LIS · Lisbon, Portugal
Every car hire desk ranked by Counterwise Score
The rental counters are in the Terminal 1 arrivals hall: turn right after baggage reclaim and follow the rent-a-car signs. Terminal 2 has no rental desks, so take the free inter-terminal bus to Terminal 1. Most off-airport firms collect customers outside Exit 4, near the Vodafone shop, and drive them a few minutes to depots in Prior Velho. Every rental car carries an electronic toll device with a daily fee.
Based on 5,562 reviews analysed · Last updated · How scores work
Showing all 21 desks
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Red flag: Many recent reviews report problems with card rules at the counter: a physical credit card in the driver's name is required, and debit, digital wallet, virtual or some neobank cards were refused. Travellers say they were denied the car, charged extra (often €50-230) or pushed to buy higher cover and a larger deposit, and some say prepaid bookings were not refunded.
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Red flag: Several reviews from the past year report deposit or card holds released slowly, from about two weeks up to two months or more, despite repeated contact with the company.
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Red flag: At least six reviews from the last 8 months report that the booked car was not available after a late arrival (some only 1-2 hours late), with a paid upgrade as the main remedy and no refund of prepaid bookings, some of them made via brokers.
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Red flag: Many recent reviews say the car was refused or a large extra (about €120 to €400, usually the desk's own insurance) was demanded because of the card type (debit, online-bank, or a card without embossed details) or the licence format (no physical licence, international permit). Several say these rules were not clear when booking.
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Red flag: Many recent reviews report charges made at or after return for damage they say was pre-existing or minor (roughly 200 to over 1000 EUR), plus fuel charges despite a full tank, with slow or templated complaint handling.
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Red flag: Numerous reviewers report disputed charges after the rental: damage they say was already on the car, fuel, cleaning, tolls and an extra deposit hold. Many say complaints went unanswered for weeks and they had to go to their card issuer. Recent web posts describe similar cases.
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Red flag: Long waits to collect the car are reported repeatedly, often 1-3 hours and in some cases much longer, including for customers who paid for priority or express check-in. The pattern is strongest in the Aug-Oct 2026 peak, and a recent forum post also calls collection slow.
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Red flag: Many recent reviews (dozens over the past year) report post-rental charges for scratches, sand or cleaning, fuel, tolls or admin that travellers dispute, sometimes after chargebacks or complaints; several say photos or video taken at pickup did not prevent charges, and support often did not reply. Older forum posts describe similar disputes.
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Red flag: Many recent reviews (about 1 in 4) report charges added after return, often weeks later, for damage, fuel or unspecified fees, with no itemised invoice and slow or missing replies from customer support. Several also report deposits held for 6 weeks or longer.
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Red flag: Many recent reviews (from about April 2026) report being refused the car at the counter over card rules (debit, neobank or US credit cards, or a deposit demanded despite a no-deposit rate), often with a delayed or refused refund.
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Red flag: Long queues are reported at both pickup and return: about 21 recent reviews describe waits from roughly 30 minutes to 3 hours at the counter or in the return garage queue, and the shared counter and Gold priority are blamed.
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Red flag: Many recent reviews (about three dozen in two months) say charges were applied after return for scratches, dents or marks they say were already on the car, were invisible or were not shown at handover. Amounts reported range from about €100 to over €800, and some say the pickup inspection happens in a dark underground car park.
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Red flag: Around 20 recent reviews describe hard selling of the desk's own insurance, including being told that cover bought through a broker is not valid, with extra payments of roughly 200 to 900 euros reported.
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Red flag: Very long waits to collect the car are reported repeatedly, typically 1 to 3 hours after arriving at the office, and sometimes cars were not ready when the booked time arrived. Some travellers left without a car.
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Red flag: Many recent reviews report deposits held for weeks or months without refund, with the call centre unreachable. Others report the card deposit held up to about 10 days over small toll items.
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Red flag: Many recent reviews say that debit/credit combination cards, cards lacking the full name, or cards in another person's name were rejected for the €2,500-4,000 hold, leaving travellers to buy the desk's own cover (reported at roughly €350-1,000) or lose the rental.
