Didn't Avis consider for example the LA region to be one general pickup/return?

Maybe to be more clear: I picked up a car at LAX last weekend. I checked in the app to see about returning it to SNA thx to a better flight option but Avis wants $140 or so to change that return. I thought we could return cars anywhere within the greater LA area e.g. pickup at LAX, return to LAX/LGB/SNA/ONT/BUR and possibly SBA, without any additional fees.

Was I wrong about that or did it change recently? The app wanted to charge me some absurd amount to return a SFO pickup to STS, something like $4500 last summer.