Car rentals at Bilbao Airport (BIO)

Part of our guide to car hire in Bilbao.

Reviewed by the eCarBookers Editorial Team. Last updated 25 October 2026.

How to Find Your Car Hire Desk at Bilbao Airport (BIO)

• Book through eCarBookers first: Your booking confirmation from eCarBookers locks in your price and your vehicle class before you arrive. You pay the balance at the desk on collection, and the terms confirmed at booking are the terms you receive. Always confirm your hire in advance to guarantee your price from the moment you collect the keys.
• Where the airport is: Bilbao Airport stands at Loiu, in the Txorierri valley north of the city, about 9 to 12 km from the centre. The terminal was designed by Santiago Calatrava and opened in 2000, and it is the only passenger terminal, so there is no choice of terminal to make on arrival.
• Finding the car hire area: Follow the car rental signs after arrivals. One guide describes taking the escalator down and following the corridor to a Car Rental Hall, another describes the desks as outside the terminal building, a short walk away, and a third places one supplier's branch on the lower car park level. Arrangements differ from one supplier to another.
• Where your desk is: Several suppliers operate from the airport car parks, and some off-site suppliers offer a shuttle or a pick-up. The desk and any transfer depend on your supplier, so your booking voucher shows the exact meeting point for your hire. Check it before you travel and follow it on arrival. Do not assume a desk in the terminal unless your voucher says so.
• Opening hours: Hours vary by supplier. Listings for other suppliers show desks open from about 07:00 or 08:00 until about 23:00 or 23:30, and many listings show no hours at all. Confirm the hours in your booking confirmation and choose a flight that lands inside them.
• What to bring: The main driver should carry a valid driving licence, a passport or photo identification, and a credit card in their own name with a limit high enough to cover the excess hold. Drivers with a licence issued outside the EU should also carry an international driving permit where required.

Pick-Up, Drop-Off, and Refuelling at Bilbao Airport (BIO)

• Returning the car: Follow the Car Rental Return signs on the approach to the airport, park in the return area for your supplier, and hand over the keys and the completed contract as your booking voucher directs. Off-site suppliers give the return address in the booking confirmation.
• Out-of-hours returns: A key drop box for out-of-hours returns has not been confirmed for your supplier. One other supplier's listing describes leaving the keys in a drop box after completing check-out in its app. Ask at collection what arrangement applies if your flight falls outside the desk hours, and check your booking confirmation for any out-of-hours fee.
• Nearest petrol station: A Repsol station, listed under the Petronor name, stands on the BI-631 at kilometre 10 in Derio, in the Txorierri valley close to the airport. It is listed as open 06:00 to 22:00 every day and is not a 24-hour station, so refuel before an early or late flight.
• Fuel policy: Confirm the fuel type shown on your booking confirmation before you refuel, and ask at collection which fuel policy applies to your hire, so that you return the car as the supplier expects.
• Before you drive away: Photograph the vehicle thoroughly at collection and again at return, including all four sides, the wheels, the windscreen and the interior. Dated photographs give you a clear record of the condition you received.

Top Car Hire Agencies at Bilbao Airport (BIO)

Car hire at Bilbao Airport (BIO) is available through Green Motion.

Every booking through eCarBookers shows the excess amount and full price before you confirm, and the balance is paid on arrival at the desk. Optional extras — such as additional drivers, supplemental tyre and glass cover, child seats, or out-of-hours fees — may be available at the desk if required.

Getting from Bilbao Airport (BIO) to Key Destinations

• Bilbao city centre — about 9 to 12 km south, in roughly 10 to 20 minutes depending on traffic. The free BI-631 joins the Txorierri corridor, and one guide names the Artxanda tunnels as the fastest route, with a toll. Leave the car in a car park rather than driving around the old quarter.
• Gernika — about 31 km to the north-east on one guide, in roughly 38 minutes. The town is the gateway to the Urdaibai estuary and the coast, and the same direction leads on to Bermeo and Gaztelugatxe.
• San Sebastián — about 100 km to the east along the AP-8, in roughly 1 hour 10 to 1 hour 15 minutes. One guide puts the toll at about 10 to 11 euros one way, and delays are most likely entering the city from 08:00 to 09:30 and 17:00 to 19:00.
• Santander — about 100 to 120 km to the west along the A-8, in roughly 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes. One guide describes the A-8 as toll-free, and coastal fog near Castro Urdiales can cause minor delays.

How Payment Works for Car Hire at Bilbao Airport (BIO)

Payment is made in two steps. A rental prepayment confirms your booking online, with Instant Confirmation from the supplier. You then pay the balance directly to the supplier on arrival, when you collect the car.

The price and vehicle class shown at booking are the terms you receive at the desk, and cancellation is free. The supplier may place an excess hold on the main driver's credit card at collection, so check that the card in the driver's name has enough available limit.