Car Hire Leeds Airport

Car Hire

Being the largest airport in Yorkshire, Leeds Bradford International Airport services not one city but three: Leeds, Bradford and Harrogate. Buses and taxis to these three cities are available but to take advantage of the well-maintained and well-signposted roads of England, car hire in Leeds Bradford International Airport is recommended. It gives you the freedom to explore these cities, the rest of Yorkshire and beyond.

Who to Book With
Four car rental companies have desks at Leeds Bradford International Airport: Europcar, Avis, Hertz and Enterprise. The desks are located on the ground floor near the Check-in hall and International Arrivals area. Rental cars are retrieved from the dedicated car park for car hire companies. The car park is located outside the terminal building.

Need to Know Essentials
The following documents need to be presented when hiring a car:

- Driver's licence (held for at least a year)
- International Driving Permit (for non-EU renters)
- Credit card of the renter (the same one used to book the car rental)
- Booking confirmation

For more info read our FAQ's.

Driving
Fines for traffic violations can be heavy in the UK. Violators without a valid UK address will need to pay a financial penalty deposit of up to £300. Fines can be collected on the spot. Drivers of cars parked illegally will be fined or their vehicle will be wheel-clamped. Penalties for drink driving can be fines as high as £5,000 of imprisonment for up to six months. Front-seat passengers must wear seatbelts at all times, with children under three years needing to be seated in a suitable child restraint. Rear seatbelts must be worn, if fitted. The speed limit for built-up areas is 30mph, 60mph for outside built-up areas and 70mph for motorways and dual-carriageways.

For more information see our guide to driving in the UK.

Transport

Leeds Bradford International Airport has direct bus services operated by the West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority. Taxi services can be conveniently booked, too. Simply head to the Arrow Private Hire office outside the terminal. Hiring a car to explore the region is convenient as well. The major roads connecting the airport to Leeds, Bradford and Harrogate are well signposted. All three cities can be reached from the airport within 20 minutes.

Trains
There is no railway station at Leeds Bradford International Airport. The nearest mainline railway station is Leeds Railway Station, from where Northern Rail connections to London, Plymouth and Bristol. To reach the station, passengers can take a shuttle directly from the airport.

Taxis
Official airport taxi service is provided by Arrow Private Hire. The company has an office located right outside the terminal building which accept bookings and major credit and debit cards as payment. Eight-seat shuttles are available, including wheelchair-friendly shuttles.

Taxi prices:
Leeds Bradford International Airport to Crowne Plaza, Leeds, is about £25
Leeds Bradford International Airport to Harrogate Conference Centre is about £28
Leeds Bradford International Airport to the University of Bradford (College) is about £20

Buses
Buses at the airport are operated by the West Yorkshire Transport Authority. Bus 737 leaves from the airport hourly and goes north to Harrogate, costing £5 for a single journey. Bus 747 leaves hourly and goes to Bradford and costs around £3.30 for a single journey. Bus 757 goes to Leeds, leaving every 30 minutes during the day and every hour at night. A single-journey costs about £3.30. The shuttles' drop-off and pick-up area is right outside the terminal building.

Facilities

Terminals
Leeds Bradford International Airport services three cities: Leeds, Bradford and Harrogate. The airport has one terminal with three floors. The first level has check-in desks as well as domestic and international arrivals areas, while the second and third levels have departures gates. The airport is the largest in Yorkshire and received almost three million passengers in 2011. Flights land here from all over Europe and a few airports in Northern Africa as well as from New York and Pakistan.

Parking
There are two car parks for short-term parking and long-term parking, both of which have spaces for disabled persons. The short-term parking area is located right outside the terminal. There is a courtesy bus service from the long-term car park. Parking at the short-term car park for up to three hours costs around £10. Parking at the long-term car park for up to three days costs about £45.

Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi is provided at the airport by Spectrum Interactive. A number of hot spots are scattered around the airport. There are also cyber desks and modem dial-up access offered by Surfbox.

Information Services
There is an airport information desk on the terminal's first level in Check-in hall A. Airline information desks are located nearby.

Useful Numbers
Airport Customer Service: +44 871 288 2288

Accessibility
A wide range of facilities are available for persons with reduced mobility. All car parks have Blue Badge areas for disabled passengers. The courtesy buses are able to handle persons in wheelchairs. Adapted lifts and toilets are available on all floors. There are also wheelchairs, ambulifts and ramps.

Restaurants and Bars
A number of bars and restaurants are available at the airport. The Saltaire Bar and Eatery has a large area on the second level, near gates 6 and 7. At the other end of the floor are Camden Food Co. and Burger King. A Caffe Ritazza branch can be found in Check-in hall B on the first level. The Dandy Bar is located on the third level.

VIP Lounges

Second Level:
Yorkshire Premier Lounge

Money and ATMs
Two Travelex currency exchange counters are found on the first level, one in Check-in hall A the other in hall B. There is also one on the second level beside Superdrug. ATMs are located on the first and second levels.

Shopping
Several shops selling all sorts of items are available at Leeds Bradford International Airport. WHSmith, which sells books and magazines, has locations on all three floors. Superdrug, which sells health and beauty products, is on the second level. World Duty Free is also located on the second level, beside gates 9 and 10.