Best Car Rental Sur Reina Sofia Airport

RENTING CAR IN TENERIFE? – Read The Things to be considered before hiring a car in Reina Sofia Airport

Ever plan on visiting Tenerife Island in Spain? Do you know which car hire company to use in Tenerife? Don’t worry! We’ve got you covered with all the information you’ll need to move around in Tenerife island and to other Canary islands.

As a visitor on Tenerife island, you need to understand the rules and laws to have a smooth vacation especially for people who will be driving rental cars on the island. We have listed a number of companies that offer car hire services in South Tenerife airport. All the information is based on customer reviews and recommendations both good and bad reviews from happy and unhappy customers. We will also discuss the rules of driving on Spanish roads, signs, age requirements, government policies, documents required before hiring and driving a car in Spain, tolls and toll gates, and the more.

Driving Directions to South Tenerife Airport

From Costa Adeje, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, drive north on TF-481 towards Calle Gran Bretaña. Take the 1st exit at the roundabout, and continue on TF-48. Take a right turn onto TF-1, continue towards Los Cristianos/Aeropuerto Sur and take exit 59 to go toward Aeropuerto. At the next roundabout, take the 1st exit and the 2nd exist at the second roundabout and continue driving for 400 metres to the airport terminal.

Car collection desk at South Tenerife airport

Tenerife South airport consists of a single three-story terminal building. Car hire company stands are located on the main level, Floor 0, in the arrivals hall and the upper floor 1. It is not difficult to locate or you can ask the customer service desk for directions.

Best Car hire companies at South Tenerife Airport

There are a lot of car hire companies in South Tenerife airport and around it, but getting a good hire company with the best deals and good cars is a difficult task. This is the more reason we came up with the top 2 car hire companies based on customer reviews and recommendations from happy and unhappy users.

AUTOREISEN S.L.

This car hire company has over 200 reviews on Google and it is highly recommended by happy customers. Lee Whitehouse gave them a 5-Star rating saying it is the best in the Canaries, cheap, accepts debit cards with zero deposits and I quote:

“Best car hire in canaries, cheap rates, debit cards accepted and zero deposit. No other car hire offers this. The only downside I queued for around 30 minutes at the airport desk to collect car. However, this is a reflection of how good and popular they are as other rental companies there had no customers. I ordered a small car which was unavailable when we arrived so got upgraded to a better one. Absolutely faultless and no hidden costs. Didn't even check our car when we returned it. Shame they are only in the Canaries. Other companies could learn from them instead of taking ridiculous deposits..…”

• According to LochLeeGlenesk, a level 6 contributor on TripAdvisor from Montrose, he stated that he would use Autoreisen again:

“Used Auto Reissen at the airport, great service, 101 Eu for ten days, not the newest of cars, but perfectly adequate, came with the three-quarter full tank, asked to return with the same level, no fuel surcharges, would have no qualms about using again.”

• Matthew Pert another happy customer on Google reviews left a 5-Star rating saying:

“Just what you want from a car hire company. Very fast pick up, all-inclusive insurance, a very fair price, and fast hassle free car return. Couldn't ask for better.”

Cicar Autoverhuur Tenerife

This is another good car hire company with over 300 reviews by the customer on Google reviews. Glusia K a local guide said Cicar has great service, no worries, and full insurance cover:

“Great service, no worries - full insurance, you always take the car quickly and return even quicker! You usually get an upgrade (though so.etimes I'd prefer the chosen one - new Astra). We always use it when in the Canary Islands. A pity they do not have offices across the whole of Europe (Portugal, Spain, Italy...).” More recommendations for the company can be found on TripAdvisor and Google reviews.

In order to find yourself a great car rental company, you can make use of http://www.tripindicator.com/ to compare prices and deals from local and international car rental companies and also get yourself the best deals for your trip through South Tenerife airport, or to Tenerife Island.

COMPARE SOUTH TENERIFE AIRPORT CAR HIRE PRICES NOW >>

DON’T HIRE CAR FROM THESE:

You can hire cars from these companies at your own risk. I have compiled a list of 2 companies that rock the bottom of ratings for car rental companies in South Tenerife from customer reviews.

EUROPCAR

Rute Cabelo, a previous user on Google reviews said Europcar are total crooks and I quote: “Total crooks. Do not hire a car unless you take out the fully comprehensive insurance at the desk because otherwise, they will shaft you. If you do not take this out they will find the smallest pre-existing mark on a wheel trim, for example, they will say that you have done it and they will then charge you a 50 euro admin fee and add on a spurious sum for the supposed damage. Awful company with hidden charges and fraudulent agenda. I will never use them again.”

GOLDCAR

Goldcar is one of the worst according to user reviews on Tripadvisor and Google reviews. Mandy Anstice on Google reviews: “Two hours to pick up the car. Insurance scam. I had already purchased insurance before leaving the UK. Told it was invalid. Had to buy theirs before they would provide a car. Also refused to cancel booking so I could go elsewhere. Do not use this car hire company whatever you do.” You can use the links above to see more bad reviews.

