SIXT Car Rental - Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

Reviews

• AD

  Audrey Donaldson

  5 days ago
  3.0
  Rented from Sixt at LAX recently. Overall: strong people, good pricing, but a system that makes customers feel more defensive than it needs to. The positives first: every staff interaction was genuinely great. Shuttle driver, check-in, and exit staff were all friendly, personable, and efficient. Prices were also very competitive. The car itself was fine mechanically, but visibly worn with multiple scratches, including a deeper one near the gas cap. That’s not surprising for a high-traffic location, but it matters because Sixt has a reputation for being strict about damage. Like many customers, I ended up taking extensive photos and videos at pickup just to protect myself. Where things break down is the process and tooling. At exit, I asked about an issue (rear door alarm), but there was no way for the agent to log it against the rental. The only option was to swap the car, which at that point is not realistic—you just want to leave, not restart the whole process (inspection, paperwork, toll tag setup, etc.). If the company is strict about damage and fees, customers need an easy way to document issues in real time. The AI damage scan at pickup also wasn’t very clear. It looked like a set of low-quality still images that were hard to interpret. A simple improvement would be video-based walkarounds at pickup and return, with the option for customers to upload their own. One notable impact: I refueled twice before returning the car because I didn’t want to risk being even slightly below the threshold and getting charged. That kind of behavior signals a trust gap. Bottom line: Sixt has great people and strong pricing. If they aligned their processes and tools to feel more collaborative instead of adversarial, the experience would be significantly better.
• TT

  Thomas

  5 days ago
  5.0
  J’ai choisi Sixt pour la toute première location de voiture de ma vie, et c’était le bon choix à faire ! Tout d’abord, j’ai réservé 3 mois à l’avance, puis je me suis rendu compte un jour avant la prise en charge que j’avais indiqué comme horaire de récupération de la voiture 9h du matin au lieu de 9h du soir (ayant l’habitude du format 24h j’ai confondu AM et PM). Malgré cela, j’ai pu simplement modifier sans frais supplémentaire sur l’application. Le fait de modifier si peu de temps avant à uniquement changé la catégorie de véhicule, passant de « compact » comme j’avais sélectionné au début, à « berline ». J’ai par la suite envoyé une requête pour savoir si je pouvais changer de catégorie. Résultat ; réponse hyper rapide et proposition de changer pour un SUV, encore une fois sans coût supplémentaire ! J’atterris donc le lendemain à LAX. J’ouvre mon application qui me propose de sélectionner un véhicule (parmi 1 seul choix pour ma part, sûrement car ma réservation comportait des modifications récentes), un Chevrolet Equinox, je ne m’attendais pas à si bien ! Ensuite, une navette gratuite dès la sortie du terminal nous amène jusqu’au parking ou est situé l’agence. Arrivé à l’agence , un homme très sympathique m’accueille. Scan d’un QR code, puis « C’est bon votre véhicule vous attends garé là-bas, les clés sont à l’intérieur ». La facilité et rapidité de la prise en charge est exceptionnelle. Le véhicule était en excellent état, moderne et propre, que demander de plus ? Il m’a accompagné lors de mon séjour sans aucun problème. De plus, le prix était plus que raisonnable, sachant que je suis jeune et que j’ai pris la protection maximale. Le retour s’est fait dans l’agence de Santa Monica, une fois de plus efficacement. Remise des clés, et 5 minutes après, réception d’un mail indiquant que le retour était bien effectué et que la caution serait libérée dans les prochains jours. Si je devais résumer mon expérience auprès de Sixt LA en 3 mots : professionnel, rapide et simple. Si je reviens je ferai de nouveau appel à eux sans aucune hésitation. Merci pour tout !
• BS

  Bianca Santos

  Apr 22, 2026
  1.0
  I had a very disappointing experience with Sixt. I rented a car from April 16 to April 19, and during my drive back to the airport, the vehicle started having serious acceleration issues. The car became unsafe to drive, and I contacted customer service immediately. Instead of offering a clear and efficient solution, I was told to continue driving the car, which was extremely concerning. Shortly after, the situation worsened, and I had to stop the car on the side of the highway for safety reasons. After contacting them again, the company decided to send a tow truck and instructed me to take an Uber back to the airport. I followed all instructions exactly as given and provided video proof of the issue. Despite this, I was later charged an additional $88 (and even more charges were mentioned) without any clear explanation. I have reached out via email requesting clarification and a refund, but the lack of communication has been extremely frustrating. This situation shows a serious lack of organization, poor communication between teams, and very disappointing customer service. I should not be held responsible for extra charges when the vehicle itself was defective and the return process was handled entirely under their instructions. I expected a much higher level of professionalism. I would not recommend this company based on my experience.
• TM

