How Much Does It Cost to Rent an Airstream?
So, you want to rent an Airstream before you buy? A great idea! But, how much does an Airstream rental cost? We’ll let you know, and alsoo give you tips and advice if you’re renting an Airstream.
Airstreams are beautiful, well-built, iconic RVs that come in various sizes, with both drivable and towable versions. When you travel in the US, you’re never far from an Airstream rental. But how much does it cost to rent an Airstream?
The average cost of an Airstream RV rental ranges between $90 and $400 per night. The final price range depends on the size, location, and time of year you’re looking to rent. Many Airstream rental platforms allow you to rent for a weekend, a week, or even a month.
The cost of your Airstream rental will also vary if you’re looking to tow it to a destination or just stay in it for a few nights in a national park or nearby RV park. If you’re hoping to travel with an Airstream rental, inquire how many miles are included before you factor fuel costs into your road trip budget.
If you’re on a budget, go for a smaller model on a non-holiday week or weekend. Remember to see which amenities are included, and which you’ll need to add on.
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Where Can You Find an Airstream Rental Near You
There’s no shortage of rental companies to help you find an Airstream online. Some are RV-specific, and others are housing rental services that happen to have Airstream rentals…if you know where to look. Here are our top three places to find an Airstream rental near you:
How to Use Outdoorsy to Find an Airstream Rental
A really popular way to find an Airstream rental near you is to browse the website Outdoorsy.
If you haven’t heard of them yet, Outdoorsy is a peer-to-peer RV rental company where owners put their rigs up for rent. This means you’ll find Airstreams of all shapes and sizes, years, and conditions. You can even find cool vintage Airstreams on Outdoorsy!
Here’s how to find an Airstream rental:
- When you land on Outdoorsy’s home page, you’ll have to scroll down until you see Trailers, and click on that.
#2) You’ll see a page with a bunch of trailer rentals near you. To find an Airstream, you’ll then have to click on More Filters.
#3) A little box will come up, and at the bottom you’ll see a place to type Airstream.
You’ll need to hit that green Apply button on the bottom right, and after you do that, your screen will populate with Airstream rentals near you!
Some owners offer a delivery service to anywhere between 30 and 60 miles from their home or your destination for an additional fee.
TIP: You can search for an Airstream rental near a national park or attraction you want to visit, fly there, then pick up your Airstream rental or have it delivered.
If you prefer to watch a brief video of finding an Airstream on Outdoosy I put one together here:
And subscribe to my YouTube Channel for updates on van life and my sailing journeys!
How to Use RVRentals.com to Find an Airstream Rental
RVRentals.com is a similar peer-to-peer rental platform where you can search for Airstream rentals near you. To get started, you’ll need to enter the following information:
- Rental Location (i.e., where your trip will start)
- Departure Date
- Return Date
- Desired Sleeping Capacity
From there, you can filter by RV class, length, price, and rental type (standard versus delivery-only). You can also filter your results by desired amenities, allowing you to filter for features like air conditioning, inside showers, and pet-friendly rentals.
While RVRentals.com expands your selection of camper rentals for your trip, the ability to filter by RV brand would make it much easier to find Airstream rentals near you. As it is, you’ll need to scroll through the search results to visually identify available Airstream rentals in your search location.
How to Use Airbnb to Find an Airstream Rental
Airbnb is a great platform for Airstream rentals if you aren’t looking to move it anywhere. If you’re flying or driving into a destination and looking for lodging, use this platform to explore Airstream rentals near you.
When you land on the Airbnb home page on a desktop device, there’s a scrolling bar that allows you to filter search results by rental types. Some type examples include A-frames, historical homes, and houseboats. There are numerous rental types, but we’re looking for ‘Campers’.
This will bring up all Camper rentals, and the odds are good you’ll see a few Airstreams right off the bat. But you’ll want to refine your search by adding the rental location, dates, and number of guests for your trip. You can then use the list view to look at the Airstream camper details available for your trip.
