FNC · Santa Cruz, Portugal
Every car hire desk ranked by Counterwise Score
Madeira's main airport (about 5.4 million passengers in 2025), in Santa Cruz about 20 km north-east of Funchal. Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Sixt, Guerin (Enterprise), Goldcar and the local firms Madeira Rent and Rodavante have counters in the arrivals hall on the ground floor, with cars parked a short walk away next to the terminal. Most other firms meet customers just outside the arrivals exit and drive them by shuttle to depots a few minutes away in Santa Cruz.
Based on 5,426 reviews analysed · Last updated · How scores work
Showing all 21 desks
Red flag: Several recent reviews report brake vibration or shuddering on rental cars, in some cases combined with worn clutches on Madeira's steep roads.
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Red flag: Several recent reviews (6 since late 2025, most in Aug-Sep 2026) describe a clutch failing within days of pickup, followed by a repair bill of roughly €800-1,200 that the renters say they were wrongly held responsible for. They also say they received little proof. A recent consumer-site post describes the same €1,100 clutch bill.
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Red flag: About two dozen kept reviews describe pressure at the counter to buy a more expensive car or the desk's own insurance, frequently with the claim that the booked car cannot handle Madeira's hills; several travellers who declined say the car coped fine.
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Red flag: Multiple recent reviews report charges after return for damage or fuel that travellers dispute (scratches, wheel rim, full tank billed after a refill, unreturned deposit), with little response to evidence sent. Trustpilot snippets mention similar complaints.
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Red flag: Many recent reviews say a debit-type card, or a credit card the desk's system did not accept, meant buying the desk's own cover at counter prices that often doubled or tripled the booked total.
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Red flag: Many recent reviews (about 13) say damage charges were raised for scratches or marks they believe were already on the car. Several say the car was handed over with little or no joint inspection and that photos or video taken at pickup were their only protection.
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Red flag: Many recent reviews report problems at pickup with payment card rules: debit or deferred-debit cards, or a card not in the main driver's name, were refused or only accepted after paying roughly 100-200 EUR extra or taking extra cover, in some cases leaving the traveller without the car they had prepaid.
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Red flag: Pressure to buy the desk's own insurance is reported very often: about 33 kept reviews in the last 7 months describe reps dismissing broker or third-party cover as invalid, sometimes hinting at damage charges at return. A recent web guide also notes the desk pushes its cover hard.
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Red flag: Many reviewers report charges after return for scratches, rim marks or other damage they dispute. Amounts range from about €50 to over €1,000 and often follow a clean return sign-off. Review sites and guides published in 2026 also warn of strict damage checks, so photographing the car at pick-up and return is advised.
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Red flag: Many recent reviews say travellers without a credit card, or who already had cover via a broker, were required at the counter to pay roughly 250-400 EUR extra for cover or assistance, often plus separate holds. The operator's own help page says the excess hold can only be made by credit card.
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Red flag: Many recent reviews say roadside assistance, occupant insurance or other add-ons appeared in the contract or in later card charges even though the customer had declined them or never had them explained, often €50-150 and often for bookings made through brokers.
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Red flag: About 17 reviews, most from the last four months, say the desk refused a credit card (often from an online-only bank, or one without printed digits) or a debit card at pick-up. Travellers then lost the booking or paid for extra cover or an extra-driver fee, and some say these rules were not shown at booking.
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Red flag: Many recent reviews report charges after the rental that travellers dispute: interior cleaning fees of roughly 40-60 euros, fuel top-up charges despite full tanks, damage claims for scratches they say were pre-existing, and unexplained extra amounts. Several also say customer service did not respond.
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Red flag: Many recent reviews say the desk would not take debit, virtual or non-main-driver cards for the deposit and then offered its own cover as the only option. The surcharge was often close to or above the rental price, even when cover had been bought through a broker.
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Red flag: Many reviews, several from the past year, report that a rejected card or a card not in the driver's name led to refused rentals, lost prepayments, or extra mandatory cover and fees of roughly 150-285 EUR. Several travellers say the credit-card rule was not clear when they booked.
