Car Hire at Stansted Airport
If you are planning your journey to or from the airport, you should consider hiring either self driven or chauffeur driven car hire at Stansted Airport. Rentals can be cheaper and more reliable than public transport, especially if you are travelling in a group.
You will discover 9 car hire providers (including one meet and greet only provider) located in Stansted airport. You will find them in the International arrivals hall opposite the World Duty Free.
If you have forgotten to book your car hire or made travel plans last minute you can book your car hire upon arrival at Stansted Airport. However, booking on arrival can be more expensive and you get less choice when it comes to selecting your vehicle. At peak travel times car hire can be limited and sometimes providers may not have any vehicle available. Therefore it is best you book your car hire in advance to ensure your rental.
Direct Bookings
| Provider | Phone | Website | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | + 44 (0) 8444 993 399 | www.sixt.co.uk |  |  | |
 | + 44 (0) 8442 274 473 | Season Car Hire | | ||
 | + 44 (0) 2085 643 500 | www.europcar.co.uk | | ||
 | + 44 (0) 8704 004 562 | www.alamo.co.uk | | ||
 | + 44 (0) 8704 004 581 | www.nationalcar.co.uk | | ||
 | + 44 (0) 8445 446 007 | www.avis.co.uk |  | | |
 | + 44 (0) 8708 460 006 | www.hertz.co.uk | | ||
 | + 44 (0) 1279 681 396 | www.budget.co.uk | | ||
 | + 44 (0) 8703 503 000 | www.enterprise.com | | ||
 | + 44 (0) 1279 905 281 | www.easirent.com | |
*Weekends rentals in the UK from £16 a day.
Online comparison sites
You can often find the cheapest car hire deals by booking your car hire on the web. Online comparison sites can compare all of the car hire providers at Stansted for you to show you who has the best deal.
Car Hire Centre
A great online comparison site for car hire is the Car Hire Centre. They can compare all of the providers at Stansted Airport for the time you want to travel and let you know who is cheapest. They will even quote you over the phone if you want to speak to a real person.
For a quote just call +44 (0)844 816 0099.
holiday autos
holiday autos started in 1987 and is now the leading car hire broker in the travel industry. They offer low cost car hire with no hidden extras or additional costs; the price they quote is the price you get.
holiday autos only compare the best and most trusted car hire companies so you can feel confident with your booking. They only work with reputable companies to compare their prices. They also compare car hire at all major airports in the UK so Stansted car hire is covered.
If you want to amend your holiday autos booking you can do so online with the click of a button.
holiday autos have a 24 hour helpline for their customers, the number is + (0) 1483 263 380.
Map of Stansted Car Hire Locations
Car Hire Information
Information for Under 25's
There are so many different regulations regarding additional fees for young drivers and the minimum age of hire it can be confusing if you are looking to hire a car under the age of 25. The reason for this confusion is that all providers implement different regulations for young drivers.
The majority of car hire providers will only allow drivers over the age of 21 to hire a car with them. The only exception at Stansted Airport is Hertz who allow drivers over the age of 19. They are also the only provider at Stansted Airport to offer customers student discounts if they own a valid NUS card.
All of the car hire providers charge a young driver’s surcharge at Stansted Airport. This charge is for customers under the age of 25 and is an additional fee which is added to your booking because young drivers are considered high risk drivers. The charge varies for each provider and vehicle group.
Documents Needed
Customers at Stansted Airport will be required to present the following documents in order to hire a vehicle:
Firstly you will need your driving license. UK residents will need to show their card and paper counterpart. Customers whose license is written in non Roman script such as Arabic, Chinese or Russian may need to obtain an international drivers permit before entering the UK.
You will also need a second form of identification. Your passport would be the most suitable document to present.
If your car hire provider requests any other documents they should ask for this in advance or provide details on their website.
Car Hire Tips
Hiring a car is a great way to get to or from the airport or for travelling around your destination. Car rentals can be cheap if you book them in advance, but there are various charges that car hire providers may add to your rental that you need to pay at the end of your rental. The following practical tips will save you money and help you avoid any additional charges:
- Hire your rental as far in advance to get the cheapest deal.
