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Counterwise

No. 18 of 27 at OPO

Drive on Holidays

at Porto Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport

Shuttle 3 min
Counterwise Score 4.9 out of 10, rated Poor.High consensusCheck prices ↓

At a glance

  • Drive on Holidays at Porto Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport is ranked No. 18 of 27 car rental desks at the airport, with a Counterwise Score of 4.9/10 (Poor).
  • The Drive on Holidays desk is off-site: the shuttle from Porto Airport takes about 3 minutes.
  • A credit card in the main driver's name is required; the typical deposit is €100–€350.
  • Fuel policy: same to same. Opening hours: 08:00–20:00 daily (representative at arrivals 08:00–20:30).
  • Main red flag from travellers: Many recent reviews say the car was not handed over, or only after a long dispute, because of card rules: two credit cards for some categories, or debit or non-credit cards refused. Several say the rule was hard to find at booking, and some report no refund of money already paid..

Based on 298 reviews analysed · Last updated · How scores work

The short version

Based on about 215 written Google reviews after removing two (plus roughly 80 star-only ratings), feedback is sharply polarised: many praise friendly staff, new clean cars and quick returns, while a sizeable minority report long pickup waits, card and deposit rules that blocked rentals, costly desk insurance and later charges. Problems cluster around the deposit and insurance process and peak-period queues, so check card requirements and cover before travelling. Web evidence is mostly undated aggregator pages, with a recent Trustpilot page echoing the deposit and insurance complaints.

AI-assisted summary of 298 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)

Poor4.5/10

How often travellers report surprise damage charges, slow deposit refunds or disputed scratches. Based on 35 reports · high confidence.

Counter upselling(20% of score)

Poor4.0/10

Pressure to buy extra insurance, upgrades or add-ons at the desk. Higher means less pressure. Based on 38 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 42 reports · high confidence.

Queue time(15% of score)

Poor4.0/10

Typical wait from reaching the desk (or shuttle stop) to holding the keys. Based on 55 reports · high confidence.

Car condition(15% of score)

Mixed6.5/10

Cleanliness, mileage and mechanical state of the cars handed out. Based on 50 reports · high confidence.

How this score was built

  • AI analysis of reviews and web reports (the sub-scores above, weighted): 4.4 · counts 70%
  • Star ratings on review platforms, rescaled against all desks we rate: 6.0 · counts 30%
  • 2 of 300 recent reviews excluded as unreliable (solicited staff praise, duplicates). How we clean reviews
  • Pulled 8% toward the airport average, because recent reviews are few (183 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 say the car was not handed over, or only after a long dispute, because of card rules: two credit cards for some categories, or debit or non-credit cards refused. Several say the rule was hard to find at booking, and some report no refund of money already paid.driveonholidays.comtrustpilot.com
  • A large group of recent reviews say the desk would only release the car or lower a very high deposit (reports of roughly 3,000 euros or more) if its own cover was bought, even when prepaid, broker or credit-card cover was shown. Several describe totals at several times the booked price.trustpilot.com
  • Repeated reports of extra charges after the rental: a few hundred euros for small windscreen marks or other damage the customer says they could not have caused, early or out-of-hours return fees, toll-device deposits held up to a month, and toll bills arriving months later.trustpilot.comtripadvisor.com
  • Prepaid bookings were not honoured in a notable number of cases: no car available at all (a cluster around Christmas) or a smaller or cheaper model than booked, sometimes without a price adjustment.
  • Pickup waits of one to two hours are reported by many recent reviewers, mostly in peak and holiday periods, with complaints about thin staffing, little seating and a confusing meeting point and shuttle stop.

Green flags (5)

  • Staff are described as friendly, helpful and often multilingual in a large share of the written reviews.
  • A large number of reviewers describe new, clean and well-presented cars, and several report a quick swap when a car had a fault.
  • Many reviewers report quick pickup and especially quick returns, including very early-morning and late-night returns, with the shuttle back to the airport usually running promptly.
  • Travellers who arrived with prepaid or third-party cover and a suitable credit card often report no upselling pressure and no hunt for minor scratches.
  • The site is close to the terminal: several reviewers say it is a 300-500 m walk, a handy alternative when the shuttle is full or slow.

Practical facts

LocationOff-site, shuttle about 3 minsource
Opening hours08:00–20:00 daily (representative at arrivals 08:00–20:30)source
Credit card requiredYes, in the main driver’s namesource
Typical deposit€100–€350source
Fuel policySame to samesource
Shares the desk withNo other brands

“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 298 recent Google reviews of this desk, which we do not republish.

Before you go

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Drive on Holidays at other airports and stations

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

Drive on Holidays at Porto Airport: questions and answers

Is Drive on Holidays at Porto Airport any good?

Drive on Holidays at Porto Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport has a Counterwise Score of 4.9/10 (Poor) and is ranked No. 18 of 27 desks at the airport. Main green flag: Staff are described as friendly, helpful and often multilingual in a large share of the written reviews.. Main red flag: Many recent reviews say the car was not handed over, or only after a long dispute, because of card rules: two credit cards for some categories, or debit or non-credit cards refused. Several say the rule was hard to find at booking, and some report no refund of money already paid..

Do I need a credit card to rent from Drive on Holidays at Porto Airport?

Yes. Drive on Holidays at Porto Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport requires a credit card in the main driver's name for the deposit.

How much is the deposit at Drive on Holidays at Porto Airport?

The typical deposit at Drive on Holidays at Porto Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport is €100–€350. The lowest starting deposit at this airport is at Klass Wagen (from €0).

Where is the Drive on Holidays desk at Porto Airport?

The Drive on Holidays desk is off-site: the shuttle from Porto Airport takes about 3 minutes.

What are the opening hours of Drive on Holidays at Porto Airport?

Drive on Holidays at Porto Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport is open 08:00–20:00 daily (representative at arrivals 08:00–20:30). Fuel policy: same to same.

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