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Counterwise

AGP · Report · November 2026

Málaga Airport car hire report

Key numbers for the 21 car rental desks we rate at Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport (AGP), computed from our published data.

Data updated · reviewed by our editor on · Methodology

Desks rated
21
5,575 reviews analysed
Average score
5.1/10
median 4.8
Median starting deposit
€200
16 of 21 deposits known
No credit card needed
29%
6 of 21 desks, 5 not confirmed

Key findings

  • Counterwise rates 21 car rental desks at Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport (AGP): 2 Great (8 or more out of 10), 5 Mixed (6 to 7.9) and 14 Poor (below 6). The average Counterwise Score is 5.1/10.
  • The best-rated desk at Málaga Airport is Helle Hollis (8.9/10); the lowest-rated is Record Go (2.3/10).
  • Where the deposit is known (16 of 21 desks), the typical starting deposit at Málaga Airport is €200 (median), from €0 at Goldcar up to €1,750 at Autos Lido.
  • 6 of 21 desks at Málaga Airport (29%) do not require a credit card (debit cards accepted); the card rule is not confirmed yet for 5 desks.
  • 8 desks at Málaga Airport are in the terminal (average score 4.2) and 13 are off-site, reached by shuttle (average 5.6).
  • The most common traveller complaints at Málaga Airport are damage charges after return (18 of 21 desks), pressure to buy insurance or extras (17 of 21 desks) and fuel charges or fuel policy (17 of 21 desks).

Score distribution

How the 21 desks split across our score bands.

Best and worst desks

Lowest rated

  1. 21. Record GoVery many recent reviews report that the fuel deposit was not refunded or fuel was charged despite a full tank, often taking 1 to 3 months or going unpaid, with customer service hard to reach by phone or email.2.3 · Poor
  2. 20. HertzAbout 90 kept reviews, many from the last 6 months, say extra insurance or cover was added to the contract at the desk despite being declined or already prepaid through a broker. They only noticed it as a card charge after the rental, often 200-600 EUR, and refunds were refused.2.4 · Poor
  3. 19. DelpasoDozens of recent reviews (around 60) say the card used for the deposit was refused because the first name showed only as an initial or the card was not a physical credit card, after which the only way to get the car was to pay roughly €150-€365 for the desk's own cover. Many say this rule was not clear on the broker booking.2.6 · Poor

Deposits and card rules

Deposits

Lowest starting deposit
€0 (Goldcar)
Highest amount
€1,750 (Autos Lido)
Median starting deposit
€200
Deposit known
16 of 21 desks

Not confirmed yet for 5 desks: left out of these figures.

All deposits, lowest first →

Credit card or debit card

No credit card needed (debit accepted)
6 of 21 · 29%
Credit card required
10 of 21 · 48%
Not confirmed yet
5 of 21 · 24%

Debit cards accepted at: Autos Lido, Enterprise, Sixt, Europcar, Hertz, Record Go.

Desks without a credit card →

In the terminal or by shuttle

In the terminal
8
avg score 4.2
Short walk
0
none
Shuttle
13
avg score 5.6

Desks reached without a shuttle average 4.2/10; shuttle desks average 5.6/10.

In-terminal vs shuttle, compared →

Most common traveller complaints

Number of desks whose published red flags mention each problem. A desk counts once per theme; one red flag can touch several themes.

  1. Damage charges after return18 of 21 · 86%

    Charges for scratches, chips or dents that travellers say were already there or tiny. Desks: SOLO Rent a Car, Malagacar.com, Enterprise, Sixt, Budget, Centauro, Avis, Wiber, Sicily by Car, OK Mobility, Europcar, Goldcar, Click&Rent, NIZA Cars, Drivalia, Delpaso, Hertz, Record Go.

  2. Pressure to buy insurance or extras17 of 21 · 81%

    Hard selling of the desk’s own cover, upgrades or extras, or cover added without clear consent. Desks: SOLO Rent a Car, Enterprise, Sixt, Budget, Centauro, Avis, Wiber, Sicily by Car, OK Mobility, Europcar, Goldcar, Click&Rent, NIZA Cars, Drivalia, Delpaso, Hertz, Record Go.

  3. Fuel charges or fuel policy17 of 21 · 81%

    Refuelling fees despite a full tank, part-empty tanks at pickup, or a different fuel policy at the desk. Desks: CarGest, Malagacar.com, Enterprise, Sixt, Budget, Centauro, Avis, Wiber, Sicily by Car, OK Mobility, Europcar, Goldcar, Click&Rent, NIZA Cars, Drivalia, Hertz, Record Go.

