Car hire at Heraklion Airport

Why rent a car at Heraklion Airport?

Situated in the heart of the Mediterranean, Crete is an amazing destination with hundreds of sights, and Heraklion is its main city. Travellers visiting the island often benefit from opting for a rental car - they pick it up at the airport, which is the main local hub.

Indeed, taking a rental car at Heraklion Airport carries several advantages at once.

Firstly, you don’t need to catch a taxi and spend money to reach the company’s city office. Secondly, you can hit the road right after landing.

Crete is not a very large island. With a length of about 160 miles from west to east, you can easily cross it on four wheels in 5-6 hours. The island offers a variety of attractions including beaches, architectural landmarks, entertainment venues, natural gems, and a rich cultural heritage. A high-quality road network leads to all points of interest, making the personal vehicle the best way to get around the area.

Mini

Fiat 500

from €3.9 per day

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Economy

Fiat Panda

from €4.7 per day

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Compact

Fiat Tipo

from €6.3 per day

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Intermediate

Peugeot 301

from €7.6 per day

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Heraklion car rental companies

Dozens of companies offer Heraklion car rentals for leisure and business travellers. They include big international brands and small regional firms. While most providers are available at the terminal and the nearby car rental area, certain suppliers offer Meet&Greet and shuttle services. Find more information below:

In-terminal car rentals

The counters are located in the arrivals hall, within a short walk from the baggage claim area. You can find them upon arrival by following the overhead signs. The list of companies available in the terminal includes:

• Alamo
• Avis
• Budget
• Green Motion
• Hertz
• National
• Payless
• Sixt
• Thrifty

Car rental area vendors

A portion of agencies is available within the airport, but not in the terminal building. When exiting the arrivals area, walk straight ahead and find the designated area opposite the terminal exit. Here you will find the following companies:

• Abbycar
• Add car
• Auto-union
• Autocandia
• Autos-holidays
• Drive-sa
• Enterprise
• Firefly
• Monza
• Olympic car
• Rhodium

Meet&Greet car hire at Heraklion Airport

The Meet&Greet option means a company representative will be waiting for you at a prearranged location. Then, they will take you to your vehicle to make an agreement, or to a shuttle bus to get to their office. Among these companies are:

• Caldera
• Centauro
• Global-rent-a-car
• Space

Car rentals with free shuttle at Heraklion Airport

These Heraklion rent-a-car companies are situated outside the facility, within a short drive from the airport, and provide free shuttle service from/to the terminal. When leaving the arrivals area, look for a shuttle stop, and a board bus bearing a sign of the respective company. Shuttles run every 10-15 minutes, and the trip duration depends on the distance to the office. The following suppliers provide a shuttle transfer:

• Carwiz
• Surprise
• Yours-car-rental
• Europcar

Vendors

Abbycar

Addcar

Alamo

Auto-union

Autocandia

Autos-holidays

Avis

Budget

Caldera

Carwiz

Centauro

Drive-sa

Enterprise

Europcar

Firefly

Global-rent-a-car

Goldcar

Green-motion

Hertz

Kosmos

Monza

National

Ok-mobility

Olympic-car

Payless

Rhodium

Sixt

Surprice

Thrifty

Yours-car-rental

How much does it cost to rent a car from Heraklion Airport?

When booking on our website, you get the following Heraklion Airport car rental prices:

• The cheapest deal is Mini Fiat 500 available for €3.7/day or €22.6/week
• Standard, full-size vehicles, and minivans such as the Ford Fusion are available at an average price of €25.5/day or €147.9/week
• The most expensive offers are premium and luxury models such as the Luxury Mercedes E Class, reaching prices of €134.5/day or €778/week.

The final rate depends on the trip duration, seasonal demand, and the time of booking. Also, the set of optional extras affects the total cost. For exact pricing on specific dates, please fill out the search form at the top of the page.

