It can always be a nightmare returning a car to a foreign airport. Valencia Airport is pretty much the stuff of nightmares: the access roads are busy, fast-moving motorways and the signage is, lets be frank, terrible. This guide to returning a car hire to Valencia Airport will make things easier for you. Promise.
Valencia Airport car hire
The following companies have a prestigious spot actually on-site in the airport: Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Atesa, Hertz, Thrifty and Europcar. If you’ve got an Alamo car hire, you can return your car hire to Europcar. Firefly car rentals can also be dropped off directly at the airport but the desk for it is within the car park (they’re a subsidiary of Hertz so if you need help, a Hertz member of staff should be able to help).
On-site car hire at Valencia Airport.
If you’ve got a car hire with another company, make sure you check the instructions for dropping your car rental off. It’s likely you’ll be required to drop it off directly at their office and that they will provide you with a free shuttle to take you to the airport. They’re generally not too far away (you’ll pass several of them if you’re taking the A3 to the airport) but you should still allow extra time for dropping your car off and getting to the airport terminal.
Driving to Valencia Airport
The airport is conveniently located just off the A3, which goes from Madrid to Valencia. The A7, which basically spans Spain’s mediterranean coast isn’t all that far away either. Here are some basic driving directions from both…
From the A7
Follow signs first to Valencia and as you get closer to the city, you’ll start seeing the airport signposted too. Take exit 501 for Valencia and ‘Aeroport’, which will take you onto the V-30.
From the A7, take exit 501.
Take the next exit (14AB) for ‘Aeroport’ and you’ll be on the V-11, which the airport site is on.
Take the next exit (14AB) for ‘Aeroport’ and you’ll be on the V-11, which the airport site is on.
You’ll go through an underpass and then need to take the next right turn for the airport.
Turn right for the airport and you’re pretty much there!
Need to fill the tank with petrol first?
If you want to return your hire car with a full tank, you’ll find the nearest petrol station about a km beyond the airport so you’ll need to do a small detour…
Instead of taking the last right turning for the airport, stay on the road towards Valencia and Madrid. Stay in the lane for Madrid and Manises and then take a left for Manises. Follow the road around to the left towards Manises and ‘Aeroport’.
Stay in the lane for Madrid and Manises.
And then head towards your left for Manises.
As well as taking you towards the petrol station, you’ll also be back on the road towards the airport. You’ll also actually pass a few of the off-site Valencia Airport car hire companies including Goldcar, Centauro and Sixt.
There’s a Repsol petrol station just after the Sixt car hire depot. You can keep following the road towards the airport, which is well signposted from here.
From the A3
Whether you’re coming from Valencia city or heading east from the direction of Madrid, you’ll need to head towards Manises. As you approach the town, you’ll also see signs for the airport.
From the A3, take exit 349A.
Take exit 349A for ‘Aeroport’ and Manises, which will take you onto the V-11. It’s pretty straightforward from here and the airport from the exit is less than 3kms away. You’ll pass those off-site Valencia Airport car hire companies and petrol station mentioned above. If you need to fill up on petrol, this is the time to do it.
There is a Repsol petrol station on your left enroute to the airport.
Otherwise, keep following signs for the airport.
Final approach to the airport
As you approach the airport you’ll see a big overhead sign telling you which lane you need to be for departures, arrivals, the car park and rent a car (which is the second lane to the left).
Get into the lane for ‘Rent a car’ (second from the left).
Stay in this lane and keep following the ‘Rent a car’ signs – there are lots of them. You’ll basically pass the terminal building (on the arrivals level) and past most of the car park before seeing the entrance to the ‘Rent a car’ parking bit on your left.
Stay in the left lane for Rent a car.
You’ll pass the terminal on your right – you’re nearly there…
Entrance for Rent a car parking and drop off.
Just look out for signs of your car hire company so you know where to park it. The car hire companies have kiosks in the car park but if they’re not staffed, just head into the airport terminal and you’ll find the car hire desks in the arrivals hall (which is on the ground floor).
You did it!
Once you’ve done that, just head towards the far end of the terminal where you’ll find escalators and lifts to take you up to the departures level.