Car rental in Malaga 🛄

There is so much to see and do in the Costa del sol, that the idea of renting a car in Malaga is certainly a good choice, especially if you want to visit areas along the coast that are not connected to the railway line and are not well served by buses.

Malaga it is the ideal starting point to take a car tour along the Costa del Sol, to reach the splendid beaches not far from the city center or simply the fun urban attractions in the surroundings. There are also some of the most beautiful towns in Spain near Malaga.
If you land at Seville airport, follow our tips on car hire at Seville airport.

I rental prices in this area of Europe they are very affordable and will certainly not weigh on your budget! Moreover, because of the many attractions that are to be visited, being able to save travel time is ideal. Having your own car will make you free to experience Malaga and its surroundings better.

Car hire at Malaga airport

Renting a car at Malaga airport is the best solution to take a car in Malaga

For those arriving by plane a Malaga, there is no better place than hiring your vehicle at the international airport. The rental agencies are located after the arrivals area, and the area where all the offices are located can be reached by going down to the lower level following the evident marked path.

There are over 20 car rental companies at Malaga Airport, many of which are located within the airport. The best known are the large companies such as Hertz, Europcar, Sixt, Budget, but there are also small companies that make their services available.

Once you have completed the acceptance procedures, you can proceed to the parking area, where you can collect your car. The drop-off location is the same as the pick-up, but in case you are interested in returning the car to another place, for example at the Seville airport if you want to leave for a tour of Andalusia, you will have to specify it when booking: this often implies a higher rate (One Way service).

Alternatively, if arrive in Malaga by train, there are counters of car rental agencies also at the central railway station.

Tips for renting a car

When picking up the vehicle, don't forget to check the condition of the car. Carefully turn on the air conditioning to confirm that it works, and check that you have everything you need in the event of a tire puncture, such as the spare tire or the inflation kit.

If the car has any damage or scratches, be sure to note whether the documents delivered to you have been correctly marked, so as not to run into problems with delivery.

Finally, the basic offer does not include the full insurance coverage, which can be added at will at a later time. The same goes for other options, such as navigator, child seat, luggage rack, unlimited mileage, or the possibility of a second driver.

Book online

The most useful advice to follow when you want to rent a car is to book your car in advance. On the internet there are in fact many offers, really convenient compared to the prices offered at the agency desks, especially for those who book several months in advance.

In this way you will be able to keep the prices low and at the same time you will not risk anything, as many companies, in the unfortunate hypothesis of a trip cancellation, allow you to cancel the reservation without charge.

Fuel

In most cases the fuel it is not included in the rental price, so the car must be returned with the same amount of fuel with which it is taken. This rule, called milk-milk, changes according to the position and the company chosen, we therefore recommend that you read the terms and conditions carefully.

If at first glance it seems inconvenient having to take care of refueling yourself, keep in mind that, in the case of car rental with fuel policy full empty, you will be charged a cost for the refueling service, not to mention that petrol or diesel will be charged significantly more than the prices in force.

Required documents

In the first place to rent a car, it is necessary to present at the time of acceptance driving license, passport and credit card. A certain amount of money will be blocked from the latter during the entire rental, as a guarantee for the vehicle, which will be unlocked in the event that the car is returned without damage.

The payment of the rental, either online or at the agency's offices, can be made with a variety of payment methods: credit card, but also Paypal, prepaid card or debit card. It is also necessary to have minimum 21 years to be able to drive a rental car in Spain. Depending on the rental agencies, additional rates are also applied to drivers under the age of 25 or to those over 70.

Times and costs

It is advisable to communicate at the time of booking the flight or train number with which you will arrive in Malaga, so as not to incur unpleasant inconveniences in the event of delays.

Fares are heavily based on the period of your trip: during the high season prices tend to increase and it is advisable to book well in advance. Even during Christmas, a great time to visit Andalusia, the rates go up.

Car category and model

From the cheapest city car to the minivan, passing through the luxury cars, the fleet of the companies of car hire in Malaga it is very large, especially that available to international companies.

Carefully evaluate the car that best suits your case, assuming however that the reliability of the proposed vehicles is assured. The cars are continuously checked, with particular attention to tires and engine.

Paying online in advance you will not choose the exact model, but the vehicle category. In fact, sometimes the car may not be available locally, and in cases like these the agency will provide you with an equivalent or superior car, at no additional cost.

Low cost car rental companies

These companies generally do not have a desk in the rental area, but rather outside the airport. These are local companies, and they are companies that are mainly based on Garcia Morato Avenue, near the airport. To reach them, from the arrivals area of the airport, you can take comfortable shuttle buses, which will take you to their offices.

These are companies such as Auriga Crown, Autolink, Cargest, Centauro, Primo, Global Auto Rental, Marbesol, Malagacar Rental, Nixa, Pepecar and Top Rent-a-Car.

Driving in Malaga

The rules, the limits and everything you need to know for drive a car in Malaga are the same for Spain: find out more in the section Driving in Spain.

Car rental companies

All international car rental agencies present at Malaga airport have schedules in line with flight arrivals, every day from Monday to Sunday. However some agencies of low cost car hire or venues around Malaga airport may observe different times
To be on the safe side, we recommend that you check with your car rental agency.