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No booking fees. Free cancellation on most cars
Save by finding great deals and securing low price rentals
Road Genius makes it easy to find great rental car deals at Meadows Field Airport (BFL) in Bakersfield. Compare rates and make bookings in one place. Simple. Pick up your ride just steps from the terminal and roll onto Highway 99 in minutes, giving you instant access to downtown Bakersfield, the oil fields or the Sierra Nevada.
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Available Companies at BFL:
On average, car rentals at Bakersfield Airport cost around $79 per day, with the lowest-priced rentals starting at $22 per day.
Compare "terminal" vs "in-town" pick-ups: BFL tacks on about 10 % in airport fees. If your schedule allows, rideshare 10 minutes to a downtown counter and check the total—you can pocket $5-$10 per day.
Shift your dates a hair: Bakersfield's oil-industry traffic spikes mid-week. Picking up Thursday night or Saturday morning often slides you into lower leisure rates. Play with a few hour swings on the comparison tool.
Weekly beats daily: At BFL a 5-7-day booking can cost less than four separate days. Even if you return a bit early the flat weekly price may still win.
Hunt for corporate or promo codes: Local employers in Kern County negotiate rates that sometimes leak to the public. Plug any code you find online into the quote box—worth a quick try before you click "book."
Refuel off Airport Dr.: Skip the prepaid tank. Stations on Olive Dr and Highway 99 sit 2 miles (3 km) from the terminal and are usually 30-40¢/gal cheaper than the rental company's pump price.
Set a price-drop alert: BFL inventory moves slowly; rates can dip last minute. Book a cancelable deal, keep an eye on prices, and re-book if you see a lower number.
Airport Parking (for reference):
Local Driving Rules from BFL:
Get a rental so you can see:
Sequoia National Park – sequoias, mountain trails
Kern River and Lake Isabella – river recreation, campgrounds
Tehachapi – wind farms, railroad loop
Carrizo Plain National Monument – Soda Lake, wildlife
How much time should I allow for picking up a rental car at BFL? Because BFL is a small airport, you can usually get your rental car in 15 to 20 minutes after you get to the counter. During normal business hours, you rarely find long lines.
Do I need a special vehicle for traveling to mountain areas from Bakersfield? You can use a standard car for most of the year. For winter trips to the mountains like Tehachapi, Lake Isabella and Sequoia, you should consider an SUV or a vehicle that has good ground clearance. Make sure you check mountain pass conditions during winter storms and carry tire chains if the California Highway Patrol requires them.
What should I do if I encounter Tule fog while driving? Tule fog is a thick fog that stays close to the ground. You see it a lot in the Central Valley during the winter, especially in the early morning. If you run into this fog, you should slow down a lot, use your low-beam headlights (not high beams) and leave more space between you and the car ahead. If the fog is really bad, you might want to wait until mid-morning to travel, since it usually clears up by then.
Are there any driving restrictions in Bakersfield I should know about? In Bakersfield and the areas around it, you follow the same driving rules as the rest of California. You should know that some roads to oil fields might be private and only for workers. When you drive in farming areas, watch out for dust and large farm machines, especially when farmers are harvesting crops.
Can I return my rental outside of business hours at BFL? Yes. Most rental companies at BFL let you return your car after they close. You will usually have to park in a special spot and put the keys in a secure drop box. You should check with your rental company to get the exact instructions, because each one has a different process.
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