Malta International Airport (MLA), Luqa

Car Hire at Malta Airport

Find the best and cheapest car hire at Malta International Airport. Compare 56 companies from £4/day — unlimited mileage on all cars, free cancellation on 43 cars.

✓ 56 Companies ✓ From £4/Day ✓ Unlimited Mileage on All Cars ✓ Left-Hand Traffic Like the UK
Unlimited Mileage on All 56 CarsEvery listing includes unlimited mileage — drive from Valletta to Gozo without counting kilometres
Free Cancellation on 43 CarsCancel before pick-up at no charge on 43 of 56 cars — no penalty, no fee
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Left-Hand Traffic — Same as the UKMalta drives on the left, making it one of Europe’s most comfortable destinations for British drivers

Cars Available at Malta Airport

56 cars from our partner platform — economy to SUV, manual and automatic. All include unlimited mileage. 43 with free cancellation, 7 without credit card requirement.

See All 56 Available Cars →

Car Hire Prices at Malta Airport

Malta is one of Europe’s most affordable car hire destinations. January is cheapest at £9/day. August is peak at £23/day. Book 2–3 weeks ahead for the best rate.

£4Cheapest price/day
£14Average price/day
2–3 weeksBest time to book
JanuaryCheapest month

Average daily price by month (£)

Price by car category (from £/day)

How Much Does Car Hire Cost at Malta Airport?

Malta is consistently one of Europe’s cheapest car hire destinations. Economy cars (Kia Picanto, Hyundai i10) start from £4–12/day. SUVs and crossovers for exploring the island’s villages and coastal roads start from £11/day. The average across all categories is £14/day via Localrent — significantly below the European average.

CategoryAverage price/dayFromExamples
Economy / Mini£9–16/day£4/dayKia Picanto, Hyundai i10, Citroen C1, Toyota Aygo
Standard / Compact£12–22/day£10/dayPeugeot 308, Opel Corsa, Fiat Panda, Kia Rio
SUV / Crossover£19–35/day£11/dayPeugeot 2008, VW Golf, intermediate SUVs
Van / 7 Seats£45+/day£40/dayCitroen SpaceTourer
Premium / Convertible£45–86/day£18/dayPeugeot 108 Top convertible, premium saloons

Best Car Hire Companies at Malta Airport

All 15 major companies at Malta International Airport, sorted by Google rating. 56 providers total at MLA; key operators shown here. Local and specialist operators often offer better value than large international brands.

