Car Rental at Rio de Janeiro Airport Santos Dumont

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Rio de Janeiro Airport Santos Dumont, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Driver's country of residence is United States of America (USA) and age is 30-65
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500+ Trusted Suppliers:

Cheapest Car Rental Rates

Rio de Janeiro Airport Santos Dumont
Economy
Volkswagen Up or similar
Volkswagen Up
  • 5
  • 2
  • 2
  • Man.
Foco
$17.71 / per day
Rio de Janeiro Airport Santos Dumont
Economy Elite
Fiat Argo or similar
Fiat Argo
  • 5
  • 3
  • 2
  • A/C
  • Man.
Localiza
$25.62 / per day
Rio de Janeiro Airport Santos Dumont
Compact
Peugeot 208 or similar
Peugeot 208
  • 5
  • 2
  • 5
  • A/C
  • Man.
Unidas
$35.33 / per day
Rio de Janeiro Airport Santos Dumont
Intermediate SUV
Dacia Duster or similar
Dacia Duster
  • 5
  • 3
  • 4
  • A/C
  • Auto.
Movida
$40.26 / per day

Most Popular Car Rental Deals

Rio de Janeiro Airport Santos Dumont
Mini Commercial Van/Truck
Peugeot Partner Cargo or similar
Peugeot Partner Cargo
  • 2
  • 6
  • 2
  • A/C
  • Man.
National
$55.27 / per day
Rio de Janeiro Airport Santos Dumont
Standard
Fiat Cronos or similar
Fiat Cronos
  • 5
  • 2
  • 4
  • A/C
  • Man.
Enterprise
$60.69 / per day
Rio de Janeiro Airport Santos Dumont
Intermediate Elite SUV
Volkswagen T-Cross or similar
Volkswagen T-Cross
  • 5
  • 2
  • 5
  • A/C
  • Auto.
Foco
$36.44 / per day
Rio de Janeiro Airport Santos Dumont
Full-size
Toyota Corolla or similar
Toyota Corolla
  • 5
  • 2
  • 4
  • A/C
  • Auto.
Localiza
$54.49 / per day
The above prices are only approximate and were last updated at 17:24 on 2024-05-04. Prices may vary based on the booking dates, length of rental, and car class.

Travel Information

Languages
Portuguese
Currency
BRL
Drive on
Right-hand side
Country code
+55
Average car rental price
$41 per day
Average car rental length
7 days
Speed limit within town
30 - 60 km/h or 19 - 37 mph
Speed limit out of town
90 - 110 km/h or 56 - 68 mph
Acceptable limit of BAC
0.00%
Rating
9.0 / 10
Average gasoline price
$1.11 per liter or $4.20 / 1 gallon
Lowest gasoline price
$0.98 per liter or $3.71 / 1 gallon
Highest gasoline price
$1.27 per liter or $4.82 / 1 gallon
Rio de Janeiro Airport Santos Dumont

Airport Car Rental

Santos Dumont Airport is the closest airport to downtown Rio de Janeiro and, therefore, the most convenient airport in the city for travelers. The airport only has domestic flights, though. The larger Galeao International Airport, in the northern part of the city, hosts all of the city’s international flights in addition to many domestic flights. This is due in part to restrictions that cap the number of takeoffs or landings per hour at Santos Dumont.

If you are flying from one of the main Brazilian cities, Santos Dumont is the perfect destination. Rental cars are readily available and are convenient for reaching gorgeous beach destinations near the city. 

The busiest route in Brazil is the route from Santos Dumont to São Paulo’s Congonhas Airport. 

Main airlines

The largest airlines serving Santos Dumont are Azul Brazilian Airlines, Gol Airlines, and LATAM Brazil all flying to larger domestic destinations.

Terminals

There are two terminals at the airport, one for arrivals and one for departures. The departures terminal is a new terminal built for the 2007 Pan American Games.

Location

Santos Dumont is located next to downtown Rio on a small peninsula jutting out into Guanabara Bay. Aside from being able to reach downtown in a matter of minutes, travelers can also reach the rest of the city very easily. For example, Ipanema is only 12 miles away, a drive that takes as little as 20 minutes.

