Car rental Heraklion airport

Search, compare and book your rental car

Pickup location
 Different return office?
   Driver age: 25-70
   I live in: United States
Search Now
We compare rates from 800+ different supplier sites in more than 30,000 locations worldwide
Customers love us

Over 1 million customers trusted us to book the best car rental deal for them

Customers love us
Amend for free

Up to 48 hours before pickup

Amend for free
No extra fees

We don’t charge extra fees such as credit card or reservation fees

No extra fees

Cheap Car Rental Heraklion airport

Cheap Car Rental Heraklion airport

About Car Rental at Heraklion Airport

Heraklion Airport is a fan-favorite among the hundreds of thousands of tourists seeking to travel through Greece every year. It is the main airport on the island of Crete, and it also is the second busiest in all of Greece, just behind Athens Airport. Something that makes it so popular is that it is one of the few ways to get to the Island of Crete and, in fact, you only have a couple of hours' drive to get to the island's tourist center.

To get yourself from the airport to your desired location, you are going to need some form of transport. We suggest, for ease of transportation, that you consider getting yourself a hire car, right from the airport. At the airport alone, you will find 8 different car rental companies available, and among them are the most prestigious in all of Europe. From Europcar to Hertz and AVIS, you can find a car rental company that suits your needs and your budget, knowing that the quality of the service is not at risk.

The best thing is that unlike other international airports, here you can find a wide variety of cars available every day of the week for you to rent. If you are taking a trip with friends or with a large family, then you can choose to rent SUVs or other cars with a greater capacity. And if you are doing a trip as a couple, or by yourself, they also offer smaller cars, which will be cheaper and also help you save on fuel.

A fantastic feature is that some companies allow you to rent the car at the airport, and then return it at another of their branches in the city.

Car Rental at Heraklion

If the services they offer to rent cars at the airport do not convince you, do not worry. There are hundreds of small companies offering this service in the center of Heraklion, and the prices are usually lower than the ones at the airport. An advantage of choosing to rent a car outside of the airport is that you will typically spend less on fuel, since you will not have to make the trip from the airport to the center.

Driving in Heraklion

Although it is not difficult to drive in Heraklion, it is important to know that there are some differences concerning how it's handled in other countries, and it is important to know them, especially for all those who plan to travel by car and are not from Greece.

The greatest difficulty lies in the fact that it is very easy to get lost. Most of the signs are in Greek, so if you don't know how to speak that language, you may feel lost. Try not to worry, with the help of a GPS you will be able to locate yourself immediately. Also, keep in mind that although it is not the most mountainous region of Crete, there are still ups and downs in most of its routes and roads, so the car you rent must have an engine and power that can support that.

Here are some rules for driving in Heraklion:

Car Rental Agencies in Heraklion

You can rent a car from famous companies, such as Hertz or EUROPCAR that are world-renowned, or look for other local companies that will probably be cheaper, although they may not have such a wide variety of cars available.

For example, Niki Cars is a local favorite, since it has great prices and both small and large cars are available. This rental car service has a better rating than every other company in Heraklion, so you should definitely keep them in mind.

Top Road Trips from Heraklion

Heraklion is the ideal place for those who want to be close to the best beaches in Crete. You only have to drive 20 minutes to reach the fantastic beach of Ammoudara, one of the best known and most popular in the area. You can also drive 20 minutes to the east and you will find Karteros beach, which, although it is not so well known, is one of the best in regards to nightlife, with a promenade full of bars and restaurants to have a good time. Apart from that, the trip to Crete only takes 1 and a half hours.

Frequently asked questions about car rental Heraklion airport

What's the best area to stay in Heraklion?
The best area depends on your tastes. If you want to be close to public transportation, historical monuments, and the city in general, then downtown is for you. If you are a lover of the sea then opt for the hotels in front of the beach, you will have an ideal view and guaranteed fun 24 hours a day.
Which car rental companies are available at Heraklion airport?
There are lots of choices for car rental companies in Heraklion airport, including Auto Union, Avis, Budget, CarQ, Centauro, Drive S.A., Enterprise, Europcar, Green Motion, Hertz, National, OK Mobility, Optimorent, Right Cars, Sixt.
What is the cheapest time to go to Heraklion?
The cheapest time of year to visit is during Heraklion's winter, as a large part of its tourism is based on the beach and activities with outside. If you travel between January and February, you will find the cheapest prices, although you will not be able to enjoy these particular activities as much. If you are looking to downtown, monuments, and different museums then this date is ideal for you.
What is the best time to go to Heraklion?
The best time to travel around the city is when the weather is typically clear and will allow you to do different tourist activities that are generally outdoors. You will find the best weather from the beginning of May to the middle of July and from the end of August to the middle of October.
Can you get around Heraklion without a car?
Of course, you can get around the city without a car, but keep in mind that public transport is signposted in Greek and not in English, so if you don't know the language it will be very easy to get lost. If you cannot go by taxi, we recommend you do this trip in a rented car.
Tips and experiences for Heraklion airport

Our customers rated Heraklion airport with an average of 8.1 based on 18 ratings, and these are the most recent tips, experiences and highlights.

