First time renting a car at an airport car hire desk? We know it can be a bit nerve-wracking if the process is unfamiliar to you. With forms to fill in, insurance options to mull over and fuel rules to understand, all when you’ve just stepped off a flight!
The whole process becomes much less stressful once you understand the basics; that’s why we’ve put together a beginner-friendly guide to airport car rental, with some tips and tricks and details of what to avoid.
Where to book your first airport car hire rental car
With so many car hire options out there, the question of 'where should I book my holiday rental car from' can be a little overwhelming. However, there are two main booking options you could choose, if booking a hire car ahead of landing; booking directly through a rental company website, or through a car rental comparison site.
Booking directly means having access to brand loyalty schemes and knowing exactly who you're dealing with, with no middleman involved. However, using this option, rather than a comparison site, means you may miss out on saving a bit of money if another brand has a cheaper option for you, that fits your needs.
Booking through a comparison site offers a quick and easy comparison of the brands, car types and inclusions that may fit your needs. The main downside to this way of booking is in the event something does go wrong ahead of the rental period; you may not be able to deal directly with the rental desk.
Something that is often missed during the booking process is remembering to check the rental car pickup location... Terms like 'airport – in terminal' and 'on airport' usually mean that the rental desk and cars are in, or close by to, the airport terminal. Whereas 'off airport' often means they're further away and you may need to go to a location separate to the airport to pick up the car, this can add extra time to the process.
It's also a good idea to check the rental desk's opening hours against when your flight lands, as some are not open 24/7 or may charge a fee for out of hours pick up or drop off.
How to choose between the types of rental car available to book
There's no right or wrong rental car type, just the one that best fits your needs. If you're travelling alone and don't mind a smaller car, that would be a more cost-effective option for you than a large car or SUV, which in turn would be a better option for a family.
When booking, you'll likely come up against the terms Mini, Economy, Compact, Intermediate, Standard, Full-size and Premium, as opposed to the actual makes and models of cars.
The Mini, Economy or Compact options are often the cheapest, with a better fuel economy and easier to drive and park in busy cities, also a good option for individuals or couples.
Intermediate and Standard options (mid-size cars) have more room for extra passengers and luggage and are good options for groups or families, but come with a higher rental price and fuel usage cost.
Full-size is a good option if extra legroom or boot space is needed.
Premium, as suggested by the name, is a higher-end rental car option, with high comfort and performance, but often higher deposits.
Bear in mind that you're booking a size of car, rather than a specific make or model of car!
Another thing to factor in, and it comes down to personal preference, is the type of transmission you’re after in your rental car, automatic or manual. Manual is often cheaper to rent, but in some countries like the USA, automatic is standard.
What do the different fuel policy types mean, when renting a car
Having never rented a car before, you’re likely unfamiliar with the common fuel policy types associated with hire cars. Not to worry, there are two main types that are actually quite simple once you’re familiar with them. They are as below:
‘Full to fill’: This means you collect the hire car with a full tank of fuel, and you return it with the same amount. This usually the best type of fuel policy, as you only pay for the fuel you use.
‘Full to empty’: Put simply, you collect the hire car with a full tank of fuel but must return it with the tank as empty as possible.
What do the different mileage policy types mean, when renting a car
Another thing to factor in when choosing your holiday rental car is the mileage policy type, which again may sound a little confusing, so we’ve detailed the two main types as simply as possible, below. Essentially, the mileage policy refers to whether there is a limit on how far you can drive in the rental car or not, and whether there is a fee to pay if you go over the limit.
‘Unlimited mileage’: Does what it says on the tin, there’s no restriction on the distance you can drive in the rental car and subsequently no extra fees for distance. However, when booking, you should check whether there are country restrictions, as, just because you can drive with no restriction on miles or kilometers, doesn’t always mean you can drive across country borders, without incurring extra charges.
‘Limited mileage’: This means that the rental only includes a fixed amount of distance that can be driven. Should you drive more than this daily or weekly mileage limit, then you will pay an extra fee per km/mile.
What documents should I bring with me to the airport car hire rental desk
This will vary depending on whether you’ve booked directly with a car hire company and provided them with details through their booking app or portal ahead of time, but usually you will need to provide:
The valid, in-date driving license of the main driver
A credit card, in the main driver’s name
An email or PDF booking confirmation
The main driver’s passport or valid photo ID
An International Driving Permit (IDP) - required in some countries
The valid, in-date driving license of any additional drivers
Proof of car hire insurance if you’ve purchased it ahead of time
You can also choose to take our car hire excess insurance, an optional insurance product which can be useful, as it covers you against any excess charges the rental company may ask you to pay, should your rental vehicle be damaged or stolen whilst in your possession. If you do take our policy, mention this during the pick-up process and provide evidence of your policy.
