Find the best deals in Gatwick Airport
With a massive choice from the biggest brands, Enjoy the best way to find the best prices for car hire in Gatwick Airport.
- Huge choice of cars to suit every budget
- Save up to 70% compared to buying on the day
- 10 years experience in car hire
Cheap Car Hire in London Gatwick Airport: Your Ultimate Guide
London Gatwick Airport (LGW) is Britain’s second-busiest airport after Heathrow, processing 46.6 million passengers annually. It partners with over 50 air carriers, offering full-service, economy, and charter services. These connect with various locations, including Miami, Kingston, Jamaica, Rio De Janeiro, Kuwait City, the rest of the UK, and Europe.
Gatwick is a great place to begin your Great British adventure because it’s a short hop to the centre of London, and the rest of the country is accessible via the nearby M25 motorway.
With Enjoy Travel, you can rent a wide range of compact cars like the Ford Focus or Toyota Aygo, spacious saloons like the Honda Civic and Mercedes C-Class and even roomy seven-seaters like the Vauxhall Sharan and Ford Galaxy. Trusted Gatwick car hire companies like Europcar, Alamo, Green Motion and Easirent offer flexible packages with competitive prices, 24-hour assistance and free cancellation up to 48 hours prior to the start of the rental period.
Booking couldn’t be easier – pop your details in our easy access form, and you’ll be served up with a stunning selection of Gatwick car rental deals in a split second.
Ready to learn more about driving in the area around LGW and the awesome attractions in London and southeast England? Rev up your engine, and let’s roll!
Partner with Enjoy Travel for access to competitive rates, flexible cancellations up to 48 hours before your booking, and various vehicles to suit any journey, whether you’re in town for business or pleasure. We provide continuous customer service, ensuring that you can effortlessly pick up your rental car and begin exploring the UK as soon as you land.
What to know when Booking your Car Hire at London Gatwick Airport
Ensure you have a valid driver’s license and are familiar with the UK's left-hand driving rules. A credit or debit card is needed for booking and deposits. Know the operating hours of your chosen rental agency and any specifics of the rental agreement, including duration and any policies they may have regarding additional drivers or equipment.
Why Choose Car Hire at London Gatwick Airport?
Car rental from London Gatwick Airport offers supreme convenience and can often be more budget-friendly than alternative travel options. The airport hosts numerous rental agencies, allowing you to compare and choose the best vehicle almost immediately after your arrival. This accessibility is perfect for anyone from individual travellers to families, providing a range of car types that accommodate varying needs and budgets.
How to Save Money on Car Hire at London Gatwick Airport: Expert Tips
- Thoroughly Compare Prices: It’s crucial to check multiple car rental agencies to secure the best rate.
- Opt for Compact Models: These vehicles are usually cheaper and great for navigating busy areas.
- Book Early: Early reservations often yield the best rates.
- Look Out for Deals: Keep an eye on special offers to maximise savings.
- Consider Non-Airport Locations: Sometimes, facilities outside the airport might offer cheaper rates.
- Be Cognisant of Additional Fees: Extra charges, such as for additional drivers or one-way rentals, can add up.
- Choose Longer Rental Periods: Rates tend to decrease with longer rental durations.
- Flexible Rental Timing: Your pickup and return time can influence the cost.
- Trust Established Providers: Dependable service is key to a good rental experience.
- Alternative Insurance Plans: Investigate third-party insurance, which can be more cost-effective.
How to Navigate the Car Hire Pick-Up and Drop-Off Process at London Gatwick Airport
Picking up and dropping off your rental car at Gatwick Airport is streamlined for your convenience. Rental agencies are located at both the North and South Terminals, and they are easily accessible upon your arrival.
To return your vehicle, follow the signs to your terminal's car rental return area. To avoid additional charges, be sure to refuel the car according to the terms of your rental agreement.
How to Drive From London Gatwick Airport to Central London
Driving from LGW to central London is straightforward – the airport is just 45km south of the city and connected to the M23 at junction nine and to the A23 road to Brighton. If you’re driving beyond London, the M25 is minutes away, providing access to the national road network.
The easiest way to find directions from Gatwick to your London location is to use the airport’s accessible journey planner, but you can also use a Satnav if available. Friendly Gatwick car rental company employees will also be happy to answer any questions you may have.
There’s a newly introduced speed limit of 32 km/h in many areas of central London, but the regular speed limits are 48 km/h in built-up areas, 96 km/h for single carriageways, and 112 km/h on motorways.
Please remember that there’s a congestion charge zone within the London Inner Ring Road, including the financial area of the City of London and the West End, the capital's retail and entertainment centre. The applicable charge is currently £11.50 daily, operating between 7 am and 6 pm Monday through Friday, with weekends excluded. You can learn more about it and set up auto payment at a discounted rate on the Transport for London website.
The Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) applies in the same geographical area as the congestion zone and is operational all day, every day of the year except Christmas Day – vehicles driving here must meet certain emissions standards, but your Gatwick car hire provider can advise further to ensure your chosen vehicle is compliant.
There’s also a Low Emissions Zone (LEZ) which covers the whole of Greater London, but this concerns high-pollution lorries and coaches rather than cars and motorbikes.
Who are the Top Car Hire Suppliers at London Gatwick Airport?
At Gatwick Airport, prominent car rental firms such as Europcar, Sixt, and Enterprise are readily available. They provide diverse vehicles, from economy cars to luxury sedans and SUVs, catering to all preferences and budgets.
What Type of Cars are Available for Hire at London Gatwick Airport?
The range of vehicles at Gatwick Airport includes everything from small, fuel-efficient cars ideal for city trips to larger sedans suitable for comfortable long-distance journeys and robust SUVs designed for the varied UK terrain. There are also options for larger groups or families, such as minivans and passenger vans, ensuring every travel need is met.
Car Types
Car Hire Reviews
| Name | Review | Rating |
|---|---|---|
Trusted Customer | I hired a car from enterprise to drive between Gatwick and the north east, dropping the car at Newcastle airport. It was late on in the evening but the guy on reception (Micheal) was a top lad. It was a quick process of registration, look over the car and signing things off - he even put up with my silly questions about starting and feeling the car. Equally simple at the other end, though I didn’t get the lads name. Oh, and the car worked a treat! | |
Trusted Customer | Booked online. Car wasn’t available. Left without a car. | |
Alan Catling | I love enterprise, every one are very helpful and approachable. The only thing I cannot deal with enterprise direct, have to go through a third party | |
Trusted Customer | Friendly customer service, very good car, no problems at pick-up nor during return of car. Deposit returned after 1 day. | |
Aingeru Magarinos de la Vega | The car was ok, but it was'nt the choosen model. The service to get the car in the airport was difficult because we could'nt pay with a digital credit card. They only accepted physical credit cards to pay. | |
Gary Pearson | Got to say not the best all round experience but mabye just circumstances to a degree. Flight late, a couple of difficult customers in front. A while to complete the deal on arrival. Car had a fair bit of damage on its wing and door which i was surprised at. The screen had been cleaned with something silicone based inside, possibly something spaying up from the dashboard clean? Thing is I couldn't see a damned thing when confronted by oncoming lights. It took me nearly an hour to clean it off, whatever it was, with a detergent and loads of kitchen towel. Anyway. Staff great. Interior spotless. Prompt transfers. A bit more attention to detail and not hiring a car so damaged would be good.. but yes . Will hire again guys. | |
Ivan Budimir | Expensive | |
Simon Lord | We booked a car for 6 weeks via Enjoy Travel. Didn't actually realise that we were going via another website, but it was fine. When we got to Gatwick, the car we had specifically requested wasn't available, so the lovely staff member gave us a choice of the next grade up. We thought this excellent service. Everything went very smoothly, the car (a Ford Kuga PHEV) was nearly new and very economical, and we had no issues apart from the fact that it didn't come with a charging cable for a normal UK three-pin socket. As a result, we only used the PHEV capability once. No matter, it was very efficient. We travelled all over the UK, from Scotland to Plymouth to Margate. Would use the same service again, no question. | |
Trusted Customer | Quick check-in, no-fuss, great car at a great price! | |
Trusted Customer | Nice car. Good pick up and return to the airport. Way too much admin needed to pick up car. Read the fine print in the terms carefully. Proof of address . DVLA code needed etc. The check in person was extremely annoying, he thought he was being funny but he was very annoying. Not great customer service experience. | |
Bryan Hill | I can highly recommend Green Motion for car rental. Their prices are extremely competitive. The car provided (Peugeot 3008 Estate) was exactly the size car we ordered and needed and, as new, in great condition. The service was great. A Green Motion shuttle picked us up from the airport and took us straight to their car hire depot only 5 mins away. The car was ready and waiting and the crew (Mohammed E.) were great with the paperwork etc. The same when we returned our car. Very quick and easy and then shuttled back to the airport again. | |
Rachel Weir | Easy pick up and drop off process | |
Trusted Customer | Jeg er veldig fornøyd med Enterprise. Hele prosessen gikk knirkefritt, fikk kjapp og god service ved Gatwick Airport når vi kom for å hente bilen. Bilen var ny og god. Når vi leverte bilen tilbake, stod det en smilende og hjelpsom mann klar til å ta oss imot. Etter en kjapp gjennomgang ble depositum overført tilbake på direkten. Eneste lille negative jeg har å si må være at vi fikk en bil som var hakket mindre enn vi bestillte, så kjøreturen ble litt trang for de i baksetet, siden vi måtte ha bagasje med inn i bilen. Men anbefaler gjerne Enterprise etter denne opplevelsen. | |
