Car Rental at Luton Airport

Airport travel guide

Often branded Luton-London due to its proximity to the British capital, Luton Airport has become increasingly popular with low-cost airlines. While most travelers will make their way straight to London, the town of Luton and the surrounding region can also be surprisingly interesting, if underrated, places to explore. These are four of the most interesting attractions in the area:

• Luton. Luton is not always thought of as a travel destination, but the cozy town that is the location of the airport can be a great start for exploring Southeast England. These include the 14th-century Someries Castle (located next to the airport), Stockwood Discovery Center with a collection of horse-drawn carriages, and Luton Museum & Art Gallery. 
• Chilterns. A long range of hills the northeastern corner of which is right next to Luton, the Chilterns won’t top any rating for their height but have nonetheless been recognized as an Area of Outstanding Beauty. Made up of long rolling hills, enclosed fields, woodlands, and hiking trails, the area is a breath of fresh air and greenery in an otherwise very densely populated corner of Britain. A good starting point to explore them is the town of Dunstable Downs just west of Luton, a popular hang-gliding and paragliding spot.
• Cambridge. Located just over an hour’s drive northeast of Luton is Cambridge, one of the most notable university cities in the world and nowadays also a popular travel destination. The city is home to many historical colleges that are as notable for their educational prestige as they are pleasant to look at and also boasts a great collection of parks, museums, and galleries.
• Bedford. Luton is located in Bedfordshire, and the county town giving the area its name is another destination that usually flies under the radar of international visitors but can be surprisingly rewarding if you give it a chance. Once inhabited by the Romans and later a frontier town during the Middle Ages, it has an interesting history and many notable landmarks, some of which can be observed in the Bunyan Museum and Higgins Bedford Gallery. The drive north from Luton Airport takes only about 45 minutes.

Top international routes

• Amsterdam
• Geneva
• Belfast
• Bucharest
• Paris
• Edinburgh
• Dublin
• Warsaw
• Lisbon
• Tirana

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 rental car

• Small cars - from $38 per day
• Medium cars - from $39 per day
• SUVs - from $40 per day
• Large cars - from $50 per day
• Premium cars - from $82 per day
• Convertibles - from $413 per day
• Station wagons - from $72 per day
• Vans - from $54 per day

Car rental desks

Most are located in the separate car rental center 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 gas station

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

Popular one-way rentals

• 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)