Palma Airport car rental guide: pick-up, shuttles and return
Arriving and finding your rental desk
Palma de Mallorca Airport (PMI, also called Son Sant Joan) lies about 8 km east of the centre of Palma. After you collect your luggage you walk into the arrivals hall. Depending on the provider, the rental desk is either inside the terminal or at a depot outside the airport that you reach by shuttle bus or a short walk.
Your booking confirmation or voucher should say which applies and where the meeting point is. If it does not, ask the provider before you travel rather than searching with your luggage on arrival. On busy days, especially summer weekends, queues at rental desks can be long, so keep your documents ready: driving licence, passport or ID, booking voucher and the main driver’s credit card.
In-terminal desk or shuttle to an off-site depot?
A desk in the terminal is convenient, particularly with children or lots of luggage. An off-site depot means a shuttle ride and often a second queue, which adds time, but it is not necessarily worse: some travellers find the depot quieter. The model varies by provider and can change, so rely on the details of your own booking.
If you use a shuttle, check how often it runs, where it leaves from and whether it operates at the hour you land. Note the depot address and phone number from your voucher. The return process for the car can differ from the pick-up process, so check that too.
Late or delayed arrivals
Give your flight number when booking if the form asks for it, so the provider can follow delays. Do not assume that every desk is open late at night: opening hours differ, and some providers offer out-of-hours pick-up only on request and sometimes for a fee.
If your flight is delayed or you land after midnight, contact the provider using the phone number on your voucher before you travel, ask how long they hold the car, and keep a written confirmation. If you cannot collect the car, ask what the no-show terms are.
Leaving the airport and first drive
Set up your navigation app before you start the engine and adjust seat and mirrors while still parked. You drive on the right in Spain. The airport is connected by motorway to Palma and its ring road (Ma-20), from where main roads lead across the island, for example towards Alcúdia in the north or the east coast.
Typical drive times, depending on traffic: Can Pastilla and Playa de Palma around 10 minutes, Palma centre around 15 to 20 minutes, Magaluf around 30 minutes, and Alcúdia, Cala Millor or Cala d’Or roughly 50 to 60 minutes. Traffic on summer weekends and in the late afternoon can make journeys longer.
Returning the car at the airport
Plan to be at the return point well before your flight. Many travellers allow extra time in summer because of fuel stops, the inspection and, for off-site depots, the shuttle back to the terminal. Ask the provider for its recommended time.
Refuel on your way to the airport if your policy is full-to-full, and keep the receipt. Follow the signs for rental car return, empty the car, and ask for the check-in to be done in your presence. If you hand over the keys without staff, photograph the car, fuel gauge and mileage. Our guide to renting a car in Mallorca contains a full return checklist.