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Red flag: Dozens of reviews since spring 2026 describe being refused a card marked credit/debit (often French cards) or a card not in the main driver's name, then being offered the desk's insurance (about €300 to €1,400, or about €35 a day) as the only way to get the car, often with prepaid amounts already lost.
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Red flag: Many recent reviews say a credit card (often from an online bank, sometimes a card that was accepted for the booking payment) was refused for the deposit, and the traveller was then offered the desk's own insurance for about €150-€550 or lost the prepaid booking. Several say this was not clear when booking.
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Red flag: Dozens of recent reviews say the credit-card rules applied at the counter (physical card, no debit, card in the main driver's name, no relief or virtual cards) ended with the traveller buying the desk's own cover, often costing 2-3x the rental price, with the car otherwise refused. Several say this was not clear when booking through a broker. The desk's own terms require a credit card.
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Red flag: The €1,500 security deposit is reported as actually debited from the card rather than held, and refunds frequently run far beyond the promised 14 business days, from several weeks to 3-6 months, even when the return inspection was signed off as damage-free.
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Red flag: Very many recent reviews describe strong pressure at the desk to buy the desk's own full cover even when broker or third-party cover was already paid for, with the car or the booking withheld otherwise and totals often double or triple the prepaid price.
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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.RentX | 8.4Great | Shuttle, 5 min | Not confirmed yet | from €0 | Full to full | 08:00–19:00 daily |
| 2.Atlantic Rent a Car | 8.2Great | Shuttle, 3 min | Not confirmed yet | Not confirmed yet | Not confirmed yet | 08:30–18:30 daily; closed 25 December |
| 3.Driving Madeira | 7.5Mixed | Shuttle, 3 min | Not confirmed yet | Not confirmed yet | Full to full | 09:00–18:00 daily |
| 4.Madeira Rent | 6.3Mixed | In terminal | Required | from €300 | Same to same | 07:00–24:00 daily |
| 5.Hertz | 5.9Poor | In terminal | Required | Not confirmed yet | Full to full | 07:00–23:59 daily |
| 6.Cassiano's Rent a Car | 5.7Poor | Shuttle | Not confirmed yet | Not confirmed yet | Full to full | 07:00–22:00 daily |
| 7.Europcar | 5.5Poor | In terminal | Required | €100–€300 | Full to full | 07:00–23:59 daily |
| 8.International Car | 5.3Poor | Shuttle | Not confirmed yet | Not confirmed yet | Full to full | 08:00–20:00 daily |
| 9.Centauro | 5.2Poor | Shuttle | Required | €100–€2,100 | Same to same | 07:00–23:00 daily |
| 10.Guerin | 5.1Poor | In terminal | Required | €300–€600 | Full to full | 07:00–24:00 daily |
| 11.OK Mobility | 4.7Poor | Shuttle | Required | Not confirmed yet | Full to full | 07:00–22:00 daily (until 20:00 on 24 and 31 Dec) |
| 12.Avis | 4.5Poor | In terminal | Not confirmed yet | Not confirmed yet | Same to same | 08:00–24:00 daily; 24-hour drop-off (key box) |
| 13.Sixt | 4.5Poor | In terminal | Not confirmed yet | up to €1,300 | Full to full | 08:00–23:59 daily |
| 14.Budget | 4.1Poor | In terminal | Not confirmed yet | Not confirmed yet | Same to same | 08:00–23:59 daily |
| 15.Drive on Holidays | 4.1Poor | Shuttle, 3 min | Required | €100–€350 | Same to same | 08:00–20:00 daily |
| 16.Drive4Move | 3.9Poor | Shuttle | Required | Not confirmed yet | Same to same | 08:00–20:00 daily |
| 17.Way2Madeira | 3.6Poor | Shuttle | Required | Not confirmed yet | Same to same | 07:00–21:00 daily |
| 18.Funchal Drive | 3.5Poor | Shuttle | Required | from €0 | Full to full | 08:00–20:00 daily |
| 19.Surprice | 3.2Poor | Shuttle | Required | Not confirmed yet | Full to full | 08:00–20:00 daily |
| 20.Magic Islands Rent a Car | 3.2Poor | Shuttle | Not confirmed yet | €1,500 | Full to full | 07:30–20:00 daily |
| 21.Goldcar | 2.2Poor | In terminal | Required | €0–€1,400 | Full to full | 07:00–23:00 daily |
RentX is the best-rated car rental desk at Madeira Airport (Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport), with a Counterwise Score of 8.4/10 (Great). It is followed by Atlantic Rent a Car (8.2) and Driving Madeira (7.5). Scores are based on 5,426 traveller reviews analysed and were last updated on 13 November 2026.
