Toll passes (or not)
Flying into Tampa for ten days.
Will do a trip to Sea world one day and Kennedy SC.
Also will go south and no doubt looking at the sunpass map run into a cashless toll booth.
AVIS will charge me for any days doing this 7 usd + Tolls.
So...is it worth just getting a sunpass from a grocery store as I come out of Tampa?
Driving in Florida often means encountering toll roads, especially if you are traveling from Tampa to SeaWorld, the Kennedy Space Center, or heading south toward Miami. Florida has many cashless tolls, and most rental cars from companies like AVIS automatically offer a toll program for around $7 per day plus the actual tolls, which can add up quickly depending on your itinerary.
Here’s a breakdown of your options and considerations:
- Using AVIS Toll Program: Convenient because you don’t have to worry about carrying cash or purchasing a separate toll device. You are charged $7 per day plus the toll fees, automatically billed to your rental. This is easy but can become expensive for multiple toll days, especially if you drive long distances or take many toll roads.
- Getting a SunPass: Purchasing a prepaid SunPass (available at grocery stores, convenience stores, or online) allows you to use toll roads directly without rental company fees. A SunPass Mini or standard SunPass can be mounted on your rental car temporarily. You load credit onto it and pay only the tolls, avoiding the extra $7/day surcharge from AVIS. SunPass works on nearly all toll roads in Florida and is ideal for trips to Kennedy Space Center and southbound highways.
- Paying Cash (where possible): Some toll roads still have cash booths, but many main highways are cashless. If you rely on cash alone, you may need to plan alternative routes, which can add time to your drives. Also, if you hit a cashless toll without a SunPass, the rental company may still charge a violation fee.
Recommendations:
- If your trip involves multiple toll roads in a short period (like Tampa → Orlando → Cape Canaveral → south Florida), getting a SunPass is usually cheaper than paying AVIS daily fees, especially for a 10-day rental.
- SunPass gives flexibility—you pay only for what you use and can track tolls in real-time online.
- If you prefer absolute convenience and don’t mind the extra cost, the AVIS toll program avoids any setup or mounting of a SunPass.
- Make sure to confirm with AVIS whether your car already has SunPass compatibility; some vehicles come equipped and automatically enroll in toll charges, which could duplicate fees if you also buy a personal SunPass.
Overall, for a multi-day, multi-destination trip in Florida, especially including Orlando, Cape Canaveral, and potentially southbound highways, a SunPass purchased independently is usually the more cost-effective and flexible choice.
