NATIONAL Car Rental at Johannesburg Airport

O.R Tambo Airport, formerly known as Johannesburg International Airport, or Jan Smuts, is South Africa’s largest airport, and handles over 20 million passengers per year. The airport is found in the Kempton park region of Johannesburg, the capital city of South Africa, nearby the areas of Brakpan and Germiston. The name of O.R Tambo International Airport came about in 2006, and is in honour of a former President of the South African National Congress. This African airport has recently been upgraded, and has all the facilities required by its passengers. There are a number of car hire companies available, for example, National Car Hire. National is a well-known, global car rental company, offering a wide range of quality vehicles for hire.

National Car Rental was founded in 1947, and has therefore over fifty years of experience in the car hire industry. Over their years of service the main aim of the company has been to serve the rental needs of the frequent airport business traveler, but is a very popular company for leisure car rental as well. National is known as the car hire company which helped pioneer the corporate account business in the 1970’s, as well as the organization to first introduce a comprehensive frequent-renter program. This was in 1987, and the program’s name is Emerald Club. Today, many customers still belong to Emerald Club, and enjoy many convenient time and money saving benefits of the program. Emerald club members have the option to bypass the rental counter, can receive automatic e-receipts, and have access to ‘car choice’, which allows the customer to quickly choose their vehicle and drive away without needing to complete any lengthy paperwork.

National at O.R Tambo International Airport, can be found among other car rental companies, in the multi-storey parkade just opposite the domestic terminal. Johannesburg’s airport consists of six terminals, but can be divided into main areas that handle domestic and international passengers. Recent renovations of the airport for the FIFA 2010 World Cup included the addition of a new Central Terminal building, a new international pier and various improvements and expansions to other terminals in the building. Cars can be hired directly from National’s rental counters at the airport, or in advance, from National’s website, at www.nationalcar.com.

National’s vehicles are all divided into various car categories, and are booked, priced and controlled by these classes. Customers will therefore select a car category, rather than a vehicle by its specific makes and model. In South Africa, and at O.R Tambo Airport, National offers the Economy and Compact vehicle classes for small and practically sized vehicles. The Kia Picanto 1.1 is one of the smallest, while the Toyota Yaris 1.3 and VW Polo Classic 1.6 are found in the Compact category. These cars come with features such as anti-lock brakes, air conditioning, power steering and airbags, and are great for driving in the city of Johannesburg. They seat four or five passengers, but have limited room for luggage.

Intermediate, Standard and Full-size vehicles include the examples of the Chevrolet Aveo 1.6, Toyota Avensis 2.0 and BMW 320i 2.0. These cars have a more spacious interior, and more room for luggage as well, storing up to three items. Families often choose one of these categories, or an even larger vehicle from the categories of Van, Compact SUV or SUV. The VW T5 Microbus 2.5 is an excellent choice for groups of travelers or large families, as it can accommodate up to eight passengers, while the SUVs can seat up to five people. The Daihatsu Terios 1.5 is an example of a Compact SUV, and the Hyundai Tuscon 2.0 is found in the SUV category, with power steering, ABS brakes, air conditioning and air bag protection. The large Microbus and SUV's are manually driven, while the vehicles in the Intermediate, Standard and Full-size categories have an automatic transmission, which is often preferred by many customers.

Premium vehicles also have an automatic transmission, and include the Mercedes Benz C180 1.8. Vehicles in the Premium category are more elegant than ordinary rented cars, and make an excellent impression at prestigious business functions. They also come with many luxurious features that improve the customer’s driving experience.

In order to qualify as a primary renter at National, the individual should have a valid drivers license and meet the minimum or maximum age requirements of the specific rental location. A major credit card is also usually required for payment of the rental. National accepts one-way rentals, which means that drivers can collect their vehicle from National’s rental office at Johannesburg’s airport, but return it to another National rental agency. There are usually extra charges for this service if the vehicle is returned to a different city. Various fuel options are available depending on the length of your rental period.

Further details are available on National’s website, or customers can contact National directly, at their O.R Tambo International Airport rental location.

Address: Johannesburg International Airport (JNBT01)
Serviced by Europcar
International Airport, Kempton Park
Johannesburg, 1620
ZA

Telephone Number: +27 (11) 3903909

Fax Number: +27 (11) 3944061