BCN · Barcelona, Spain
Every car hire desk ranked by Counterwise Score
Barcelona Airport has two terminals about 2 km apart, linked by a free shuttle bus. Most big brands have a desk in both: in Terminal 1 on floor 1 of the arrivals hall, in Terminal 2 in the T2B arrivals hall (Firefly is in T2 only). Book with your arrival terminal or flight number, as some firms put the car at T1 otherwise. Off-airport firms in El Prat de Llobregat collect customers by courtesy bus from both terminals.
Based on 4,953 reviews analysed · Last updated · How scores work
Showing all 19 desks
Red flag: A small minority of recent reviews (about 4 of roughly 240 with text) report cars that were older, poorly prepared, mechanically faulty or not the booked category, including one that was presented as an upgrade.
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Red flag: Many recent reviews (about 14 in the last 3 months) report waits of 30 minutes to 2 hours for the shuttle from the airport, sometimes plus a long wait at the desk. Several say the meeting point was unclear or phone contact was needed to be collected.
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Red flag: About ten recent reviews report damage claims (typically €200-400, mostly scratches or wheel rims) sent or charged after return, often without a joint check at handover or return; several travellers say they only avoided payment because they had their own dated photos or video. Travellers in forum posts from 2025 describe similar disputes at the airport.
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Red flag: Several recent reviews say the desk or its back-office claimed damage (scratches, rims, wheels) the customer says was already present or not visible, with charges of roughly €160-700; reviewers advise filming the car thoroughly at pickup. Older Tripadvisor reports describe similar claims at this airport.
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Red flag: Many recent reviews report arriving with a confirmed booking to find it cancelled, the car category unavailable, or the desk closed or unstaffed, sometimes leaving travellers to rent elsewhere at higher prices.
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Red flag: Many reviews report fuel-deposit refunds that are partial, delayed by weeks or never paid, with complaints sent by email or web form reportedly going unanswered for a month or more.
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Red flag: Five recent reviews report long waits to collect the car, ranging from about 40 minutes to over two hours, with confusion about which queue or desk to use.
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Red flag: Many recent reviews say the booked car or category was not provided at the counter and that they were pushed to pay a large extra amount for an upgrade, often after arriving late or booking via a broker.
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Red flag: Long waits at pickup are reported repeatedly: about 35 kept reviews describe waits from 45 minutes to over 2 hours, often with few staff on duty and a confusing ticket system, even for prepaid or pre-registered bookings.
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Red flag: Many recent reviews say the booked car was declared unavailable (often after a flight delay or short lateness) and the traveller was pushed into a much pricier replacement, sometimes double or triple the price; a few say the original car reappeared after they complained or threatened to leave.
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Red flag: Long waits to collect the car are reported repeatedly in the last 12 months, from 30 minutes to about 3 hours. Reviewers cite few staff on duty, and some had QuickPass or online check-in.
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Red flag: Many recent reviews (roughly 25 in the last 6 months) say the desk rejected their credit, debit, digital or prepaid card for the deposit and made them buy its own cover (about EUR 76-460, often more than the rental price), or rejected broker or third-party cover. Several say they got no car or no refund when they declined, and that the rule was not clear at booking.
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Red flag: Pickup queues of well over an hour are reported repeatedly, including in October 2026, with only some counter positions staffed at busy times and customers waiting on the floor.
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Red flag: Many recent reviews report charges of roughly €50-€1,160 for small scratches or dents found at return, often under bumpers, on mirrors or on windscreens, which travellers say were already there or were not visible in their pickup photos. Reviewers also describe a strict return inspection and a pickup with no joint inspection, and say that photographing every part of the car, including underneath, is essential.
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Red flag: Many recent reviews say pressure at the desk to buy the desk's own insurance, sometimes alongside a high deposit (one to three thousand euros) if declined, even when cover was already bought via a broker.
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Red flag: Many recent reviews report charges after return that travellers dispute, including damage they say was already on the car, fuel charged despite a full tank, and cleaning fees. Several say refunds were slow or never came and that customer service did not reply.
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Red flag: Very many reviews report unexpected payments at the counter beyond the booked price. These include pressure to buy the desk's own cover, being told broker or third-party cover is not valid, and debit cards refused for the deposit unless extra cover is bought. Reported totals are often double or triple the booking. About 4 of the roughly 13 text reviews from the last 12 months describe this.
