Car hire collection at Cape Town Airport

What is at the airport's car rental area?

The airport's car rental building stands in front of the Transport Plaza and the Central Terminal Building, with car rental parking next to it. Which rental company hands over your car, and where, is on your voucher; the airport listing its car rental facilities does not say which company provides a booked car. Two pedestrian subways, placed on either side of the terminal building, lead from the terminal to the car rental facilities and the shaded parking, so you do not cross a road on foot. The same subways reach shaded parking areas P3 and P4, which sit on either side of the car rental facility.

Which arrivals hall do I come out of?

International flights arrive in terminal A and domestic flights in terminal B; all departures share the central A/B hall. The airport information desk is in Domestic Arrivals and is open 24 hours a day, every day.

How do I find the rental agent for my car?

Through the voucher. After the advance payment you receive it by email, with the order details, the rental office address and the rental agent's contact details, and you can show it on your phone at pick-up. The voucher does not always carry a separate airport meeting instruction, so if it is not clear where to go, call the agent's number on it before you land. The phone number you gave at booking has to be reachable from the day before pick-up, by call or by Viber, WhatsApp or Telegram, because the agent uses it to reach you.

What do I need at pick-up?

Bring the voucher, the main driver's physical driving licence and the payment card the booking asks for.

• The licence must be a valid national licence with its details in Latin script, and it must not expire before the end of the rental. Copies and electronic licences are refused.
• If your licence is valid only in the country that issued it, carry an International Driving Permit and show it when asked.
• Some cars require a physical, embossed credit card in the main driver's name. Where a debit card is accepted instead, the booking and the voucher say so, and it too must be a physical, personalised card with embossed details in the main driver's name.

The minimum age and driving experience are on the car's page and can differ between two similar models, and the rental agent can refuse the car at pick-up if the driver does not meet them.

What should I check before I drive off?

Before you drive off, photograph each side of the car, the wheels, the windscreen and the interior, and point out any existing damage to the rental agent. Those four areas matter most because the standard insurance on a hire car does not cover damage to the wheels, the undercarriage, the windscreen or the interior. Check the fuel gauge too: the car goes back with the same level. Note the kilometre reading and check the allowance shown for your selected car and dates. Kilometres beyond that allowance are charged at the rate on the car's page.

How far is it from the airport to the city and the coast?

From the car rental exit, the airport approach road joins the N2 towards Cape Town. These are the distances by road from CPT, with the time without traffic or stops.

Each place in the table is a day out from the airport, and the kilometre allowance decides how far the day can go. A Winelands day, Cape Town to Franschhoek by way of Stellenbosch and back through Paarl, is a 152 km loop from CPT. Compare that distance with your selected car's allowance. A coast day, Cape Town to Hermanus and back on the N2 and the R43, is 206 km. Include any other driving when comparing the trip with the car's allowance and its rate per extra kilometre.

Is City delivery an option instead of the airport?

City delivery is the second pick-up place in the search. It lists the cars that are handed over at an address in Cape Town, such as a hotel or an apartment, and it is useful when you do not need a car on the first day. Not every rental company delivers to every address, so the car's page says where the handover can happen, and the address is confirmed in the booking. If you are staying on the Atlantic side, ask about parking and garage access at your accommodation before choosing the car size.

How does the return at CPT work?

Return the car to the place on your voucher at the booked time. The airport marks car rental routes for collections and returns, and shaded parking P4 sits on Central Boulevard 150 m past the car rental drop-off and collection area. Return the car with the fuel level it had at pick-up. A lower level is charged at the rental company's rates, and a higher level is not refunded. A car too dirty to inspect is washed at your expense. If your flight changes and you need the car longer, tell the rental agent before the booked return time, because every started 24 hours is charged as a full day.

Can I collect at CPT and return somewhere else?

Yes: one-way hire to Johannesburg or George ends at George Airport (GRJ), 408 km east on the Garden Route, or at O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg, 1,426 km away. Choose the drop-off on the second tab of the location field, and the search shows the cars that can end there. The distance and each car's kilometre allowance decide which car suits the trip.

Is Cape Town Airport car hire the same price as in the city?

Prices come from the live search for your dates and place, and airport and City delivery cars are listed side by side, so you can compare the two in one search. The popular cars on the home page carry the lowest current price for each model, updated daily.