Hertz Car Rental - Des Moines International Airport

Diane Lozovoy

★★★★★

4 months ago

I had a two week rental. I drove almost a thousand miles during this trip. The car was comfortable and in good condition. Everything went as expected. I couldn’t ask for more.

Louis Costa

★★★★☆

7 months ago

DSM counter staff are excellent. Smooth and efficient. My entire flight was rebooked from multiple delays. The Hertz staff was completely accommodating.

Joe Sanchez

★★★★★

5 months ago

Picking up vehicle was so fast and easy best service I have seen in a long time , only wish other Hertz would learn from DSM location. Took less than five minutes to check in , paperwork was waiting and ready. A+++ goes to their agents

Jennifer Milby

★☆☆☆☆

5 months ago

Staff working the desk on Saturday 9/13/25 was anything but helpful. We did our reservation through Expedia and because of that they started out being very rude. Told my son they couldn’t take a debit card for the remainder of the payment but then charged his debit card $546 and then acted like it was OUR problem that we were charged because we didn’t read a sign at the opposite end of the desk (that clearly said that they needed to explain the process to us) which they did not. I’ve never had such terrible customer service from any car rental agency before. I had to drive my credit card to the Des Moines airport from Altoona for them to charge the remaining $45.69 (Amt listed on 1st billing statement) and then they also charged my card and additional $82.62 (amt listed on 2nd billing statement) and I’m still waiting to find out what that charge is for. The actual charge to my credit card was $246 and an additional $283 for the second charge. I will never rent there again. I find it odd that they couldn’t take a credit card over the phone when you can actually call there to schedule a rental and give them a credit card over the phone.

Chris Cheney

★★★★★

3 months ago

I've always tried to rent from Hertz rather than any other company. I've had nothing but positive experiences in doing so and this time was no different. Even though I tried to get in a Maserati, the Nissan Rogue I was provided met my needs quite well.

dennis cloud

★★★☆☆

2 weeks ago

Front desk employees act like they just needed a job. Very unclear as to where the cars are located. My car was partially cleaned. Drink cups,lids..nasty. found wedding band and a children's book left in the car.Just another car rental.

Richard Taylor-Bees & Bovines

★★★★☆

a month ago

Expedia changed my pickup time from AM to PM and refused to correct their mistake. The staff at Hertz stepped in and helped me have an enjoyable trip. Many thanks to everyone at the Des Moines Hertz.

Kenneth Gerig

★☆☆☆☆

2 months ago

The agent told me he was going to upgrade me. Didn't ask if I wanted it or tell me there was a $70 charge. He also strongly advised I do the has prepay because $2.62 was a good price. Little did I know I would pay less at every had station in Iowa. He also did not explain how that worked correctly when though I questioned him about it which screwed me out of another $35. To top it off, the cruise control in my upgraded car did not work along with all the other buttons on the steering wheel.

Brian Tracy

★★★★★

2 weeks ago

SHANTEL and the crew ar Des Moines international airport did a fantastic job accommodating my rental request. Shantel's attention to detail and pleasant communication made my rental experience a joy. Thank You

Nancy Whalen

★☆☆☆☆

a year ago

Pickup was seamless Drop off was a nightmare- arrived at 4:56pm and no one was at the counter to check the car in and there wasn't a sign indicating the counter was closed . Waited 20 minutes but had to go check a bag and go through TSA. There isn't time for waiting these days. Called the counter at 5:40pm, 6pm and 6:34pm while waiting at the gate and no answer. Can't recommend a company that has this kind of service, we are at an airport after all.

Emily McFadden

★☆☆☆☆

2 months ago

I made a reservation two months in advance for a Toyota Camry. Upon my arrival at the airport, I was notified that my specific car was unavailable, but that they would kindly offer me “an upgrade at no additional charge”. They put me in a Chevy Trailblazer! Apparently this car is considered a SUV. I strongly disagree—given the fact the size of this vehicle is comparable to a Fit or their 1980’s model Chevette. I would have NEVER chosen to drive this car had I been given any other options. I do not feel safe when driving this car!!!. This car handles horribly on the ice and snow in Iowa this time of year! I HATE the vehicle they put me in and I even feel cheated by the whole experience. Shame on you Hertz. No one would ever forget a botched and failed customer service experience like this! You’ve lost a customer for life.