Most popular types of rental car

  • Large cars - from $21 per day
  • Medium cars - from $18 per day
  • Vans - from $43 per day
  • Premium cars - from $72 per day
  • Small cars - from $18 per day
  • SUVs - from $36 per day

Car rental desks

Movida and Avis have desks in the arrivals terminal of the airport. Alamo is located in the building next to the airport.

Services and facilities

Santos Dumont Airport has all of the services and facilities one would expect of a major domestic airport.

If you have an early morning departure or arrive late, there are a few hotels close to the airport that are convenient. The Prodigy Hotel is located on the airport’s grounds just next to the passenger terminals. An ibis and Novotel, both with lower rates than the Prodigy Hotel, are located about 1km away from the airport. They reportedly offer a shuttle from the airport but require a payment for a ride to the airport. Of course, they are close enough that guests can actually just walk if they would like to.

The airport has one lounge, an Advantage lounge, which is available to domestic passengers. The airport also has ATMs, a currency exchange office, luggage storage, and free Wi-Fi. Once past security, there are various restaurants and cafes.

While there is a currency exchange office at the airport, it is likely to have worse rates than what you can find in the city. It is advisable to either take out money from an ATM (being careful of any commissions charged) or to exchange as little as possible and exchange more money once you are in the city. Though using your credit or debit card to pay for things will likely give you the best rate possible, you will likely need cash in Brazil. Many smaller shops and restaurants don’t accept cards.

Nearest gas station

The nearest gas station to Santos Dumont Airport is a Petrobras station near Rua Jardel Jercolis. To reach it, exit from the main road just before the exit to the airport. Navigate through the crowd of parked cars to the station. After you fill up exit on the same road you entered in the direction of the airport. You will rejoin the road to the airport.

If traveling from the north, exit towards the airport and make a small circle to reach the station. Note that the prices may be higher due to the station's location. It may be beneficial to fill up earlier and just top of the tank immediately before returning the car.

Popular one-way rentals

  • Sao Paulo
  • Brasilia
This information was written, fact-checked, and/or translated by our content creators.

Learn more about our Editorial Policy.

Airport info

Rating
7.8
  • Getting to the airport 8.7
  • Check-in and departures 8.5
  • Terminal facilities 8.0
  • Wi-Fi 6.8
  • Restaurants and car rental services 7.3
  • Lounge 7.3

Rio de Janeiro Airport Santos Dumont (SDU)

  • IATA: SDU
  • ICAO: SBRJ
  • Name: Rio de Janeiro Airport Santos Dumont (SDU)
  • Distance from city: 1.2 miles / 2 km

Map of Car Rental Locations

When are car rental prices the lowest at Rio de Janeiro Airport Santos Dumont?

The cost of renting a car at Rio de Janeiro Airport Santos Dumont varies by season. This graph compares prices from month to month in order to help you find the best time of year.
Average rental costs per day at Rio de Janeiro Airport Santos Dumont
$24.69
January
$25.85
February
$25.73
March
$23.89
April
$23.46
May
$22.38
June
$26.33
July
$20.58
August
$20.88
September
$17.43
October
$18.31
November
$33.89
December
The cheapest month of the year to rent a car at Rio de Janeiro Airport Santos Dumont is October — when rental costs average $17.43 per day. This is 26% cheaper than the yearly average and 49% cheaper than renting a car in December (when prices average $33.89 per day).

This information can help you identify the low season. But these are only average numbers. How much your car rental will cost will depend on the type of vehicle you rent, how long you’ll rent it for, and how far ahead you book. Simply enter your dates in the form at the top of the page to see the exact prices.

For how long do renters keep their vehicles at Rio de Janeiro Airport Santos Dumont?

How long travelers keep their rental cars varies by the time of year: in July the average rental period is 10 days, while in March, the average rental period is only 6 days.
Average number of rental days at Rio de Janeiro Airport Santos Dumont
9
January
7
February
6
March
6
April
7
May
9
June
10
July
8
August
6
September
7
October
7
November
8
December

What is the most popular time of year to rent a car at Rio de Janeiro Airport Santos Dumont?

