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No credit cardNo depositDeposit shown on every offerPick-up at Terminal 1

Car hire at Lisbon Airport without a credit card

Car hire at Lisbon Airport without a credit card is possible with local companies that accept a debit card; our partner's comparison has a filter for these cars.

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A genuine no deposit rate is rare in Lisbon, so the comparison shows the deposit on every offer, often a few hundred euros. Avis, Budget, Europcar, Goldcar, Guerin, Hertz and Sixt have desks in Terminal 1.

No credit card & no deposit

Booking car hire without a credit card at Lisbon Airport

A deposit blocked on a credit card in the main driver's name is the rule with the international brands at Lisbon Airport. Local Portuguese companies are more flexible: according to our partner, nearly all of them still ask for a deposit, but there are offers with deposits of up to about €300 and cars that can be collected without a credit card. The comparison shows the deposit, the accepted cards and the insurance excess on every offer, so the terms are visible before you book rather than at the desk.

Six rental operations have desks in Terminal 1 of Lisbon Airport, before security: Avis together with Budget, Europcar, Goldcar, Guerin, Hertz and Sixt. The operator lists opening hours of 06:00 to 24:00 for all of them except Guerin, which stays open until 01:00. Local companies booked through the comparison either hand over at Lisbon Airport or in the city, and each offer states the pick-up point. Because every flight arrives at Terminal 1, the pick-up is the same whichever airline you fly with; returning the car before a Terminal 2 departure means adding the shuttle ride.

Think about whether you need the car on day one. The centre of Lisbon is steep, narrow and well served by metro, tram and train, and parking is scarce and expensive. Many visitors spend the city days without a car and collect one at Lisbon Airport or in town when they leave for Sintra, the west coast, the Alentejo or the Algarve. For Cascais and Sintra alone the suburban trains are a real alternative; for beaches, villages and wine country a car saves hours.

Read three points before you confirm: the insurance excess, whether tyres, glass and underbody are covered, and the fuel policy. Offers with full cover and a low excess cost more per day and spare you a discussion on return. One-way hire from Lisbon Airport to Faro or Porto is offered by companies with branches at both ends, usually for a fee that is shown in the price, and taking the car into Spain requires the cross-border option.

Documents you need

  • Driving licence: a UK photocard licence can be used in Portugal according to the UK government; holders of a paper licence should check whether they need a permit
  • Passport: carrying identification while driving is mandatory in Portugal
  • Payment card of the main driver (a credit card with the international brands; a debit card is enough on selected local offers)
  • Booking voucher, printed or on your phone
  • Minimum age set by each company: our partner gives a typical minimum of 20 to 22 years with at least one year of driving experience
  • Flight number, so the company can follow your actual landing time

Start your search

Car hire desks in Terminal 1 of Lisbon Airport
Car hire desks in Terminal 1 of Lisbon Airport
Season

When car hire at Lisbon Airport is cheapest

Lisbon Airport is busy all year, with about 36.1 million passengers in 2025, but leisure demand for hire cars still peaks in July and August and around Easter. Daily rates follow that curve and are lowest between November and March, apart from the Christmas weeks. Automatic cars, seven-seaters and estate cars are the first categories to sell out in summer.

Booking a few weeks ahead pays off for travel between June and September and for any one-way hire to Faro or Porto. Spring and autumn combine moderate prices with good driving weather and emptier roads on the coast. We publish no sample prices because rates change daily; the live comparison is the only reliable price list.

Providers

Car hire companies at Lisbon Airport

International brands and local companies with a desk in the terminal, a meeting point outside arrivals or a shuttle to their depot.

