Best Car Hire in Malta — My Top 3 Picks (And What to Avoid)
I have been to Malta a few times now — enough to have opinions about the car rental market that I am actually confident in. And the truth is, the quality of car hire companies in Malta varies a lot. Not just in price, but in how they treat you at pickup, whether the car matches what you booked, and — most importantly — what happens if something goes wrong.
In this guide I am going to tell you exactly which three suppliers I would book with today, how to find the best price without overpaying, and the two mistakes that cost travellers the most money every single summer in Malta.
And if you are looking for a broader overview of driving rules, roundabouts, speed limits and parking colours, I have already covered all of that in detail in my other guide Renting a Car in Malta. This article here is specifically about who to book with and how.
How I Find and Book Car Hire in Malta
For the last several years, I have been booking all my car rentals through a comparative website called DiscoverCars — and Malta is no exception. Think of it as the Airbnb of car rentals. Every supplier listed is rated between 5 and 10 stars by real customers who actually completed a rental. Not like Google Maps, where anyone can leave a review whether they rented a car or not.
I always filter above 8 stars, sometimes even 9 if I want extra peace of mind. Then I look at the price and the fleet. It takes maybe five minutes and saves a lot of grief.
Cancellation is free up to 48 hours before pickup — so there is genuinely no reason not to book early and lock in a good price. Deals, especially in July and August, disappear fast.
My Top 3 Car Hire Picks at Malta Airport
Malta International Airport has a dedicated Car Rental Village — a building just outside the terminal on the right as you exit baggage reclaim. No shuttle, no long walks. The main operators all have desks there, and it is one of the smoother airport pickup experiences in the Mediterranean, genuinely.
Here are the three I would book with today.
🥇 AutoUnion — My First Pick
AutoUnion is my top choice for Malta and a name I have recommended across other destinations too. They are a consistent operator, the fleet is well-maintained, and the process at pickup is transparent — which, honestly, is not something you can say about every local operator in Malta.
Their desk is in the Car Rental Village, easy to find. One practical detail worth knowing before you arrive: the office operates from 08:30 to 19:30. If your flight lands outside those hours, there is an after-hours pickup surcharge — around 35 euros at the time of writing. Not a dealbreaker at all, but something to factor in if you have a late arrival, and worth confirming at booking.
In my opinion, AutoUnion strikes the right balance between price and reliability for Malta specifically. Not the cheapest option every time, but consistently good value when you factor in the experience.
🥈 Alamo — Best for First-Time Visitors
Alamo is a global name with a desk also inside the Car Rental Village. If this is your first time in Malta and you want to deal with a familiar brand — same process, same paperwork, same standards as wherever you have rented with them before — Alamo is the reliable choice.
What I like about them is the predictability. You know what you are getting. The price point is usually a little higher than a local operator like AutoUnion, as you would expect from a global chain, but the experience is consistent and well-organised. For travellers who do not want any surprises at the desk after a long flight, that consistency has genuine value.
🥉 Enterprise — Solid Global Option
Enterprise is my third pick — another global operator inside the Car Rental Village, and worth including for the same reasons as Alamo. Known process, modern fleet, predictable experience. The price is typically at the higher end of the market, but you are paying for a brand with an established complaints process and international standards.
Between Alamo and Enterprise, I would honestly compare prices on the comparative website and go with whichever comes up cheaper on your dates. They are genuinely similar in what they offer.
My 2 cents: these three picks are solid at the time of writing — but the car rental market changes. Suppliers are bought, management changes, quality shifts. Before you confirm any booking, always cross-check the current rating on DiscoverCars. If a new operator has appeared with excellent feedback and a better price, that might be worth considering too.
| Supplier | Type | Why I Recommend Them | Watch Out For |
|---|---|---|---|
| AutoUnion | European operator | Fast desk, transparent process, well-maintained fleet | Office hours 08:30–19:30; late pickup surcharge (~€35) |
| Alamo | Global | Consistent process, familiar paperwork, reliable | Higher price than locals; peak queues |
| Enterprise | Global | Modern fleet, predictable experience, good organisation | Same as Alamo — premium for consistency |
Picking Up Your Car at Malta Airport — What to Expect
Malta International Airport is about 9 kilometres south of Valletta — roughly 15 to 20 minutes by car, depending on traffic. The Car Rental Village is just outside the terminal on the right. Follow the signs from baggage reclaim and you are there in a few minutes, no shuttles required.
