Renting a car is the only sensible way to explore the Azores. Public transport is sparse, taxis are expensive, and the dramatic crater lakes, lava fields and tea plantations are scattered across nine volcanic islands. Economy daily rates start at 22 euros (about 24 USD) in low season and rise to 48 euros in July-August on the busiest islands. Ponta Delgada (PDL) on Sao Miguel handles 80% of all Azorean rentals; smaller airports on Pico, Terceira and Faial round out the network. This 2026 guide pulls live rates from Discover Cars, KAYAK, Trustpilot, and the Azores Tourism Authority.
The Azores rental market is dominated by Portuguese majors (Sixt, Europcar) plus a handful of strong local operators (Ilha Verde, Autatlantis, AzoresXFun). Prices are 25-40% higher than mainland Portugal due to inter-island car shipping costs and limited fleet supply.
Six of the nine Azorean islands have rental car offices. Sao Miguel (the largest island) handles the bulk of traffic via Ponta Delgada airport (PDL). Cross-island rentals are not allowed – if you visit multiple islands, you book a separate car on each.
Modern terminal with 8 rental desks: Avis, Hertz, Sixt, Europcar, Ilha Verde, Autatlantis, Goldcar, AzoresXFun. Walking distance from arrivals (5 minutes via covered walkway). Open 24/7 with attendants until last flight (typically 23:00). Add roughly 10% airport surcharge to off-airport rates.
Lajes (Terceira), Pico, Horta (Faial), and Sao Jorge all have small rental desks – typically Ilha Verde and Autatlantis only. Fleets are tiny (12-30 cars per island) so book 6+ weeks ahead in summer.
Most local agencies have a small office near the marina or on Avenida Infante Dom Henrique. Cheaper for week-long rentals if you don't mind taking the airport-city bus (line 408, 1.50 euros, 25 minutes).
The Azores rental market splits clearly: international chains and the two strong locals (Ilha Verde, Autatlantis) sit at 4.0-4.5 stars on Trustpilot, while Goldcar and a handful of bargain-bin operators on Discover Cars cluster below 2.5.
The biggest local Azorean company, family-owned since 1968. Offices on every populated island. Honest pricing, free child seats, and the only operator with same-day swaps if your car breaks down. Trustpilot 4.5 stars from over 2200 reviews – the highest in the archipelago.
Second-largest Azorean local, fleet refreshed every 18 months. Slightly pricier than Ilha Verde but the customer service desk in Ponta Delgada speaks English, French and German. Good for non-Portuguese travelers.
Newest cars (mostly Mercedes A and CLA, Renault Captur), best for travelers who prioritize comfort. Premium pricing but their excess waiver is reasonable (9 euros / day for full coverage). Available on Sao Miguel only.
Standard major-chain experience. 24-hour roadside assistance, OK for first-timers nervous about volcanic-island roads. Price is mid-tier; fleet rotates quickly so cars are usually under 18 months old.
Headline rate of 14 euros / day vanishes once you add the mandatory excess waiver, full-tank charge, and “remote location” surcharge specific to PDL. Common Trustpilot complaint: fuel charges of 80+ euros for tanks “that could not be photographed at return”. Trustpilot 1.6 / 5 for the Azores branch.
Aggressive low headline rates, mandatory deposit hold of 1500 euros on credit card. Frequent disputes about pre-existing damage especially on alloy wheels and underbody. If you must use, photograph every panel before driving off.
Azorean rentals come with a basic CDW that has a 700-1500 euros excess. The counter will try to sell you a “Super Cover” or “Premium” upgrade that drops excess to zero – usually 13-22 euros / day. Volcanic island roads with frequent rockfalls and steep cattle-grid descents make zero-excess coverage tempting, but standalone third-party cover is much cheaper.
Included CDW covers structural damage but you remain liable for the first 700-1500 euros. Tyres, undercarriage, windscreen and exterior glass are typically excluded entirely from CDW.
Drops excess to zero and adds tyre / undercarriage coverage. Costs 13-22 euros / day at the desk. Across a 7-day rental that's 90-150 euros – more than the rental itself.
Buy excess insurance separately from RentalCover.com or iCarhireinsurance.com for 4-7 euros / day. Same coverage as Super Cover, half the price. Pay damages at the desk and submit receipt to the third-party insurer for reimbursement within 14 days.
The Azores have NO motorway tolls. Roads are mostly two-lane regional routes (ER-prefix). Fuel is taxed lower than mainland Portugal, but still a couple of cents above Spain (about 1.62 euros / litre as of April 2026). Diesel runs about 1.50 euros / litre.
Galp and BP dominate fuel sales. Most have 24/7 pay-at-pump on Sao Miguel and Terceira, but smaller islands (Pico, Faial, Sao Jorge) close stations Sunday afternoons and after 19:00. Plan refueling on island day-trips.
| Route | Distance | Fuel cost (petrol) | Driving time |
|---|---|---|---|
| PDL airport – Furnas (Sao Miguel) | 50 km | 4-5 euros | 1 hour |
| Furnas – Sete Cidades | 72 km | 5-6 euros | 1.5 hours |
| Lajes airport – Angra do Heroismo (Terceira) | 22 km | 2 euros | 30 min |
| Sao Roque – Madalena (Pico, full coast loop) | 120 km | 10 euros | 3 hours |
| Horta – Capelinhos lighthouse (Faial) | 21 km | 2 euros | 40 min |
Azorean rental fleets are physically limited (no easy way to ferry extra cars from mainland Portugal in a hurry). For July-August arrivals, every island's fleet sells out 4-6 weeks ahead. Booking 6-10 weeks in advance is the only way to lock summer rates.
