Car Hire Isle of Man Airport

Car Hire

Isle of Man Airport, or Ronaldsway Airport, is situated along the south coast of the island, around seven miles southwest of the island capital, Douglas. With scheduled services running weekly from the UK, the Channel Islands and Ireland, it is the main airport on the island. From here, it is easy to self-drive to the capital and across the rest of the island. A number of bus services are also available.

Who to Book With
There are three car rental companies available at the airport. Athol Car Hire is a local company that has offices across the island. Isle of Man Rent a Car is an agent of Hertz and has an office in the main terminal, along with Mylchreests Car Rental, a local agent for the international company Avis.

Need to Know Essentials
The following documents are required to collect a vehicle:

- A valid driver’s licence (both the paper and photo ID parts)
- The credit card used for the transaction
- A valid passport
- Proof of address, such as a phone bill
- Booking confirmation email or number

For more info read our FAQ's

Driving
Driving on the Isle of Man is similar to driving within the UK. Traffic regulations on the whole are the same and driving is on the left. However, unlike in the UK, there is no national speed limit across the island but rather there are only limits in built-up areas. Many of the built-up areas have been zoned for parking. A useful item is a parking disc, which can be purchased from most car rental companies. Drivers can then use this disc to indicate time of arrival and will be charged according to how long the vehicle has been parked. The length of stay for disc parking is usually limited to two hours.

See our guide to the UK for more information on driving here.

Transport

There are a number of bus services and taxis available for visitors. The bus service does not run 24 hours. There is also the Isle of Man steam railway. Although this service does not run directly to the airport, there are a number of bus services to the railway station.

Taxis
The taxi rank can be found outside of the main airport entrance. Although taxis tend not to stay at the taxi rank 24 hours, they are there to meet all flight arrivals. There are fixed charges for destinations across the island. Some of the reliable operators providing service at the airport include Ramsey Radio Cabs, A2B Airport Taxi and Flightline Taxi.

Taxi prices:
Isle of Man Airport to Douglas is about £18
Isle of Man Airport to Port Erin is about £18
Isle of Man Airport to Kirk Michael is about £22
Isle of Man Airport to Ramsey is about £30

Buses
Bus services 1 and 2 both stop outside of the main terminal. These services operate daily between the airport and a number of tourist spots and main towns, such as Douglas, Santon, Castletown and Port Erin. The number 8 service runs to Peel and Foxdale. All buses are run by Isle of Man Transport, with services running from Monday to Saturday.

Facilities

Terminals
Located in the south of the island, Isle of Man Airport has one main terminal. Split between two levels, Check-in can be found on the ground floor along with Baggage Reclaim. Departures is located on the upper level of the terminal. Toilets and public services are located on both levels.

Parking
Both short- and long-stay parking is available at the airport, outside of the main terminal. Tickets can be purchased beforehand from the information services or parking can be paid for when exiting the car park. Parking for up to an hour is free, with charges starting from £1 for up to two hours and going up to £60 for 13 days.

Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi is provided free of charge and is available in the Departures area and the majority of the airport’s restaurants and cafés.

Information Services
The airport information desk is located in the main hall of the airport. The desk provides a number of services, including tourist information, flight reservations and car park ticketing.

Useful Numbers
Service Centre: +44 1624 821600

Accessibility
There are disabled persons’ toilets located throughout the main terminal and a number of lifts for access between the first and second floors. There are a number of disabled persons’ parking spaces located directly outside of the terminal, with parking discounts available for those with reduced mobility. Simply present your parking ticket, disabled persons’ parking badge and flight information to the service desk.

Restaurants and Bars
There is a cafeteria at the Isle of Man Airport on the first floor. Here, passengers can purchase hot food and drinks. There is also a smaller café in Departures for customers wanting to purchase a quick snack or light meal.

VIP Lounges

Departures lounge:
Rendezvous Executive Lounge

Money and ATMs
Although there is no bureau de change or bank in the airport, ATMs can be found at the main entrance, adjacent to Baggage Reclaim. Pounds sterling is accepted in the airport alongside the local currency, the Manx pound.

Shopping
There is one store on the first floor, directly opposite the cafeteria. Here, passengers can purchase duty-free goods such as perfume, tobacco and alcohol. Books, newspapers and gifts are also available.