  4. Car refused over card, licence or flight rules15 of 21 · 71%

    Pickups refused or made conditional because of card type, licence or permit, or a missing flight ticket or boarding pass. Desks: SOLO Rent a Car, Enterprise, Budget, Centauro, Avis, Wiber, Sicily by Car, OK Mobility, Europcar, Goldcar, Click&Rent, NIZA Cars, Drivalia, Delpaso, Hertz.

  5. Booking not honoured or price changed15 of 21 · 71%

    Booked car not available, a smaller or different car, a higher price at the desk, or fees not clear at booking. Desks: Malagacar.com, Enterprise, Sixt, Budget, Centauro, Avis, Wiber, Europcar, Goldcar, Click&Rent, NIZA Cars, Drivalia, Delpaso, Hertz, Record Go.

  6. Deposit or refund held back14 of 21 · 67%

    Deposits, holds or refunds released late, only in part, or not at all. Desks: CarGest, SOLO Rent a Car, Enterprise, Sixt, Budget, Centauro, Wiber, Sicily by Car, OK Mobility, Goldcar, Click&Rent, Drivalia, Hertz, Record Go.

  7. Hard-to-reach customer service14 of 21 · 67%

    Phone lines, emails or complaints unanswered for weeks after the rental. Desks: CarGest, Sixt, Budget, Centauro, Avis, Wiber, OK Mobility, Europcar, Goldcar, Click&Rent, NIZA Cars, Drivalia, Hertz, Record Go.

  8. Other fees after the rental13 of 21 · 62%

    Cleaning, admin, traffic-fine handling or late-return fees charged after the car was returned. Desks: Helle Hollis, SOLO Rent a Car, Malagacar.com, Enterprise, Sixt, Budget, Avis, Wiber, OK Mobility, Europcar, Goldcar, Click&Rent, Hertz.

  9. Long queues or waits12 of 21 · 57%

    Long waits at the desk, for the keys or for the shuttle. Desks: Helle Hollis, SOLO Rent a Car, Malagacar.com, Centauro, Wiber, Sicily by Car, Europcar, Goldcar, Click&Rent, NIZA Cars, Drivalia, Record Go.

  10. Closed desk or late-arrival problems9 of 21 · 43%

    Desk closed for late arrivals, bookings cancelled after a flight delay, or out-of-hours fees. Desks: Budget, Centauro, Avis, Sicily by Car, OK Mobility, Goldcar, NIZA Cars, Drivalia, Hertz.

  11. Car condition problems7 of 21 · 33%

    Dirty cars, warning lights, worn tyres or breakdowns. Desks: Helle Hollis, CarGest, SOLO Rent a Car, Malagacar.com, Sixt, Drivalia, Record Go.

  12. Desk, shuttle stop or return hard to find4 of 21 · 19%

    Poor signs or directions to the desk, the shuttle pickup point or the car return area. Desks: Helle Hollis, Enterprise, Sicily by Car, Europcar.

  13. Rude or unhelpful staff2 of 21 · 10%

    Curt, dismissive or aggressive staff at the desk, at return or on the shuttle. Desks: Helle Hollis, Delpaso.

  14. Toll device pushed or charged1 of 21 · 5%

    Toll transponders sold or charged without a clear explanation of the cost. Desks: Avis.

The data behind this report

  • 5,575 traveller reviews analysed across 21 desks.
  • 5,871 recent reviews read; 296 (5%) excluded by our cleaning step as unreliable (mostly solicited staff praise: 232; about another location: 28; duplicates: 24). How reviews are cleaned
  • Data collected on 11 November 2026; scores last updated 11 November 2026.
  • Summaries and red flags reviewed by our editor on 12 November 2026.
  • Complaint themes are counted with a fixed keyword list applied to each desk’s published red flags (no AI), so the same data always gives the same counts.
  • Unknown facts (“Not confirmed yet”) are left out of averages, medians and ranges, never guessed. Full methodology

How to cite this report

You are welcome to quote these figures. Please name Counterwise and link to this page. The numbers update with each data refresh, so mention the date.

Suggested citation

Counterwise (2026). Málaga Airport car hire report, November 2026. Counterwise. https://counterwise.eu/airports/agp/report (data updated 11 November 2026).

Permalink

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