Based on how many users search for a car in at Rio de Janeiro Airport Santos Dumont, travelers are most likely to rent a car at Rio de Janeiro Airport Santos Dumont in October, while they are least likely to rent in in April.
Monthly searches at Rio de Janeiro Airport Santos Dumont by pick-up date relative to the average
122%
January
81%
February
63%
March
47%
April
73%
May
58%
June
75%
July
83%
August
105%
September
195%
October
194%
November
105%
December

Car Rental Information

Popular suppliers Foco, Localiza, Movida, Unidas
Popular car categories Small cars, Medium cars, SUVs, Large cars
Lowest price $18 per day
Cheapest supplier Foco

Most Popular Car Models of Rental Suppliers

Rental Supplier Model Doors Luggage Type
Foco Fiat Mobi 4 2 Small cars
Foco VW Gol 4 2 Medium cars
Localiza Fiat Mobi 2 2 Small cars
Foco Renault Logan 4 3 Large cars
Foco Chevrolet Onix 4 2 Medium cars
Localiza Fiat Argo 2 3 Small cars
Foco Volkswagen T-Cross 5 2 SUVs
Localiza Jeep Renegade 4 4 SUVs
Movida Fiat Mobi Like 4 2 Small cars
Foco Volkswagen Up 2 2 Small cars

Our Customers' Reviews

Because we want to make sure each review listed here is left by a real customer, we don’t have an option to post a review here. Instead, we ask each and every customer to leave a review after they return their rental car. This way, you know that all reviews are authentic, verified, and trustworthy.

Argentina
Volkswagen Golf
February 1, 2023
I travelled part of Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo, where I got the chance to see very beautiful beaches and also beautiful sights while driving. My advice is to keep away from big cities and give a chance to smaller places where the people are always welcoming.
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Car Rental Statistics

Highest rated company
Localiza
8.7 / 10
)
Lowest rated company
Unidas
6.3 / 10
)
Total number of reviews
6
Total rental companies
7
Average daily price
$40.73
Lowest daily price
$17.71
Total cars available
131

Top 7 Suppliers at Rio de Janeiro Airport Santos Dumont in 2024

Localiza
Localiza
Very good 8.7 / 53 reviews
08009792020
Rua Jardel Jercolis, S/N, Gloria
$25 - $291
Working hours
Mon:06:00-23:00
Tue:06:00-23:00
Wed:06:00-23:00
Thu:06:00-23:00
Fri:06:00-23:00
Sat:06:00-23:00
Sun:06:00-23:00
Enterprise
Enterprise
Good 7.9
+5508009792020
Jardel Jercolis Rua,
$52 - $108
Alamo
Alamo
Good 7.8 / 4 reviews
08009792020
Jardel Jercolis Rua
Working hours
Mon:06:00-23:00
Tue:06:00-23:00
Wed:06:00-23:00
Thu:06:00-23:00
Fri:06:00-23:00
Sat:06:00-23:00
Sun:06:00-23:00
National
National
Good 7.8
+5508009792020
Rio de Janeiro Airport RJ Santos Dumont, Praça Sen. Salgado Filho, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 20021-340
$52 - $85
Working hours
Mon:06:00-23:00
Tue:06:00-23:00
Wed:06:00-23:00
Thu:06:00-23:00
Fri:06:00-23:00
Sat:06:00-23:00
Sun:06:00-23:00
Movida
Movida
Good 7.7 / 71 reviews
+552123037062 / +552125582044
Praça Sen. Salgado Filho, s/n - Centro, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 20021-340
$24 - $190
Foco
Foco
Satisfactory 6.9 / 54 reviews
+5521997570238
Rua do Catete, 178, Catete
$18 - $43
Working hours
Mon:07:00-23:00
Tue:07:00-23:00
Wed:07:00-23:00
Thu:07:00-23:00
Fri:07:00-23:00
Sat:07:00-23:00
Sun:07:00-23:00
Unidas
Unidas
Satisfactory 6.3 / 9 reviews
+552123037006
Av. Alm. Silvio de Noronha, 365 - Glória, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 20021-010
$27 - $108
Working hours
Mon:05:00-23:00
Tue:05:00-23:00
Wed:05:00-23:00
Thu:05:00-23:00
Fri:05:00-23:00
Sat:05:00-23:00
Sun:05:00-23:00
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