Car rental for Albufeira is cheapest at Faro Airport, about 40–45 km east and 35–45 minutes away on the toll-free A22: on DiscoverCars, Faro Airport rates start at €4 a day, average €8.06 a day in January and peak at €23.43 a day in July, while offices in Albufeira town start at €9.69 a day. Expect a hold of roughly €300 to €2,600 on a credit card in the main driver's name unless you buy the company's own zero-excess cover. Only a few firms, such as Autorent and Centauro, list debit cards as accepted.
Almost every company that serves Albufeira picks up at Faro Airport, and that is where the choice is widest and prices lowest. If you only need a car for a day or two of your stay, a few firms also have offices in Albufeira town.
See Faro Airport prices →Albufeira has no airport of its own. The nearest is Faro (FAO), and the drive is on the A22 (Via do Infante), which has been toll-free along its whole length since 1 January 2025. You do not need a toll device for the Algarve; you only meet tolls if you drive on to other motorways such as the A2 towards Lisbon.
| Fact | Figure (checked 14 October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Faro Airport to Albufeira | about 40–45 km, 35–45 minutes on the A22 |
| A22 toll | €0 since 1 January 2025 |
| Cheapest rate at Faro Airport (DiscoverCars) | from €4 a day |
| Average day rate at Faro Airport | €8.06 in January (cheapest month), €23.43 in July (dearest month) |
| Cheapest rate in Albufeira town | from €9.69 a day (Fiat 500 or similar) |
| Average day rate in Albufeira town | €11.22 in January, €41.31 in August |
| Companies at Faro Airport on DiscoverCars | 37 |
| Town offices | Europcar (Av. da Liberdade 158, car park P6), Sixt (Rua do Município 32), Hertz (Parque da Corcovada), Auto Prudente (Estrada de Santa Eulália) |
DiscoverCars prices were last updated on 13 October 2026 and change daily; treat them as a guide to the season, not a quote.
The table lists only companies with a desk at Faro Airport or an office in Albufeira that DiscoverCars shows today. Deposit, card and age rules come from each company's own terms; where a company does not publish a figure we say so.
| Company | Deposit / excess | Cards for the deposit | Minimum age | Rating (DiscoverCars) | Where you collect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Autorent (review) | Set per booking; €0 deposit and €0 excess with its Relax cover | Visa or Mastercard, credit or debit, in the main driver's name; no Amex | 21 (fee for 21–25), licence held 1+ year | 9.1/10 (3,285 reviews) | Off-airport, free shuttle from car park P4 (about 5 min) |
| Guerin (review) | Amount set per car; halved with a protection pack (€14–50 a day, liability capped at €300 or €600) | Physical credit card only (debit only to pay the rental) | 21 (under 21 with a fee and 1+ year licence; 25 for some groups) | 8.9/10 (285) | Faro Airport station |
| Drive on Holidays (review) | Excess €1,100–7,100 without cover; hold €100–2,500 with its excess cover | Visa or Mastercard credit card in the main driver's name; no Amex or Diners | bookable from 19 (age bands with surcharges) | 8.8/10 (2,498) | Meet and greet at car park P4, shuttle about 5 min |
| Centauro (review) | €1,100–2,600 without Smart Cover; none with it; plus €100 for tolls in Portugal | Credit or debit card in the driver's name; no prepaid, Amex, Maestro or Diners | 19 (fee for 19–24) | 8.5/10 (779) | Off-airport, minibus from car park P4 |
| Goldcar (review) | No deposit and no excess with Super Relax; otherwise not published | Card in the main driver's name; prepaid, Electron and Maestro refused | 21, licence held 12 months | 7.7/10 (Zero Excess offer, 11 reviews) | Desk in the terminal, plus Key'n Go kiosk |
| Europcar (airport, town) | €300 if prepaid; €1,000–3,000 for special and premium cars | Credit card only (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Diners); no debit | not published on the Faro page | 7.3/10 (141) | Arrivals terminal at FAO; town office Av. da Liberdade 158 (car park P6, level 1) |
| Sixt (review) | not confirmed today | not confirmed today | not confirmed today | 7.4/10 (590) | Faro Airport; town office Rua do Município 32 |
| Auto Prudente | not published | not published | not published | 8.1/10 in Albufeira (69), 7.3/10 at Faro (86) | Albufeira town, Estrada de Santa Eulália; also Faro Airport |
Ratings are DiscoverCars customer scores for the Faro Airport branch unless stated; prices and rules can differ by car group, so read the rental conditions on your voucher before you pay. At the bottom of the Faro list sits Klass Wagen with 5.7/10 from 638 reviews.
Compare all 37 companies at Faro Airport →
Every rental in Portugal includes basic damage cover (CDW), but with an excess: the amount you pay if the car is damaged. At Drive on Holidays it is €1,100 to €7,100 depending on the car. To make sure you can pay it, the company blocks a deposit on your card at the desk. This money is not charged, but it is unavailable until the hold is released after you return the car.
Before you sign: check that the deposit fits your card limit, refuse extra cover you have already bought, and photograph the car on all four sides, the wheels and the fuel gauge, both at pick-up and at return. Centauro adds a €100 hold in Portugal for possible motorway tolls, and other firms charge for a Via Verde device; within the Algarve you do not need one.
Enter the price from your quote and compare the options. The deposit field shows how much of your card limit stays blocked.
Total cost and card hold
Prefilled with €15 a day (DiscoverCars' average price at Faro Airport), €14 a day of cover (the lowest Guerin protection pack) and a €1,100 hold (the lowest Drive on Holidays excess). Replace them with the figures from your own quote.
For a week or more, collect at Faro Airport: 37 companies compete there, and the average price in the cheapest month is lower than in town (€8.06 against €11.22 a day in January). Firms with desks in the terminal (Europcar, Goldcar) save you the shuttle; off-airport firms such as Autorent, Centauro and Drive on Holidays meet you at car park P4. If you are not driving on arrival day, book a Faro Airport transfer and rent in town for the days you need. Once in Albufeira, our Albufeira parking guide shows where to leave the car.
