Compare car hire in Spain

If you’re planning a whistle-stop weekend city break or a restful flop-by-the-pool week away in a resort, you probably won’t need to rent a car in Spain.

However, if you have aspirations that involve venturing beyond the borders of the holiday complex or past the limits of the city centre, car hire in Spain is essential.

Language: Spanish | Currency: Euro (€) | Avg. Flight time: 2.5 hrs

All of Spain’s major airports, including Madrid, Barcelona, Palma de Majorca, Gran Canaria, Alicante, Tenerife, Ibiza, Lanzarote and Valencia, have multiple car rental companies stationed within their grounds. Larger international car hire brands, such as Hertz and Avis, also have offices in smaller, provincial cities, such as Jaén and Murcia, and at major train stations.

Compare prices on car rental in Spain and book well in advance to make savings and to secure the vehicle you need. Arranging Spain car hire before you arrive at the airport also means you can get away in half the time.

Some of the bigger agencies allow for one-way car rental, meaning you can pick up your car in Barcelona, coast up the rugged Costa Brava and return your keys in Girona, without having to turn around and circle back. Meanwhile, if you’re planning a bigger trip, long-term car rental can be arranged with most international car rental brands.

Almost all resorts in Spain have car hire agencies located nearby, so even if you’re coddled by an all-inclusive holiday to Spain in 2025, you can still escape the confines of the complex for some insight into regional culture and traditions.

If you’re staying on the Costa del Sol, for instance, you may want to rent a car and drive to the spectacularly set Ronda, a historic Moorish town perched on a vertiginous escarpment edge.

Or, if you have made your base in Majorca, you can motor out into the island’s romantic hinterland, where you can enjoy peaceful picnics among olive-carpeted plains and hills.

In other backcountry regions of Spain, such as the snow-smothered peaks of the Sierra Nevada or the frozen-in-time medieval towns of Northern Spain, car rental is pretty much mandatory. Once you veer off the major tourist routes here, transport options become pretty thin on the ground, even in 2024.

Rather than wasting hours of your precious holiday time waiting by the road for a spasmodic bus service, simply find a car hire agency in the nearest major town and steer your adventure yourself.

1. Most Spanish motorways, known as autopistas, charge tolls, which can be paid by cash or by credit card. You’ll know you’re on a toll road if you see the word peaje. Tolls can be expensive, hence many drivers steer clear of these roads, so traffic is usually non-existent. If you want to avoid coughing up the toll cash, drive along the autovias, or secondary highways instead. These often follow a similar route to the autopistas and are typically free, though they can be a little slower. You can recognise signs for them as they are prefixed with an ‘E’.
   
   
2. The Guardia Civil enforce road regulations with an iron fist. Rent a car in Spain and be sure to stick to the rules. Don’t drink and drive, unless you want to spend a night in a Spanish jail. Even a small drink could push you over the 0.5mg limit. Avoid hefty on-the-spot fines by staying within the speed limits. Be warned that having no cash is no excuse: police will take you to the nearest cash machine so you can pay up.
   
   
3. In Spain, it is illegal to wear headphones while driving, and this includes mobile headsets. Using a hands-free system, providing it doesn’t include a headset, is allowed.

Fair fuel policy

A fair fuel policy (also known as full-to-full or same-to-same) means you’ll only pay for the fuel you use. All car rental deals compared on TravelSupermarket come with a fair fuel policy, so you can book your hire car safe in the knowledge there will be no nasty surprises at drop-off. More information on TravelSupermarket’s commitment to fair fuel policies can be found here.

No hidden fees

All rental deals compared on TravelSupermarket include mandatory fees (for example, one-way and young driver surcharges) in your rental quote at the time of booking, meaning you’ll know the full price of your car hire upfront.