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Red flag: Dozens of recent reviews say debit, virtual, deferred-debit, PIN-less or non-EU credit cards were refused or a higher deposit was demanded at the counter, and the problem went away once the desk's own insurance (roughly 90 to 600 euros) was bought. Reviewers say this was not made clear when booking through brokers.
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Red flag: A large number of reviews, many from the last two months, say that arriving 30 minutes to a few hours late (often because of flight or luggage delays or a late shuttle) led to the prepaid booking being cancelled. They then had to pay roughly 60-300 EUR extra, or double, to get a car, or lost the booking.
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Ranking is by Counterwise Score only. Commission never changes the order. Read our affiliate disclosure. Facts marked “Not confirmed yet” have not been verified yet: we never guess them.
Ranked by Counterwise Score. Swipe sideways on a phone to see every column.
| Desk | Score | Location | Credit card | Deposit | Fuel policy | Opening hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Alquicoche | 8.9Great | Shuttle | Not confirmed yet | Not confirmed yet | Full to full | 09:00–21:00 daily |
| 2.Autounion | 7.3Mixed | Shuttle | Required | Not confirmed yet | Same to same | 08:00–20:00 daily |
| 3.Sixt T2 | 6.7Mixed | In terminal | Not required | €300 | Full to full | 07:00–01:00 daily; outside these hours go to the T1 branch (open 24 h) |
| 4.Sixt T1 | 6.5Mixed | In terminal | Not required | €300 | Full to full | Open 24 hours; 24h returns |
| 5.Enterprise | 6.1Mixed | In terminal | Not required | €200 | Same to same | 07:30–23:59 daily; after-hours key drop-box on the Enterprise cabins in the T1 and T2 car parks |
| 6.Centauro | 5.2Poor | Shuttle | Not confirmed yet | Not confirmed yet | Full to full | 07:00–22:59 daily |
| 7.Budget T1 | 4.9Poor | In terminal | Not confirmed yet | Not confirmed yet | Full to full | 07:00–24:00 daily (T1 arrivals office 07:00–01:30) |
| 8.Europcar T2 | 4.5Poor | In terminal | Not required | €100–€500 | Full to full | Not confirmed yet |
| 9.Budget T2 | 4.4Poor | In terminal | Not confirmed yet | Not confirmed yet | Full to full | Car-park office opposite T2: 09:00–21:00; after 21:00 a free bus takes customers to T1. Terminal-desk hours not published. |
| 10.Europcar T1 | 4.4Poor | In terminal | Not required | €100–€500 | Full to full | 07:00–23:59 daily |
| 11.Avis T2 | 4.3Poor | In terminal | Not confirmed yet | €200 | Full to full | Car-park office opposite T2: 09:00–21:00; after 21:00 a free bus takes customers to T1. Terminal-desk hours not published. |
| 12.OK Mobility | 4.3Poor | In terminal | Required | Not confirmed yet | Full to full | 06:30–24:00 daily (06:30–07:00 and 23:00–24:00 only for confirmed bookings); 24 and 31 Dec until 19:00 |
| 13.Avis T1 | 4.1Poor | In terminal | Not confirmed yet | €200 | Full to full | 07:00–24:00 daily; 24h key drop |
| 14.Click&Rent | 4.1Poor | Shuttle | Required | €200–€1,000 | Full to full | 08:00–22:00 daily; out of hours only on prior request with a flight number, not on holidays |
| 15.Goldcar T1 | 3.4Poor | In terminal | Not confirmed yet | €0–€950 | Same to same | 07:00–23:00 daily (DiscoverCars: 07:00–23:01); Key'n Go kiosks 08:00–22:00 |
| 16.Hertz | 3.0Poor | In terminal | Not required | €200–€700 | Full to full | 07:00–23:59 daily |
| 17.Firefly | 3.0Poor | In terminal | Required | Not confirmed yet | Full to full | 08:00–23:59 daily; out of hours on request for a fee |
| 18.NIZA Cars | 2.5Poor | Shuttle | Required | Not confirmed yet | Full to full | 07:00–21:59 daily; out-of-hours window 22:01–01:00 |
| 19.Drivalia | 2.0Poor | Shuttle | Required | Not confirmed yet | Same to same | 08:00–21:59 daily |
Alquicoche is the best-rated car rental desk at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport, with a Counterwise Score of 8.9/10 (Great). It is followed by Autounion (7.3) and Sixt T2 (6.7). Scores are based on 4,953 traveller reviews analysed and were last updated on 12 November 2026.