I also like to use the Map View to see where the rental is located in relation to anything else I need to do or see in the city. In my Airbnb experience, Superhosts are always good to look for, as they’ve typically been on the platform a while and have their check-in procedures dialed.
But take the time to read a few reviews (good and bad) to get a sense of what the Airstream rental offers.
Why Rent an Airstream Rather than Buy?
Renting an Airstream trailer rather than buying removes all the hassle of ownership, like paying taxes, storing, maintaining, and fixing the trailer or coach. You pick your Airstream rental up or drive to it, have fun camping, clean it up, and hand it back in when your vacation is over. Easy.
If you’re considering buying an Airstream RV, renting is a great way to gauge if this kind of trailer or camper van is a good fit for you. You can test anything that may be a concern, such as:
- Impact on your towing vehicle of choice. Does your car or truck struggle towing a big Airstream trailer rental?
- Efficiency and gas consumption. Does your vehicle consume a lot more when towing an Airstream? Or is the campervan efficient?
- Insulation in different climates. Is it too hot or too cold in your home state for an Airstream?
- Maneuverability. Are you comfortable driving around and parking with a big Airstream trailer behind your car? Or how does the coach fare rounding tight bends and parking in tight spaces?
- Living space and comfort. Is this model and size adequate to your needs?
- Tire performance on different terrains. Can the Airstream trailer rental or van go off-road?
- The ease of setting camp up. Is it quick and easy enough to put the landing gear down or are you looking for a trailer that doesn’t need setting up?
The best bit?
If you rent through Outdoorsy, you get to speak and meet with real-life owners, who can answer your questions about owning an Airstream – what are the pet peeves, how much is insurance, what yearly maintenance is involved, and so on.
What To Look For in an Airstream Rental
Airstream trailers have a super-cool history. They were used for decades to take astronauts to the launch pad at NASA and as comfortable RVs for moving US Air Force officials around the world. It’s no surprise that these iconic aluminum trailers have a bit of a cult following.
Buying one of these beauties is a big investment and the prospect can be daunting. The smallest Airstream trailer starts at $38,400 and the biggest at $153,400. Airstream touring coaches can cost as much as $250,000.
An Airstream rental is a great way to see if this is the right type of RV for you and your towing car, 4×4, SUV, or pickup truck. If buying an Airstream is out of your budget, an Airstream trailer rental a couple of times a year is a great compromise.
There are tons of different types of Airstream rentals on the market, from trailers to Class B to driveable RVs. You’ll have to consider exactly what you want before you rent. Here are a few tips:
How big of an Airstream rental do you want?
Think about how many people are going on your trip. Airstream RV rentals range from 16′ to 33′ long and sleep between 2-8 people. You’ll need to refine your search to accommodate whether you’re looking for an Airstream that’s perfect for a larger family, a group of friends, or a couple who likes a lot of space.
You’ll also need to factor in how much weight your tow vehicle can handle. If you’re unsure, Camping World’s Towing Guide is a great resource. Just enter your tow vehicle’s year, make, model, and trim to find out your maximum towing capacity.
You can also rent an Airstream touring coach which looks more like a Class B RV. This is best for couples or small families looking to cover some distance because it’ll be easy to drive and you won’t have to worry about towing considerations.
What’s included with your Airstream trailer rental?
When browsing listings for your perfect Airstream trailer rental, you’ll want to see what the owners include. We found one that includes cookware, utensils, a camping tent, an outdoor propane grill, and camping chairs.
Others don’t include anything and you either have to bring your gear or rent “add-ons”. If you’re going to boondock, for example, you’ll want a trailer rental that comes with a portable generator, or at least offers a generator as an add-on, which we’ll cover next.
Do you want optional add-ons when you rent your Airstream RV?
