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Looking for car hire in Malta at Malta International Airport?
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I am a local travel expert and can help you find the best car hire price with the best international and local car hire agencies around for your airport car hire.
Renting a car from (Luqa) Malta International Airport:
What do you need to rent a car from Malta International Airport?
As a driver aged 21-70 (sometimes up to 75), you can rent a car easily with car hire companies in Malta, through usually lower rates are provided to drivers aged 30-65.
The most convenient way to get set with your car hire from Malta International Airport is to book in advance. You’ll often also get the best car hire deals that way.
You can use the search function on this page to compare the best deals on Malta International Airport car hire.
Here are the steps to follow to rent a car in Malta:
The following companies offer Malta International Airport car hire, with the bolded agencies having a physical desk on location (whereas the other, mostly smaller local agencies offer to deliver your car to the airport and allow you to drop it off in the car rental parking area on your return).
International
Local
My experience is that some of the bigger international car hire agencies present in Malta, like AutoUnion, Europcar and AVIS provide a good level of service, while Sixt and Surprice generally don’t get great reviews and are the exceptions.
The local options I recommend without reservation is Drifter and First Car Rental. They offer competitive rates all year round. Sun Car Rental offers low rates but they seem to be relatively new, so I can’t recommend them yet.
You can search for options with First Car Rental here:
The reality is that excellent service is hard to find anywhere in Europe, including Malta. All agencies have their small print and tactics to try and squeeze a little more out of their rental contract with you.
Generally speaking, agencies operating in Malta have a good reputation and it’s not common to hear of customers being cheated one way or another. Having said that, as with all car hire companies worldwide, you need to pay attention to the small print on fuel policy, CDW and insurance excess charges as well as carefully check the condition of the vehicle provided before you sign off with the representative you’re dealing with.
My best advice: Don’t skip the small print and carefully read what the agency’s rules are before you book.
Airport car hire desks can be found at the Park East parking building of Malta International Airport. More on that below.
The location pick up is the rental car park, and offices are located in a multi-storey car park to the side of the large parking area opposite the Luqa Malta International Airport main terminal building. With your back to the Arrivals lounge entrance, it’s located to your (far) right and referred to as Park East.
To pick up your hire car at Malta International Airport, you will need to go to this location to find the car rental desks for your chosen provider.
From the Arrivals Hall of Luqa Malta International Airport, follow these steps to get there:
Unless you indicated a different location for your drop-off time, you can return your car to Malta International Airport at the same location. The level and drop-off parking area are clearly indicated inside the car park. You can drop off the key at the agents’ booth on location outside regular opening hours.
Finding your way back to the parking area of the Luqa Malta International Airport on the day and time you need to drop off your hire car is pretty straightforward.
You can set your GPS (or Google Maps) to take you to Malta International Airport and just follow these steps:
If your car rental agreement is based on a “Full-to-full” (return the car with a full tank) or “Fair usage” (return the car with the same amount of fuel it had when you picked it up) fuel policy, you’ll be cheaper off filling up your tank right before you return your car. If you return your hire car with too little fuel you’ll be charged high fuel prices.
The nearest petrol station is located just outside of the airport’s open-air parking area next to the local McDonald’s and Sky Parks office block.
The safest bet is normally to find the location on Google Maps. Look up Gauci Fuels, which sits just on the edge of the airport’s perimeter.
If you drive from Valletta to the airport, road signs are pretty clear and will take you towards the outskirts of Luqa. You’ll need to follow the bend (you’ll see a single-lane flyover up above) but take the first exit to your left to get to the large roundabout next to the airport. (Following the underpass and taking the second exit will take you straight to the airport’s ringroad – in case you don’t need fuel). Once you reach the roundabout, take the 3rd exit towards Żurrieq/Safi/Kirkop, stick to the left lane and look out for the petrol station sign. It’ll only be 100 metres or so before you need to exit to get there.
Once you’ve topped up your tank, you can get to the airport’s ring road easily from the petrol station (by following the signage) to get onto the airport’s ringroad and head to the Park East car park.
Most petrol stations in Malta are equipped with 24/7 automated fuel pumps. Using the pay machines you can pay with one of the major providers for credit or debit cards.
During regular office hours, petrol station attendants will handle the pump for you and also accept cash, apart from debit/credit cards.
Malta International Airport (MIA, also referred to as Luqa Airport) is Malta’s only airport and is located in the Southeast of the main island of Malta.
Being a small airport, it only has a single terminal with a single Departures Hall and Arrivals Hall. On the airport campus, you can find a parking garage, business centre and Food Court with various dining options and retail areas.
Luqa Malta International Airport is located around 9 kilometres from the capital city, Valletta and its bustling city centre, which is around a 15- to 20-minute short drive.
The most popular airlines that currently fly to and from Malta are KM Malta Airlines, Malta Air (sub-brand of Ryanair) and EasyJet.
More info here: Tips for driving in Malta.
Now that you have a rental car in mind for your holiday to the Mediterranean island of Malta, here are a few places to explore.
Although public transport in Malta (buses) can get you pretty much anywhere, the routes aren’t very flexible and travel times can be quite long. If you want to get the most out of your holiday, with flexible transport that gets you from A to B quickly, renting a car is usually the best option.
Yes, you can take your hire car onto the Gozo ferry and you don’t need any permits or additional insurance to do so.
You can find most of the international car hire companies at the airport including AutoUnion, AVIS, Hertz and Europcar, as well as a few local companies like Drifter and First Car Hire.
Driving in the centre of Malta can be tricky. Everyone’s in a rush, not everyone is courteous or sticks to the rules of the road. If you’re a confident driver and know where you’re heading, you should be fine! Driving in Gozo is pretty easygoing.
Have a look at these articles for more info:
Edward is the Founder and Editor of Malta Uncovered and author of two guidebooks on Malta and Valletta.
As a tourist-turned-expat with Maltese roots, he knows the islands inside out and helps thousands of visitors enjoy a memorable trip every year.
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