Car Rental at Liberia International Airport: The Best Companies

If you’re landing in Liberia Airport in Costa Rica (LIR) and looking for a rental car, you have sixteen companies to choose from: Alamo, Ace, Mex, National, Apex, Budget, Avis, Sixt, Thrifty, Keddy, Easycar, Enterprise, Europcar, Green Motion, Payless and Dollar.

Liberia Airport (Photo_: flip.and.serena via Flickr)

Officially called Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport, LIR is one of Costa Rica’s busiest transit hubs. Just a short drive from Playa Hermosa and the resort town of Tamarindo, Liberia International Airport is a very popular place to rent a car.

To determine the best car companies at Liberia, TravelMag.com compared rates, fleet availability and customer feedback and ranked the best companies in three categories: most affordable, best for families and best luxury option. Here’s what we found.

MOST AFFORDABLE: PAYLESS

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Visitors to Liberia International Airport looking for cheap car rentals should head to Payless’s counter. Payless is the second highest-ranked car rental company at Liberia Airport after Sixt, with renters remarking positively on the helpfulness of the counter staff, the east of dropoff and the cleanliness and condition of its vehicles. Payless offers a wide selection of economy vehicles at bargain-basement rates. After Payless came Europcar and Keddy, and although their rates were slightly lower than Payless they didn’t make the cut due to negative customer feedback.

BEST FOR FAMILIES: PAYLESS

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With plenty of full-sized people movers, minivans and extra-large SUVS in its fleet, Payless is the best option for travelers with a large brood in tow. Payless also received some of the best reviews of any car rental company at Liberia Airport. Renters commented on the excellent customer services, the quality of the vehicles, and the overall value for money. With 7-seater Mitsubishi Zingers and 12-seater Toyota Hiaces in its fleet, plus plenty of smaller SUVs and sedans, Payless has the right size vehicle for you no matter the size of your family. Unfortunately, the pickup area is located offsite, but Payless provides a free shuttle service.

BEST LUXURY OPTION: SIXT

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Sixt is the highest-ranked rental car company at Liberia Airport and the best place to find luxury rental cars. Sixt’s fleet includes BMW X1s and X5s luxury SUVs, perfect for going on excursions and outback adventures in style. Sixt’s rates aren’t cheap, but the base price includes the collision damage waiver and theft protection.