Car Hire Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD)

You’ll find our Avis counters in both Terminal 1 and Terminal 4 at Madrid-Barajas Airport. Our Avis counter in Terminal 1 is on floor 0 with the rental parking area for this terminal a short distance away in car park P1 on floor 0. If you are flying into Terminal 4, you’ll find our Avis counter on floor -1 and to collect your car you’ll just head to car park 4 where you’ll reach our parking area on floor 0, module B.

Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) was one of the first airports to open in Spain welcoming its inaugural flights back in 1930. The airport was renamed Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport in 2014 in honour of Adolfo Suárez, who became the country’s first Prime Minister after Spain’s transition to democracy in 1976.

Its original runway and terminal hangar had capacity for around 30,000 passengers a year. Today, Madrid-Barajas welcomes 66.2 million passengers making it Spain’s busiest airport with a growing number of routes – 418 in 2024 – making it a key hub connecting Latin America with Europe. An ambitious renovation project has been underway at the airport since 2022 to bridge the architecturally different terminals and further upgrade passenger facilities with a focus on creating a relaxing and restorative environment for travellers.

The airport is located 13km (8 miles) from the centre of Madrid in the Barajas district which has its own metro station and railway line. As the gateway to the Iberian Peninsula, Madrid-Barajas has excellent road links to the A-2 motorway connecting Barcelona and Madrid as well as the north-south motorway M-12 and E5 trans-European highway.

Hiring a car is a great way to explore the area around the Spanish capital and further afield across the Meseta Central plateau. We’d recommend using GPS to navigate the region’s excellent road network. You’ll find Spain’s autovia – highways and motorways – network is extensive, well-maintained and efficient with traffic jams a rarity.

As in the rest of mainland Europe, you’ll be driving on the right-hand side of the road as you set off from Madrid-Barajas Airport. If you have not driven in this part of the world before, we’d advise checking the road rules for driving in Spain before you set off.

What are the age requirements for renting a car in Madrid

To rent a car with Avis in Madrid, Spain at Madrid-Barajas Airport, you must be at least 21 years old (age may vary by car category) and you must have held your licence for at least 1 year. Age restrictions also vary by vehicle and some selected car groups are not available to drivers under the age of 25.

What documents do I need to hire a car in Madrid?

To hire a car in Madrid, you just need to bring your:

• Driving licence
• Credit card (if it's a high value vehicle two payment cards must be provided, one of which needs to be a credit card),
• Proof of any discount (such as a frequent flyer or Avis Preferred card),
• Photo ID for international rentals (such as a passport or driving licence)

Can I pick up my rental car in Madrid and return it to another location?

One-way car rental with Avis makes it easy to go from A to B without driving full circle. That means you can collect your Avis hire car from Madrid-Barajas Airport and then return it to another Avis office whether that’s in Spain or even another country in Europe. Many of our Avis locations offer a 24-hour drop-off facility, which makes a one-way car hire hassle-free and very user-friendly. Simply check out our many available one-way journeys and start planning your route. When you are ready to book, just specify your destination in the booking panel and we will arrange it for you.

Is it worth hiring a car in Madrid?

While central Madrid is easy to walk around on foot and the city has a good public transport network, you’ll want to hire a car to travel further afield. Renting a car at Madrid-Barajas Airport gives you the freedom of independent travel as well as the opportunity to plan a Spanish road trip.

The Avis team at Madrid-Barajas Airport are experts on Madrid and the surrounding area and can offer advice on the best routes to take and make your trip a smooth one from the moment you touch down.

What is parking like in Madrid?

Unless you have parking facilities at your hotel or accommodation, you may find parking in Madrid is easiest on the outskirts around the city where on street parking is free and where there are ‘park and ride’ options offered at a number of suburban railway stations.

The centre of Madrid is a designated low emissions zone and there are restrictions including residents-only parking in many central areas. Regulated parking areas are signposted and have blue or green road markings. You can purchase a ticket from the nearest pay and display machine or by mobile.

From the Avis car park at Madrid Airport, Madrid is just a 26min drive of 23km. Head south from the airport on the M14 before merging onto the M40 and following signs into the centre of the city.

Madrid is Spain’s vibrant capital city, jam-packed with museums and art galleries, roof-top bars and nightclubs, with lots of restaurants where you can sample delicious tapas dishes. Don’t miss the Museo del Prado on many bucket lists - it houses more than 7000 exhibits and the building itself is a work of art.

Head to Plaza Mayor a grand square located in central Madrid; it’s a popular meeting place, home to the Tourist Office and a great place to enjoy street performances.

The Palacio Real (Royal Palace of Madrid) is open to the public and you’ll get to see important works of art, valuable tapestries and paintings throughout the 50 rooms on show to the public. Highlights include the Throne room itself, the Royal Armoury where you’ll see the armour worn by Emperor Charles V, and the Royal Pharmacy where the medicine given to the royal family was once stored.

Segovia

Just over an hour’s drive from Madrid, Segovia is a city full of ancient history. Its impressive and well preserved Roman aqueduct dates back to A.D 50, and it boasts a large number of Romanesque churches. Another wonder of Segovia is the Alcázar - a royal palace which is said to be one of Walt Disney’s inspirations for Cinderella’s castle. Unusually, it is built in the shape of the bow of a ship and was originally meant to be a fortress.

Toledo

Toledo is a one hour drive from Madrid and known in some quarters as the spiritual capital of Spain. Many different religious denominational influences on the city's architecture are clear to see. Toledo’s cathedral is one of the most extravagant cathedrals in Spain, the Mezquita del Cristo de la Luz is a modest, yet beautiful mosque and Sinagoga del Tránsito is a magnificent synagogue with rich stucco decoration.

Córdoba

Once an important Roman city, Córdoba is around a four hour drive from Madrid. The beautiful Mezquita de Córdoba (Córdoba Mosque) dates back to 987 A.D. and represents a time when Córdoba was one of the the biggest and most prosperous cities in Europe. In the middle of the mosque you’ll find a Renaissance cathedral nave which was built in the 16th Century; the reason it is sometimes referred to as ‘Mezquita-Catedral’.