  T M

  Apr 22, 2026
  5.0
  I am writing to formally recognize and highly commend Maria at your Los Angeles airport area location for the outstanding service she provided during our rental pickup on April 10, 2026. We are travelers from China, and because our flight arrived at LAX in the evening, we reached the rental location tired and somewhat anxious after a long international journey. In addition, our English is limited, which made us concerned about handling the rental process smoothly. From the moment we met Maria, those concerns disappeared. She was exceptionally patient, professional, and kind. She even used translation software to communicate with us clearly and carefully, ensuring we understood every step of the pickup process. That level of care went far beyond what we expected. During the process, I realized I had forgotten the credit card used for the original reservation, which could have created a serious problem. Maria handled the situation calmly and thoughtfully, and with great patience helped us find a solution. What impressed us even more was that she did not simply complete the transaction — she took extra time to explain important local driving rules, safety precautions, and practical tips for driving in the Los Angeles area. Maria turned what could have been a stressful late-night pickup into an extremely smooth, comfortable, and pleasant experience. Her professionalism, empathy, and dedication greatly strengthened our confidence in Sixt’s service quality. I would also like to share something very personal and meaningful: Maria was the first person from Los Angeles we met after arriving at the airport. As first-time visitors to this city, our first impression of Los Angeles came through her. Because of her warmth and professionalism, she gave us a very positive feeling not only about Sixt, but about the city itself. Her service made us feel welcomed, respected, and excited about our journey in Los Angeles. Employees like Maria do more than provide excellent customer service — they represent both your company and, in a way, the spirit of the city visitors encounter first. That is why her service left such a lasting impression on us. I hope this feedback can be shared with Maria and her management team, and that she receives the recognition she deserves. Outstanding employees like her should be acknowledged and commended. Please accept our sincere thanks to Maria and to Sixt for such a positive rental experience. Sincerely, MT
• DS

  Dominic Shew

  Apr 19, 2026
  1.0
  Initially, thought it was ok, but in the end, one of the worst experiences I have ever had renting from a car company. I will never rent from Sixt again. I encourage everyone else to steer away from this company. I rented from the LAX location (through Booking.com). Their rates were competitive, so I initially thought that was good (I had a good experience through Booking.com). I requested a higher-end vehicle, but when I arrived the vehicle was unavailable, so they offered me a lesser one, which I was unhappy about; however, this is quite typical of rental companies. The agent was pleasant, and I paid for an upgrade, which was an EV. The agent informed me that I will not need to re-charge the EV upon return, which I thought was odd. So, I clarified it with her using 3, separate examples and she confirmed that a re-charge is not required upon rent. My wife also heard this. After driving away with my family and settling down, I went through the contract online. It did not mention anything about the EV not needing to be re-charged upon return. So, I called customer service, and the first agent was not helpful at all. He just kept repeating the terms of the contract and did not offer any potential solutions. I then asked to speak with a supervisor, and the agent told me that I should call back, which I thought was ridiculous, and a waste of time. I called back, the second agent was a bit more helpful, and filed a complaint and provided me with a ticket number. Before returning, I contacted the location where I was planning to return the vehicle, and the agent was not helpful (again just kept repeating the terms of the contract). This agent also provided incorrect information (she provided me the rate if I returned a GAS vehicle, but when I asked for the EV/electricity rate, she stated that I would be charged the GAS rate). Due to these inconsistencies, I re-charged the vehicle before returning it to avoid a considerable up-charge (of whatever it might be). I then spoke directly with an agent at the location of return. The agent was friendly and apologized, and said he would apply a $50 credit. He also stated that he would put in a note asking a supervisor to follow-up with me. After filling out a generic email regarding Sixt, I received several emails from customer service reps, but not from a supervisor. One customer service rep stated that there is no documentation from the initial location of rental (i.e., about not needing to re-charge), nor from the location of vehicle return (i.e., applying a credit and that a supervisor will be contacting me) regarding my concerns. Regardless, I will never consider renting from Sixt again. I would encourage others to avoid renting from Sixt. If you do decide to rent from Sixt, I would suggest that you read their contract line-by-line before leaving their facilities because the agents are not trustworthy, or something is wrong with their processes.

Frequently Asked Questions About SIXT Car Rental - Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)