Car rental prices at London Stansted Airport

A Compact car such as a Volkswagen Golf at London Stansted Airport typically costs around $53 a day when booked about a month ahead for October 2026. An Economy car like an Opel Corsa is about $46 a day, while a Mini is around $32. Leaving your booking to the last 2 weeks drops the Compact to about $43 a day. February 2027 is the cheapest month across the year at $39 a day for a Mini, while July 2027 is the dearest at $140 for an executive class car. Check the price checker for your exact dates.

Booking late saves about 47% at London Stansted Airport, where a Compact car drops from $67 a day 9 months before your trip to $46 2 weeks before. For October 2026, a Compact car booked about a month ahead is $53 a day, falling to $43 in the last 2 weeks. Across the 395 airports we track car hire prices for, 48% of our customers book within 2 weeks of pickup, while only 2% book more than 6 months ahead. If you have not booked yet, you have not missed the cheaper rates.

Dollar is the cheapest company at London Stansted Airport for a Compact car, averaging $44 a day over the last 12 months from 528 prices, but it requires a credit card. Dollar holds a $1,011 deposit on a credit card and scores 89/100 from 41 reviews, with an average desk wait of 13 minutes. Europcar costs $63 a day and accepts debit cards, scoring 86/100 across 219 reviews. Budget, Keddy by Europcar and Avis are the closest alternatives at $47 a day.

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.

Dollar is the best-reviewed company at London Stansted Airport, scoring 89 out of 100 from 41 reviews with an average desk wait of 13 minutes. Dollar is also the cheapest supplier for a Compact car at $44 a day over the last 12 months from 528 prices. Alamo and National follow closely on reviews, each scoring 88/100, though Alamo averages a 27-minute wait and National 22 minutes. Enterprise does not yet have enough reviews for a score, while Drivalia scores lowest among rated desks at 75/100.

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

Deposits held on your card at London Stansted Airport range from $67 with U-Save to $2,427 with Drivalia, and 5 of the 13 counters accept a debit card. Seven desks are strictly credit-card only, while Sixt accepts a debit card for some cars only. The deposit and payment rules are shown beside each car in the results, so filter for debit cards before comparing quotes. Any optional extras charged at the desk are listed under each vehicle with their price.

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

London Stansted Airport deposits reach as high as $2,427, and several counters flatly refuse debit cards. All 13 desks sit at the airport, but 7 will not take a debit card for your deposit, so bring a credit card in the main driver's name. Alamo averages a 27-minute wait at the counter, which tests your patience after a flight. If a deposit of $2,427 with Drivalia leaves your credit limit gasping, U-Save asks just $67.

Only 41% of prices at London Stansted Airport are full tank out, full tank back, so read the fuel line under the car before you book.

A Compact car like a Volkswagen Golf costs about $53 a day at London Stansted Airport in October 2026 and fits 5 people for motorway driving. A Compact car seats 5 but takes 3 bags, so a full party means soft bags on laps; stepping up to an Intermediate like a Nissan Qashqai provides 4 bags of boot room for $61 a day. Stepping down to an Economy car like an Opel Corsa costs $46 a day but holds only 2 bags. Automatic cars make up 58% of what is offered and cost $12 more a day than a manual Compact across the year, while electric cars are 6% and hybrids 1%, so low-emission options are scarce.