During the pick-up process, you may be asked by the rental company to leave a deposit to cover the excess amount. This amount will likely be held by your payment card for the duration of the rental. Rental companies most often ask for a credit card in the driver's name to hold this payment on, so it is worth checking the small print around accepted payment methods, to make sure there are no issues.
Should I buy cover from the rental desk
When collecting your vehicle, the rental desk may offer you additional products such as 'excess waivers' or similar cover. These waivers are not insurance and do not tend to be regulated in the same way as insurance products are. They may also operate differently from the car hire excess insurance provided by icarhireinsurance.com.
Before buying any cover at the rental desk, it is a good idea to make sure you understand exactly what is included, if there are exclusions or additional fees associated with the product being offered to you, how any excess applies, and how it compares to the protection offered by car hire excess insurance providers, like icarhireinsurance.com. Based on this, you can make an informed decision on which option best meets your needs.
What is good to document when I first pick up the rental car
To protect yourself against potentially being charged for damage to the rental car that happened before your rental period, it’s important to document the condition of the car on pick up.
To do this, first check the car handover sheet and the diagram or list within it that notes existing damage to the car, do a quick initial check of the car to see if this is correct. Then, do a more thorough examination of the car, taking photos as you go. Walk around the car and make note and take photos of any scratches, dents, scuffs, chips or cracks in the outer body, wheels, tyres and windows. Then, inspect the boot of the car for stains and the interior of the car for these as well as any other notable damage and make sure to take videos and photos with your phone as you go.
The best option if you do notice damage that isn’t noted in the handover sheet is to go directly back to the rental desk and ask them to detail this in the car’s damage record, so that you’re protected against having to pay for this damage on returning the car.
They should then send a representative to come and inspect the vehicle and note this damage down, but make sure to retain your video and photo evidence of the damage on your phone until the end of your rental just in case.
Before you pull out of the airport rental car parking lot, make sure to check the dashboard for any warning lights and check the headlights, indicators and wipers work too.
How do I return the rental car to the airport
Depending on your fuel policy, you may need to refill the tank just before you drop the car off back at the airport rental area. If you have a 'full to full' policy then you'll need to factor in a quick stop at a petrol station on the way back to the drop off area. Choose a petrol station as close to the drop off area as possible and keep the fuel receipt.
Something car renters often don't factor into their returning the car is allowing for the time it takes to go through the returns process. Allow for enough time, especially at busy airports, as there may be queues of people returning their vehicles. It's also good to be a little ahead of your rental agreement return time, as late returns can sometimes be charged extra, whether by the hour or day.
Larger airports may have lots of different car rental companies working out of them, so make sure to follow the signs to the right rental company's drop off area.
Once you've arrived in the designated drop off area, make sure to check you have all your belongings, find a member of the rental company staff and ask them to check and confirm that everything is okay with the car, before you walk away.
They will likely do an inspection around the car, checking for new damage, checking the fuel level and mileage counter, and explain if they see an issue or not. Make sure to take your own photos and videos of the car on return as well, in case you get charged for anything and want to challenge it. Following a process similar to that which you followed on pick up is recommended, as well as taking a photo of the fuel gauge.
Hand back the keys, photograph your return receipt, after checking everything seems in order, and you can head back to the airport terminal!
What if the rental company finds damage to the car, during the return process
That’s where car hire excess insurance comes in. Car hire excess is an optional insurance product; it helps protect you financially, against damage and loss to your hire car. It works by reimbursing you the excess you would have to pay when making a claim against damage or loss with your car hire company.
If the rental company finds a discrepancy in the damage listed to the car prior to your rental period, and the damage the car is returned with and asks you to pay for this, the car hire excess insurance would reimburse the excess you’d have to pay on the charge for this damage.
It does not stop you from being charged for the damage, but if the damage is covered under the car hire excess policy, then it will reimburse you for the upfront excess cost the rental company will charge you, on returning the car.
iCarhireinsurance.com offer car hire excess insurance covering rentals in Europe and worldwide, find out more about our cover types, here.
If you choose to take our car hire excess insurance, an optional insurance product that covers you against any excess charges the rental company may ask you to pay, should your rental vehicle be damaged or stolen whilst in your possession, If you do take our policy, mention this during the pick-up process and provide evidence of your policy.
