How to Rent a Car from Ponta Delgada Airport (São Miguel Island)

The best way to explore São Miguel (Azores’ biggest island) is by having your own car! Renting a car on São Miguel gives you the ultimate freedom to drive around and explore some of the coolest spots on the island without the stress and inconvenience of trying to rely on public transport or private transfers.

We recently visited São Miguel for the first time, and driving around the island is honestly so much fun – and the roads are good and easy to drive on. The island is relatively big (but not too big), so you can see so much by having your own vehicle.

There are some incredible scenic drives you can do from Ponta Delgada (like visiting the famous Lagoa do Fogo or the town of Furnas), and some awesome hikes that are easily accessible by car as well (Miradouro Grota do Inferno is a must-do)!

In this post, we’ll share everything you need to know about renting a car in Ponta Delgada – including the most common mistakes people make (such as only having a debit card), what you can expect when you land on the island, and some important things to know that are specific to booking a car rental here in the Azores.

We also share exactly how we found a car for just €7.86 for a week (+ insurance) in São Miguel in February, so keep reading to learn how we found that deal!

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What to know about renting a car from Ponta Delgada Airport

There are so many awesome hikes, waterfalls, tea plantations, and stunning places to visit around the island, so having a car is a huge plus. Driving around and exploring at your own pace is hands down the best way to enjoy this beautiful place that has so much to offer.

In this post, we’ll go into detail about everything you need to know before renting a car in São Miguel (and why we suggest renting it from Ponta Delgada Airport) – but if you’re just here to figure out where to book from, our personal suggestion is through DiscoverCars.

This platform collects information from all the different car rental companies in the specific location and shows you the best price for the type of car you’re looking for. We’ve been using the platform for years now – and unless we have a local contact in the destination, we’ve never been able to find a better deal than on there.

And if you’re here to find more information about the rental cars, what it’s like driving around the Azores, and common mistakes, then keep reading…

TL-DR: Book your rental car for São Miguel through DiscoverCars 🚗

Things to consider before renting a car

When renting a car, there are a few things to look out for when making the booking. These are things like the size and comfort of the car, and whether you want an automatic or manual transmission.

Unless you’re a big group, you really don’t need a big car here. A mid-size sedan will easily be big enough for two suitcases and perfect for cruising around and getting to all the viewpoints and spots you want to see.

We go more into details on car insurance further down the post, but for now, here are some things to consider and to look for on the booking page when renting your vehicle.

• Transmission: Automatic vs manual (you can select automatic in the search results)
• Size & comfort: A small to medium-sized car is enough to get you around comfortably – unless you’re a big group. In that case, an SUV will probably make your trip more comfortable.
• Parking: Is there parking available at or near your place of accommodation?
• Extra drivers: Will there be one or more drivers? Some providers include an additional driver FOC, while others charge for it – often between €40-50 total.
• Is an international driver’s license needed? If you have an EU license, you won’t need to, but if you’re from somewhere else, this is worth looking into. It’s pretty affordable ($20 USD or so).
• Insurance: Consider whether you should get full insurance through DiscoverCars or the rental company (more on this below).
• Drop-off location: Select the same drop-off location for the best rates (in this case, Ponta Delgada Airport) and then return it to the airport, as it will save you money.

Common mistakes people make when renting a car from Ponta Delgada

A mistake we often see is waiting to book until the last minute. Once you know when you’ll be coming to the Azores, the best thing you can do is to rent a car in advance. There’s free cancellation, so there’s no downsides to doing this.

What we often see is that the closer you get to the date, the less supply there is, and the more prices will go up. Especially if you’re planning to come during peak season (between early May and late October).

If you’re planning to come during those months, try to get your car rental booked sooner rather than later. And in case your plans change, you can always cancel or modify your booking.

How to find the cheapest car rental from Ponta Delgada Airport

Depending on when you come, car rentals are actually very affordable here. Above is a screenshot of car rental prices during the slow season – and as you can see, there are some really good deals. There were actually multiple offers for around €1/day, which is pretty crazy.

These prices are without insurance, but even then, it’s only an additional €7.49/day (or “free” if you are insured through your Credit Card).

As we briefly hinted at above, there is a price difference between peak season and shoulder season here on the Azores. During the busier months, expect to pay at least €30/day for a vehicle.

To avoid wasting too much time researching the different companies, we always book through DiscoverCars. This platform compares all the different rental companies & prices and shows you the best possible options for your selected dates.

We’ve used this platform all around the world. It’s great, and it has saved us a lot of money over the years. We’ve used them in other parts of Portugal & Madeira as well as the Czech Republic, Greece, Italy, and New Zealand, and we’ve never had any issues.

They have 24-hour customer support, and anytime we’ve had to modify a booking, we’ve just sent them an email or given them a call, and they’ve gotten back to us right away.

Best practices when renting a car from Ponta Delgada:

Pay attention to the drop-off time

More often than not, car rentals work for 24 hours at a time. So when booking your rental car, pay attention to the pick-up and drop-off times. 

