Car hire prices at Cape Town International Airport

A Compact car like a Toyota Corolla Quest at Cape Town International Airport is around £32 a day for October 2026 when booked about a month ahead. An Economy car like a Volkswagen Polo Vivo is about £24 a day, while a Mini is £18 and an Intermediate SUV runs to £40. Leaving your booking to the last 2 weeks drops the Compact to £26. Across the year, prices reach their highest in February 2027 at £97 a day for a luxury car and drop to £21 in September 2027 for a Mini, so check our price checker for your exact dates.

For Cape Town International Airport, booking late saves about 28% across the year, with a Compact averaging £41 a day 9 months out against £32 2 weeks out. For October 2026 specifically, booking a month ahead averages £32 a day for a Compact car, but waiting until the last 2 weeks brings it down to £26. If you have not booked yet, you have missed nothing. Across the 395 airports we track car hire prices for, 48% of our customers book within 14 days of pickup.

First is the cheapest company with a measured sample at Cape Town International Airport for a Compact, averaging £30 a day over the last 12 months from 892 prices. U-Save follows at £31 from 1,057 prices, while Hertz and Tempest both average £32. All desks sit directly at the airport, but you must supply a credit card because none accept debit cards. Tempest scores 89/100 from 80 recent reviews, whereas First and U-Save do not yet have enough reviews for a score.

The cheapest company can cost you a longer queue or a bigger deposit, so check the review score and desk wait beside each car in the results before you book.

Bluu Car Rental is the best-reviewed company at Cape Town International Airport, scoring 93 out of 100 from 37 reviews, with counter waits averaging 9 minutes. Firefly Powered by Hertz follows with 91/100 from 50 reviews and a 30-minute wait, while Tempest scores 89/100 from 80 reviews with a 21-minute wait. Bluu Car Rental averages £38 a day for a Compact car, whereas Tempest costs less at £32. Cheaper options like First and U-Save do not yet have enough reviews for a score.

Review scores are CarTrawler customers' own, from the last five months; the score and the desk wait sit beside each car in the results.

At Cape Town International Airport, security deposits range from £128 with Avis to £1,755 with Bluu Car Rental, and all 15 counters accept credit cards only. None of the desks take a debit card for deposits, so you must bring a credit card in the lead driver's name. The exact deposit held is shown beside each car before you reserve. Any optional extras you choose at the counter are listed separately with their prices.

If you bring your own child seat, check your airline's rules first: most carry one free, some charge.

The main trap at Cape Town International Airport is arriving with only a debit card, because all 15 rental counters refuse debit cards for the deposit. Desks also differ sharply on counter delays: Avis averages 43 minutes and Sixt averages 38 minutes, while Bluu Car Rental clears queues in 9 minutes. The one bright spot is fuel, where every counter operates a full-to-full policy. If your plastic only works on everyday spending, the counter will leave you stranded before you even reach your first four-way stop.

Fuel is full tank out, full tank back on 100% of prices at Cape Town International Airport, so there is no fuel charge to be surprised by.

For up to 5 passengers heading onto the open road from Cape Town International Airport, choose an Intermediate like the Toyota Corolla Cross at about £40 a day in October 2026. An Intermediate seats 5 and holds 3 bags, whereas a Compact car like a Toyota Corolla Quest takes only 2 bags for £32. If you need boot room for 4 bags, step up to a Fullsize SUV like a Toyota Fortuner at £76. Automatics account for 59% of cars offered, but an automatic Compact averages £42 a day over the year compared to £31 for a manual, while electric cars and hybrids are not available.