Alaska prices hit hard here, but you earn Avis points
Avis Car Rental runs its Sitka Rocky Gutierrez Airport (SIT) desk on site in T1, so you walk maybe 2–3 minutes from baggage claim to the counter and adjacent lot. This is one of the few big-name rental brands in town, which matters if you care about stacking Avis Preferred points on a trip that might only be 2–4 days long.
The counter keeps hours tied tightly to flight banks, with agents usually present around Alaska Airlines arrivals into T1’s single concourse, then closing between gaps. Because Sitka volumes are low, the local Avis fleet is tiny, often fewer than 20–30 cars total, so you rarely see lots of vehicle categories sitting idle like at SEA or ANC.
Rates in peak summer (June–August) can easily hit $120–$180 per day for a midsize, which shocks people used to lower mainland prices but lines up with other Southeast Alaska ports. Taxes and fees at SIT add roughly 15–20% to the base rate, so a “$99” quote easily lands around $120 at the counter if you haven’t checked the full breakdown.
Because inventory is so thin, pre-booking 2–4 weeks out is smart, and a month or more out for July 4 or Sitka’s major fishing weeks is safer. Same-day walk‑ups at the Avis counter in T1 sometimes only see a single car left, often a full‑size or SUV at a higher daily rate than anything you’d see online a week earlier.
Pickup is simple: after landing at SIT, you collect bags on the ground-level carousel in T1, walk about 100 feet to the Avis desk, sign the contract, then step directly outside to the small on‑airport lot where cars sit in one or two rows. Drop-off is at the same lot, with a key return box near the counter if your flight out of Sitka leaves before an agent starts around 6:00–7:00 a.m.
Quick step‑by‑step from plane to keys: 1) Land at SIT T1 and deplane via the single concourse. 2) Grab checked bags at the only baggage belt, usually in under 10–15 minutes. 3) Walk to the Avis counter about 30–50 feet away. 4) Show your license, credit card, and Avis Preferred number if you use it. 5) Walk outside to the on‑airport lot, find your assigned space number, and do a quick phone photo walk‑around before driving off toward downtown Sitka, roughly 2–3 miles away on the main road.
One tip: lock in a cancellable reservation on the Avis site as soon as flights are booked, then re‑price it once or twice in the 7–10 days before your SIT arrival in case a cheaper car class opens in the small local fleet.