Avis

Desk in Terminal 1, before security, shared with Budget; 06:00-24:00 according to the airport operator

Budget

Desk in Terminal 1, before security, shared with Avis; 06:00-24:00 according to the airport operator

Europcar

Desk in Terminal 1, before security; 06:00-24:00 according to the airport operator

Goldcar

Desk in Terminal 1, before security; 06:00-24:00 according to the airport operator

Guerin

Portuguese company with a desk in Terminal 1, before security; 06:00-01:00 according to the airport operator

Hertz

Desk in Terminal 1, before security; 06:00-24:00 according to the airport operator

Sixt

Desk in Terminal 1, before security; 06:00-24:00 according to the airport operator

Local Lisbon companies

Listed in our partner's comparison; some hand over at the airport, others in the city, and the pick-up point is shown on each offer
On the road

Driving a hire car from Lisbon Airport

The general speed limits of the Portuguese Highway Code are 50 km/h in built-up areas, 90 km/h on other roads, 100 km/h on roads reserved for motor vehicles and 120 km/h on motorways. The drink-drive limit is 0.5 g/l of blood, with a lower limit of 0.2 g/l for new drivers. Speed cameras are common around Lisbon, including on the ring road beside Lisbon Airport, so follow the posted limits.

Tolls are the point that surprises visitors most. Portuguese motorways and the two Tagus bridges are tolled, and some stretches have no booths at all and are charged electronically. The UK government advises drivers to understand the toll system before setting off. Ask at pick-up whether the car carries an electronic toll transponder and how the tolls are billed; with a transponder you use the green Via Verde lanes and the charges are settled with the hire company.

From Lisbon Airport the A5 motorway reaches Cascais in about 35 to 40 minutes and the roads towards Sintra take about 30 minutes outside rush hour. The Algarve is reached over the Vasco da Gama bridge and the A2 motorway, about two and a half hours to Albufeira, and Porto lies about three hours north on the A1. In Sintra itself the historic centre is closed to most visitor traffic and parking is very limited, so leave the car at the edge of town.

How to book in a few minutes

  1. Enter Lisbon Airport (LIS) as the pick-up point, with dates and times that match your flights.
  2. Filter by deposit and by payment card, then compare the total price including insurance.
  3. Choose the car class: a small car suits the narrow streets of Sintra and the old towns, an estate or SUV the long run to the Algarve.
  4. Add your flight number so the company follows the actual landing time.
  5. Ask about the toll transponder and note how tolls will be charged.
  6. At Lisbon Airport go to the desk in Terminal 1 or to the meeting point on your voucher, check the car and photograph any existing damage.
Apron of Lisbon Airport with parked aircraft
Apron of Lisbon Airport with parked aircraft
FAQ

Questions about car hire at Lisbon Airport

Do I need a credit card to hire a car at Lisbon Airport?
Not with every company: our partner's comparison includes local offers that accept a debit card and has a filter for them. The international brands in Terminal 1 normally require a credit card in the main driver's name for the deposit.
Is there car hire with no deposit at Lisbon Airport?
Rarely. According to our partner nearly all companies in Lisbon ask for a deposit; what varies is the amount, and offers with deposits of up to about €300 exist. The deposit is shown on every offer in the comparison.
Where are the car hire desks at Lisbon Airport?
In Terminal 1 of Lisbon Airport, in the public area before security. Avis and Budget, Europcar, Goldcar, Guerin, Hertz and Sixt are listed there by the airport operator.
What time do the car hire desks at Lisbon Airport close?
At midnight for most brands: the operator of Lisbon Airport lists 06:00 to 24:00 for Avis, Budget, Europcar, Goldcar, Hertz and Sixt and 06:00 to 01:00 for Guerin. For a late arrival, give your flight number and check the out-of-hours terms on your voucher.
Can I drive a hire car from Lisbon Airport to Spain?
Usually yes, but only if the cross-border option is added when booking, according to our partner. A fee may apply, and driving abroad without the option can void the insurance.
How do tolls work with a hire car in Portugal?
Most hire cars can be fitted with an electronic transponder that records tolls on motorways and bridges; the hire company then charges them to you. Ask at the desk at Lisbon Airport before leaving, because some motorway stretches cannot be paid in cash.

Reserve car hire at Lisbon Airport without a credit card

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