Stephen Cole | Great service from Chris and the team and a lovely vehicle to drive. | |
Nguala Makaya | Great customer service, great choice of cars. Good connection from both Gatwick terminals. The only issue is about the deposit is a lot and taking long to be refunded. | |
Dee Le Petit | Friendly staff, easy-to-find location and a great car. | |
Trusted Customer | Not bad. Cheapest hire company but out of town pickup | |
Trusted Customer | Really easy to book. Great service. Car was clean and spacious as expected. | |
Trusted Customer | No qualms in recommending Green Motion ...... everything went very smoothly from start to finish | |
NIKOLAOS PAPPAS | Everything was very good. The person who made our check in, at Gatwic was very helpful, he explained everything to me for our reservation and no matter that I delivered the car at Heathrow everything went perfect !!!!!! | |
Trusted Customer | Provided me with a clean nifty car, in the category that I selected. Went with them due to price and was not disappointed | |
JOHN EGLINTON | Good service. Good price. Nice car. | |
Hanane S | Great customer service. Quick and easy process at desk. Great car at a good price. | |
Trusted Customer | Check in and pick-up of car were seamless and thank you to Marie at London Gatwick North Terminal for that. The returns office was closed , about 45 minutes early, so unable to check the car back in and left keys in drop box for out of hours service. No one at the desk in terminal either. I received a checkout report the morning (15hrs and 25minutes after drop off) stating the car had been damaged, despite damage to that area being shown on my rental agreement when I picked it up. Then spoke to a very helpful man Yassina at Customer services who has now raised a dispute for me. The returns people had left early and then they send this. So despite the excellent job from those in the office, I am now stressed and awaiting a dispute resolution in up to 7 days. | |
Taimur Hassan | Everything was excellent guy named Josh was very helpful and made sure everything was done in time and hassle free. | |
David Redford | Great service | |
John Bawden | We were fortunate enough to get an upgrade and the car was perfect for our needs and didn't miss a beat at any time during our hire. The fuel economy of the vehicle was great and the GPS guidance saved alot of time. | |
Damian Conway | Far too much for excess charge . Wouldn’t recommend. 24hr helpline don’t answer .. | |
Trusted Customer | Good customer service, a great price, and even greater car. | |
George Addison | Never use them again bad bad bad pay for my car on line then get charged again at Gatwick Airport not on | |
Trusted Customer | Totally unhappy with their service. I rented a car with U-SAVE since OI didn't want to rent from Green Motion. However, I eventually found out Green Motion was behind U-SAVE, without me knowing it at the time of the purchase. Customer service didn't help and didn't want to upheld my complaint. | |
Stephen Cole | Excellent service from a really helpful team that have become my first port of call for my regular car rentals. The cars are of high quality and the airport pick up service is quick and efficient. | |
Lesley Potter | Very helpful staff and professional, even bringing things to me to sign after making sire I was seated being disabled . Explained everything clearly and even upgraded the car to a bigger model at no extra cost , would highly recommend, and would use again . | |
Paul Brewster | Easy pickup at Gatwick. Polite and helpful staff. Decent condition car. Excellent price. Smooth return! All good. | |
Trusted Customer | Took a bit of time to find office, missed signs as office is tucked away in a corner. Staff very friendly. | |
Trusted Customer | Fast check out and check in. Friendly staff. Always professional and courteous. | |
Trusted Customer | They were understaffed, the person who helped us was helpful, but he had to help like 6 customers, we had to wait like 1 hour, he asked a colleague to help, but the other person just left. I think they have a combination of great staff and other staff that don't really care. 6 stars to the person who helped us and zero to the other employee who left leaving a long queue. | |
Fernando Grassia | Gentilezza , cortesia, facilità consigoiato | |
Trusted Customer | good service and value. Very friendly team. will use again | |
Trusted Customer | Eazy at desk and every thing explaned | |
Trusted Customer | They were all round excellent | |
Sandragiri Sriskandaraj | Because i bought the car hire from you company they said to me you have a credit card to hire the car | |
Rafael López de Gea | Hacen todo lo posible por facturar extras | |
Trusted Customer | easy collection and drop off. Conveinient location | |
Trusted Customer | Very polite staff and nice car As soon as we arrived to return it David was with us immediately and explained the way to get to the terminal. | |
Trusted Customer | Overall a good experience and great price. I'd use again. | |
Andrew Evreou | good car no problems at all would use again | |
David Strang | Booking was simple and an overseas driving licence was no a problem | |
Trusted Customer | Hidden extras were triple the rental | |
Trusted Customer | Good and easy to use and much better price. |
FAQs about car hire at Gatwick Airport (LGW)
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