your card for a hold. We hold up to $500 on your card on top of the rental. We usually release it within 30 days after you return the car.
• A plan for gas. Return the car with as much gas as it had when you got it. Or pay for a full tank when you pick it up.
• Your E-ZPass if you have one.

Are Drivo Coney Island and LaGuardia open on Thanksgiving?

Yes. Both branches keep their normal hours all week, and that includes Thanksgiving Day.

Drivo Coney Island is at 3221 Coney Island Avenue, one block from the Brighton Beach B and Q stop. It's open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day. Drivo LaGuardia is at 2261 94th Street in East Elmhurst. It's open 6 a.m. to midnight every day.

If you get back after we close, park in the return area and put the keys in the drop box. We check the car the next morning and email you the final bill.

Your Thanksgiving trip, step by step

1. Book five days now, Wednesday to Monday, and check the price before you pay.
2. Bring your license, a card in your name and your E-ZPass.
3. Pick up the car Wednesday morning and be on the road before 11 a.m.
4. Drive home Sunday before 11 a.m. or on Monday morning.
5. If we're closed when you get back, use the drop box.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Thanksgiving car rental cost in NYC?

A Drivo economy car cost about $480 to $550 for five days from Wednesday to Monday. That includes taxes and fees. We checked on October 12, 2026. Wednesday to Sunday cost about twice as much. Prices change every day.

Is Drivo open on Thanksgiving Day 2026?

Yes. Drivo Coney Island is open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, November 26, 2026. Drivo LaGuardia is open 6 a.m. to midnight.

What is the best time to leave NYC for Thanksgiving?

Leave Tuesday before noon or Wednesday before 11 a.m. Thanksgiving Day has light traffic. The worst times are Tuesday from noon to 9 p.m. and Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

What is the best time to drive back to NYC after Thanksgiving?

Drive back Sunday before 11 a.m. or Monday morning. Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. has the worst traffic.

Can I rent a car for Thanksgiving if I'm under 25?

Yes. In New York you can rent from Drivo at 18. Drivers 21 to 24 pay $25 more each day. Drivers 18 to 20 pay $79.99 more each day. They can rent only economy and compact cars.

Can I use my own E-ZPass in a Drivo car?

Yes. Put it on the windshield and make sure it works. You pay your E-ZPass rate and no Drivo fee. If it misses a toll, we bill that toll at the highest rate plus $9.95 for that day.

Can I pick up in Brooklyn and return the car at LaGuardia?

Yes. There is an extra fee to return the car to a different branch. You'll see it when you book.

Book your Thanksgiving car at Drivo Coney Island on Coney Island Avenue. Or book at Drivo LaGuardia on 94th Street. Our rules for tolls, deposits and payment are in the Drivo FAQ. If you're leaving from Coney Island, our Coney Island driving guide shows the Belt Parkway exits.

Megan leads marketing for Drivo Rent A Car. Drivo has five branches in New York and New Jersey. We checked every Drivo price and every toll in this guide on October 12, 2026.

Sources: AAA, Thanksgiving travel forecast 2025 (newsroom.aaa.com/2025/11/aaa-thanksgiving-travel-forecast-2025); MTA, toll rates by vehicle type, effective January 4, 2026 (mta.info/fares-tolls/tolls/vehicle-types); Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, 2026 toll guide (panynj.gov); NYC Public Schools, 2026 to 2027 school year calendar (schools.nyc.gov); NY1, Gridlock Alert Days through the end of 2026, September 18, 2026 (ny1.com); NYC DOT, parkway restrictions (nyc.gov); Drivo Rent A Car FAQ (drivo.com/faq); drivo.com booking page, October 12, 2026.