Car Rental at Gran Canaria Airport

Gran Canaria Airport is the largest of the airports found on the Canary Islands, with over nine million passengers per annum. The airport is found in the Bay of Gando, on Gran Canaria, and is only 18 km from the capital city of the island, known as Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Conveniently located on the eastern coastline, the airport is approximately half way from the north and south points of the island, and is linked to all areas in the eastern region by the GC-1 motorway. Travelling to any destination from Gran Canaria Airport is therefore very convenient. One of the best ways to see the island is by rented car, from a car hire company at the airport. Passengers who rent a car from Gran Canaria Airport can explore the island at their leisure, and easily reach all remote areas.

The car hire companies at Gran Canaria are located on the ground floor of the terminal building, in the connecting passage between international arrivals and EU arrivals. This area can be reached from either the baggage reclaim hall or from the main lobby area of the arrivals level. The airport building is divided into three zones, with all departures on the upper level and arrivals on the ground floor of the terminal. Passengers will arrive in Zone A if they are on a flight from another European Union city/country, and in Zone B if on an international flight which has not originated in the EU. Flights from the other Canary Islands will leave their passengers at Zone C of the airport. All areas of Gran Canaria Airport are within easy walking distance, and passengers will be able to reach the car hire companies from all three zones. The rented cars of the companies are also nearby, parked on the lower floor of the car park.

When collecting your vehicle from Gran Canaria Airport, ensure that you have all the necessary documents on hand, such as a valid drivers license, passport, credit card and possibly an International Driving Permit should you be from a foreign country. Although your car hire company may not require an IDP, all foreign driving licenses must be accompanied by such a document in accordance with Spanish Law. Drivers with a license that is not printed in English will most often need an IDP as well. All primary renters and additional drivers listed on the rental contract must meet the minimum age requirements of their chosen car hire company, which is usually at least 21 years of age. However, higher rental rates are charged for "young drivers" between the ages of 21 and 24, as young drivers insurance will be added to the total amount due. This is a small amount added per day of rental, and also per underage driver listed on the contract. A major credit card such as American Express, Diners Club, Eurocard, MasterCard or Visa will be necessary for payment of the car hire period.

Since that Gran Canaria Airport is very busy, and that the island is a very popular holiday destination during the summer, it is recommended to hire your vehicle in advance. Both local and international car rental companies operate in or near the airport.

List of all car rental companies in or near Las Palmas/Gran Canaria Airport:

• Alamo: +34 928 579 378
• Avis: +34 928 092 313
• Budget: +34 928 092 330
• Centauro: +34 902 104 103
• Dollar: +34 928 493 440
• Enterprise: +34 928 579 378
• Europcar: +34 911 505 000
• Gobycar: 0034 828 124 450 / 828 124 451
• Goldcar: +34 918 341 400
• Hertz: +34 928 579 577
• Interrent: +34 918 340 262
• Keddy By Europcar: +34 911 505 000
• National: +34 928 579 378
• Offer: +34 928 189 650
• Ok Mobility: 0034 971 126 880.
• Orlando: +34 928 189 650
• Rhodium: +34 918 341 400
• Sixt: +34 871 180 192
• Thrifty: +34 928 579 577
• Topcar: +34 928 579 159

Ensure that all equipment needed for your rented car is reserved in advance, such as a baby or booster seat, satellite navigation system or luggage racks, and that you have arranged a one way hire from Gran Canaria Airport if required. A one way hire allows the customer to collect the vehicle from the airport, but then return it to another rental location on the island, and is a service offered by the majority of car hire companies. Hired cars however, may not be allowed to cross over on ferries to other Canary Islands, or special insurance will be required for this type of journey. At Gran Canaria Airport, hand controls for disabled drivers are offered by many car rental companies as well, and are free of charge. Hand controls are used on certain types of automatic vehicles, and should be reserved in advance.

Vehicles for hire at Gran Canaria Airport include the smaller Fiat Seicento 1.1, Ford Ka Titanium, Seat Ibiza, Seat Leon, Citroen C2 and Volkswagen Golf. Smaller cars are always more affordable, and are fuel-efficient. They do however come with a manual transmission; therefore ensure that you are familiar with this type of vehicle. Automatic cars include the BMW 320, Audi A6, Volkswagen Touran, Chrysler Voyager and Mercedes E250. The Chrysler Voyager seats up to seven passengers, while the Mercedes Vito is a van available with room for up to nine people. Each car hire company at Gran Canaria Airport offers a large variety of vehicles to suit the needs of all their customers.

Driving around the island of Gran Canaria is relatively simple, as there is a good road network. Even in the largest city, Las Palmas, traffic is manageable. There are fuel stations along all the major highway routes on the island, but its wise to have a full tank if travelling to any remote region. Gran Canaria is however, not very large, therefore your rented car should easily be able to show you the whole island, and offer you the freedom to explore all the wonderful beaches and other attractions available. Just be sure to obey the speed limits, as heavy fines can be issued. They are as follows: 130 km/h or 80 mph on highways and motorways, 100 km/h or 63 mph on open roads and 50 km/h or 30 mph in urban areas.

All further details are available from your car hire company at Gran Canaria Airport.