The busiest periods at the rental desks are summer — July and August particularly — and around Easter. Peak arrivals tend to cluster in the late morning and early afternoon when charter and low-cost flights from across Europe land in sequence. If you can arrange an early morning or evening arrival, the queues are significantly shorter.
For very late arrivals when most desks are closed: the nearest town is Għaxaq [pronounced roughly ‘a-shak’], a small residential area a few minutes from the airport. It is not a tourist destination at all — but I had one of the most memorable evenings of my Malta trips there, stumbling into a local festa, a traditional town celebration. Completely unexpected, completely special. A few accommodation options exist there for a first night if needed.
Do You Actually Need a Car in Valletta?
Honest answer: no, not inside Valletta itself. The historic capital is largely pedestrianised within the old walls, driving is restricted in the centre, and parking is limited and expensive. If you are spending your first night or two in Valletta, you do not need to pick up the car immediately.
Pick it up when you are ready to explore the rest of the island. That is genuinely the most stress-free approach.
If you do arrive in Valletta with a car, parking just outside the city walls is possible. There is a free open-air area along the perimeter road — you may encounter an unofficial attendant asking for a tip, 1 or 2 euros is plenty, even if he asks for more. There is also a secured multi-level garage nearby for around 15 euros a day if you prefer something safer.
For driving inside Valletta itself — I would avoid it. Beyond the restricted access, there are cameras that record entry and exit times. The rental company receives an invoice and passes it on to you, with admin costs added. It becomes an expensive surprise. More detail on this in my main Malta driving guide.
Car Hire Insurance in Malta — Which Option to Choose
Malta has narrow village roads, tight town centres, and a driving style that is — let me put it politely — enthusiastic. Full insurance is not optional in my opinion, it is essential.
You have three realistic options:
Credit card or travel insurance Check your excess before relying on this. Mine has a 700 euro deductible, which makes it almost useless for the kind of small damage that actually happens — a scraped mirror, a kerbed rim. Great in theory, almost never enough in practice.
Counter insurance The rental desk will offer you their own coverage when you pick up the car — typically 30 to 50 euros per day. It sounds comprehensive but often has exclusions, tyres and rims being the most common ones. I have never recommended this option and I am not going to start now.
Full coverage through the comparative website — my choice I add full coverage during the booking itself — 8 to 10 euros a day, zero excess, roadside assistance, tyres and rims all included. Sorted before I even land. No conversation at the desk, no pressure, no decision to make after a long flight. At the end of the day, I am on holiday, aren’t I?
What to Avoid
Two things. Both cost travellers real money every summer and both are completely avoidable.
Booking with a supplier rated below 8 stars
The most common issue I hear about is the pre-existing damage scam. You pick up the car, there are scratches or dents that were not properly documented, and when you return it you are charged 300 to 500 euros for damage you did not cause. It is unfortunately not rare.
The fix is simple: photograph everything at pickup. All four sides, the roof, the undercarriage, the interior. Takes five minutes. And filter above 8 stars on the comparative website — suppliers with that rating have been vetted by real renters and consistently earn it.
Trusting Google Maps reviews for car hire
Google Maps reviews are not reliable for car rental companies, especially smaller local ones. Anyone can leave a review — the owner’s cousin, a friend, someone who walked past. I only trust a Google Maps rating when a company has at least 40 to 50 reviews, and even then with some scepticism.
The comparative website I use only allows reviews from verified renters — people who actually completed a booking. Same principle as Airbnb. That is the standard to look for.
Do You Actually Need a Car in Malta?
Yes — and for very specific reasons. Malta is small but everything worth seeing is scattered around the island. The Blue Grotto on the south coast, the ancient temples of Hagar Qim and Mnajdra, the fortified hilltop city of Mdina, the quieter beaches near Golden Bay in the north, St Peter’s Pool — none of these are easy by bus, and combining multiple stops in a day is basically impossible without a car.
Gozo is another story entirely. You absolutely need a car there, or you are limited to organised tours. The ferry crossing is easy — and a small practical note — it is free in the direction to Gozo but you pay on the return leg. Which is a very Maltese way of doing things, and I say that with affection.
Public transport in Malta is actually well-developed for a small island, and if you are staying in Valletta for the full trip it will serve you fine. But the moment you want to explore freely, a rental car transforms what is possible.
Best Scenic Drives to Do Once You Have the Keys
Once you have the car, here are the routes that are genuinely worth doing:
The south coast loop — St Peter’s Pool → Marsaxlokk fishing village → