Car Hire at Faro Airport

Airport travel guide

Faro, the gateway to the Algarve region of Portugal, is an ever-popular year-round destination for holidaymaking Brits year-round. And many of those choose to hire a car for their holiday. Many also own holiday homes and choose to hire a car each time they visit. 

Chances are, if you haven't visited the Algarve, you know someone who has. You'll probably know that the region's beaches and sunny weather are what draws holidaymakers. Most visitors don't stay just in Faro but seek out the smaller towns, resorts, and beaches. 

Tolls: Note that the A22 is a toll road. It is certainly possible to get around the region without using it. Your car hire supplier may offer you an electronic transponder with which you can pay the tolls. However, if you don't want to pay the extra fee that they request, it is easy to avoid the toll roads unless you are traveling further north to Lisbon or west to Spain. 

Driving to Spain: The Spanish border is only roughly 60km from Faro Airport. You can take most hire cars from Faro Airport to Spain. However, note that there is an additional fee to cross the border which varies from company to company and that you must inform the hire company ahead of time. 

So don't wait! Plan your trip to the Algrave, hire a car, and enjoy the sunny beaches! And here are some destinations to put on your list: 

• Faro itself. Industrial and less quaint than some of its smaller Algarvian neighbors, the capital of the region is often seen as not much more than the location of the region’s only international airport. But give this city a chance, and you’ll be rewarded with a number of fun attractions and sites like a well-preserved old town, the chillingly exciting Bone Chapel, the Faro Jewish Heritage Center, and Ria Formosa Nature Park.
• Albufeira. Small, scenic, and home to a number of beautiful public beaches, this is the Algarve that most foreign visitors have in mind before coming to the region. In addition to the aforementioned virtues, Albufeira is famous for the imposing Almoada Castle, Albufeira Archaeology Museum (home to a number of fascinating Arab and Roman artifacts), and some of the most exciting nightlife in the region.
• Alentejo. Bordering Algarve to the north, Alentejo is Portugal’s wine country. Best enjoyed at a slow pace, the bucolic region is home to a number of eco, farm, and winemaking tours. There are also two UNESCO World Heritage Sites — the historical cities of Evora and Elva — as well as a long, wild coastline.

Top international routes

• London
• Dublin
• Manchester
• Bristol
• Paris
• Lisbon
• Birmingham
• Belfast

Main airlines

The airport is a popular destination for low-cost airlines including easyJet, Ryanair, and Wizzair which all have flights from UK cities. British Airways also flies to the airport from all London airports.

Most popular types of hire car

• Small cars - starting at £8 per day
• Medium cars - starting at £10 per day
• SUVs - starting at £9 per day
• Convertibles - starting at £21 per day
• Station wagons - starting at £10 per day
• Large cars - starting at £20 per day
• Premium cars - starting at £17 per day
• People Carriers - starting at £39 per day

Car hire desks

Avis, Budget, Europcar, Goldcar, Interent, Geurin, Enterprise, National, Alamo, Hertz, Thrifty, Dollar, and Sixt all have car hire desks in the airport's terminal just after baggage claim.

All other hire companies at Faro Airport are located just outside the airport's territory and provide either a Meet & Greet service or a shuttle bus. No matter which, passengers need to leave the airport and go to the P4 car park to wait for the bus or representative.

If you need help decided which company to use, check out our article on the best car hire companies in Faro.

Services and facilities

Faro Airport has all of the amenities that one would expect from an airport its size. This includes the typical convenience shops and duty-free stores along with a good selection of restaurants, cafes, and pubs.

Nearest petrol station

A Cespa petrol station is located right next to the airport and is open 24/7. There is also a Prio station located along the road to the airport which is particularly useful if returning a hire car to a company located outside the airport.

Popular one-way hires

• Lisbon (278 km / 173 miles)
• Portimao (68 km / 42 miles)
• Albufeira (47 km / 29 miles)
• Lagos (92 km / 57 miles)
• Beja (148 km / 92 miles)
• Seville (202 km / 126 miles)