If you’re flexible with the timing, a good tip is to select the drop-off time at the same time of day or earlier than your pick-up time – otherwise, it will likely count as an additional day.

This way, you avoid paying the extra cost for an additional day (note: this isn’t a hidden fee; this is just how most car rental booking systems tend to operate).

Through DiscoverCars:

Up until now, we’ve always chosen to get our insurance through DiscoverCars directly.

We do this because we’ve been using DiscoverCars as a company for a while now and we know they can help handle any issues that may arise. The convenience and the practicality are the main reasons we usually use them.

The biggest downside of getting travel insurance this way is that the rental company will file the claim first, and then you get charged before getting reimbursed by DiscoverCars.

It’s basically like using a third party, and it takes longer for the claim and everything to process, which is one of the downsides if you need the money ASAP.

If you don’t want to worry about having your card charged first before getting reimbursed, then I wouldn’t suggest choosing this method.

Through your Credit Card:

Some credit cards offer insurance for car rentals. We’ve recently started using our Revolut Card, and they also have some decent coverage for up to 30 days, so we’re going to look more into their policy and might just use that moving forward.

If you have a good credit card, this may be the best option as insurance through credit cards is usually quite good, especially if you’re from the US or Canada (they seem to just have amazing coverage).

Directly through the rental company:

It’s also an option to get insurance directly through the rental company. If you decide to do this, you will likely have to pay for the insurance once you pick up the car rental (versus upon booking, which is what you do when paying for DiscoverCars’ insurance).

This way, you deal only directly with the car rental company in case any damage happens to the car.

This is maybe the simplest way, but the downside of this is that it is only you and the car rental company – you won’t get help from DiscoverCars’ support team or your credit card.

Please note that you should NOT get insurance both directly with the company and with your CC or through DiscoverCars. One insurance is enough!

At the end of the day, it’s personal preference how you want to go about it. I wouldn’t say there’s a right or wrong way of doing it.

What to do when picking up your rental car

Bring a credit card, your drivers license, and your ID (important!)

This is very important! Please check the terms after booking your rental and what you need to bring. A physical credit card is often required (we’ve had an issue with this in the past). We always bring both a MasterCard and a Visa just in case. 

Also, please note that in some cases, it is the primary driver’s credit card that needs to be used (once we only brought Josie’s credit card, but Dom wanted to drive, and they wouldn’t allow it). 

The company will also need to take a copy of your passport or driver’s license (sometimes both) for their records.

And don’t forget to check if you need an international driver’s license for Portugal if you’re from outside of the EU. (If you’ve got an EU license, you should be fine).

Check for scratches and cracks

Depending on the type of insurance you have chosen for your car rental, it’s always a good idea to check for scratches on the car and cracks in the windshield. Take a video of the car as you walk around it before leaving the parking lot. 

Make sure you film any scratches and/or cracks that you notice (photos aren’t always enough these days). This way, you have documentation for any damage that was already done to the vehicle before you picked it up.

It should already be documented on their side, but it’s still good to have proof. If you have full insurance, this is less important – but it takes less than 2 minutes to do, so it doesn’t hurt…

Check the tire pressure

This shouldn’t be an issue because it’s something the rental companies should check beforehand, but it’s worth checking before hitting the road.

One time, when we picked up a car rental (years ago), the tire pressure was visibly low (may have even been punctured). For that reason, we always suggest checking the tires before leaving the car rental place for your own safety.

Check the gas gauge

Quickly check or ask the employee if the fuel for the car should be full-to-full. If so, double-check that the gas gauge is actually full when you turn on the car. If it is, then you’re good to go.

In case the policy is not full-to-full, quickly make a note of how much gas is in the car. Take a picture for your own recollection.

Most of the time, the employee will do it with you, but it’s good to do it as well. This should also be noted on the paperwork you get from the rental company!

What it’s like driving around São Miguel

Honestly, if there’s a word that comes to mind when thinking of driving around the island is “fun”. We’ve driven around Madeira (another Portuguese Island), and that felt a lot more hectic than in the Azores.

Driving around São Miguel for the most part is really relaxing. There isn’t too much traffic, the roads are in good condition, and the cars from the rental companies are quite new. 

All in all, we really loved cruising around here. If you love day trips and driving around new places, you will absolutely love this island!

📍 Want to know all the best spots in São Miguel?
We’re currently putting together a map with +75 locations around the island we know you’re gonna love. Join the waitlist and be the first to know when it’s ready for purchase! 🗺️

Final thoughts on renting a car from Ponta Delgada Airport

We hope this post helps you with planning your trip and answers any questions you had about renting a car here on São Miguel. Once you know what to look for, booking a car is quite easy!

If you have any questions about The Azores, such as where to stay, which hikes to do around the island, whale tours, or anything else related to this beautiful group of islands, feel free to leave a comment below.

The Azores are a stunning group of islands, all offering something unique and different. We absolutely love sharing and helping people plan their trips. So please, ask away, and we’ll do our best to help you with anything we can.

We hope you have an awesome time driving around, admiring the cows, viewpoints, and the beautiful nature São Miguel has to offer!

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