Car rental requirements at Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD)
Compare debit-card rules, deposits, return-travel requirements and minimum ages for 8 rental companies at MAD.
8 rental companies compared
At a glance
Can you rent a car at MAD with a debit card?
5 of 8 accept debit cards
2 have additional conditions; 1 company does not accept debit.
How much is the rental car deposit at MAD?
No single deposit amount is published.
The amount depends on the rental company, payment method or vehicle.
Do you need a return flight to rent a car at MAD?
Required by some companies
3 companies have return-travel conditions.
How old do you have to be to rent a car at MAD?
18–21
Varies by rental company.
Documents
A valid driver’s license is required.
Passport, permit, payment-card or proof-of-address requirements vary by rental company.
International renters
Additional documents may be required.
8 companies publish additional requirements.
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Compare rental companies at MAD
- Accepted
- Deposit
- Deposit varies
- €200 minimum for Mini/Economy/Compact/Intermediate/Standard cars and SUVs and smaller cargo vans; €400 for larger vans and Full Size/Large SUV/Large Passenger Van; €500 for Compact Elite/Premium/Luxury/Convertible. Higher groups require credit card.
- Minimum age
- 21
- Return flight
- Required
- Conditional
- Deposit
- Deposit varies
- Spain pre-authorization is rental price + €200 minus any amount already prepaid; exact branch/vehicle exceptions can apply.
- Minimum age
- 21
- Return flight
- Not published
- Conditional
- Deposit
- Deposit varies
- A payment guarantee/pre-authorization is required; exact general MAD card hold is not cleanly published. Eligible cash rentals require an estimated rental amount plus 20% cash deposit.
- Minimum age
- 21
- Return flight
- Not published
- Accepted
- Deposit
- Deposit varies
- €200 minimum for Mini/Economy/Compact/Intermediate/Standard cars and SUVs and smaller cargo vans; €400 for larger vans and Full Size/Large SUV/Large Passenger Van; €500 for Compact Elite/Premium/Luxury/Convertible. Higher groups require credit card.
- Minimum age
- 21
- Return flight
- Required
- Not accepted
- Deposit
- Deposit varies
- Spain deposit policy: €500 base deposit for prepaid rentals; reduced to €300 with protection that lowers the damage excess, or €100 when protection reduces the excess to €0. If not prepaid, rental price is also authorized.
- Minimum age
- 21
- Return flight
- Not required
- Accepted
- Deposit
- Deposit varies
- A security authorization/deposit is required and works the same way for qualifying credit and debit cards; the exact Madrid amount is not published on the current public airport page.
- Minimum age
- 21
- Return flight
- Not required
- Accepted
- Deposit
- Deposit varies
- €200 minimum for Mini/Economy/Compact/Intermediate/Standard cars and SUVs and smaller cargo vans; €400 for larger vans and Full Size/Large SUV/Large Passenger Van; €500 for Compact Elite/Premium/Luxury/Convertible. Higher groups require credit card.
- Minimum age
- 21
- Return flight
- Required
- Accepted
- Deposit
- Deposit varies
- Security deposit is the rental price + €200 under SIXT Spain rental information; higher-value vehicles can have different deposit/payment requirements.
- Minimum age
- 18
- Return flight
- Not required
| Rental company | Debit | Deposit | Return flight | Min age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alamo | Accepted | Deposit varies€200 minimum for Mini/Economy/Compact/Intermediate/Standard cars and SUVs and smaller cargo vans; €400 for larger vans and Full Size/Large SUV/Large Passenger Van; €500 for Compact Elite/Premium/Luxury/Convertible. Higher groups require credit card. | Required | 21 |
| Avis | Conditional | Deposit variesSpain pre-authorization is rental price + €200 minus any amount already prepaid; exact branch/vehicle exceptions can apply. | Not published | 21 |
| Budget | Conditional | Deposit variesA payment guarantee/pre-authorization is required; exact general MAD card hold is not cleanly published. Eligible cash rentals require an estimated rental amount plus 20% cash deposit. | Not published | 21 |
| Enterprise | Accepted | Deposit varies€200 minimum for Mini/Economy/Compact/Intermediate/Standard cars and SUVs and smaller cargo vans; €400 for larger vans and Full Size/Large SUV/Large Passenger Van; €500 for Compact Elite/Premium/Luxury/Convertible. Higher groups require credit card. | Required | 21 |
| Europcar | Not accepted | Deposit variesSpain deposit policy: €500 base deposit for prepaid rentals; reduced to €300 with protection that lowers the damage excess, or €100 when protection reduces the excess to €0. If not prepaid, rental price is also authorized. | Not required | 21 |
| Hertz | Accepted | Deposit variesA security authorization/deposit is required and works the same way for qualifying credit and debit cards; the exact Madrid amount is not published on the current public airport page. | Not required | 21 |
| National | Accepted | Deposit varies€200 minimum for Mini/Economy/Compact/Intermediate/Standard cars and SUVs and smaller cargo vans; €400 for larger vans and Full Size/Large SUV/Large Passenger Van; €500 for Compact Elite/Premium/Luxury/Convertible. Higher groups require credit card. | Required | 21 |
| SIXT | Accepted | Deposit variesSecurity deposit is the rental price + €200 under SIXT Spain rental information; higher-value vehicles can have different deposit/payment requirements. | Not required | 18 |