Market report · Madrid Airport · deposits
Madrid Airport car hire deposits: what each supplier holds on your card
The deposit is blocked on the main driver's credit card for the whole rental. At Madrid Airport it is typically €500, and it varies far more between suppliers than the price does.
Measured 53 searches How we measure
What the numbers say about Madrid Airport
- Deposits here run from €175 (OK Mobility) to €1,400 (Goldcar) - about 8 times apart, far wider than the prices.
- The cheapest week here (Goldcar, about €291 with a second driver) holds one of the biggest deposits (€1,400): a trade-off, not a bargain.
- Unusually, 49% of cars here accept a debit card for the deposit.
Every supplier, lowest deposit first
| Supplier | Deposit held | Rating | A week, 2nd driver incl. |
|---|---|---|---|
| OK Mobility | €175 | 7.73 | €470 |
| Goldcar Zero Excess | €200 | 7.89 | €446 |
| Alquicoche | €200 | 7.88 | €550 |
| Centauro | €240 | 8.29 | €417 |
| Finalrentals | €500 | 8.88 | €324 |
| Europcar | €500 | 8.27 | €408 |
| Record go | €550 | 7.69 | €468 |
| Flizzr | €574 | 8.41 | €424 |
| Keddy | €650 | 8.18 | €335 |
| SIXT | €670 | 8.8 | €534 |
| Routes Car Rental | €1,100 | 7.86 | €910 |
| Goldcar | €1,400 | 7.1 | €291 |
Typical figures across our week-long searches; ratings are DiscoverCars customer reviews.
How deposits split at Madrid Airport
- Low deposit: 39% of offers
- Average deposit: 35% of offers
- High deposit: 7% of offers
- Low deposit option available: 6% of offers
- No deposit: 6% of offers
- Deposit-free option available: 5% of offers
Madrid Airport against other airports
Typical deposit: €500 here, against €200 at Bodrum Airport (lowest we measure) and €2,000 at Dublin Airport (highest).
What people get wrong about deposits
- It must be a credit card in the main driver's name - 49% of cars here take a debit card for it.
- Full cover bought when you book does not remove it: the desk still holds the deposit (DiscoverCars' own terms).
- A separate excess policy does not lower it either - it pays you back after a claim.
- It is released after you return the car, usually within days to a few weeks, depending on your bank.
Only low-deposit cars
Search Madrid Airport and tap "Low deposit": cars with a low or no deposit, ranked by the total you pay.
More on Madrid Airport: the full market report · prices by month · the deposits guide. We earn a commission when you book through DiscoverCars; it never changes the order.