- Opt to pay when you make your booking rather than upon arrival at the location. Car hire providers prefer you to pay for your rental during your booking because it is more beneficial for them. They wish to deter people paying upon arrival at the location so they make this charge a lot more expensive. Therefore you save a lot of money paying for the rental when you make the booking.
- Add any additional drivers to you rental during booking. You can add drivers after you have made the booking but this may be more expensive.
- If you are renting from the airport add your flight number and arrival time to your rental policy if possible. This way you will not be charged if your flight is delayed.
- Purchase car hire excess insurance. Your own personal car insurance will not cover your rental. Providers can charge you an excess up to £2,000 if your vehicle is damaged during your rental. You can buy excess insurance from Insurance4carhire. Remember buying excess insurance can save you a considerable amount of money in the long run.
- Before driving away your rental vehicle check it works properly and check it has no damage. If you find any damage report it to your provider.
- Get to know your vehicle before you drive away; check you know how to use the headlights, windscreen wipers and whether it takes Diesel or Petrol fuel.
- Obey the driving rules and regulations in your rental country.
- Avoid receiving any penalties by sticking to the speed limit. You will be responsible for any penalties incurred during your rental and you may have points added to your license.
- Finally, try not to return your vehicle late. Sometimes provider will offer a 59 minute grace period but this is not always the case. Returning the vehicle late may result in a whole day’s hire being added to your rental.
These are just a few tips to help you with your rental. You can find more car hire tips at the Car Hire Centre.
Airport Surcharge
If you are hiring a vehicle from the airport then you will be charged an additional fee which is referred to in your rental as “Airport Surcharge”. This fee is added because it costs more for car hire providers to operate from airports than local branches, therefore they charge this additional fee to cover their costs. You should be aware of this charge as it is not always included in your rental policy and it may be charged separately from the rest of your rental.
One Way Hire
Something you may not have considered is a one way car rental to or from the airport. One way car hire means you can pick up the rental vehicle at a local provider branch and drop it off at their airport branch. Alternatively you can collect your vehicle from the airport and drop it off at a local branch or different airport.
Usually providers charge a large fee for this service as their cars are in different parts of the country. However, National Car, Europcar and Alamo provide Airport Connect to their customers which is a one way hire from £49. Europcar provide an exclusive deal for Stansted Airport Guide visitors, offering one way hire from only £45. For terms and conditions and to book your one way hire click here.
Stansted Airport Car Hire Providers
There are 9 car hire providers at Stansted Airport, all providing different services at different prices. Here you can find more information on all of the providers including minimum age of hire, additional extras and the cost of an additional driver.
Provider Extras
All 9 providers offer the following extras at Stansted Airport:
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child Seats |  | | | | | | | | |
| Satellite Navigation | | | | | | | | | |
| Hire via Phone App. | | |  | | | | | | |
| Disabled Driver Hand Controls | | | | | | | | | |
| Entertainment Systems | | | | | | | | | |
Opening Hours
The Europcar station at Stansted Airport is open 7 days a week, 19 hours a day, from 6am until 1am (the following day).
Free delivery and collection
You can book free delivery and collection (T & C’s apply) from Stansted Airport by calling 0871 384 1142.
Minimum age of hire
At Stansted Airport 21 is the minimum age to hire a car with Europcar.
The young driver’s surcharge applies to drivers under 25 and costs from £13 per day.
Cost of additional driver
From £4.99 per rental day.
Airport Connect
If you are looking for one way hire to or from Stansted Airport then book Europcar’s Airport Connect from only £45 (usual price £49).
Services for disabled drivers
Disabled drivers who need features added to their vehicle should email Reservationsuk@mail.europcar.com or call 0870 384 1087 at last 48 hours before the start of the rental.
Opening Hours
You will find the National Car branch open at Stansted Airport from 6am in the morning until 1am the following day.
Minimum age of hire
21 is National Car’s minimum age of hire and drivers under 24 will need to pay a young driver’s surcharge.
Cost of additional driver
Additional drivers cost from £6.50 per rental day with National Car at Stansted Airport.
HireRewards
HireRewards is National Car’s loyalty scheme. Joining offers you a range of benefits listed on their website and is a great option if you hire vehicles on numerous occasions throughout the year.