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Red flag: Very many reviews (about 35 of the roughly 155 kept) describe pressure at the counter to buy the desk's own cover, with third-party or broker cover dismissed and high charges for minor damage cited if declined. Recent web threads report the same pattern.
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Red flag: Very long waits at pickup and return are reported in a large share of reviews, often 1 to 2+ hours and sometimes much more, typically blamed on too few staff at the counter; this continues through the latest months with no sign of improvement.
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Red flag: Very long waits to collect the car are reported repeatedly: many recent reviews describe 1 to 2 hours or more even with prepaid bookings or online check-in, with few staff on duty and cars still being cleaned. Forum and review-site posts describe the same pattern.
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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.EPI Rent a Car | 8.7Great | Shuttle, 7 min | Required | Not confirmed yet | Same to same | 08:00–22:00 daily |
| 2.CAEL | 7.9Mixed | Shuttle | Required | Not confirmed yet | Same to same | 06:30–20:00 daily |
| 3.WayGo | 7.1Mixed | Shuttle, 3 min | Required | Not confirmed yet | Full to full | Mon–Fri 08:00–20:00, Sat–Sun 08:00–18:00; limited extended hours on request; closed 1 Jan, 9 Apr, 24–25 Dec |
| 4.BeRent | 6.7Mixed | Shuttle | Not required | Not confirmed yet | Same to same | 08:00–20:00 daily |
| 5.Surprice | 5.9Poor | Shuttle | Required | Not confirmed yet | Full to full | 08:00–20:00 daily; out of hours on request for an extra charge |
| 6.Sicily by Car | 5.5Poor | Shuttle | Required | Not confirmed yet | Full to full | 07:00–23:00 daily |
| 7.Avis | 4.9Poor | In terminal | Not required | €200 | Full to full | 06:00–24:00 daily; 24h key drop box for returns |
| 8.Sixt | 4.8Poor | In terminal | Not confirmed yet | Not confirmed yet | Full to full | 06:00–23:59 daily |
| 9.Centauro | 4.6Poor | Shuttle, 5 min | Not confirmed yet | Not confirmed yet | Full to full | 07:00–23:00 daily |
| 10.Guerin | 4.4Poor | In terminal | Required | €300–€600 | Full to full | 06:00–23:00 daily; no after-hours pick-up; after-hours returns via key drop box at no charge |
| 11.Budget | 4.1Poor | In terminal | Not confirmed yet | €100–€600 | Not confirmed yet | 06:00–24:00 daily; after-hours returns on request (fee) |
| 12.Record Go | 4.1Poor | Shuttle | Not required | €0–€1,100 | Full to full | 07:00–23:00 daily |
| 13.Hertz | 3.9Poor | In terminal | Not confirmed yet | Not confirmed yet | Full to full | 06:00–24:00 daily |
| 14.Goldcar | 3.9Poor | In terminal | Not required | €0–€1,400 | Same to same | 07:00–23:00 daily |
| 15.Green Motion | 3.9Poor | Shuttle | Required | Not confirmed yet | Same to same | 07:00–21:00 daily |
| 16.Drive on Holidays | 3.9Poor | Shuttle, 8 min | Required | Not confirmed yet | Same to same | 08:00–20:00 (meeting-point staff 07:00–21:00, later if bookings exist) |
| 17.OK Mobility | 3.7Poor | Shuttle | Required | Not confirmed yet | Full to full | 06:00–23:00 daily (06:00–07:00 and 22:00–23:00 only for confirmed bookings); 24 and 31 Dec until 19:00 |
| 18.Tangerine | 3.6Poor | Shuttle, 8 min | Required | Not confirmed yet | Same to same | 08:00–20:00 daily |
| 19.Klass Wagen | 3.4Poor | Shuttle | Required | Not confirmed yet | Not confirmed yet | 24/7 |
| 20.Drivalia | 3.3Poor | Shuttle, 5 min | Required | Not confirmed yet | Same to same | 08:00–20:00 daily |
| 21.Europcar | 3.1Poor | In terminal | Required | €100–€300 | Full to full | 06:30–23:59 daily |
EPI Rent a Car is the best-rated car rental desk at Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport, with a Counterwise Score of 8.7/10 (Great). It is followed by CAEL (7.9) and WayGo (7.1). Scores are based on 5,562 traveller reviews analysed and were last updated on 12 November 2026.
