When searching for car rental there are always so many options and so many choices to make; car rental categories, fuel policies, security deposits and collection procedures become a bit of a minefield. When it comes to collection procedures, there’s always confusion over which is best, but everyone has different needs. The two main options are ‘On Airport’ or ‘Off Airport’. They both have their advantages and disadvantages, which is best for you?
On airport
Often considered the most convenient option for quickly getting into your rental car and heading to your accommodation, ‘On airport’ collection usually means the desk and vehicle is in or very near to the airport terminal itself.
More often than not, you’ll find the rental desk in the arrivals hall of the airport terminal, grouped with many other car rental companies. It will be busy and there will likely be a queue in the summer months, but you’ll get off your flight, grab your cases and quickly be at the desk ready for the handover. Another ‘on airport’ option is when the desk is in the airport car park, whilst this is still ‘on airport’ you will have to walk outside the terminal building to find the car rental area. This is always noted on your booking voucher. Your rental car will still be in the airport car park to collect.
On our search results, this is displayed as ‘Desk and vehicle at airport’.
Sometimes the car rental company won’t have an office but will meet you in the arrivals hall and take you to your rental car in the airport car park, we display this as ‘Meet and greet, vehicle at airport’.
Whilst this sounds like the simplest and easiest way to hire a car from the airport, there are some drawbacks. Travelling can be quite stressful, especially if you have children in tow, queuing to collect your rental car on top of that can lead to an unsavoury start to your holiday. Another draw back of having a desk in the arrivals hall is those that haven’t pre-booked car rental will also use these desks, possibly further delaying the start to your holiday.
Pros
- Fast transition from plane to vehicle
- Easy to locate
- Simple process
Cons
- Long queues in peak season
- Non-booked travellers
Off airport
Usually ‘off airport’ is seen as the worst option but this is not the case. Some people prefer a slightly slower paced start to their holiday and that’s where an ‘off airport’ option comes in handy. You’ll be met by a representative from the rental company and taken to their office or depot to sort the paperwork and collect your vehicle.
If the distance to the office is short, you’ll walk from the airport terminal but normally you’ll be taken by shuttle bus. Distances and times vary for the shuttle services, this all depends on the size of the airport and the surrounding road networks. Often the shuttle bus journey is 10 minutes or less.
Airport arrivals halls can be very busy and stressful for children, this is why the shuttle bus option is often favoured by families. Everyone is taken to an air conditioned car rental depot with drinks and toilet facilities to fill in paperwork and check over the rental vehicle. It does take a little longer than an ‘on airport’ option but it does help to have a much smoother start to your holiday. What’s more, the roads around the car rental depots are much quieter than those at the airport!
Pros
- Calm transition from plane to vehicle
- Taken away from busy airport traffic
- Great for families
Cons
- Potentially longer to collect
- Further from airport when returning
Which to choose?
When it comes to which car rental collection option is best, it all comes down to personal preference. Many love the easy access of getting their car quickly when they land, others prefer the quieter initial drive being further from the busy airport traffic. Whichever you want, we make the process easy. On our search results you can filter by collection option, so you only see the deals you want!
If you ever need help deciding which option is right for you, our team are always on hand to help, either via phone, email or live chat! Search for your next rental today.
