Lanzarote Airport (César Manrique-Lanzarote), at Playa Honda just west of Arrecife, handled 8.92 million passengers in 2025. Terminal T1 serves international and mainland flights and T2 inter-island flights; nine brands on Aena's list have counters in both terminals, with the cars in the rental car park at T1. Several international brands and local firms instead collect customers by shuttle from row 11 of public car park zone A outside T1 to depots in the Playa Honda industrial estate.
Top rated
AutoReisen 9.09.0
Desks in terminal
88 of 14
Lowest deposit
€0 (AutoReisen)
Reviews analysed
3,1143,114
At a glance
Counterwise rates 14 car rental desks at Lanzarote Airport (ACE): 8 inside the terminal and 6 off-site, reached by shuttle.
The best-rated desk is AutoReisen with a Counterwise Score of 9.0/10 (Great); the lowest-rated is Hertz at 3.3/10 (Poor).
4 of 14 desks do not require a credit card: AutoReisen, Cabrera Medina, TopCar and Record Go. The card rule is not confirmed yet for 2 desks.
Typical deposits range from €0 (AutoReisen) up to €1,100 (Record Go). Not confirmed yet for 4 desks.
Based on 3,114 reviews analysed · Last updated · How scores work
Red flag: Several recent reviews report cars that were worn or poorly equipped: damp or stale smells, high mileage with worn tyres, no smartphone connectivity, faulty cruise control or speed limiter, gear or clutch faults, and missing screen wash. Most said the rental was otherwise fine.
Red flag: Long queues at the counter are reported repeatedly, with several recent reviews describing waits of one to two hours at peak times. Some say only two staff were serving.
Red flag: Repeated reports in the last 12 months of cars handed over with oil warning lights, worn, deflated or burst tyres, empty wiper fluid and dirty interiors; some reviewers raise safety concerns about tyres.
Red flag: Many recent reviews (about 13 in the last 12 months) report charges of roughly €95-250 for minor scratches or chips that customers say were already there or could not be seen, often with no photo proof from the desk. Reviewers advise filming the whole car, including the underside, at pickup.
Red flag: Several recent reviews (mostly within the last 4 months) say staff pushed the desk's own excess cover hard or made it effectively mandatory, with extra amounts reported from roughly 120 euros to a few hundred, even where cover had been bought through a broker.
Red flag: The deposit (about 900-1,500 euros in many reviews) is charged to the card rather than held, and the company's own FAQ says refunds are made in euros with no responsibility for exchange-rate differences. About 20 kept reviews report partial, delayed or unexplained refunds, or fuel deductions.
Red flag: Long waits to get the car are reported in roughly 20 recent reviews: 40 minutes to 1.5 hours for the shuttle and/or the desk queue, often with only two staff serving.
Red flag: Several reviews in the past year report post-rental charges they dispute, such as cleaning fees, damage photos that reviewers say do not match the car, or unexplained deductions from a refund.
Red flag: Many recent reviews report counter staff presenting extra insurance as mandatory or pushing it hard, often despite broker or own excess cover, which in several cases roughly doubled the final price.
Red flag: Many recent reviews report damage charges of roughly €80-450 for scratches the travellers say were already on the car, usually after the car was collected in a dark garage with no joint inspection and returned with no staff present. Several say customer service did not reply, and some say the charge was dropped once they sent pick-up photos.
Red flag: Many recent reviews (about 1 in 4) describe pressure at the counter to buy the full-cover insurance, often costing more than the rental itself. Declining reportedly means a card hold of roughly one to two thousand euros plus a separate fuel deposit, including for travellers with third-party or broker cover.
Red flag: Many recent reviews report charges of roughly €180-€500 for scratches or marks under the front bumper or body found at return, often after declining the desk's insurance and sometimes with the charge taken within hours; several say they had no proof the mark was new and some say video evidence was needed to overturn it.
Red flag: Many reviewers say they were charged for small scratches or chips they believe were already on the car, typically 50-400 EUR, often taken at return when they had little time to dispute; about 4 such reports are from the last 12 months, and at least one customer reports waiting about six weeks for a partial refund.
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No desks match all these filters.
