If you’re returning a car hire to Girona Airport, keep on reading for our guide on doing just that! We also have a post on collecting a Girona Airport car hire. And if you still need to book a car from the airport, visit our Girona Airport page.

By the way, in case you’re wondering, we’re using the Catalan spelling of the city. The Spanish spelling is Gerona. Outside of Catalonia, you could see it spelt as either… Once you’re in the region however, it’s pretty much Girona all the way!

Sculpture outside Girona Airport

Girona Airport car hire: who’s here?

The car hire companies that actually have desks inside the airport are: Hertz, Thrifty, Firefly and Goldcar. If you have a rental with one of these suppliers, cars should be returned to the relevant car park at the airport. This guide focuses on the returns process for these suppliers.

Off-site car hire

In addition to the companies above, there are a number of car hire companies located off-site. But whilst they’re not located directly within the airport, they’re actually just 5 minutes walk away. It does mean crossing a few more roads though. Off-site car hire companies generally offer a shuttle service between their office and the airport terminal, which is useful if you’ve got lots of luggage. The off-site car hire companies include: Avis, Budget, Europcar, InterRent, Drivalia and SolMar. The offices/parking for these rental companies are actually located on the way to the airport. The turn-off for them is at the last roundabout before the airport.

As a general rule, you should always check your booking voucher or with the booking agent for information about returning a car hire – particularly if it’s a different location to where you picked it up.

Driving to Girona Airport

The airport is conveniently located just off two the A-7 and A-2 motorways on the N-156. Both of which are well connected to other roads throughout the region and beyond. The A-7 is one of Catalonia’s major motorways and pretty much runs the length of the Spanish Mediterranean coast. However, bear in mind that it’s a toll road. Various online route planners will be able to give you directions taking a route that avoids tolls. This includes Google Maps and Via Michelin (although the latter can also give you an estimate of toll costs).

The airport is very well sign posted from both motorways. You should follow signs either to ‘aeroport’ or ‘Girona-Costa Brava’.

• From the A-7: take exit 8 for the airport. After the toll gate, take the first exit for the airport.
• From the A-2: take exit 705 for the airport. There are several roundabouts you’ll pass – just follow signs to the airport.

Coming from Girona?

The airport is just 20 minutes drive south of the city. Head south towards Barcelona along Carrer Barcelona (suitably named!). You’ll see directions for the airport that will take you onto the A-2. From here, you need exit 705 for the airport.

Nearest petrol station to the airport

The nearest petrol station is around 3 kms away from the airport on the A-7. It’s very easy to reach if you’re driving southbound on the A-7 towards the airport, there is a service road with a petrol station before exit 8, which is the exit you need for the airport. If you’re driving northbound, it’s obviously a little more complicated. There is also a petrol station in Riudellots, which you can use as an alternative. To get to Riudellots, take exit 8 for the airport but follow signs to Riudellots. Keep on the road for this small town and you’ll soon see the petrol station come up on your right. It’s about 4 kms from this petrol station to the airport. Once you’ve filled up, you can just turn around and follow the road back towards the airport, which is pretty straightforward.

On the A-2, there is a petrol station between exit 708 and 707. It’s about 5 kms away from the airport. Driving southbound towards the airport, you’ll see it come up on your right. If you’re driving northbound, take exit 708 and go all around the first roundabout and head back towards the airport.

Parking for on-airport car rental

Car rentals are parked in a separate car park to the main car park. As you approach the airport, stay in the right lane for Car Rental and the Terminal as in the picture below. You’ll drive past the airport terminal and main car park as well as the bus stop. Keep following the road around to where you’ll see the entrance to the car park for rentals.

As you approach the airport, stay in the right lane for Car Rental (and there’s that sculpture again!)

Continue past the terminal and bus station for Car Rental

Parking entrance for car rentals

Hertz cabin in the car park

Once in the car park, look for signs for the car hire company you need to return the car to. Both Hertz and Goldcar have cabins in the car park but they also have drop boxes by their desks within the terminal building. For Thrifty or Firefly, use the Hertz cabin or drop box. Inside the terminal, the car hire desks are in the Arrivals Hall.

As always, make sure you check you’ve not left anything in the car. And if you can, get the car signed off by a relevant member of staff so there are no surprises later on. If you can’t do this because you’re returning it out-of-hours, it’s always a good idea to take pictures of the car so you can be sure of the state you’ve left it in.

To the terminal

To the Terminal

To get to the terminal building, just follow signs to the ‘Terminal’ from the car park. They will lead you through the front of this car park and through the airport’s main car park before reaching the terminal. It’s a very short walk and easy to do with luggage. Alternatively, as you drive past the terminal on your way to the car park, you could always drop passengers and luggage off quickly first.