Car hire desks inside Malta International Airport arrivals hall

Enterprise Rent-A-Car Malta

4.8
★★★★☆ 391 reviews

Location: Luqa, Malta
Phone: +356 2158 3033
Hours: Closes 8pm

Condition
4.8
Service
4.8

Alamo Rent A Car

4.6
★★★★☆ 238 reviews

Location: Luqa, Malta
Phone: +356 2158 3033
Hours: Closes 8pm

Condition
4.6
Service
4.6

Drifter Cabs & Car Hire Malta

4.5
★★★★☆ 1,100 reviews

Location: Mellieha, Malta
Phone: +356 2152 3535
Hours: Closes midnight

Condition
4.5
Service
4.5

Malta Car Hire Low Deposit

4.4
★★★★☆ 32 reviews

Location: Luqa, Malta
Phone: +356 2757 7206
Hours: 24 hours

Condition
4.4
Service
4.4

Aquarius Rent A Car

4.3
★★★★☆ 698 reviews

Location: Luqa, Malta
Phone: +356 2157 1186
Hours: 24 hours

Condition
4.3
Service
4.3

Greenmotion

4.3
★★★★☆ 1,000 reviews

Location: Luqa, Malta
Phone: +356 2258 0340
Hours: Closes 8pm

Condition
4.3
Service
4.3

Sicily by Car Malta

4.0
★★★★☆ 3,500 reviews

Location: Luqa, Malta
Phone: +356 9921 7673
Hours: Closes 2am

Condition
4.0
Service
4.0

Airport Car Rentals Malta

3.6
★★★☆☆ 59 reviews

Location: Luqa, Malta
Phone: +356 2766 6550
Hours: 24 hours

Condition
3.6
Service
3.6

Europcar Malta

3.6
★★★☆☆ 847 reviews

Location: Luqa, Malta
Phone: +356 2576 1018
Hours: Closes 5pm

Condition
3.6
Service
3.6

Sixt Malta

3.6
★★★☆☆ 700 reviews

Location: Luqa, Malta
Phone: +356 2149 0003
Hours: Closes 8pm

Condition
3.6
Service
3.6

Avis Malta

3.5
★★★☆☆ 740 reviews

Location: Luqa, Malta
Phone: +356 2567 7200
Hours: Closes 2am

Condition
3.5
Service
3.5

Budget Malta

3.4
★★★☆☆ 323 reviews

Location: Luqa, Malta
Phone: +356 2567 7207
Hours: Closes 2am

Condition
3.4
Service
3.4

Hertz - Thrifty Malta

2.8
★★☆☆☆ 804 reviews

Location: Luqa, Malta
Phone: +356 2123 2811
Hours: Closes 1am

Condition
2.8
Service
2.8

First Car Rental

2.1
★★☆☆☆ 127 reviews

Location: Luqa, Malta
Phone: +356 2123 9421
Hours: Closes 8:30pm

Condition
2.1
Service
2.1

Goldcar Malta Airport

1.8
★☆☆☆☆ 1,400 reviews

Location: Luqa, Malta
Phone: +356 2576 1000
Hours: Permanently closed

Condition
1.8
Service
1.8
Key tip: Enterprise Malta (4.8★) and Alamo (4.6★) consistently lead on service quality. Local operator Aquarius (4.3★, 698 reviews) and Drifter Cabs (4.5★, 1100 reviews) offer excellent value. International brands Hertz-Thrifty (2.8★) and Goldcar (1.8★, now permanently closed) have significantly lower ratings. Car hire desks are located inside the arrivals hall at MLA.

What to Know Before Hiring a Car in Malta

Is It a Good Idea to Rent a Car in Malta?

Yes — a hire car is the best way to explore Malta. Public transport connects the main towns but misses most villages, beaches, and historic sites. With a hire car you can reach the walled city of Mdina, the Blue Grotto sea caves, Marsaxlokk fishing village and the Cirkewwa ferry to Gozo in comfort. The island is small — you can drive from one end to the other in under an hour.

Left-Hand Traffic — Great News for UK Drivers

Malta drives on the left side of the road, the same as the UK. This makes Malta one of the easiest European destinations for British drivers. Road signs are in English (Malta’s official language alongside Maltese). Speed limits are 50 km/h in urban areas and 80 km/h on main roads. There are no motorways on the island.

Documents You Need

Driving Tips for Malta

Note: All 56 cars include unlimited mileage — essential in Malta where you’ll frequently cover the same routes to reach different sights. Malta is very compact: 27 km long and 14 km wide.

Car Hire Locations at Malta Airport

All major car hire companies have desks inside the MLA arrivals hall. Malta International Airport is in Luqa, 6 km south of Valletta and central to the island — easy access to all major towns.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheap to hire a car in Malta?

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Yes — Malta is one of Europe’s most affordable car hire destinations. Economy cars start from £4/day. The average across all car types is £14/day via Localrent. Even in August (peak month), prices average only £23/day. Book 2–3 weeks ahead and all 56 cars include unlimited mileage at no extra cost.

Is it a good idea to rent a car in Malta?

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Yes — a hire car is the most practical way to explore Malta. The island is small (27 km long) but public transport misses most beaches and historic villages. With a hire car you can reach Mdina, the Blue Grotto, Marsaxlokk and take the car ferry to Gozo. Malta drives on the left — ideal for UK drivers.

What is the best car hire company at Malta Airport?

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Enterprise Malta rates highest at 4.8★ (391 reviews), followed by Alamo (4.6★, 238 reviews) and Drifter Cabs & Car Hire (4.5★, 1100 reviews). Local specialist Aquarius Rent A Car (4.3★, 698 reviews) is excellent value. Goldcar (now permanently closed) and Hertz-Thrifty (2.8★) have the lowest ratings.

All Frequently Asked Questions →