Ranking is by Counterwise Score only. Commission never changes the order. Read our affiliate disclosure. “Limited data” desks have fewer recent reviews, so their score leans more on the airport average. Facts marked “Not confirmed yet” have not been verified yet: we never guess them.
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Car rental at Lanzarote Airport: questions and answers
Which is the best car rental desk at Lanzarote Airport?
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AutoReisen is the best-rated car rental desk at Lanzarote Airport, with a Counterwise Score of 9.0/10 (Great). It is followed by Cicar (7.9) and Payless (7.9). Scores are based on 3,114 traveller reviews analysed and were last updated on 13 November 2026.
Which car rental desks are inside the terminal at Lanzarote Airport?
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8 of the 14 desks at Lanzarote Airport are inside the terminal: AutoReisen, Cicar, Payless, Cabrera Medina, TopCar, Europcar, Goldcar and Hertz. Sixt, GoByCar, Budget, Avis, Turisprime and Record Go are off-site and reached by shuttle.
Can I rent a car at Lanzarote Airport without a credit card?
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Yes. 4 of the 14 desks at Lanzarote Airport do not require a credit card: AutoReisen (9.0/10), Cabrera Medina (7.4/10), TopCar (5.2/10) and Record Go (3.5/10). GoByCar, Budget, Avis, Turisprime, Sixt, Europcar, Goldcar and Hertz need a credit card in the main driver's name for the deposit. The card rule is not confirmed yet for Cicar and Payless. Check the debit card conditions when you book.
Which car rental desk has the lowest deposit at Lanzarote Airport?
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AutoReisen has the lowest starting deposit at Lanzarote Airport: €0. The highest is at Record Go, up to €1,100. Deposits are held on your card at pickup and released after the car is returned. Deposit amounts are not confirmed yet for Cicar, GoByCar, Budget and Turisprime.
How long is the shuttle to the off-site car rental desks at Lanzarote Airport?
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The shuttle ride to the off-site desks at Lanzarote Airport takes about 10 minutes, plus waiting time: Sixt about 10 min. Ride time not confirmed yet for GoByCar, Budget, Avis, Turisprime and Record Go.
What are the opening hours of the car rental desks at Lanzarote Airport?
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Opening hours at Lanzarote Airport: AutoReisen, 07:00-23:59; Cicar, 07:00–23:59 daily (T1); T2 office shorter hours; Payless, Mon–Sat 07:00–23:00, Sun 08:00–23:00 (T1); Cabrera Medina, 07:00–23:50 daily (T1); GoByCar, 07:00–21:00 daily; Budget, 07:00–22:00 daily; TopCar, 07:00–23:00 daily; Avis, 07:00–22:00 daily; Turisprime, 07:00–22:00 daily; Sixt, 07:00–23:00 daily; Europcar, Mon–Fri 07:30–22:00; Sat–Sun 08:00–22:00; Goldcar, 08:00–22:00 daily; Record Go, 07:00–22:00 daily; Hertz, 07:00–23:00 daily. If your flight lands late, check the hours before you book.
Which fuel policy do car rental desks at Lanzarote Airport use?
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Most desks at Lanzarote Airport use full to full (pick up full, return full). Exceptions: AutoReisen (same to same), Cicar (same to same), TopCar (same to same) and Europcar (same to same). The fuel policy is not confirmed yet for Payless and Cabrera Medina.
Which car rental desk has the lowest rating at Lanzarote Airport?
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Hertz has the lowest Counterwise Score at Lanzarote Airport: 3.3/10 (Poor). Main red flag from travellers: Many reviewers say they were charged for small scratches or chips they believe were already on the car, typically 50-400 EUR, often taken at return when they had little time to dispute; about 4 such reports are from the last 12 months, and at least one customer reports waiting about six weeks for a partial refund..
The Counterwise Score (0 to 10) blends two things. 70% is an AI analysis of recent traveller reviews of that specific desk and of web reports, scored on five weighted sub-scores: deposit & damage disputes (30%), counter upselling (20%), booking honoured (20%), queue time (15%) and car condition (15%). 30% is the desk's star ratings on review platforms, rescaled against all desks we rate. Recent reviews count more than old ones, and desks with few reviews are pulled toward the average of their airport or station. Rankings are independent: affiliate commissions never change a score or a position.