Palma de Mallorca AirportCheap car hire at Palma de Mallorca Airport
How to pay less for a hire car at Palma Airport: book in advance, terminal vs. shuttle bus, excess and fuel.
Cheap car hire at Palma de Mallorca Airport
The cheapest car hire at Palma airport isn’t usually the one at the most eye-catching counter, but the one you book in advance. These are the factors that really bring the price down, with no surprises when you return the car — and at Mallorca, in summer, they carry more weight than at almost any other airport in Spain.
What really brings the price down
- Book in advance. Prices rise as the date approaches, and cheap cars sell out during peak season. Booking weeks in advance is the best way to save money on Mallorca.
- Compare terminal vs. off-airport. Companies with offices outside the airport (with a shuttle service) are usually cheaper than those at the airport counter; on the other hand, you lose a few minutes travelling there.
- Be careful with the excess and the insurance. A ‘cheap’ premium often comes with a high excess; comprehensive cover with no excess increases the price but spares you the shock of having to pay the excess.
- Tank full-full. Avoid ‘full-empty’ policies, where you pay the full deposit up front.
- The car, as planned. For the Tramuntana and the mountain roads, a powerful car is ideal; for getting around on the Palma and along the coast, a small car is more than enough and uses less fuel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Book in advance (essential in summer), compare the companies inside the terminal with those outside (shuttle service), and check the excess and fuel policy carefully: that’s where a ‘cheap’ fare can end up costing more.
Often, yes. Off-airport offices with a shuttle service usually offer lower fares than the check-in desks in the terminal, in return for a short journey.