Airport Connect
One way hire to or from the airport with National Car costs from £49 as part of their Airport Connect Service.
Drivers with disabilities
You will need to contact National Car 48 hours before the start of your rental to request additional features for drivers with disabilities. For more information email mobility@nationalcar.com.
Opening Hours
Alamo at Stansted Airport is open from Monday to Sunday during these hours:
- Mon-Sun: 06:00-01:00
Minimum age of hire
Alamo customers need to be over the age of 21 and drivers under 24 should be prepared to pay a daily young driver’s surcharge.
Cost of additional driver
Additional drivers can cost from £5.8 per rental day with Alamo at Stansted Airport.
Airport Connect
If you are looking for one way hire to or from the airport, Alamo’s Airport Connect service provides one way hire from only £49.
Opening Hours
Hertz is open 7 days a week from 6.30am until 11.30 pm. You can book hire outside these hours by calling 08708 44 88 44.
Minimum age of hire
Hertz are the only provider at Stansted Airport who allow drivers over the age of 19 to hire with them. They even offer great student discounts to drivers who hold a valid NUS card. All drivers under 25, even those with a student discount, will need to pay a young driver’s surcharge per rental day.
Cost of additional driver
From £9 per driver.
Services for physically challenged drivers
Hertz will adapt vehicles for physically challenged drivers. For more information or to book please call 0870 840 0084 at least 24 hours before your rental is due to begin.
Opening Hours
Mon-Sunday: 6am - 11pm
Car rental return is available 24 hours dat 7 days a week.
Minimum age of hire
Sixt customers must be over 21 and have held a license for over one year.
Price of a Satellite Navigation System
Satellite Navigation systems cost from £8.40 per day. You should request them in advance to guarantee they will have some available.
One way hire
It costs from £60 to hire a one way rental with Sixt to or from Stansted Airport.
Cost of an additional driver
The price for an additional driver starts from £5.33 per day.
Opening Hours
Avis is open 7 days a week from 6am until midnight. On bank holidays the branch closes at 11.30 pm except on Christmas day when the branch closes.
Minimum age of hire
23 is the minimum age to hire an Avis vehicle at Stansted Airport. Drivers under 25 will need to pay a daily young driver’s surcharge starting from £12.93 per day.
Cost of additional driver
From £9 per rental day for each additional driver.
Disabled Driver Options
Disabled drivers can request additional features for their rental car. To request such features or find out more please call 08445 81 81 81 at least 48 hours before your hire starts.
Opening Hours at each terminal
Monday-Sunday from 6am until midnight.
Minimum age of hire
23 is the minimum age requirement for a rental with Budget.
Drivers under 25 will need to pay at least £12.93 per rental day as a young driver’s surcharge.
Cost of additional driver
From £9 per day.
Disabled Driver Options
Budget will add Lynx hand controls to your booking from Stansted Airport free of charge. To book please call 0844 544 3407 at least 24 hours before your rental starts.
What to do out of hours
As Season Car Hire offer a meet and greet service at Stansted airport they can deliver your car at any time, day or night.
Minimum age of hire
As Season Car Hire provide luxury vehicles their minimum age to hire a car really depends on the vehicle you are hiring.
Cost of additional driver
Additional drivers cost from £25 per rental day with Season Car Hire.
Chauffeur Hire
Season Car Hire offer a top class chauffeur service. You can find out more about this service on their website.
Operating hours
Enterprise at Stansted Airport operates between 6.30am until midnight 7 days a week.
Disabled driver information
Enterprise offer their customers specialist hand controls to assist with their rental where necessary. Please call 01279-682955 to request these features or for more information. Enterprise require 2 days notice to fit the controls.
Minimum age of hire
You must be over 23 to hire a car from Stansted Airport with Enterprise. All drivers under 24 will need to pay a young driver’s surcharge per rental day which ranges from £15 to £30.
Opening hours
Easirent provide their Meet and Greet service weekdays from 9am until 5pm.
Disabled driver information
Easirent can provide Hand Control Vehicles.
Minimum age of hire
Drivers must be over 23.
Cost of additional drivers
Additional Drivers are a one-time charge of £15.