Renting a Car at Alicante Airport
Last updated: April 2026
Alicante-Elche Airport (ALC) is Spain's fifth-busiest airport and the main gateway to the Costa Blanca. Car rental desks are clustered in the arrivals hall of the New Terminal, with Goldcar, Centauro, Enterprise, and Record among the busiest operators. Summer queues (June–September) can hit 40 minutes at peak landing times around 1–3 PM.
🎯 Quick Tip
Book at least 3 weeks ahead for summer travel to the Costa Blanca. Alicante rental prices spike 50–70% in July and August, and popular categories like convertibles sell out entirely by June.
Compare Prices at ALC
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Airport Pickup Tips
After landing at ALC, exit through customs and turn right to reach the car rental hall. Desks are arranged alphabetically — find yours, present your booking confirmation, passport, EU/international license, and a credit card in the main driver's name. Spanish operators are strict about the credit card requirement — debit cards are routinely refused.
Pay special attention to wheel rims and bumper corners — Alicante's tight parking garages and roundabout-heavy roads mean scrapes here are the most common damage claim. Walk around the car slowly in daylight; underground garage lighting at ALC makes it hard to spot silver-colored scratches.
For detailed guidance, see our pre-drive checklist.
Explore Alicante by Car
Alicante serves the Costa Blanca region, popular with both holidaymakers and expats. A rental car lets you explore the resort towns of Benidorm and Torrevieja, or escape inland to the Guadalest valley.
Top drive from Alicante: Guadalest Valley and the Fonts de l'Algar waterfalls
Full Alicante Car Hire Guide →
Getting from Alicante Airport to the City
ALC sits 12 km southwest of Alicante city center. Take the N-338 north — the drive is 15–20 minutes outside rush hour. For Benidorm, head north on the AP-7 toll motorway (35 min) or the free N-332 coast road (50 min). Torrevieja and the southern Costa Blanca are 30 minutes south via the AP-7.
Centauro and Goldcar operate large compounds just outside the airport perimeter on Avenida del Aeropuerto. Free shuttle buses depart every 5–10 minutes from outside arrivals door 1. These off-site lots offer newer fleets and rates 10–15% below the terminal desks.
What to Know Before Driving from ALC
Spain drives on the right. Motorway speed limits are 120 km/h on autopistas, 90 km/h on secondary roads, and 50 km/h in towns. Autopistas (toll roads) charge €8–15 between Alicante and Benidorm; the parallel autovías are free but slower. Roundabouts are extremely common — give way to traffic already on the roundabout.
Before leaving the airport car park, confirm your fuel type — Spain has many diesel cars in rental fleets, and misfueling triggers a costly engine flush. Set your GPS to avoid toll roads (autopistas) if you want to save money; the free alternative routes (autovías) add only 10–15 minutes to most Costa Blanca destinations.
Fuel Stations Near ALC
Repsol and Cepsa stations are plentiful along the N-332 and AP-7. The cheapest fuel near ALC is at the Repsol on Avenida del Aeropuerto, 1 km from the terminal. Diesel is about 15% cheaper than petrol in Spain. Average prices: petrol €1.55/L, diesel €1.40/L.
Local Driving Tip
The AP-7 autopista along the Costa Blanca coast is toll-free since 2020, but the older N-332 coastal road through Benidorm gets severely congested in summer — stick to the motorway and save time.