Types of rental cars at Heraklion Airport

We offer a wide range of vehicle categories. Thus, you can rent a car at Heraklion Airport according to your needs. If you don't know what to choose, consider the characteristics of each group in the following list:

Economy

These vehicles are good for budget trips with 1-3 passengers and a couple of pieces of luggage. The small engine provides excellent fuel economy. Great manoeuvrability and ease of parking are other advantages of economy models.

Compact

Compacts feature high fuel efficiency, low price, and at the same time a slightly larger interior than an economy vehicle. This type of auto is comfortable for 1-4 passengers and holds 2-3 medium-sized bags in the trunk.

Standard

Travellers choose tstandard car rentals Heraklion because of the larger interior and trunk, and the relatively low price compared to higher-end models. These vehicles provide comfortable seating for 5 passengers and their luggage, for medium to long distances.

Minivan

With 5, 6, or 7 seats, minivans are suitable for family travellers with children. They are larger than full-size autos but smaller than passenger vans, making them easy to manoeuvre in urban areas. Also, minivans are good for long highway trips.

SUV

SUV car rental in Heraklion is the right solution for out-of-town trips when you need a large and powerful vehicle with high ground clearance. It easily copes with any road surface and rides in any difficult location. SUVs can accommodate 5-7 passengers and 3-4 pieces of luggage, which is enough for a family trip.

Convertible

The open top is the main characteristic of such autos. A convertible will grant you vibrant travel memories and let you enjoy riding with the wind in your hair. With the windows and roof down, nothing will stop you from admiring the enchanting Cretan landscapes.

Luxury

Luxury models are popular Heraklion Airport rent a car choices. Travellers prefer such a category for a stylish and comfortable ride. In addition, beautiful design, rich interior, and outstanding performance will make you feel like the king of the road.

Van

Large group trips are impossible without a spacious 9-15-passenger van. Plenty of legroom and headroom will make the trip comfortable. Plus, the big van saves you from having to travel separately in two small vehicles.

Car groups

Compact Convertible Economy Luxury Minivan Standard Suv Van

Brands of rental cars at Heraklion Airport

Want to pick up a specific vehicle? We offer cheap car hire at Heraklion Airport from your favourite brand. Check popular automakers available on our website and their models:

• Suzuki. The Japanese brand creates reliable and modern vehicles for every need. At HER Airport, you can pick up Celerio (Mini), Balena (Compact), Vitara (SUV), Jimny (SUV), and Swift (Economy).
• Fiat. You get access to Fiat Panda (economy), Tipo (Compact), 500 Convertible, 500X (SUV), Punto (Economy), Doblo (7-seat minivan), Doblo Cargo (Cargo van), Scudo (9-seat minivan), Tipo Estate, and Talento (9-seat minivan).
• Ford. Reliable Ford vehicles available for car rental at Crete Heraklion Airport include Fiesta (Economy), Focus (Standard), and Transit Cargo Van (Cargo van).
• Toyota. With Toyota, you can collect the following models - Aygo (Mini), Auris (Compact), Yaris (Economy), Corolla (Intermediate), C-HR (Intermediate), and Rav4 (SUV).
• Hyundai. The automaker provides i10 (Mini), i30 (Compact), and Tucson (SUV) at HER Airport.
• Mercedes. Specialising in the luxury segment, the German manufacturer offers vehicles of various groups: E-Class (Premium), A-Class (Compact), CLA (Standard), Vito (9-seat minivan), Citan (7-seat minivan), and C-Class Cabriolet (Convertible).

However, these aren’t all available brands. You can rent car in Heraklion from these automakers as well:

• Renault
• Skoda
• Opel
• Citroen
• Peugeot
• Seat
• Volkswagen
• Nissan
• BMW
• Mini
• Audi
• Volvo
• Kia
• Mitsubishi
• Dacia

Brands

Audi Bmw Chevrolet Citroen Fiat Ford Honda Hyundai Kia Mercedes-benz Nissan Renault Skoda Smart Suzuki Toyota Volkswagen

Car rental in Heraklion for young drivers

According to local laws, you can drive four wheels in Crete from the age of 18. However, rental companies allow you to pick up a car hire at Heraklion Airport from 21. Drivers 21-24 are subject to a young driver's fee. This daily charge doesn’t come with the total price but you have to pay it at the counter.