10-07-2021

says:
Price of fuel is about $7/gal USD. Be prepared for this. Also, pay attention to how the locals drive, and adjust your driving to the way they do it (within reason) so that their flow of traffic is not impeded by your western style driving (assuming you come from the US). The shoulder is used for not just what it is used for in the US. The slower traffic actually uses it to allow faster traffic to pass more easily.
09-06-2021

says:
Elafonisi Beach, Balos Lagoon, Samaria Gorge entrance, Aptera Ancient Site, Arkardi Monastery, Knossos Palace, Spinalonga.
09-06-2021

says:
Be sure to cover windshields or park in the shadow as many locals do. Plan your trip accordingly so you will not be traveling some tricky serpentin in the middle of the night.
19-05-2021

says:
The directions provided for car pick up at Heraklion are for regular hours, which then made them inaccurate for early/after hours pick ups. Because we have picked up car rentals in the past at this airport, we were able to figure it out better and find the pickup office. It would have been very frustrating for a first-timer. We returned our car to Chania, where there were NO SURPRICE signs at all - except for INSIDE the office. When we pulled up to that office, after finally finding it - they told us we needed to "go back to the airport, drop off the luggage and my wife, then come back as the transport only has room for one person and no luggage." These types of return instructions should be provided in clear, obvious instructions on the rental page.
09-04-2021

says:
Put identifiable luggage tags on your cases so you can easily see your bags on the carousel and stop other passengers taking them away
04-04-2021

says:
Given that Heraklion is on an island the and the roads/parking are small, cars tend to be smaller than expected but this is a good thing. It is easier to drive a smaller car around the island. Staff is very helpful. Some cars are very old and some are brand new so be sure to ask staff about getting a different car if you are unsatisfied with the car they bring to you.
21-03-2021

says:
Use reputable agency for car renting like enterprise or Avis . South East of Creat is under developed, not touristy and fantastic!!!! North West is very developed, very touristy and beautiful. You must see the mountains, The most peaceful place on Earth.” Eat in the small taverns. The food is great. Come back .
05-12-2020

says:
Heraklion and Crete are great to travel around. Try local cuisine. South beaches are the best.
19-09-2020

says:
Rent a car. Get around Crete. Eat Greek food. Visit Chania Visit Spinalonga. Visit Agios Nikolaos.
15-06-2020

says:
Matala - the south of Crete is very beautiful and less touristic
11-06-2020

says:
I've been visiting Crete for 10 years and always rent Sudzuki Jimmy. To my opinion, the Jimmy is one of the best car for Crete because of its dimention. Same time Jimmy allows you to turn "somewere from the road". Ther is only one negative point: Jimmy is not comfortable for long trip. Actuallly, the roads on Crete are mostly good, so, if you are not going to run much of bumpy roads, there is a reason to take something like Panda. From my side, I think the new Sudzuki Ignis would be the best.
24-05-2020

says:
It's a small airport which can get a bit full at times. Dash through duty free and head upstairs before and after passport control for places to eat and sit. Be aware they don't always call the flights until the last minute so get to the gate early is my advice!
14-05-2020

says:
Heraklion Airport is laid out so that travellers can get in and out relatively quickly (when compared with airports such as Gatwick), so don't be too alarmed if you arrive back at the airport for your return flight a bit later than you would if it were a larger, messier airport. Check in is swift and security procedures are efficient. Buses are immediately outside the terminal and well signposted. Not all car hire is well indicated however; Goldcar for example is off-airport and requires a shuttle bus to reach. Finding the shuttle bus is a bit of a lottery; you just have to go to the car lot and look for it.
04-09-2018

says:
it is a good place for a short holiday
08-08-2018

says:
A perfect destination for all time not only summer time, eat and drink everything you could reach, must go outside to the near villages
30-04-2018

says:
We stayed in Rethymnon which was a lovely little harbour about 1 hour west of Heraklion. It was nice however we did have to travel each day to find the nice beaches.
04-03-2018

says:
Archeological museum, Knossos
18-02-2018

says:
All of the Crete