Alex Young

★☆☆☆☆

3 months ago

I wasn't going to leave a review, but the business asked me to, so here I go. I would strongly advise NOT renting from this Hertz (or probably any Hertz to be honest). After being ignored at the service counter by the desk staff, the the staff treated me as if I was bothering them. They were curt, cold, and unpleasant. It was clear they hated their jobs... Additionally, the car I was given had a very dirty windshield, with a big patch of adhesive on it that they clearly didn't bother to clean, which made it difficult to see through. I have given Hertz more than enough chances, I am just going to go back to Enterprise. The small amount of cost savings is just not worth walking away feeling like I did something wrong and doesn't give me confidence in their ability to support me should something go wrong.

Quin D.

★☆☆☆☆

2 months ago

My experience with Hertz was extremely frustrating and costly due to conflicting staff information following a severe weather cancellation. My flight was canceled due to severe weather, and to protect my prepaid rate, I had to add my sister as a temporary driver to pick up the car. Despite a Hertz representative explicitly guaranteeing that no additional fees would be charged, I was hit with an additional fee. Worse, staff at the airport gave me contradictory instructions over two days, forcing my sister and me to make unnecessary trips during a stressful holiday period. Hertz's failure to provide accurate, consistent information resulted in an avoidable charge and massive inconvenience.

Dan Madole

★☆☆☆☆

8 months ago

I rented a car from this Hertz location on Friday. The cars are kept in a dark parking garage and i left without noticing that the rental vehicle was disgusting. This car had not been cleaned before my rental and had sticky residue on the steering wheel, food stuck to the the passenger seat, road dirt on the inside of both front doors, and a fabric softener bottle (from the prior rental) in the trunk. Unacceptable for a $80 per day rental fee. I would have returned the vehicle had it not been for a tight schedule.

Zach Driscoll

★☆☆☆☆

2 months ago

DO NOT USE this location. I rented Hertz full size car out of Des Moines airport for 2 days to attend funeral in Waterloo over holidays. Dec 21-23. I only used half tank of gas and was told a half tank would be charged at over $10 per gallon. $107 for car rental, and now $90 gas penalty. $90 would fill 2+ tanks on an Altima!!! The staff said that $10 rate warning is in my receipt which I have and it is NOT listed. Worse, the staff of 3, took great joy in telling me, in unison, that their customer was wrong and none of them could help me. X3 attempts. 500% per gallon gouge returning from a funeral. I begged to pay half vs the $90 half tank penalty on an Altima. The staff enjoyed denying me, esp the man. All 3 sat the whole time. Zero effort to accommodate or negotiate. Last, this is the first time I tried Hertz. A team of Grinches.

Michael Daming

★☆☆☆☆

6 months ago

🚫Horrible Experience – Never Again!🚫 😡😡😡 I had the worst experience ever with Hertz Car Rental at Des Moines International Airport (DSM). 1. Poor Vehicle Quality: The car I received was dirty on the outside and although the inside was clean, the A/C was practically useless. At stoplights or while parked, the A/C blew hot air, only cooling down when driving. This is completely unacceptable and unsafe. At times, I had to alter my driving just to avoid stopping at red lights, which is both dangerous and stressful. 2. Unprofessional Staff: When I returned the vehicle early in the morning, the employee on duty (Austin) was rude, dismissive, and clearly uninterested in assisting customers. Instead of answering my questions properly, he kept repeating “Have a good day” in a sarcastic and unhelpful way. He still had his backpack on, which made it obvious he had just arrived — yet he treated me as if I was bothering him. Absolutely unacceptable customer service. 3. Nothing Worth the Price: The vehicle was average at best, nothing special, and certainly not worth the hassle. Prices are similar to competitors, but the service here is far worse. ⚠️ Final Recommendation: Do yourself a favor and avoid this Hertz location completely. I will never rent from Hertz again anywhere in the U.S. after this experience. There are plenty of other rental companies with better cars, better prices, and far better customer service. Save yourself the frustration and stress, especially if you have an early morning flight — this location is the last place you want to deal with. ❌ Unacceptable. Unprofessional. Unworthy of your time or money.❌

Keith Rice

★☆☆☆☆

a month ago

Hertz Des Moines Airport — this needs to be addressed. I rented a vehicle through Hotwire for $35/day and returned it completely full. I fueled up at the Casey’s near the airport immediately before drop-off. Despite that, I was later charged $113.49 for a fuel refill. When I called the Des Moines location, I was told I needed to provide a photo of the fuel gauge prior to return or my gas receipt. I do have documentation, but the bigger issue is this: customers should not be automatically charged and then forced to prove they’re innocent. This feels like a preset charge-first, verify-later practice — and that’s not acceptable. If you rent from Hertz Des Moines, protect yourself:• Take a clear photo of the fuel gauge at drop-off• Keep your gas receipt• Review your final bill carefully I expect this charge to be reversed. Transparency and fair treatment should be standard — not something customers have to fight for.