There are two Madrid Airport car hire locations. One is in T1, which is handy if you’re flying out of T1, T2 or T3 and the other is in T4, about 5 kms away. Below you’ll find our guide to returning a car hire to Madrid Airport T1. For more of our Madrid Airport guides including one on returning a car hire to Madrid Airport T4, see our blog.
Located 15 kms northwest of Madrid’s city centre, Madrid Airport is spread across two sites. The older terminals T1, T2 and T3 are connected and located at one site. Meanwhile, Terminal T4 and its satellite building T4S are located at another site, 5 kms north.
Travel between T1 and T4
There is a free airport shuttle service to take passengers between all the terminals. So if you find out you’ve booked your car hire at T1 but actually need to catch a flight at T4, you can take the shuttle bus after dropping off your car hire. See our post on Madrid Airport terminals for more information on travel between them.
Returning a car hire to Madrid Airport T1
On-airport car hire suppliers
The following suppliers have an on-airport location (meaning they have desks inside the terminal) in both T1 and T4. We’ve grouped affiliated brands together as they share a desk in the airport.
- Avis-Budget
- Enterprise-Alamo
- Europcar-InterRent-Keddy
- Goldcar-Rhodium
- Hertz-Thrifty-Firefly
- Sixt
In T1, their desks are located on the arrivals level. And the cars are parked in the main car park in front of T1.
Off-airport car hire suppliers
There are also a number of car hire companies with offices just a short drive from Madrid Airport. In general, if you have a car hire with a company that is based ‘off-airport’, then you need to return it directly to their office. They will then take customers to the relevant terminal. Do, however, always check the instructions on your booking voucher for the returns process.
At Madrid Airport, suppliers with an off-airport location include: Centauro and Dickmanns.
Driving to Madrid Airport T1
Madrid Airport T1 (along with T2 and T3) are accessible via two access roads: M-11 from the west and M-14 from the north or south. If you’re coming from the east, you’ll be able to connect onto the M-14 for the airport. The airport is well-signposted from nearby motorways as ‘aeropuerto’. And as you near the airport, you’ll see signs indicating which lane you should be in for which terminal. Terminals are colour-coded on signs and T1 is bright orange. T2 is green, T3 is red and T4 is white.
Driving northbound on the M-14 or eastbound on the M-11 to Madrid Airport
You’ll come up to T1 first and you should follow signs for T1 Llegadas (Arrivals) and P1 Parking. Stay in the left lane for ‘car rental’.
The terminals are colour coded. Follow signs for T1 (orange) and the P1 car park.
As you approach T1, move into the left lane for ‘car rental’ and P1 Parking
Driving southbound on M-14 to Madrid Airport
If you’re driving southbound on the M-14 to the airport, take the exit for Terminals T3, T2 and T1. You will then need to drive past terminals T3 and T2 before coming up to T1. Make sure you keep an eye out for signs to T1 so you’re in the correct lane. And as you approach T1, move into the left lane for ‘Llegadas’, P1 parking and ‘car rental’.
Driving southbound on the M-14 to the airport, take the exit for T3, T2 and T1
As you drive past T3 and T2, stay in lane for T1
On the approach to T1, move to the left lane for ‘Llegadas’ and P1 parking
Parking for car rental
Whichever direction you come from, you will approach T1 with the relevant car park on your left. The entrance for ‘car rental’ is signposted and features a sign with all the car hire suppliers based here. You’ll see it on your left after you pass the car park for buses.
The turnoff for car rental parking at Madrid Airport T1
Nearest petrol station to Madrid Airport T1
The nearest petrol station to Madrid Airport T1 is about 2 kms north of the car park. It’s basically between T2 and T1. But once you’re on the network of roads on the airport site, you’ll see the petrol station symbol on signs towards T4. So do keep an eye out for the symbols.
Sign to the petrol station after passing T1
After filling the tank with petrol, don’t go back the way you came… There is a road you can take behind the petrol station, which will take you back towards T3, T2 and then to T1.
Dropping off the keys
Each of the suppliers based here have a cabin in the car park so you should be able to return them here as well as get a member of staff to sign the car off.