Car Rental at Lisbon Airport

A Useful Guide to Find the Top Car Hire in Lisbon Airport

Portela Airport Car Rental

If you are facing the dilemma of whether to hire a car at LIS Airport or use the airport taxis or public transportation, perhaps taking a look at the upsides of the car renting option will help you make up your mind:

  • Independence: First and foremost, an airport rental car offers you freedom and independence. You can move around at your own pace and plan your trip to Lisbon exactly as you have in mind. 
  • Vehicle Type: When renting a car, you get to choose the vehicle that best suits your needs. Whether you are traveling with a group of people or planning on visiting steep areas, or just staying within Lisbon city limits, you can pick the car that can enable your everyday transfers.
  • Time-saving: Using a rental car for your transfers will definitely save a lot of time on your journey.
  • Getting rid of the public transportation hassle: Undoubtedly, using public transportation is affordable and, as far as Lisbon is concerned, efficient. Nevertheless, it can be tedious, as you have to plan your journey according to the bus/metro/tram’s itineraries, try to find the right stops for your destinations, and navigate from there to your desired locations.
  • Money-saving: Lisbon taxis may be fast, comfortable, and budget enough, but they end up costlier than renting a car. 
  • Explore more: With a car rental, you can visit Lisbon’s nearby areas and get to know attractions and landmarks that you wouldn’t include in your schedule otherwise.

Hence, if you settle on renting a car, you’ll find plenty of options at Lisbon Airport. International car rental agencies and local providers are present, creating a competitive marketplace. As a result, after searching and comparing prices and services, you can end up with a value-for-money Lisbon airport car rental or a not-to-be-missed deal for your car hire.

Car Rental Companies at LIS Airport

All the car rental desks lie at T1, scattered around the Arrivals foyer. Hence, if you arrive at T2, you’ll have to transfer via the free airport shuttle to rent your car. Still, you would be transferred there anyway, as T2 doesn’t have an Arrivals area. Reaching T1, you can choose among the following car rental companies:

  • AVIS-Budget: open 06:00 am to midnight
  • Europcar: open 06:00 am to 01:00 am
  • Goldcar-InterRent: open 06:00 am to 01:00 am
  • Guerin-Alamo-Enterprise-National: open 06:00 am to 01:00 am
  • Hertz-Thrifty-Dollar-Firefly: open 06:00 am to midnight
  • Sixt: open 06:00 am to midnight

Useful Guide for Lisbon Airport Car Rentals

  • Early online bookings are the best way to secure the top car rental deals and reserve the car type of your choice. Thus, the sooner you make your car hire reservation, the less you’ll pay and the more options you’ll come across. 
  • LIS Airport car rental agencies have large fleets consisting of all types of vehicles. You can book a 5/7-seat minivan, a compact or a family car, a convertible, a luxury, an SUV, etc. 
  • Depending on your needs, you may have to add some extra amenities to your airport rental car (for instance, a child booster, GPS, and snow chains). Make sure to add them while making your reservation to be aware of the total cost of your car hire.
  • If you want to add an extra driver, you’ll have to pay an additional fee.
  • Road tolls in Lisbon are automatically paid via a transponder. The majority of car rental companies can equip you with loaded transponders (however, please keep in mind that even if the transponder isn’t empty when returning the vehicle, you can’t get the balance back). If your car rental provider doesn’t have transponders, you can pay your toll fees at a post office or an authorized pay shop.
  • If you don’t plan on using a toll road, you’ll probably be asked to leave a deposit at the car rental company, refunded to you at the end of your journey (provided you didn’t indeed pass by the tolls in the meanwhile).
  • To rent a car at Lisbon Airport, you’ll have to hand over your ID or passport, your driving license, and a credit card. 
  • If your national driving license isn’t written with Roman characters, you may have to issue an International Driving Permit.
  • Some car rental companies accept payments via debit cards too. 
  • Please check your car rental for any potential damages before setting off. It is also advisable to take some pics of the vehicle while picking it up. 
  • It is recommended to opt for the fuel-to-fuel options and refill your rental car before dropping it off, as car rental companies charge significantly more for fuel than local gas stations. 
  • The charge for a rental car is calculated per day (24 hours). Thus, select your drop-off time wisely so as not to be charged for an extra day.
  • Settling on full insurance is advisable if you want to be fully covered in case of accidents or damages.
  • Some credit cards offer car rental insurance as well. Always check your card’s policy, as it can save you money from car rental insurance fees. 
  • You have to be at least 18 years old and up to 80 years old to rent a car at LIS Airport.
  • Nevertheless, young drivers (18-20) can only opt for mini, compact, or economy cars while paying an extra fee. Drivers between 21 and 25 can choose among a wider variety of car types. There are no restrictions for drivers above 25.
  • You should always respect the Portuguese road legislations (even if Portuguese drivers often don’t). If you receive a fine, you’ll probably have to pay the fine rate as well as the sending fees. 

FAQs

Where are rental cars at Lisbon Airport?

The rental car zone of Lisbon Airport, where all the car rental desks are to be found, is located at the Arrivals Hall of LIS terminal 1, near the baggage carousels. T2 doesn’t house car rental offices and, thus, passengers arriving at T2 have to reach T1 to rent their car.

Where is the National car rental at Lisbon Airport?

National car rental is to be found at the car rental area, lying at Lisbon airport T1 Arrivals hall. On The other hand, the pick-up zone for the National rental cars is on the second floor of the Rental Car Park.