8 of the 21 desks at Madeira Airport (Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport) are inside the terminal: Madeira Rent, Hertz, Europcar, Guerin, Avis, Sixt, Budget and Goldcar. Atlantic Rent a Car, Driving Madeira, Drive on Holidays, RentX, Cassiano's Rent a Car, International Car, Centauro, OK Mobility, Drive4Move, Way2Madeira, Funchal Drive, Surprice and Magic Islands Rent a Car are off-site and reached by shuttle.
Not confirmed at any desk yet. Madeira Rent, Hertz, Europcar, Centauro, Guerin, OK Mobility, Drive on Holidays, Drive4Move, Way2Madeira, Funchal Drive, Surprice and Goldcar require a credit card in the main driver's name for the deposit. The card rule is not confirmed yet for RentX, Atlantic Rent a Car, Driving Madeira, Cassiano's Rent a Car, International Car, Avis, Sixt, Budget and Magic Islands Rent a Car. Check the conditions when you book.
RentX has the lowest starting deposit at Madeira Airport (Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport): from €0. The highest is at Centauro, up to €2,100. Deposits are held on your card at pickup and released after the car is returned. Deposit amounts are not confirmed yet for Atlantic Rent a Car, Driving Madeira, Hertz, Cassiano's Rent a Car, International Car, OK Mobility, Avis, Budget, Drive4Move, Way2Madeira and Surprice.
The shuttle ride to the off-site desks at Madeira Airport (Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport) takes between 3 and 5 minutes, plus waiting time: Atlantic Rent a Car about 3 min, Driving Madeira about 3 min, Drive on Holidays about 3 min and RentX about 5 min. Ride time not confirmed yet for Cassiano's Rent a Car, International Car, Centauro, OK Mobility, Drive4Move, Way2Madeira, Funchal Drive, Surprice and Magic Islands Rent a Car.
Opening hours at Madeira Airport (Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport): RentX, 08:00–19:00 daily; Atlantic Rent a Car, 08:30–18:30 daily; closed 25 December; Driving Madeira, 09:00–18:00 daily; Madeira Rent, 07:00–24:00 daily; Hertz, 07:00–23:59 daily; Cassiano's Rent a Car, 07:00–22:00 daily; Europcar, 07:00–23:59 daily; International Car, 08:00–20:00 daily; Centauro, 07:00–23:00 daily; Guerin, 07:00–24:00 daily; OK Mobility, 07:00–22:00 daily (until 20:00 on 24 and 31 Dec); Avis, 08:00–24:00 daily; 24-hour drop-off (key box); Sixt, 08:00–23:59 daily; Budget, 08:00–23:59 daily; Drive on Holidays, 08:00–20:00 daily; Drive4Move, 08:00–20:00 daily; Way2Madeira, 07:00–21:00 daily; Funchal Drive, 08:00–20:00 daily; Surprice, 08:00–20:00 daily; Magic Islands Rent a Car, 07:30–20:00 daily; Goldcar, 07:00–23:00 daily. If your flight lands late, check the hours before you book.
Most desks at Madeira Airport (Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport) use full to full (pick up full, return full). Exceptions: Madeira Rent (same to same), Centauro (same to same), Avis (same to same), Budget (same to same), Drive on Holidays (same to same), Drive4Move (same to same) and Way2Madeira (same to same). The fuel policy is not confirmed yet for Atlantic Rent a Car.
Goldcar has the lowest Counterwise Score at Madeira Airport (Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport): 2.2/10 (Poor). Main red flag from travellers: Very many recent reviews describe strong pressure at the desk to buy the desk's own full cover even when broker or third-party cover was already paid for, with the car or the booking withheld otherwise and totals often double or triple the prepaid price..
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.