Airport car rentals, compared in a single search

Bring a full driving licence you have held for at least the period the supplier requires, a credit card in the lead driver's name with enough available balance for the security deposit, your booking voucher, and a passport or national ID card. Some countries also ask for an International Driving Permit alongside a non-domestic licence. Requirements are set by each supplier and vary by airport, so read the rental terms attached to your booking before you fly — desk staff apply them exactly as written.

In most cases, no. Airport suppliers use a credit card in the main driver's name to hold the security deposit, and that card must be embossed and in date. A minority of suppliers accept debit cards, usually with a higher deposit, extra identity checks or compulsory insurance cover, and prepaid or virtual cards are rarely accepted anywhere. Check the card policy in the terms before you book, because turning up with the wrong card is the single most common reason a rental is refused at the desk.

The price you see covers the car for your dates, the compulsory charges that apply at that airport — basic damage and theft cover, airport surcharges, local taxes and fees — and the mileage allowance stated in the terms. Optional extras are quoted separately and are normally paid at the desk: child seats, an additional driver, satellite navigation, winter tyres, cross-border cover, extra insurance to reduce the excess, and any young or senior driver surcharge.

Most airport bookings are paid in full at the time of booking, which locks in the price you saw. Some suppliers instead take a deposit now with the balance due at the desk, and a smaller number allow you to pay on arrival. Whichever applies to your rate is shown on the rental terms before you confirm, along with the deposit the supplier will pre-authorise on your credit card at pick-up.

Yes. Open Manage Booking on this site or in the app, enter your booking reference number and the lead driver's email address, and you can view, amend or cancel the reservation. Amendments are generally possible right up to the pick-up time, and eligible bookings can be cancelled free of charge up to 48 hours before pick-up. Cancel inside that window and a fee may apply, depending on the supplier's conditions. Refunds are returned to the card used for the original payment.

Three policies cover almost every airport rental. Full to full means you collect a full tank and return it full; it is the most common and usually the cheapest, because you only pay the pump price. Same to same means you return the car with the same level shown at pick-up. Prepaid fuel (sometimes full to empty) means you buy the tank up front at the supplier's rate and any fuel left when you return is not refunded. The policy for your car is stated on the search results and on your voucher.

Yes. You can add extra drivers during booking or at the rental desk on arrival. Every additional driver has to be present at pick-up with their own licence and ID, and must meet the same age and licence-held rules as the lead driver. There is normally a daily fee, often capped over a longer rental, though some rates in the United States and Spain include one extra driver at no cost. Anyone driving who is not named on the rental agreement invalidates the cover.

Add your flight number when you book. Suppliers with a desk in the terminal use it to track your arrival and hold the car beyond the booked pick-up time, typically for a set grace period after landing. Off-airport suppliers reached by shuttle bus, and desks at smaller regional airports, keep fixed opening hours — if your new arrival time falls outside them, contact the supplier or our support team as early as you can so the booking can be moved rather than marked as a no-show.

Confirmations are normally issued within 48 hours of booking. If nothing has arrived, check your spam or promotions folder first, then confirm the email address on the reservation was typed correctly. You can also pull up the full booking at any time through Manage Booking using your reference number and the lead driver's email. If you still cannot find it, email info@airportcarrentals.co or call the support line for your country and we will resend it.

Walk around the car before you leave the bay and photograph or film every panel, the wheels, the windscreen and the roof, plus the fuel gauge and the odometer. Make sure any scratch, dent or chip you find is written onto the check-out sheet and that a member of staff has signed it — undeclared damage is the usual reason for a post-rental charge. Also confirm the fuel policy on the agreement matches your voucher, check the spare wheel or tyre kit and any legally required equipment is present, and note where the car has to be returned, since drop-off is not always the same terminal as pick-up.