Car hire at Málaga airport (AGP)
Málaga-Costa del Sol is the busiest holiday car hire airport in Spain, and the desks show it in July and August. Here is where to collect the car, what the deposit and excess mean, whether the AP-7 toll is worth it, and what the Málaga low emission zone means for a hire car.
Compare car hire at Málaga airport
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Málaga airport at a glance
| Airport | Aeropuerto de Málaga-Costa del Sol (AGP), Spain. Arrivals come through Terminal 3; Terminal 2 is joined to it. |
|---|---|
| Operator | Aena (official site) |
| Car hire desks | According to Aena's car hire page (October 2026), the on-airport desks are at basement level of Terminal 2; from the arrivals hall follow the car rental signs down. Aena lists Avis and Budget, Europcar, Goldcar, Hertz and Firefly, OK Rent a Car, Proa, Record Go and Sixt with desks at the airport. Many other suppliers work from depots a few minutes away and collect you by shuttle bus. |
| Where the car is | In-terminal suppliers hand over the keys at the desk and the cars wait in the rental car park next to the terminal. Shuttle suppliers hand over at their depot. Your voucher names the exact meeting point. |
| Distances | Málaga centre about 10 km, Torremolinos 6 km, Fuengirola 25 km, Marbella 50 km, Estepona 75 km, Nerja 65 km, Granada 140 km, Ronda 100 km. |
Two ways to collect at Málaga
Every Málaga car hire offer is one of two kinds, and the price often tells you which. In-terminal: you queue at a desk in the airport, sign, and walk to the car park. Quicker when the queue is short, which it is not at 2 pm on a Saturday in August. Off-airport with shuttle: you cross the road outside arrivals, wait for the supplier's minibus, and sign at their depot a few minutes away. Usually cheaper, and the wait for the bus is part of the price.
Neither is better. What matters is knowing which one you booked before you land, so you are not hunting for a desk that does not exist or standing at a bus stop with a voucher for an in-terminal supplier. The collection instructions are on the voucher: read them on the plane.
If you land late at night, check the supplier's opening hours as well. Some desks and most shuttle depots close for a few hours, and an out-of-hours collection is either impossible or carries a fee.
Your voucher says which route is yours. Read it before you land.
Before you book and at the desk
- Credit card in the main driver's name. Most suppliers place a hold on the card at pick-up, and many do not accept debit cards for it. Check the voucher before you fly.
- Fuel policy. "Full to full" means you return it full and pay only for what you use. "Full to empty" charges you for a full tank up front, usually above pump prices. There are petrol stations within a few minutes of the airport on the way back.
- Excess. The basic price includes cover with an excess: the amount you pay if the car is damaged. The desk will offer to reduce it. Decide before you arrive, not at the counter.
- Take photos and a video of the car before you drive off, including the wheels, windscreen and fuel gauge. Do the same when you return it.
- Your UK photocard licence is all you need for a holiday in Spain; you do not need an International Driving Permit.
- Summer queues. Peak arrivals at Málaga mean long desk queues. Suppliers that let you upload your licence and card details online before you travel save the most time; look for that option when you compare.
Driving from Málaga airport
The airport sits between Málaga city and Torremolinos, right on the coast road, so almost every holiday drive starts on the same two motorways.
- West to the Costa del Sol (Torremolinos, Fuengirola, Marbella, Estepona). You have two roads running side by side. The A-7 is free and passes through every town, with roundabouts and heavy traffic in summer. The AP-7 is a toll motorway that bypasses the towns between Fuengirola and Guadiaro, with toll stations at Calahonda, Marbella and Manilva. Tolls are higher in summer than in winter. For Torremolinos and Fuengirola take the A-7; for Marbella and beyond in high season, the AP-7 usually pays for itself in time.
- East to Málaga city, Rincón de la Victoria and Nerja. The MA-20 ring road takes you round Málaga and onto the A-7 heading east. Málaga has a low emission zone in the historic centre; see the question below before you drive into town.
- Inland to Granada, Córdoba and Ronda. The A-45 heads north from Málaga towards Antequera, where the A-92 branches east to Granada and the A-45 continues to Córdoba. Ronda is reached on the A-357 and A-367 through the Guadalhorce valley. Expect mountain roads for the last stretch.
- Returning the car. Allow extra time for the rental return lane and the shuttle if you have an off-airport supplier: on a summer morning, twenty minutes is not generous. Fill up before the airport approach and keep the receipt.
Checked October 2026. Desk locations and rules change: your booking voucher is the final word. Sources: Aena, car hire at Málaga-Costa del Sol.
Questions
Where are the car hire desks at Málaga airport?
Aena, the airport operator, lists the on-airport car hire desks at basement level of Terminal 2, reached from the arrivals hall by following the car rental signs. Many lower-cost suppliers work from depots outside the airport and collect you by shuttle bus, so your booking voucher names the exact meeting point.
Do I need a credit card to hire a car at Málaga airport?
In most cases, yes: the supplier pre-authorises a deposit on a credit card in the main driver's name. Some suppliers accept a debit card if you buy their full cover. Your voucher states the rule for your booking.
Is the AP-7 toll worth paying from Málaga airport?
For Marbella, Estepona and Sotogrande in July and August, usually yes: the free A-7 runs through every town on the coast and fills up, while the AP-7 toll motorway stays moving. Out of season, or for Torremolinos, Benalmádena and Fuengirola, the A-7 is fine. Toll prices are higher in summer, so check the current rate before you choose.
Can I drive a Málaga hire car to Gibraltar or Morocco?
Most suppliers exclude Morocco outright, and many exclude Gibraltar or charge a cross-border fee. For Gibraltar, most visitors park in La Línea de la Concepción and walk across the border. Read the territorial restrictions in the rental conditions before you book.
Should I buy the excess cover at the desk?
Only if you have not covered the excess another way. Compare the desk price with the full cover offered when you book online; buying at the desk is usually the most expensive option.
Can I drive a hire car into Málaga city centre?
Málaga has a low emission zone in the historic centre. Hire cars are usually recent and carry the DGT environmental label, but the rules depend on the label and the date, so check the city council's current conditions before you drive in. Parking in a car park on the edge of the centre and walking is the simple option.