MLA · Luqa, Malta
Every car hire desk ranked by Counterwise Score
Malta International Airport handled 10.06 million passengers in 2025. The car rental offices are not in the terminal: almost every firm has its office on Level 1 of Park East, a multi-storey car park about a 3-minute walk from arrivals (follow the "RENTAL CARS" signs), and the cars are parked in the same building. A few smaller firms, including OK Mobility, collect customers by shuttle from the lower level of the terminal instead.
Based on 3,528 reviews analysed · Last updated · How scores work
Showing all 17 desks
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Red flag: Several recent reviews say the office and the car are hard to find from the terminal, citing poor directions, and some had trouble locating the return spot too.
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Red flag: Three reviews from the last year say a credit card was treated as a debit card, or no physical credit card was shown, and full desk insurance (about 160-200 euros extra) was then required to get the car; older reviews describe the same pattern.
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Red flag: Many reviews (about 26) report charges of several hundred euros for small scratches or dents found at return, often with a torch in the dim car park, and some say the damage was already on the car. This continues in recent months, and the reports mix cases where the customer accepts some fault with cases where they dispute it.
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Red flag: Several reviews since September report deposits of about €1,500 to €2,000 held for weeks or not returned, or extra amounts deducted without explanation, with emails said to go unanswered; a recent Trustpilot post describes the same pattern.
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Red flag: Several reviews from the past 9 months report that the booked car was not available (including late-night arrivals), a different category was given, or the rental was refused. Older reviews describe the same pattern, especially for automatic cars.
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Red flag: Many recent reviews report charges of roughly €250-350 for small scratches, chips or missing parts, including from travellers who had bought extra cover, with several saying photos did not show the damage.
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Red flag: Recurring charges of roughly 280-460 euro for very small scratches or marks on bumpers and plastic trim, often disputed by renters who say the marks were already there or the car had many other unrecorded scratches.
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Red flag: Several reviews from the last 12 months report post-rental deductions or deposits not returned: fuel and cleaning fees, admin fees on traffic fines far above the fines themselves, unexplained charges, and a refund that took well beyond the stated 30 working days.
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Red flag: Many recent reviews (dozens, including several from the last few weeks) report charges of roughly €150-€650 for minor scratches, underbody marks or seat stains found at return with torch inspections; reviewers say the marks were already there or hard to see in the dim car park, and a recent Tripadvisor report describes the same pattern.
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Red flag: Many recent reviews say the desk made its own insurance effectively compulsory, typically after refusing a card (debit, Amex or non-embossed) or declining pre-bought third-party cover, adding roughly 75 to 650 euros or 25 to 30 euros per day.
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Red flag: Many recent reviews (about 1 in 4 of those with text) report charges for small or hard-to-see damage or for cleaning, from about €135 up to €2,600. Reviewers say the damage was already on the car or was not visible, and several say it was found only on a close return inspection. Forum and Trustpilot posts describe similar cases.
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Red flag: Around 50 kept reviews describe charges for minor damage, often low underside or bumper scratches that travellers say were pre-existing or not visible on their pickup photos; amounts range from about €100 to €1,250, and several say their video evidence was not accepted.
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Red flag: Many reviews, around 25 in the last year, say the deposit was taken as a full charge rather than a card hold, with amounts from 300 to 2,100 euros. They report refunds taking weeks to months and some needed a bank chargeback.
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Red flag: A large share of reviews, including many from the last 12 months, report extra charges at the counter that were not shown at booking: a 15-25 euro airport or location fee, out-of-hours, holiday or early-return fees, young-driver fees and debit-card surcharges.
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Red flag: Many reviews in the last 12 months report disputed damage or post-rental charges, including scratches or dents travellers say were already there, and refunds of 500-2,700 euro deposits delayed by about 30 days or more.
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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.JS Car Hire | 9.1Great | Walk, 3 min | Not required | from €150 | Not confirmed yet | Not confirmed yet |
| 2.Enterprise | 8.0Great | Walk, 3 min | Required | €600–€750 | Same to same | Daily 08:00–20:00; after-hours returns only |
| 3.Malta Car Hire | 7.7Mixed | Walk, 3 min | Not required | Not confirmed yet | Not confirmed yet | Not confirmed yet |
| 4.Aquarius Rent A Car | 7.3Mixed | Walk, 3 min | Required | from €150 | Same to same | Mon–Sat 10:00–16:00; Sunday out-of-hours only |
| 5.Green Motion | 6.4Mixed | Walk, 3 min | Required | Not confirmed yet | Full to full | Daily 08:00–20:00 |
| 6.Avis | 5.9Poor | Walk, 3 min | Required | €1,800–€3,000 | Full to full | Daily 07:30–02:00; 24-hour drop-off |
| 7.Budget | 5.7Poor | Walk, 3 min | Required | €1,800–€3,000 | Full to full | Daily 07:30–02:00 |
| 8.Autounion | 5.7Poor | Walk, 3 min | Required | Not confirmed yet | Full to full | Daily 08:30–19:30 |
| 9.Sixt | 5.3Poor | Walk, 3 min | Not required | Not confirmed yet | Full to full | Daily 08:00–20:00 |
| 10.Cargini | 5.1Poor | Walk, 3 min | Required | Not confirmed yet | Full to full | Daily 08:00–20:00 |
| 11.Europcar | 4.2Poor | Walk, 3 min | Required | Not confirmed yet | Full to full | Daily 08:00–21:50 |
| 12.Surprice | 4.1Poor | Walk, 3 min | Required | Not confirmed yet | Full to full | Daily 08:00–20:00 |
| 13.Sicily by Car | 4.0Poor | Walk, 3 min | Not confirmed yet | Not confirmed yet | Full to full | Daily 08:00–02:00 |
| 14.Hertz | 3.7Poor | Walk, 3 min | Required | €200–€3,000 | Full to full | Daily 08:00–01:00 (out-of-hours fee for 00:00–07:59, flight number compulsory) |
| 15.OK Mobility | 3.3Poor | Shuttle | Required | Not confirmed yet | Full to full | Daily 09:00–21:00 (00:00–09:00 and 21:00–24:00 for confirmed bookings only); 24 and 31 Dec until 19:00 |
| 16.AddCar | 3.1Poor | Walk, 3 min | Required | Not confirmed yet | Full to full | Daily 09:00–20:00 (closed 25 Nov and 1 May per DiscoverCars) |
| 17.MOVIS Car Rental | 2.2Poor | Short walk | Required | Not confirmed yet | Same to same | Daily 08:00–19:00; closed 8, 13 and 25 December |
JS Car Hire is the best-rated car rental desk at Malta International Airport, with a Counterwise Score of 9.1/10 (Great). It is followed by Enterprise (8.0) and Malta Car Hire (7.7). Scores are based on 3,528 traveller reviews analysed and were last updated on 13 November 2026.
