Car hire Alicante airport

danlightbulb · 30 Sep 2019 at 22:55

Guys can anyone help me out with car hire from Alicante Airport. I don't do this often so looking not to get ripped off.

Im looking at various comparison sites and can get hire from companies like Firefly and Goldcar for less than £30 for the week, but they take a fuel deposit (full to full) and have to have a 1000 euro block on your credit card as well.

So I looked at more reputable companies (eg Sixt) but these seem also to need a big deposit and fuel deposit despite the hire cost being over £100 for the week.

Has anyone got a cheap hire from Alicante airport, who did you use?

Thanks

Donnie Fisher · 30 Sep 2019 at 23:13

The big deposit is pretty standard ... and even if you pay a deposit at the time of booking in the UK, or a fee to try and reduce it in advance, i found comments online prior to booking and from my own experience at the time of the holiday that at the time of collecting the keys, they will still take your card and apply the high value block on your card ... so there was little point paying the desposit reducer when booking.

I had my doubts about the block on the card ... but in the end I sucked it up and piad it, and all was fine. You do get the money back, I was quite on the ball about watching for it to make sure that was the case.

Other than that, I was sharp on checking the car out to begin with and made sure that the marks were put on the paperwork before driving off .... as well as filming them with the phone camera.

danlightbulb · 30 Sep 2019 at 23:16

When I went to Fuertaventura a few years ago I was recommended a company that took no fuel deposit nor any credit card deposit. I was a little sceptical but when I got there, that is exactly as was described. I can't find anything like that for Alicante.

Companies like firefly and goldcar, who operate out of Alicante terminal seem to get terrible reviews but I can get a car for £20 for 6 days. I'll take out Uk based excess insurance but still don't want to risk £1000 landing on my card.

My alternative is a company called Beniconnect which does shuttle transfers to Benidorm for 30 euros, or I can get a private taxi (return) for 120 euros. I don't have any experience travelling really, first time travelling alone.

Eurofighter · 30 Sep 2019 at 23:43

My parents have used Beniconnect to get to Benidorm, they said it was good.

danlightbulb · 1 Oct 2019 at 00:04

Eurofighter said:
My parents have used Beniconnect to get to Benidorm, they said it was good.

Thanks, seem to have good reviews. 30 euro for a shuttle (return) or 124 euro for a private taxi (return). A shuttle bus would be fine Im sure but I guess a private taxi would be more reliable on the return journey?

Probably be safer than hiring a car for cheap too.

EvilRob · 1 Oct 2019 at 00:06

danlightbulb said:
Guys can anyone help me out with car hire from Alicante Airport. I don't do this often so looking not to get ripped off.

Im looking at various comparison sites and can get hire from companies like Firefly and Goldcar for less than £30 for the week, but they take a fuel deposit (full to full) and have to have a 1000 euro block on your credit card as well.

So I looked at more reputable companies (eg Sixt) but these seem also to need a big deposit and fuel deposit despite the hire cost being over £100 for the week.

Has anyone got a cheap hire from Alicante airport, who did you use?

Thanks

I would just go with Sixt. I've rented from them 12-15 times and they usually have newish premium cars and I've never been messed about with any spurious claims for damage. £100 is pretty reasonable for a rental car for a week. £30 is ridiculously cheap and so IMO they will be trying desperately to make their money in other, potentially nefarious, ways - as you say, Goldcar has awful reviews.