13 of the 19 desks at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport are inside the terminal: Sixt T2, Sixt T1, Enterprise, Budget T1, Europcar T2, Budget T2, Europcar T1, Avis T2, OK Mobility, Avis T1, Goldcar T1, Hertz and Firefly. Alquicoche, Autounion, Centauro, Click&Rent, NIZA Cars and Drivalia are off-site and reached by shuttle.
Yes. 6 of the 19 desks at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport do not require a credit card: Sixt T2 (6.7/10), Sixt T1 (6.5/10), Enterprise (6.1/10), Europcar T2 (4.5/10), Europcar T1 (4.4/10) and Hertz (3.0/10). Autounion, OK Mobility, Click&Rent, Firefly, NIZA Cars and Drivalia need a credit card in the main driver's name for the deposit. The card rule is not confirmed yet for Alquicoche, Centauro, Budget T1, Budget T2, Avis T2, Avis T1 and Goldcar T1. Check the debit card conditions when you book.
Sixt T2 →Sixt T1 →Enterprise →Europcar T2 →Europcar T1 →Hertz →
Goldcar T1 has the lowest starting deposit at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport: €0–€950. The highest is at Click&Rent, up to €1,000. Deposits are held on your card at pickup and released after the car is returned. Deposit amounts are not confirmed yet for Alquicoche, Autounion, Centauro, Budget T1, Budget T2, OK Mobility, Firefly, NIZA Cars and Drivalia.
Shuttle ride times to the off-site desks at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport are not confirmed yet. Allow extra time for the ride and the wait.
Opening hours at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport: Alquicoche, 09:00–21:00 daily; Autounion, 08:00–20:00 daily; Sixt T2, 07:00–01:00 daily; outside these hours go to the T1 branch (open 24 h); Sixt T1, Open 24 hours; 24h returns; Enterprise, 07:30–23:59 daily; after-hours key drop-box on the Enterprise cabins in the T1 and T2 car parks; Centauro, 07:00–22:59 daily; Budget T1, 07:00–24:00 daily (T1 arrivals office 07:00–01:30); Europcar T2, not confirmed yet; Budget T2, Car-park office opposite T2: 09:00–21:00; after 21:00 a free bus takes customers to T1. Terminal-desk hours not published.; Europcar T1, 07:00–23:59 daily; Avis T2, Car-park office opposite T2: 09:00–21:00; after 21:00 a free bus takes customers to T1. Terminal-desk hours not published.; OK Mobility, 06:30–24:00 daily (06:30–07:00 and 23:00–24:00 only for confirmed bookings); 24 and 31 Dec until 19:00; Avis T1, 07:00–24:00 daily; 24h key drop; Click&Rent, 08:00–22:00 daily; out of hours only on prior request with a flight number, not on holidays; Goldcar T1, 07:00–23:00 daily (DiscoverCars: 07:00–23:01); Key'n Go kiosks 08:00–22:00; Hertz, 07:00–23:59 daily; Firefly, 08:00–23:59 daily; out of hours on request for a fee; NIZA Cars, 07:00–21:59 daily; out-of-hours window 22:01–01:00; Drivalia, 08:00–21:59 daily. If your flight lands late, check the hours before you book.
Most desks at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport use full to full (pick up full, return full). Exceptions: Autounion (same to same), Enterprise (same to same), Goldcar T1 (same to same) and Drivalia (same to same).
Drivalia has the lowest Counterwise Score at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport: 2.0/10 (Poor). Main red flag from travellers: A large number of reviews, many from the last two months, say that arriving 30 minutes to a few hours late (often because of flight or luggage delays or a late shuttle) led to the prepaid booking being cancelled. They then had to pay roughly 60-300 EUR extra, or double, to get a car, or lost the booking..
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.