Car rental prices at Azores Santa Maria Airport

Azores Santa Maria Airport averages around $94 a day for a Compact car like a Ford Focus booked about a month ahead for October 2026. A smaller Economy model like a Renault Clio runs to $84 a day, while a Mini such as a Hyundai i10 averages $62. Pickups in February 2027 drop as low as $35 a day for a Mini, whereas August 2027 reaches $217 for an Intermediate. Check your exact travel dates in the price checker to see where your quote lands.

When you book moves the price less than 23% at Azores Santa Maria Airport, so waiting or booking early makes very little difference across the year. Across the year, booking a Compact car 9 months before your trip averages $94 a day, compared to $86 around a month before and $77 in the last 2 weeks. Across the 395 airports we track car hire prices for on our sites, 48% of bookings happen within 2 weeks of pickup. If your dates are fixed, secure what you want without worrying about sudden price drops.

Europcar is the cheapest company at Azores Santa Maria Airport for a Compact car, averaging $75 a day over the last 12 months. For that rate you get a desk inside the terminal, though Europcar requires a credit card for the deposit. Ilha Verde is the only supplier taking debit cards at the counter, averaging $93 a day with an 85/100 score from 158 reviews. Sixt averages $104 a day and scores 82/100 from 608 reviews, also taking credit cards only.

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.

Ilha Verde is the best-reviewed company at Azores Santa Maria Airport, scoring 85/100 from 158 reviews, with counter waits averaging 22 minutes. Ilha Verde averages $93 a day for a Compact car over the last 12 months. Europcar scores 84/100 from 1,806 reviews with the same 22-minute wait, but costs less at $75 a day. Sixt averages an 18-minute wait and scores 82/100 from 608 reviews, priced at $104 a day.

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 Azores Santa Maria Airport, deposits held on your card range from $577 with Sixt to $4,502 with Ilha Verde, and only 1 of the 3 counters takes a debit card. Two of the three desks require a credit card for the deposit. If you plan to pay with a debit card, filter for it in the search results before comparing rates. Any extras added at the desk, like additional drivers or child seats, are detailed beside each car.

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

The biggest catch at Azores Santa Maria Airport is that two of the three rental counters refuse debit cards and hold hefty security deposits. Ilha Verde accepts debit cards but holds a steep $4,502 deposit, which can lock up your holiday spending money if you do not bring a credit card. Desk waits also stretch to 22 minutes at both Europcar and Ilha Verde when island flights land together. Every desk is inside the terminal, so you will at least avoid a shuttle bus.

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

Azores Santa Maria Airport averages $84 a day for an Economy car like a Renault Clio in October 2026. An Economy car seats 5 but holds 2 bags, which suits the island's narrow lanes where larger vehicles become a nuisance. A couple with lighter luggage can step down to a Mini like a Hyundai i10 for $62 a day, while a group needing 3 bags should step up to a Ford Focus Compact at $94. Only 26% of cars offered are automatic, costing $93 a day against $85 for a manual, so reserve one early if you cannot drive a stick shift.