We offer a wide range of deals for underage renters including economy, mini, compact, intermediate, standard, and full-size vehicles. Please note that higher categories may not be available for younger travellers. For more information about underage rentals, follow the pages appropriate for your age.

Heraklion car rental tips

Proper preparation helps to avoid unexpected inconveniences during your trip, and improve your experience. Check out tips for booking and driving car rental at Heraklion Airport:

• Book as early as possible. Booking 2-4 weeks before the trip allows you to get cheaper rates and a larger selection of deals.
• Compare prices. Companies have different approaches to pricing. Compare similar offers to find the best rate.
• Bring your own equipment. If you have your own GPS, toll pass, or child seat, take them with you and save money.
• Be alert on the road. Rockslides and rocks sometimes fall on the roadway and can cause an accident or breakage when hit.
• Drive on the right side. Also, give way to vehicles approaching from the right at intersections with no priority signs.
• Drive through roundabouts correctly. Vehicles entering the ring have priority over those already there.
• Use the shoulder lane if driving slowly. If driving a car rental in Crete, Heraklion too slowly on the highway, vehicles behind you may honk and flash their headlights. Get on the shoulder lane ahead of time to let them pass.
• Watch out for animals. Goats, sheep, and pigs can spawn on mountain roads, so it is important to stay alert in order to avoid a collision.
• Allow extra travel time. The roads in Crete are full of hairpin turns on mountainous sections. You have to go through them slowly and carefully, which increases the time you need to get from point A to point B.

FAQs about car hire at Heraklion Airport

What do I need to rent a car in Heraklion?

Companies may have different policies. However, the general requirements for driving qualifications are similar. Provide the following things to collect a car rental at Heraklion Airport, Greece:

• Driver's licence in the chief renter’s name. You must have held the licence for at least 1 year. Also, provide an additional International Driver's Permit if your original licence is not in the Roman alphabet.
• Photo ID. It can be a domestic or international passport.
• Credit card. It must be issued in the name of the main driver and have a balance sufficient for paying the reservation cost and holding the deposit.
• Confirmation voucher. Find it in your email after booking.
• Any other document the company requires. For example, a utility bill or return ticket.

What is the cheapest rental car at Heraklion Airport?

The cheapest Heraklion car rental Airport deal is Mini Fiat 500 for €3.7/day from the SURPRICE. Each company applies different taxes and fees. Therefore, it is best to consider what’s included in the rate and compare similar deals, as the lowest price is not always the best choice.

What is the best car hire in Heraklion?

Finding the best car hire at Heraklion Airport on our website is easy. We have compiled ratings of companies according to customer reviews. In numerical terms, each rating reflects the service quality, the cleanliness of cars, the speed of the pick-up/drop-off process, and other important parameters. The higher a supplier ranks on the following list, the more travellers trust them.

AUTO-UNION

⭐ 8.2 / 10

SIXT

⭐ 8.3 / 10

BUDGET

⭐ 8.6 / 10

HERTZ

⭐ 8.6 / 10

SURPRICE

⭐ 7.6 / 10

ABBYCAR

⭐ 7.5 / 10

What side of the road do they drive on in Crete?

Cretans drive on the right side of the road. This means at intersections without priority signs, you must give way to vehicles approaching from the right. This is the opposite of what travellers from the UK, Australia, Cyprus, and other left-sided countries are used to.

What is the price of gas in Crete?

The gas price depends on the gas station’s brand, location, and type of fuel. Consider the average rates available in Chania, within a short drive from Heraklion:

• Unleaded 95 - €1,985/litre
• Unleaded 98 - €2,203/litre
• Diesel - €1,835/litre
• LPG - €1,088/litre

Rent a car at the airports with direct connections with Crete Airport Heraklion