Car Hire Sanford Airport

Car Hire

Orlando-Sanford International Airport may no longer be central Florida's largest air gateway, but its heavy flight training traffic keeps it among the world's top 30 busiest airports when it comes to total flight operations. Public Lynx buses, shuttle vans or buses, and Yellow Cab taxis all travel the 6.5 miles from Sanford Airport to Orlando. However, visitors may also want to consider car rental in Sanford Airport for greater travel freedom across Orlando, Walt Disney World and the rest of the state of Florida.

Who to Book With
Advantage, Thrifty and Alamo are among the nine car rental companies with desks on the Sanford Airport property. Courtesy shuttles can also transport passengers to any of the countless other car hire firms with depots outside the airport property.

Need to Know Essentials
The following documents need to be shown at vehicle collection:

- A driver’s licence
- The credit card used to reserve the vehicle
- A valid passport
- Official booking confirmation

For more info read our FAQ's.

Driving
Driving in Florida, as in the rest of the US, is on the right side of the road. It usually takes no more than 15 minutes to drive the 6.5 miles between Sanford Airport and Orlando, whose city centre is often less congested than its surrounding highways during peak rush hours. The roads linking Orlando to Sanford Airport rarely experience heavy traffic jams. Parking is likewise usually easy to find in both Orlando and the sprawling Walt Disney World theme park. Four huge parking garages are situated within Orlando's city limits.

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

Transport

Sanford Airport's other transportation options outside of car rental include the affordable Lynx Bus number 33 and the more expensive Yellow Cab taxis which travel throughout the Greater Orlando area. Private shuttle buses are another affordable alternative, especially for large groups of visitors.

Trains
The nearest rail station to Sanford Airport is downtown Orlando's Amtrak station, which can be reached by car, taxi or bus from the airport. Rail passengers can then board the Silver Service Palmetto, which travels south to Miami and north to New York City, or the Sunset Route, which travels west all the way to Los Angeles. Both routes make three runs each week.

Taxis
The Yellow Cab Company of Orlando operates the many taxis parked outside of the Sanford Airport Arrivals area. No advance reservations are necessary before hopping into one of these brightly-coloured vehicles which travel across five different Greater Orlando zones. Passengers can obtain further taxi information and book cabs online through Orlando Taxi Services.

Taxi prices:
Sanford Airport to airport hotels is about £7
Sanford Airport to Downtown Orlando is about £10
Sanford Airport to International Drive is about £10
Sanford Airport to Walt Disney World is about £12

Buses
Lynx bus number 33 stops at both Sanford Airport terminal buildings before making its 50-minute journey to Orlando. The first Lynx bus of the day leaves the airport at 05:38 and buses depart every hour until 21:38. Bus passengers can purchase single tickets at £1.25, daily fixed route passes at £2.80 or seven-day passes at £10. Holders of these passes can travel along more than 30 routes across Orlando.

Facilities

Terminals
Sanford Airport's two terminals are situated next to each other. Terminal B is reserved for domestic flights, most of which are budget Allegiant Air flights from small US cities. Terminal A handles all international flights, which travel to destinations as varied as Brazil, Iceland and the UK. Over 1.5 million passengers entered both terminals in 2011. The Departures areas are located on the upper levels and the Arrivals areas are found on the ground floors of the two-level terminals.

Parking
Several parking options are available at all four Sanford Airport car parks. Credit card and cash payments are both accepted by the self-pay parking system which is installed at the economy and short-term parking lots, but motorists can also make credit card parking payments when exiting the car park. The Terminal B Baggage Claim area contains the main parking pay station. Visitors must not forget to take their parking tickets with them as they will need them to make parking payments. Economy parking area fees are up to £5 per day or less than £1 each 30 minutes. Parking at the seasonal car park, which is open only during holidays, is less than £1 each 30 minutes or around £6 per day. Parking in the airport parking garage costs around £1 each half hour or £10 per day. Long-term and disabled persons’ parking options are also available.

Wi-Fi
Free wireless internet access is available in all Sanford Airport public areas.

Information Services
Both Sanford Airport terminals have fully staffed information desks providing plenty of useful information about nearby hotels and local attractions.

Useful Numbers
Airport Information: +1 407 585 4500
Airport Main Switchboard: +1 407 585 4000

Accessibility
Disabled passengers at Sanford Airport will find plenty of adapted telephones and toilets, as well as ramps and elevators which are fully accessible for wheelchair users. Disabled passengers can call for porter assistance or other help prior to arriving at the airport.

Restaurants and Bars
There are about half a dozen places to eat and drink at Sanford Airport, most of which are located in Terminal B. Terminal A contains a casual food court along with the Budweiser Tap Room. The main restaurants in Terminal B are Café Ritazza and the American Grill. Blue Sky Spirits is the main Terminal B bar, while Blue Sky Express serves cold drinks and quick snacks.

VIP Lounges

Terminal A:
International Departures Lounge Guest House

Terminal B:
Royal Palm Lounge

Money and ATMs
Currency can be exchanged at the Sanford Airport Terminal A information desk, while ATMs are placed on the upper levels of both terminals.

Shopping
Terminal A contains the majority of Sanford Airport's five places to shop, including Travel Pursuits travel essentials, Reel Stuff with its Disney souvenirs, a duty-free shop, the Ron Jon Surf Shop and video games at Altitudes Arcade. Newsworld is the main shop at Terminal B.