No. 14 of 21 at LIS

Goldcar

Name: Goldcar at Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport: Counterwise rating
Item: Goldcar (Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport)
Rating: 3.9
Author: Counterwise

at Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport

In terminalNo credit card needed

High consensus Check prices ↓

At a glance

Goldcar at Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport is ranked No. 14 of 21 car rental desks at the airport, with a Counterwise Score of 3.9/10 (Poor).
The Goldcar desk is inside the terminal at Lisbon Airport.
No credit card is required (debit cards accepted); the typical deposit is €0–€1,400.
Fuel policy: same to same. Opening hours: 07:00–23:00 daily.
Main red flag from travellers: 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..

Based on 288 reviews analysed · Last updated 12 November 2026 · How scores work

The short version

Based on 288 Google reviews from roughly the last two months (181 with text) after removing 12 unreliable ones, this desk shows a clear pattern of complaints about post-rental damage and fuel charges, card refusals or pressure to buy cover, and slow refunds. Many other travellers report quick, smooth rentals, especially with full cover, and queue experiences are mixed. Recent web sources point the same way but are partly old or undated, and the review window is short.

AI-assisted summary of 288 recent Google reviews and web reports, reviewed by our editor on 12 November 2026. How we do it

Score breakdown

Each sub-score is out of 10. Higher is always better for you. How the weights work

Deposit & damage disputes(30% of score)

Poor2.0/10

How often travellers report surprise damage charges, slow deposit refunds or disputed scratches. Based on 65 reports · high confidence.

Counter upselling(20% of score)

Poor3.5/10

Pressure to buy extra insurance, upgrades or add-ons at the desk. Higher means less pressure. Based on 28 reports · high confidence.

Booking honoured(20% of score)

Poor3.5/10

Whether you get the car category and the price you booked, without new fees at the counter. Based on 32 reports · high confidence.

Queue time(15% of score)

Poor5.5/10

Typical wait from reaching the desk (or shuttle stop) to holding the keys. Based on 33 reports · medium confidence.

Car condition(15% of score)

Mixed6.0/10

Cleanliness, mileage and mechanical state of the cars handed out. Based on 34 reports · medium confidence.

How this score was built

AI analysis of reviews and web reports (the sub-scores above, weighted): 3.7 · counts 70%
Star ratings on review platforms, rescaled against all desks we rate: 4.1 · counts 30%
12 of 300 recent reviews excluded as unreliable (solicited staff praise, other locations, duplicates). How we clean reviews
Pulled 8% toward the airport average, because recent reviews are few (181 after weighting by age).

High consensusOur independent signals (AI review analysis, web reports and star ratings) point the same way.

What travellers flag

Red flags (5)

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.tripadvisor.com.sg tripadvisor.ie
About a dozen travellers report being refused the large deposit hold on certain cards (AMEX, debit or Revolut cards, cards not labelled credit) or being told cards were unsuitable. They were then pushed to buy the desk's own cover, lost the booking, or had to rent elsewhere.
Several reviews report fuel-shortfall charges of roughly €50-65 despite the car being returned full, sometimes after staff had confirmed everything was fine. Some mention a gauge that would not show full.
Around a dozen reviews report slow or missing refunds of deposits, toll or fuel balances, and customer service that does not reply or only gives template answers. One report describes a security deposit still unreturned after about three months.
Several reviews report bookings refused or changed at the counter: a full-price booking rejected over an incomplete first name, a smaller car than booked, a refusal citing an unexplained internal alert, and a digital driving licence not accepted. Some travellers had to pay again or rent elsewhere.

Green flags (4)

A large share of text reviews (about 40) describe quick, trouble-free pickup and return with helpful staff and good value, and a few say there was no waiting.
Travellers who took the desk's full-cover package or Key'n Go report smooth handling, no card-deposit hassle and no disputes, and Goldcar's own pages say its comprehensive cover involves no excess and no card deposit.goldcar.com goldcar.es
About a dozen reviews describe new, clean, well-equipped cars, and a few mention free upgrades or a replacement car offered promptly when a defect was spotted.
The self-service key handover (Key'n Go) is described by several reviewers as fast and convenient.

Practical facts

Location	Desk inside the terminalsource
Opening hours	07:00–23:00 dailysource
Credit card required	No, debit cards accepted (check conditions)source
Typical deposit	€0–€1,400source
Fuel policy	Same to samesource
Shares the desk with	Key'n Go

“Not confirmed yet” means we have not verified that fact yet. We never guess.

Sources

Web pages behind this rating’s facts and flags, found through search APIs. The review analysis also used 288 recent Google reviews of this desk, which we do not republish.

Before you go

Tick these off at the counter. (Nothing is saved; it's just for you.)

Take photos and a short video of the car at pickup, including wheels, windscreen and the fuel gauge.
Check the fuel level matches the contract before you drive off.
Decline duplicate insurance at the desk if you already have excess cover. Bring proof of your policy.
Check the closing time (07:00–23:00 daily). If your flight lands late, call the desk: some wait, others close on time.
Same-to-same fuel: photograph the gauge at pickup and at return.

Goldcar at other airports and stations

Same brand, different counter. We rate each location on its own.

Goldcar at Lisbon Airport: questions and answers

Is Goldcar at Lisbon Airport any good?

Goldcar at Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport has a Counterwise Score of 3.9/10 (Poor) and is ranked No. 14 of 21 desks at the airport. Main green flag: A large share of text reviews (about 40) describe quick, trouble-free pickup and return with helpful staff and good value, and a few say there was no waiting.. Main 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..

Do I need a credit card to rent from Goldcar at Lisbon Airport?

No. Goldcar at Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport does not require a credit card; debit cards are accepted. Check the conditions when you book.

How much is the deposit at Goldcar at Lisbon Airport?

The typical deposit at Goldcar at Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport is €0–€1,400. The lowest starting deposit at this airport is at Record Go (€0–€1,100).

Where is the Goldcar desk at Lisbon Airport?

The Goldcar desk is inside the terminal at Lisbon Airport. It shares the counter with Key'n Go.

What are the opening hours of Goldcar at Lisbon Airport?

Goldcar at Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport is open 07:00–23:00 daily. Fuel policy: same to same.

Other desks at Lisbon Airport

Ranked by Counterwise Score. Compare all 21 desks side by side