None of the 17 desks we rate at Malta International Airport is inside the terminal. JS Car Hire, Enterprise, Malta Car Hire, Aquarius Rent A Car, Green Motion, Avis, Budget, Autounion, Sixt, Cargini, Europcar, Surprice, Sicily by Car, Hertz, AddCar and MOVIS Car Rental are in a nearby car park or building, about 3 minutes on foot. OK Mobility is off-site and reached by shuttle.
Yes. 3 of the 17 desks at Malta International Airport do not require a credit card: JS Car Hire (9.1/10), Malta Car Hire (7.7/10) and Sixt (5.3/10). Enterprise, Aquarius Rent A Car, Green Motion, Avis, Budget, Autounion, Cargini, Europcar, Surprice, Hertz, OK Mobility, AddCar and MOVIS Car Rental need a credit card in the main driver's name for the deposit. The card rule is not confirmed yet for Sicily by Car. Check the debit card conditions when you book.
JS Car Hire has the lowest starting deposit at Malta International Airport: from €150. The highest is at Avis, up to €3,000. Deposits are held on your card at pickup and released after the car is returned. Deposit amounts are not confirmed yet for Malta Car Hire, Green Motion, Autounion, Sixt, Cargini, Europcar, Surprice, Sicily by Car, OK Mobility, AddCar and MOVIS Car Rental.
From the terminal at Malta Airport, the walk to the desks in nearby car parks or buildings takes about 3 minutes: JS Car Hire about 3 min, Enterprise about 3 min, Malta Car Hire about 3 min, Aquarius Rent A Car about 3 min, Green Motion about 3 min, Avis about 3 min, Budget about 3 min, Autounion about 3 min, Sixt about 3 min, Cargini about 3 min, Europcar about 3 min, Surprice about 3 min, Sicily by Car about 3 min, Hertz about 3 min and AddCar about 3 min. Allow extra time with luggage. Walking time not confirmed yet for MOVIS Car Rental.
Shuttle ride times to the off-site desks at Malta International Airport are not confirmed yet. Allow extra time for the ride and the wait.
Opening hours at Malta International Airport: JS Car Hire, not confirmed yet; Enterprise, Daily 08:00–20:00; after-hours returns only; Malta Car Hire, not confirmed yet; Aquarius Rent A Car, Mon–Sat 10:00–16:00; Sunday out-of-hours only; Green Motion, Daily 08:00–20:00; Avis, Daily 07:30–02:00; 24-hour drop-off; Budget, Daily 07:30–02:00; Autounion, Daily 08:30–19:30; Sixt, Daily 08:00–20:00; Cargini, Daily 08:00–20:00; Europcar, Daily 08:00–21:50; Surprice, Daily 08:00–20:00; Sicily by Car, Daily 08:00–02:00; Hertz, Daily 08:00–01:00 (out-of-hours fee for 00:00–07:59, flight number compulsory); OK Mobility, Daily 09:00–21:00 (00:00–09:00 and 21:00–24:00 for confirmed bookings only); 24 and 31 Dec until 19:00; AddCar, Daily 09:00–20:00 (closed 25 Nov and 1 May per DiscoverCars); MOVIS Car Rental, Daily 08:00–19:00; closed 8, 13 and 25 December. If your flight lands late, check the hours before you book.
Most desks at Malta International Airport use full to full (pick up full, return full). Exceptions: Enterprise (same to same), Aquarius Rent A Car (same to same) and MOVIS Car Rental (same to same). The fuel policy is not confirmed yet for JS Car Hire and Malta Car Hire.
MOVIS Car Rental has the lowest Counterwise Score at Malta International Airport: 2.2/10 (Poor). Main red flag from travellers: Many reviews in the last 12 months report disputed damage or post-rental charges, including scratches or dents travellers say were already there, and refunds of 500-2,700 euro deposits delayed by about 30 days or more..
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.