Car Hire at Lisbon Airport

Airport travel guide

Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, is a tourist mecca for people from all over the world, but particularly for Brits. With low-cost airlines ferrying tourists from many British cities, that is unsurprising. Many come for the architecture, culture, and nightlife of the city, but most come for the sunny weather and gorgeous beaches. 

The best way to reach said beaches is by hiring a car. Most Brits visiting Portugal choose the hire a car for their holiday. Whether staying in a luxurious resort or hopping up the coast from beach to beach, having a car gives you the most freedom. And with such demand comes a major supply of hire cars — and incredibly low prices. 

Tolls: Toll roads in Portugal can be confusing, for sure. You may be offered an electronic transponder by your hire company which will likely come with an extra daily fee. If traveling in the area around Lisbon, you may not need it as you can pay for most tolls with a credit card or in cash. If planning to travel to the Algarve region and using the A22, you will want to take it. Of course, you always have the choice of avoiding it and therefore not needing a transponder. 

Driving to Spain: The Spanish border is roughly 200km from Lisbon Airport. You can take most hire cars from Lisbon 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 Portugal, hire a car, and enjoy the culture and sunny beaches! Here are some destinations to put on your list: 

• Sintra. A part of the so-called Portuguese Riviera, Sintra is one of the most popular day trips from the capital. Home to impressive palaces, castles, and ruins, the area is also notable for the surrounding hills, proximity to the Atlantic coastline, and Sintra-Cascais Nature Park. The drive from Lisbon takes only about 35 minutes.
• Museum of Art, Architecture, and Technology. There are many interesting museums in Lisbon, but the MAAT deserves a special mention. Home to interesting exhibitions on the three fields mentioned in its name, it is also known for being located in one of the most futuristic buildings in Iberia. In addition to the permanent collection, the museum also frequently hosts different cultural and entertainment events.
• Obidos. Known for its cute (if rather steep) cobblestone streets, quaint architecture, and the mighty walls that surround it all, Obidos is another fun day trip destination. The attractive medieval village is also characterized by the mighty Obidos Castle, the distinctly blue azulejo tiles, and one of the nicest bookshops in Portugal. The drive from Lisbon takes about an hour, and if you’re not short on time, you can continue towards Nazare, a coastal town known as the location of the highest wave ever surfed.

Top international routes

• Madrid
• Paris
• Funchal
• London
• Barcelona
• Amsterdam
• Porto
• Punta Delgada
• Geneva
• Frankfurt

Main airlines

TAP Air Portugal, the flag carrier of the country, serves the most destinations from Lisbon Airport, as to be expected.

Other major flag carriers have flights to Lisbon Airport. These include Lufthansa, British Airways, Delta, and Turkish Airlines.

The airport is also served by low-cost airlines including Ryanair, easyJet, and Transavia. Ryanair and Easyjet fly to it from multiple cities in the UK.

Terminals

There are two terminals at Lisbon Airport. Terminal 1 is the larger of the two and is used by all of the major airlines. Terminal 2 is used almost exclusively by low-cost airlines.

Note: Terminal 2 is currently closed to the decrease in air traffic during the coronavirus pandemic.

Location

Lisbon Airport is located just north of the city centre. It is also well-connected to all of the major motorways and is convenient to reach no matter which direction you are travelling from.

Most popular types of hire car

• Small cars - starting at £11 per day
• Medium cars - starting at £15 per day
• SUVs - starting at £15 per day
• Large cars - starting at £31 per day
• Station wagons - starting at £19 per day
• Convertibles - starting at £16 per day
• People Carriers - starting at £68 per day
• Premium cars - starting at £40 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 arrivals hall of Terminal 1.

All other car hire companies serving Lisbon Airport offer either Meet & Great service or a shuttle bus. No matter which, a representative of the supplier will meet customers at the airport's designated Meeting Point (which is next to the Vodafone store).

If arriving at Terminal 2, you need to take the airport shuttle to Terminal 1 for all hire companies.

Services and facilities

Both terminals have shops, restaurants, cafes, and everything else you would expect of a large international airport. Of course, Terminal 1 has more choice when it comes to all of these.

Nearest petrol station

There is a BP petrol station located just next to the airport (on Av. de Berlim). It is extremely convenient if returning a car to one of the hire companies located at the airport.

There is another BP station on Av. Severiano Falcão which is convenient if returning a car to one of the hire companies located in that area (e.g, Turisprime or Sadorent).

There are petrol stations located off the motorway when returning to the airport from whichever direction you are approaching. One of these may be preferred depending on the location of the hire company you use.

Popular one-way hires

• Sintra (29 km / 18 miles)
• Faro (275 km / 171 miles)
• Porto (307 km / 191 miles)
• Coimbra (197 km / 122 miles)
• Caldas da Rainha (89 km / 55 miles)
• Aveiro (248 km / 154 miles)