Alicante Airport Car Rental for Altea
Alicante-Elche Airport (ALC) sits about 9 km from Alicante city, with dozens of rental desks and a toll-free motorway link to Altea in under an hour.
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Alicante-Elche Airport at a Glance
Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernandez Airport, IATA code ALC, sits roughly 9 km southwest of Alicante city and functions as the main gateway for the northern Costa Blanca, including Altea. It is a genuinely busy hub, handling more than 18 million passengers a year, most arriving on international low-cost or charter flights from the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and the Nordic countries.
That volume of seasonal leisure traffic means rental counters can queue up fast around midday charter banks in July and August. For a full picture of what waits on the other end of the drive, the full Altea car rental guide covers pricing, seasons and local pickup points in one place.
- IATA code: ALC, also known as Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernandez Airport
- Location: about 9 km southwest of Alicante city center
- Distance to Altea: roughly 60-66 km, about 45-55 minutes by car
- Alternative airport: Valencia (VLC), about 130-140 km north
Which Companies Have Desks at ALC
Almost every major international brand operates at Alicante-Elche, alongside several regional and local firms. Counters for Centauro, Record Go, Goldcar, Europcar, Sixt, Hertz, Firefly, Budget, Avis, Alamo, National, Enterprise, Keddy, OK Mobility, Wiber, Drivalia and the Spain-based Victoria Cars all sit on Floor 0 in Arrivals, though the vehicle itself is not always parked right there.
| Company type | Where you collect | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Major internationals (Europcar, Sixt, Hertz, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, National, Alamo) | Terminal car park, short walk from Arrivals | Desk booking and handover both happen on-site |
| Value/leisure brands (Goldcar, Record Go, Firefly, Keddy, Drivalia, OK Mobility) | Terminal car park or nearby lot | Fleet mix skews toward economy and compact cars |
| Off-airport operators (Centauro, Wiber, Victoria Cars) | Off-site lot reached by a free shuttle bus | Allow 10-20 extra minutes for the shuttle transfer |
Most desks open around 07:00-08:00 and close between 23:00 and midnight, with a handful running 24 hours. If a flight lands well outside those windows, off-site suppliers in particular may charge an out-of-hours fee or ask for advance notice, so it is worth confirming this at booking rather than at the counter.
Picking Up: Terminal Desk vs Shuttle Lot
The practical difference at Alicante-Elche comes down to whether the counter hands you the keys on the spot or points you toward a shuttle. Terminal-based desks keep the process simple: you queue, sign, and walk to a car in the attached car park within a few minutes.
What changes with an off-site lot
- A free shuttle bus runs between the terminal and the off-site compound
- Total collection time typically runs 15-25 minutes longer than a terminal desk
- Return works in reverse: drop the car off-site, then shuttle back for the flight
Before driving off, walk around the car and photograph or video every panel, wheel and the fuel gauge. An unaccompanied walk-round with no staff present is common at busier counters, so your own record is the only evidence you have if a damage dispute comes up at return.
Whichever route you take, ask specifically about fuel policy at the counter. Some budget desks still default to a full-to-empty charge, so requesting full-to-full avoids paying for fuel you never burn. Travelers weighing where to save versus where to spend can compare tactics on cheap car rental Altea before locking in a supplier.
Driving from ALC to Altea
Two roads connect the airport to Altea, and they suit different priorities. The AP-7/A-7 coastal motorway covers the roughly 60-66 km in about 45-55 minutes and, since the AUMAR concession expired on 1 January 2020, carries no toll along this stretch.
| Route | Distance/time | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| AP-7/A-7 motorway | ~60-66 km, 45-55 min, toll-free | Fastest, most direct option for most arrivals |
| N-332 coastal road | Similar distance, notably slower | Scenic drive through El Campello, Villajoyosa and Benidorm |
The N-332 runs closer to the coast and passes through El Campello, Villajoyosa and Benidorm, which makes it more scenic but also more congested, especially in summer when Benidorm traffic backs up. New arrivals unsure about Spanish road rules or roundabout etiquette can check driving in Altea before setting off. Once settled, the same AP-7 corridor also opens up excursions covered in day trips from Altea.
An international driving permit is not required for EU/EEA or UK photocard license holders, but travelers from the US, Canada or Australia should carry one alongside their home license.
Airport Pickup vs Delivery to Altea
Collecting the car at ALC is the default choice for most itineraries, and usually the cheaper one. A private taxi or transfer from the airport to Altea runs roughly EUR 90-140 each way, a cost that often exceeds a full week's economy rental on its own.
Delivery to an Altea hotel or villa is a narrower option offered by firms such as Victoria Cars, Blanca Cars and Rentiago, and it tends to make more sense when a car is only needed for a few days in the middle of a longer stay rather than for the whole trip.
- Airport pickup: usually the lower total cost when the car is needed for most of the stay
- Delivery to Altea: convenient for short mid-stay use, though it typically carries a delivery fee
- One-way drop-offs elsewhere in Spain are generally available but usually add a surcharge
Deposits and insurance vary by counter. Standard CDW cover often leaves an excess of roughly EUR 800-2000 that sits as a hold on a credit card, while a zero-excess add-on removes that exposure; local zero-excess specialists sometimes waive the deposit hold entirely. Bring a credit card in the main driver's name unless the operator explicitly accepts debit with full cover.
Whichever route fits, comparing a few operators side by side before booking is worth the ten minutes it takes. See Compare rental cars for current options serving both ALC pickup and Altea delivery.
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