Car Hire at Luton Airport

Airport travel guide

While many people only fly to Luton as a cheaper way to get to London, the Bedfordshire town actually offers access to a lot of other interesting places. If you pick up a car at Luton Airport, many interesting destinations are just a short drive away. Here are three of them: 

• Cambridge. One of the world’s most famous university cities, Cambridge has that special charm and sophistication about it. Many of the city’s educational facilities are also its biggest tourist attractions, from the classical buildings of Trinity College and St. John’s College to the Centre for Mathematical Sciences. Other attractions include the Fitzwilliam Museum, the Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences and many more museums and galleries, as well as parks and gardens. Located about 65 km (40 miles) northeast of Luton Airport, Cambridge can be reached in an hour. If you liked Cambridge, you might also consider a visit to its equally charming old competitor, Oxford, which is about the same distance from Luton, but in the opposite direction.
• Chilterns. Designated an area of outstanding natural beauty, the Chiltern Hills stretch for 72 km (45 miles) in a corridor between Luton, Oxford, Reading, and London. Although the peaks reach quite modest heights, the area more than makes up for it with its network of walking paths, views of meadows and rolling hills, and many species of birds. One of the nicest nature areas in this part of the country, the Chilterns are just a short drive southwest of Luton.
• Luton. While neither foreign visitors nor the British themselves usually think of Luton as a famous tourist destination, the town where the airport is located also offers some interesting things to see and do. There’s lovely architecture like Luton Town Hall, St. Mary’s Church, and Someries Castle, as well as the Stockwood Discovery Centre and Luton Museum and Art Gallery. There’s also a lot of greenery to enjoy like the Wardown Park, Woodside Farm and Wildfowl Park. If you’re looking for an underrated, fun destination, you might not need to search further than where you’ve landed. 

Top international routes

• Palma de Mallorca
• Amsterdam
• Malaga
• Lisbon
• Belfast
• Faro
• Edinburgh
• Dublin
• Alicante
• Bucharest

Main airlines

easyJet, Wizz Air, Ryanair, TUI Airways, Blue Air, and Vueling

Terminals

The single passenger terminal has two levels and hosts all domestic and international flights.

Location

Luton Airport is in the county of Bedfordshire. It’s about 47 km (29 mi) north of central London and about 3 km (1.8 mi) east of Luton. Motorways M1, A41, and B525/Avenue Road are the main roads connecting the airport to London.

Most popular types of hire car

• Small cars - starting at £19 per day
• Medium cars - starting at £18 per day
• SUVs - starting at £18 per day
• Large cars - starting at £40 per day
• Premium cars - starting at £69 per day
• Station wagons - starting at £31 per day
• People Carriers - starting at £36 per day

Car hire desks

Most are located in the separate car rental centre building. A free shuttle runs to it from the Bay 1a bus stop.

Services and facilities

Luton Airport has restaurants, cafés, bars, and a food court, as well as many shops. Duty-free outlets are available to passengers departing for destinations outside the EU. You’ll also find ATMs, currency exchanges, baby care facilities, a luggage wrapping service, a mobile device charging point, and an interfaith prayer room. Luggage storage service is opposite Bar des Voyageurs and is open 24/7. The airport facilities and shuttle bus are easily accessible to travelers with reduced mobility. You can find more information on the airport's official website.

Nearest petrol station

Asda petrol station at 8A Wigmore Lane is open 24/7 and can be reached in about four minutes. There are many other petrol stations around Luton Airport and on the way to London.

Popular one-way hires

• Liverpool (294 km / 183 mi)
• Doncaster Sheffield Airport (232 km / 144 mi)
• Winchester (133 km / 83 mi)
• Didcot (108 km / 67 mi)
• Coventry (112 km / 70 mi)
• Tamworth (150 km / 93 mi)
• Crawley (121 km / 75 mi)
• Mansfield (190 km / 118 mi)
• Watford (30 km / 18 mi)
• Salisbury (167 km / 104 mi)
• Crawley London Gatwick Airport (85 km / 53 mi)
• Swindon (155 km / 96 mi)
• Gloucester Airport (177 km / 110 mi)
• Feltham (64 km / 40 mi)