I-VII 07:00 – 23:00
Key takeaway: Budget operates an on-airport counter in LIS Terminal 1 with cars in the adjacent multi-storey garage. Trustpilot is brutal — Budget Portugal sits at 2.0/5 from 11 reviews (100% one-star), and the global www.budget.com page is at 1.2/5 across ~6 000 reviews. Documented 2025–2026 complaints include phantom damage charges (€300 case), unauthorised insurance add-ons via Portuguese-language contract switch and BMW-to-Volvo swaps with €505 surcharge. The same on-airport convenience is available with better-rated brands. Use DiscoverCars to find a higher-rated alternative or book Budget itself with broker Full Coverage at €5/day.
| Category | Low season | July peak | USD daily peak |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mini / Economy | €15–€20/day | €45–€70/day | $49 – $76 |
| Compact / Mid-size | ~€35/day avg | ~€78/day avg | $84 |
| Compact SUV | ~€45/day | ~€95/day | $103 |
| Premium / Estate | ~€65/day | ~€140/day | $151 |
January and February are cheapest. June–August adds 60–100%. KAYAK and AutoEurope snapshots, May 2026. Re-quote on DiscoverCars with a different supplier.
how Budget compares to the rest of LIS (Trustpilot 2026)
From direct Trustpilot fetches of budget.pt (May 2026):
Same operator, on Trustpilot www.budget.com (global): 1.2/5 across ~6 000 reviews. The pattern is industry-wide for the Budget brand.
Compares ~17 Lisbon suppliers in one search. Adds Full Coverage at €4–€7 per day. The single best play for LIS bookers. Book via auto-jardim.com/car-rental.
Off-airport, free shuttle from T1 Exit 4. Trustpilot 3.7/5 from 251 reviews. Mid-tier pricing, far fewer disputes than Budget.
Off-airport, free T1 Exit 4 shuttle. Stacked deposit holds but no Portuguese-contract switch pattern. “No-deposit” tariff available.
Cleanest fleet of any on-airport brand. Higher base prices but the lowest counter friction.
Free shuttle. Cheaper than CRC. Smart Cover upsell pressure — buy broker insurance instead.
Off-airport, free shuttle. Reasonable backup when bigger brands are sold out.
| Item | Budget direct + counter SCDW | CRC via DiscoverCars + Full Cover |
|---|---|---|
| Base rate (compact 7-day) | €280 ($302) | €224 ($242) |
| SCDW / Full Cover | €25/day → +€175 | €5/day → +€35 |
| Tyre + windscreen | +€42 | Included |
| “Second driver” phantom charge | +€55 (risk) | +€0 |
| Toll deposit | +€20 flat | +€20 flat |
| Cash out before fuel | ~€572 ($617) | ~€279 ($301) |
Budget's base CDW excess is €900–€1 500 for compact and €1 500–€2 500 for SUV. The counter SCDW pitch runs €25–€30 per day and almost always excludes tyres, glass, undercarriage and the roof. Combined with the documented “phantom” charge pattern, the broker route is much safer: DiscoverCars Full Coverage at €4–€7 per day refunds your excess directly and covers the SCDW gaps.
Budget's counter sits inside Terminal 1 Arrivals Hall behind the security office (alongside Avis, Europcar, Goldcar, Guerin, Hertz and Sixt). Cars are on Floor 2 of the multi-storey rental garage adjacent to T1 — a covered walk of about 5 minutes. T2 passengers shuttle to T1 free (10–15 minutes). Off-airport low-cost brands (CRC, Record Go, Centauro, Goldcar low-cost) meet at Exit 4 next to the Vodafone store with free shuttle.
The Ponte 25 de Abril toll is collected northbound only (Almada → Lisboa). The 2026 Class 1 rate sits around €2.20, up 2.38% on 2025. Lisbon's ZER low-emission zone covers Baixa and Avenida da Liberdade — every modern rental (Euro 6) clears both. Lisbon petrol 95 averages €2.009 per litre and diesel €1.954 per litre (GlobalPetrolPrices 18 May 2026). Fill within 5 km of LIS before returning the car to avoid a €15 service fee plus €0.40 per litre above pump.
Counter inside Terminal 1 Arrivals Hall (alongside Avis, Europcar, Hertz, Sixt and Goldcar). Cars in the adjacent multi-storey garage on Floor 2. No shuttle required.
Budget Portugal (budget.pt) sits at 2.0 of 5 across 11 reviews — 100% one-star. The global brand (www.budget.com) is at 1.2 of 5 across about 6 000 reviews.
About €105 in low season ($113), rising to €315 in July ($340). With the documented counter add-ons, real total often climbs to €500+.
Phantom damage and insurance charges after return — including the “Portuguese contract switch” pattern where the desk shows the English version and signs the Portuguese one with extra add-ons.
Sixt LIS (DiscoverCars 8/10) is the cleanest on-airport experience. Off-airport, CRC (8/10, Excellent Service Award 2023 + 2024) offers better service for similar prices.
Yes for the Ponte 25 de Abril (northbound only, ~€2.20 in 2026) and other Portuguese motorways. Rentals usually include a transponder at €2–€4 per day plus actual tolls.
Yes. As a major on-airport brand, Budget requires a credit card in the lead driver’s name and blocks a security/excess deposit at pickup, typically €1,000–€2,000+ depending on the car group and the cover you choose. Debit and prepaid cards are generally not accepted for the deposit, so bring a credit card with enough available limit or you can be refused the car at the desk.
Usually, yes. A prepaid, all-inclusive rate booked ahead through a comparison site is almost always cheaper than the walk-up counter price, and it lets you skip the counter insurance pitch that is Budget Lisbon’s biggest hidden cost. Compare Budget against the better-rated LIS suppliers in one search, then book whichever all-in total is lowest.