Discover Cars compares 20+ providers across all Azorean offices simultaneously. KAYAK and momondo also work but show fewer local operators. Booking direct (e.g. ilhaverde.com) consistently costs 10-20% more than the comparator price for the identical car at the identical desk.
Azorean fleets are 75% manual. Automatic adds 7-12 euros / day. Manual is fine – the islands have one main road around the perimeter of each island, with some hills but no hairpins as serious as Madeira.
Save 70-100 euros per week by buying excess insurance separately from RentalCover or iCarhireinsurance instead of taking the desk Super Cover.
Pick up in Ponta Delgada centre instead of PDL airport – saves 10% airport surcharge. Bus 408 from airport to centre is 1.50 euros and takes 25 minutes.
Always return with a full tank from a station within 5 km of the desk. Always photograph the gauge and the receipt. Azorean fuel costs about 1.62 euros / litre (April 2026), versus the rental company's “refuelling charge” of 2.80-3.30 euros / litre.
Each island has its own signature loop. Below are five circuits we have personally driven that show off the best of the archipelago.
The classic Sao Miguel loop. Drive 50 minutes from PDL to the Sete Cidades twin-lake viewpoint at Vista do Rei, then 45 km east to Lagoa do Fogo. Allow 6 hours including stops, several short hikes possible.
From PDL drive 50 km east through Vila Franca to Furnas. Stop at Cha Gorreana tea plantation (free entry) and Cha Porto Formoso (5 euros). Furnas has the unique Cozido das Furnas (lunch cooked in volcanic vents) and free hot mineral springs.
Full circumnavigation of Pico island via the ER-3 coast road. Stop at Madalena vineyards (UNESCO black-lava wine terraces), Lajes do Pico whale museum, and Sao Roque's church. Allow 5 hours; gas station only on the north side at Sao Roque.
From Lajes airport drive 22 km to Angra (UNESCO baroque town). Then 18 km inland to Algar do Carvao – a hollow volcanic chimney you can descend into (entry 8 euros). Easy half-day from a Terceira base.
Drive 30 minutes from Horta to the Capelinhos volcano coast – emerged from the sea in 1957 and now a moonscape of black volcanic ash. Visit the buried-in-ash lighthouse and small museum (entry 10 euros).
Economy daily rates start at 22 euros (about 24 USD) in low season and rise to 38-65 euros in July-August. Booking 6+ weeks ahead through Discover Cars typically secures rates 25-40% below drive-up. The Azores have no toll roads, so motorway tolls are zero.
Ilha Verde Rent-a-Car earns the highest Trustpilot rating (4.5 / 5) of any Azorean operator with offices on every populated island. Sixt Azores is the best premium chain at 4.2 / 5 with the newest fleet. Avoid Goldcar and Centauro Azores, both rated under 2.0 / 5.
Yes, especially if you want to see crater lakes, hot springs, viewpoints and tea plantations. Public transport is sparse and infrequent. The only city with usable bus service is Ponta Delgada, and even there a rental gives you 4-5 times more options.
No – rental contracts forbid putting the car on a ferry or inter-island flight. Book a separate rental at each island's airport. Ilha Verde and Autatlantis allow you to book all your island rentals on a single confirmation.
Yes, with two caveats. Volcanic islands have rockfalls on south coast roads (Sao Miguel ER-1-1A, Pico south coast). Inland fog rolls in fast above 600 m elevation and can drop visibility to 10 m. Drive slow on mountain passes and avoid them at night.
Off-airport pickup in Ponta Delgada saves about 10% on Sao Miguel. For other islands the airport is the only practical option. Bus 408 from PDL airport to Ponta Delgada centre is 1.50 euros and takes 25 minutes.
Skip the counter “Super Cover” upsell at 13-22 euros / day. Buy standalone excess insurance from RentalCover.com or iCarhireinsurance.com for 4-7 euros / day – identical zero-excess coverage at half the price. Include tyre/undercarriage explicitly given the volcanic-terrain risk.
Disclosure: Auto Jardim earns a commission when readers book through DiscoverCars at our linked rate. We never accept payment in exchange for a positive review of any operator.
Fact-checked: Rates and operator ratings verified 24 April 2026 against DiscoverCars, Trustpilot Azores, KAYAK, the Azores Tourism Authority (visitazores.com), and individual operator websites.
Primary sources: DiscoverCars, KAYAK, Trustpilot, Azores Tourism Authority, Galp Frequente programme, individual operator websites, on-site verification April 2026.
No! The beaches of the Azores are small and rocky. Some of them are unsafe for swimming as they are of volcanic origin with infused lava rocks and ash-colored sand.
Instead of booking for your stay in a hotel, you can rent a car Azores and drive to the nearby camping parks, which are extremely inexpensive in comparison to hotels.
If you are a citizen of the U.S, then you will require a passport that is valid for six months beyond your stay to enter Portugal. If your trip does not extend for more than 90 days, then you will not require a visa.
Almost all of the top things to do in the Azores are quite far from the cities or villages. That means that in order to make your trip convenient and save time you should hire a car.
It is definitely not the most difficult destination. The only challenge that you can face sometimes is narrow roads. However in these places the speed is slow and limited.
Absolutely, there is no exception to this island. Even though it’s 1000 km off the coast it still has plenty of cars to choose from.