Document required for Hiring a car at South Tenerife Airport

On the Tenerife island, there isn't much required of visitors and you do not require a paper license, only the following.

7. You must be 23 years or older
8. An international passport
9. Your home valid plastic driver’s license with at least 2 years old
10. A valid credit or debit card
11. If you have registered as a resident of Tenerife, you must have your existing license stamped or exchanged to a Spanish one.

Credit/Debit Card Requirements at South Tenerife Airport

Credit or Debit cards are required during car pickup, as they are the only methods of payment some companies accept. Most companies may require you to leave a deposit of 100 Euros while using a debit card. The charge is not applied to credit card users but you must have enough cash on your card to cover for damages.

NOTE: It is not necessary to give out your personal credit card information, but the card must be presented before you pick your car at the South Tenerife airport.

Driver Min and Max Age requirements to rent a car at South Tenerife Airport

The general minimum age to hire a car is 21 years but most car hire companies set their minimum at 23 years. Drivers younger than 23 will have to pay a surcharge which makes the car hire cost more expensive. The idea of minimum age requirements and high rental cost for young drivers is to reduce the number of younger drivers who hire and drive on the roads. These car hire companies see young drivers as being reckless. The maximum age requirement is 70-75 years depending on the age insurance covers allow, older drivers will require a doctors report before driving. Get more info on this website: https://www.tenerifehost.com/en-tenerife-host-rent-a-car-conditions/c1guf

Road Rules & Law Tourists Should Know When Renting a Car in South Tenerife

It is very important that drivers especially tourists abide by the rules of driving in South Tenerife.

6. Driving is on the right in Tenerife Island.
7. Always make sure you are with your driving license, passport and the car hire contract with you at all times.
8. Always leave your glove compartment open in the car when parked overnight with nothing in it, this is to let buglers know you don’t have anything valuable.
9. Always have your the accident report form included in the car hire documents from your car hire company. This form should be filled by you and the party involved in case of an accident.
10. Use of Mobile Phones while driving is illegal.
11. Driving under the influence of alcohol is a serious offense in Tenerife.
12. Always use your seat belt and ensure all passengers in the car wear their seat belts. You might be arrested if you are caught by the police.

Few Road Signs

• STOP: Whenever you see this sign in Tenerife whether the road is free or not, you must STOP. If you fail to come to a halt, it is an offense.
• TUNNELS: When approaching tunnels, you must always turn on your headlights.
• SLIP ROADS: In Tenerife, some places have two slip roads leading to the same motorway and one slip road must give way to the other. So pay attention if you see the give-way triangle.
• AUTOPISTAS: Is a classification of the road in Spain which means the road is equivalent to a carriageway.
• SPEED LIMITS: Always watch out for speed limit signs, but Tenerife is known for its many hold-ups.

Get more information about Tenerife road usage rules here https://www.tenerife-information-centre.com/driving-in-tenerife.html

Tips to avoid car rental companies RIF-OFFS

Car hire companies often target tourists more than citizens. As a tourist, you have to be prepared for them also by following the next information. These companies advertise their own insurance policies in most cases to tourists which is too good to be true. But unsuspecting customers always fall for their schemes, always do the following to avoid being ripped off.

ALWAYS COMPARE CAR RENTAL EXCESS INSURANCE

There are many good sites out there to use for car rental insurance comparisons. So make sure to check and compare the various insurance policies between car hire companies before you book for a car.

To Avoid Rip Off, You Must:

1. Go for standalone insurance policies before your trip.
2. Make sure your travel insurance covers car hire cost as well.

BOOK IN ADVANCE

Always try to reserve your rental car before you travel to your destination, this will save you more money and time than booking on arrival. You can use tripindicator to reserve a car in South Tenerife Airport and pick it upon arrival.

FUEL POLICY

Never go for car hire companies that give you a car with an empty fuel tank and tell you to return it full. This means you are paying for what you didn't use. You might sometimes not finish the fuel but have to return it full meaning you will fuel the car twice. Always go for full-to-full fuel options, this is where you pick up the car with a full fuel tank and you have to return it with a full tank. It is better and saves you money.

EXTRAS

Paying for extras to car hire companies can be more expensive than buying them new, like baby seats, booster seats, roof racks, satellite navigation and so on. Try to pack extras you might need for your trip from home before you arrive at your destination.

Tolls Gates and tolls fees in South Tenerife

Tenerife Island does not have any tolls on the roads. It is a toll-free road network so be rest assured to drive without any cash to pay for tolls.

South Tenerife Airport Contact Details

For general inquiries about South Tenerife Airport, you can call (+34) 913 211 000 or you can leave feedback on their website at http://www.aena.es/en/tenerife-sur-airport/index.html.