Car rental in South Africa is well-established, reputable, and generally of high quality regardless of the company you choose. All the major brands have South African operations.
We checked prices and availability of different vehicle classes directly with the rental companies to answer these two important questions.
Is it cheaper to rent a vehicle in Johannesburg compared to Nelspruit (MQP) or Skukuza (SZK) airports?
It depends on how you book:
Option 1: Direct Bookings With The Rental Companies
No. Rental prices for vehicles are typically standardised nationally. Whether you rent from Johannesburg or fly and transfer to KNP without self-driving, you can expect similar rental costs.
Option 2: Booking Through Agencies or Online Car Rental Booking Engines
We observed price discrepancies between car rental agencies, online booking engines, and direct quotes from rental companies.
It’s possible to find better prices using this approach.
- Generally you’ll find the more expensive the rental category, the larger the discount you can find.
- Ultimately, pricing will always be influenced by supply and seasonal demand when booing through these options.
Before booking, make sure to research the car rental agency or booking engine to confirm it’s legitimate.
Confirm your booking with the car rental provider once you receive a reservation code from the Agency or Booking Engine.
Keep in mind that agencies and booking sites represent the actual car rental companies.
To ensure your reservation is confirmed, contact the car rental provider directly with your reservation code. It’s a good idea to do this even if you booked directly through them.
Will I have the same vehicle options renting from Nelspruit (MQP) or Skukuza (SZK) airports as I would from Johannesburg?
That said, if you book ahead of time, you likely won’t be affected by the limited options at Nelspruit or Skukuza, as we found more than enough availability of different vehicle types at these locations.
- Johannesburg offers the widest range of options.
- Nelspruit is a smaller operation than Johannesburg, but they do have all the same rental categories as Johannesburg, just less stock.
- Skukuza is the smallest operation with limited stock. Majority of visitors rent their car from outside of Kruger for this reason.
- That said, if you book ahead of time, you likely won’t be affected by the limited options
Summary
- If you plan on flying into Nelspruit or Skukuza or are being transferred by a private service:
- Check if you can get a good deal through an agency or booking engine.
- Cross-check the price with what’s offered directly from the car rental provider.
- There isn’t much cost saving or added value to be found in different rental locations when booking directly with the car rental provider.
- Real cost savings come from self-driving to KNP instead of flying if budget is a concern.