7 of the 21 desks at Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport are inside the terminal: Avis, Sixt, Guerin, Budget, Hertz, Goldcar and Europcar. WayGo, Centauro, Drivalia, EPI Rent a Car, Drive on Holidays, Tangerine, CAEL, BeRent, Surprice, Sicily by Car, Record Go, Green Motion, OK Mobility and Klass Wagen are off-site and reached by shuttle.
Yes. 4 of the 21 desks at Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport do not require a credit card: BeRent (6.7/10), Avis (4.9/10), Record Go (4.1/10) and Goldcar (3.9/10). EPI Rent a Car, CAEL, WayGo, Surprice, Sicily by Car, Guerin, Green Motion, Drive on Holidays, OK Mobility, Tangerine, Klass Wagen, Drivalia and Europcar need a credit card in the main driver's name for the deposit. The card rule is not confirmed yet for Sixt, Centauro, Budget and Hertz. Check the debit card conditions when you book.
Record Go has the lowest starting deposit at Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport: €0–€1,100. The highest is at Goldcar, up to €1,400. Deposits are held on your card at pickup and released after the car is returned. Deposit amounts are not confirmed yet for EPI Rent a Car, CAEL, WayGo, BeRent, Surprice, Sicily by Car, Sixt, Centauro, Hertz, Green Motion, Drive on Holidays, OK Mobility, Tangerine, Klass Wagen and Drivalia.
The shuttle ride to the off-site desks at Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport takes between 3 and 8 minutes, plus waiting time: WayGo about 3 min, Centauro about 5 min, Drivalia about 5 min, EPI Rent a Car about 7 min, Drive on Holidays about 8 min and Tangerine about 8 min. Ride time not confirmed yet for CAEL, BeRent, Surprice, Sicily by Car, Record Go, Green Motion, OK Mobility and Klass Wagen.
Opening hours at Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport: EPI Rent a Car, 08:00–22:00 daily; CAEL, 06:30–20:00 daily; WayGo, Mon–Fri 08:00–20:00, Sat–Sun 08:00–18:00; limited extended hours on request; closed 1 Jan, 9 Apr, 24–25 Dec; BeRent, 08:00–20:00 daily; Surprice, 08:00–20:00 daily; out of hours on request for an extra charge; Sicily by Car, 07:00–23:00 daily; Avis, 06:00–24:00 daily; 24h key drop box for returns; Sixt, 06:00–23:59 daily; Centauro, 07:00–23:00 daily; Guerin, 06:00–23:00 daily; no after-hours pick-up; after-hours returns via key drop box at no charge; Budget, 06:00–24:00 daily; after-hours returns on request (fee); Record Go, 07:00–23:00 daily; Hertz, 06:00–24:00 daily; Goldcar, 07:00–23:00 daily; Green Motion, 07:00–21:00 daily; Drive on Holidays, 08:00–20:00 (meeting-point staff 07:00–21:00, later if bookings exist); OK Mobility, 06:00–23:00 daily (06:00–07:00 and 22:00–23:00 only for confirmed bookings); 24 and 31 Dec until 19:00; Tangerine, 08:00–20:00 daily; Klass Wagen, 24/7; Drivalia, 08:00–20:00 daily; Europcar, 06:30–23:59 daily. If your flight lands late, check the hours before you book.
Most desks at Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport use full to full (pick up full, return full). Exceptions: EPI Rent a Car (same to same), CAEL (same to same), BeRent (same to same), Goldcar (same to same), Green Motion (same to same), Drive on Holidays (same to same), Tangerine (same to same) and Drivalia (same to same). The fuel policy is not confirmed yet for Budget and Klass Wagen.
Europcar has the lowest Counterwise Score at Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport: 3.1/10 (Poor). Main red flag from travellers: Very long waits to collect the car are reported repeatedly: many recent reviews describe 1 to 2 hours or more even with prepaid bookings or online check-in, with few staff on duty and cars still being cleaned. Forum and review-site posts describe the same pattern..
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.