Some owners offer extras when you rent an Airstream. Scroll down to the bottom of the listing to see if you want to tack on anything fun. Add-ons mean you don’t have to bring as much stuff for your Airstream vacation.
Here are a few examples of add-ons:
- Barbecue: $10.00 per day
- Beach Chairs: $5.00 per day
- Beach Umbrella: $10.00 per day
- Bicycle: $20.00 per day
- Camping Chairs: $5.00 per day
What is the Airstream rental’s cancellation policy?
Most RV rental platforms allow owners to choose which type of cancellation policy they want for their Airstream RV rental. Owners can choose between Strict, Flexible, and Moderate cancellation policies on most rental platforms, but some may differ.
To help you avoid any surprises, these links will help you understand the cancellation policies for the three rental platforms we mentioned above:
How many miles are included?
Don’t get caught unaware that miles might cost extra with an Airstream RV rental. Ask the owner how many miles are included with the rental rate, if any. And then ask what rate you’ll be billed for extra miles.
Here’s an example of one listing’s mileage policy, to give you an idea:
- 100 miles free per day
- You will be charged $0.35 for every mile over per day.
Another listing we found has unlimited miles included. On the platforms I’m most familiar with, the owner of the listing can customize their mileage policy. So, it may not hurt to contact the RV owner directly if your ideal Airstream rental has a mileage policy that doesn’t exactly match your intended purpose for the rental.
Miles could quickly make your Airstream rental more expensive than you anticipated, so make sure you read the fine print. You can also choose to find an Airstream RV rental near your destination so you save money on miles.
CLICK HERE TO BROWSE AIRSTREAM RENTALS NEAR YOU RIGHT NOW.
Is It Hard To Drive an Airstream Rental?
Towing a trailer takes practice. However, Airstreams are one of the easier trailer models to tow, thanks to their aerodynamic shape and light weight.
You need to go slow, brake gently and early, reverse, and park. Of course, you’ll need to mind the size of the trailer too, but after a few hours, you’ll get an eye for the height, length, and width of the vehicle.
Practice makes perfect and cruising on an Airstream rental makes for fast learning.
Reversing and parking can be challenging, as it can be a little counterintuitive. You need to reverse your car in the opposite direction in which you want the trailer to go. Practice in an empty parking lot or campground with a patient spotter helping you judge distances and you’ll soon get confident.
Check the listing in detail before booking – some RV owners require previous towing experience or a compulsory setup fee, especially for bigger models.
What To Bring When Renting an Airstream Trailer Near You
If it’s your first Airstream RV rental adventure, we have a handy gear list that will help you pack the right stuff so you aren’t overwhelmed.
Here’s our go-to packing list:
- Clothes and PJs
- Bed sheets or sleeping bags
- Towels
- Pillows
- Earplugs
- Toiletries
- Wet wipes – especially if there’s no bathroom in the trailer
- Camping plates and mugs
- Torch and head torches
- Camping chairs and table
- Solar shower (if there’s no shower onboard)
- Insect repellant and mosquito coils
- Food, drinks and condiments
- Board games and books or Kindle
- Battery bank for your phone or tablet
- Any gear you might want to take, like bikes or surfboards
- Campfire wood and tinder
Remember to read the listing carefully to check what’s included in the rental. Some owners offer clean bedsheets, basic cookware, camping chairs, and towels. Some smaller Airstreams don’t have a toilet, so you may want to take a portable camping toilet with you.
The listing details may even give you some ideas for extras. If there’s a TV with a DVD player, you may take a couple of your favorite movies with you.
Conclusion on the Best Airstream Rental for a Summer Trip
If you’re a fan of Airstream travel trailers, renting one is a fabulous way to try them out and see if they’re right for you. And if you’re planning on renting rather than owning an RV, you get to camp in as many different models as you like.
Curious about what other types of camping trailers you can rent? Check out the best camping trailer rentals And if you’re more into vans, have a look at these campervans for rent.
Other stories to check out:
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