Car Hire at London Luton Airport (LTN)

Part of our guide to car hire in London.

How to Find Your Car Hire Desk at London Luton Airport (LTN)

• 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: London Luton Airport is in Bedfordshire, on the eastern edge of Luton, about 34 miles north of central London. It has a single terminal, and junction 10 of the M1 serves it.
• Where the desk is: Green Motion and U-Save list their branches at the Hampton by Hilton, Kimpton Road, Luton, LU2 0FP, which is off the terminal campus. One listing indicates that a shuttle or airport pick-up is offered, without giving details. The exact meeting point and contact number for your hire are shown on your booking voucher, which is the definitive source, so check it before you travel and follow it on arrival.
• Opening hours: Both suppliers list 07:00 to 22:00 Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 13:00 on Saturday and 08:00 to 20:00 on Sunday. Choose a flight that lands comfortably inside these windows, particularly on a Saturday, and confirm the hours in your booking confirmation.
• Arriving by rail: Luton Airport Parkway railway station links the airport with central London, and a shuttle connects the station to the terminal. Check the timetable on the day for your route.
• What to bring: The main driver should carry a valid driving licence, photo identification and a credit card in their own name with a limit high enough to cover the excess hold. Visitors from outside the UK should also carry their passport and, where required, an international driving permit. One listing also mentions proof of address, so keep a recent utility bill or bank statement available.

Pick-Up, Drop-Off, and Refuelling at London Luton Airport (LTN)

• Returning the car: Return the car within the branch's opening hours shown in your booking confirmation, and confirm the drop-off instructions with the supplier at collection. A key drop box for out-of-hours returns has not been confirmed for this branch, so plan your return for a time when the office is open, particularly on a Saturday.
• Nearest petrol stations: Shell Co-Op Luton Airport (Eaton Green Road, LU2 9HD) and Shell Stopsley (Hitchin Road, LU2 7UP) are both listed as open 24 hours a day. Refuel before you return the car, and allow time to do so before the branch closes.
• 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.
• Emission zones: Luton lies in Bedfordshire, outside Greater London, so the ULEZ does not apply at the airport. It applies once you enter a London borough, where it operates 24 hours a day, every day except Christmas Day. Petrol cars must meet Euro 4 and diesel cars Euro 6, and a vehicle that does not meet the standard pays £12.50 per day. Check the registration at tfl.gov.uk and ask the supplier at collection to confirm that your car meets the standard.

Top Car Hire Agencies at London Luton Airport (LTN)

Car hire at London Luton Airport (LTN) is available through Green Motion and U-Save.

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 London Luton Airport (LTN) to Key Destinations

• St Albans — about 12 miles south, in roughly 17 minutes. The cathedral city is the nearest major destination to the airport.
• Cambridge — about 36 miles north-east, in roughly 52 minutes. The university city suits a day trip, and central parking is limited, so plan where you will leave the car.
• Central London — about 34 miles south, in roughly 50 minutes, usually by the M1. Journey times lengthen considerably at peak hours. The route enters the ULEZ and then the Congestion Charge zone, where a daily charge of £15 applies, so many visitors take the train into the centre.
• Oxford — about 46 miles south-west, in roughly 1 hour 13 minutes. The route suits a day trip to the city and the Cotswolds.

If your route continues round the M25 and across the Thames, the Dart Charge applies at the Dartford Crossing on the M25 from 6am to 10pm, with cars paying £3.50 pay-as-you-go or £2.80 with a Dart Charge account, and payment is due by midnight the day after you cross. Ask the supplier at collection how the charge is handled on your vehicle.

How Payment Works for Car Hire at London Luton Airport (LTN)

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. Because the full rental amount is not charged at the time of booking, you keep flexibility if your plans change, 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. The amount is shown in your booking confirmation.