London Luton Airport Car Hire: The Best Companies

Whether you need to reach Central London in super quick time or want to explore the quintessential English countryside that can be found nearby, hiring a car from London Luton Airport is a quicker, more flexible, and potentially better value alternative to public transport. There are a total of seven car hire companies awaiting you here, each with their own advantages and benefits.

A sign appended to the side of the terminal building at Luton Airport (Photo: Javier Ortega Figueiral via Flickr)

Some of London Luton Airport’s seven car hire companies are located in the car hire centre that be reached via a shuttle bus from the arrivals lounge in the airport terminal, while others are in the arrivals lounge, meaning you should be able to pick up your vehicle pretty quickly after stepping off your plane and negotiating passport control. One way to speed up the process is to make sure you have your driver’s license, a credit or debit card and a form of ID to hand for when you reach your desk.

Our car rental company search results

If you want to hire a car, London Luton Airport caters for most preferences and budgets, and with public transport in London notoriously expensive, it’s easy to understand why cheap car hire is so popular here. To help make your choice, our team at TravelMag.com have researched all seven companies ensconced at the airport. We know that people often have different requirements for their car hire, so we’ve divided our findings into three categories – Best value, Best for families and Best for luxury cars – using cost, customer reviews, choice of cars and company policies as our guide. You’ll see our conclusions below.

Best value: Budget

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When it comes to sheer value, Budget were the stand-out company after we shopped around for deals. We searched for a variety of dates and lengths of stay, and they consistently offered the greatest variety of cars along with highly affordable rates. In fact, we struggled to find prices of less than £120 for a week’s stay – which is not bad at all for London. The cheap cars they offer include reliable favourites such as the Fiat 500 and the Vauxhall Corsa. Budget’s car hire desk is in the airport’s arrivals area and is open from 7am – 11pm daily.

Best for families: Avis

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Based on our research, Avis are the best company for families wanting a hire car from London Luton Airport. Their larger car range includes a Peugeot 308 Estate and a Volkswagen Passat Estate, both of which offer plenty of space for families travelling with kids and large amounts of luggage. Their rental desk is located within the car hire centre which is a short distance away from the main terminal building, and they operate a regular shuttle bus that will transfer you there. Another bonus is that they offer an out-of-hours return service, so if you arrive before or after their opening hours (7am – 11pm), you can just park in an Avis bay and pop the keys in the key safe.

Best for luxury cars: Alamo

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Fans of the renowned German luxury car brand Mercedes will certainly enjoy scouring Alamo’s fleet of high-end vehicles, with the C-Class and E-Class both available. If a Merc doesn’t take your fancy, there’s also the choice of two of the most popular SUVs currently on the market – the Honda CR-V and the Nissan Pathfinder – for your luxury car hire. Of course, such lavish models will require you to dig deep into your pockets, but once you’re side by side with the supercars of Kensington and Mayfair, then we’re sure it will feel worth it. Alamo’s rental desk at London Luton Airport is open from 7am – 11.30pm daily.