Car Hire Gran Canaria Airport

Car Hire

Gran Canaria Airport, occasionally known as Las Palmas Airport, is the gateway to the summer holiday hub of the Canaries archipelago. Located on Gando Bay, just 12 miles to the south of the popular resort of Las Palmas, it handles over 10 million passengers a year, most of whom arrive during the high tourist season. Ground transportation is by taxi, bus or self-drive, made easy by a motorway which links the airport with Las Palmas and the southern tourism resorts.

Who to Book With
International car rental companies Europcar, Avis and Hertz supply hire cars at the airport, along with local companies Cicar, Goldcar and Top Car. Rental desks are found in the Arrivals halls of zones A and B. Pre-booking is recommended during the high season, especially if a popular model or style of car is preferred.

Need to Know Essentials
You will need to show the following documents when you collect your car rental:

- Your home country photo driver’s licence
- The credit card used to make the reservation
- Your passport, to confirm your ID
- Confirmation of advance booking, if made

For more info read our FAQ's.

Driving
Drivers in the Canaries drive on the right and speed limits on fast roads are set at 75mph, with speed traps common in the high season. Roads on Gran Canaria are in reasonable condition, with the main motorway, the GC1, useful for touring the eastern side of the island. A few fast roads are tolled, and parking in the resorts is normally pay-and-display or underground. Petrol stations are often self-service and most take credit card payments. Drink-driving is taken seriously, with a limit of 0.25mgs per litre of blood, and random breath tests are common. Warning triangles and a spare pair of glasses, if necessary, must be carried, while seatbelts are compulsory for all occupants.

See our guide to Spain for more information on driving here.

Transport

For most visitors to the island, car hire is by far the best bet for getting around, with pick-up at the airport giving a fast start to any holiday. Other means of travel include buses, with route 60 connecting the capital and the airport complex at a one-way fare of around £2. Buses run from 06:00 to 23:15 from the airport to San Telmo bus station in Las Palmas. Hotel shuttles are available and shared minibuses are an economical option.

Taxis
Taxi services at the airport are offered at a rank opposite the terminal or are pre-bookable via radio-cab companies such as Holiday Taxis (+34-928-252-630). Prices start at around £27 for the trip to the city centre or to the nearby coastal resorts.

Taxi prices:
Gran Canaria Airport to Las Palmas city centre is about £27
Gran Canaria Airport to Maspalomas is about £26
Gran Canaria Airport to Playa del Ingles is about £24
Gran Canaria Airport to Taurito is about £45

Buses
Gran Canaria’s bus network is comprehensive, linking the airport with the capital, various resorts and rural areas. Global SU provides cross-island transportation and connections from the airport to Las Palmas, and local Las Palmas bus routes are offered by Guaguas Municipales. Bus numbers 66 and 60 run from the airport to Maspalomas and Las Palmas, respectively, and are the most economical way to travel, with the airport to Las Palmas route costing around £2.

Facilities

Terminals
Gran Canaria Airport’s single terminal handles around 10 million passengers annually and is divided into three separate zones. Zone A serves EU flights, Zone B deals with international flights from outside the EU and Zone C is for inter-island domestic flights around the Canaries archipelago. A wide choice of carriers serve a plethora of European cities, giving a choice of full-service, low-cost or charter airlines. The UK is especially well-served by Thomas Cook, Thomson, Ryanair, Jet2, Monarch and EasyJet.

Parking
Gran Canaria Airport offers a general car park just a minute’s walk from the terminal, with daily rates of around £10 per day up to four days and £7 a day thereafter. Around 32 of the 1,426 parking bays are reserved for passengers with disabilities, and the car park is arranged on three stories.

Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi internet access is provided in the business lounge.

Information Services
There is an information desk in Zone A.

Useful Numbers
Service Centre: +34 91 321 1000

Accessibility
A free assistance service is provided for travellers with reduced mobility, with those needing help advised to arrange a meeting time at the airport through their airline. Assistance is offered with everything from check-in through security, in the departures lounge and getting to your seat on the plane. The usual EU-regulated services such as wheelchairs, ramps and adapted toilets are all available, as are designated car parking spaces.

Restaurants and Bars
Bars, cafés and restaurants are found in all three zones’ arrivals and departure areas. Airside outlets in Zone A’s Departures lounge include Starbucks, Upper Crust and O’Leary’s, and Tropical is found in the Arrivals hall. Airside in Zone B is another Upper Crust, and Zone C airside has Café Select and Café Sabina in the Arrivals hall. Burger King and the Lizarran Restaurant are airside in Zone A.

VIP Lounges

Zone A:
Galdos VIP lounge

Money and ATMs
Two Forex outlets are found at the terminal, both in Zone A, with one landside and the other airside. ATMs are found in Zone A’s public area and airside, and in Zone C.

Shopping
Shopping opportunities at the airport include duty-free stores in Zone A’s Arrivals and Departures areas, and another in Zone B’s Departures lounge. Zone A’s Departures lounge is well set up with fashion outlets, including Lenita, Natura and Lava, and Relay in Zone A’s public area sells a nice array of travel sundries.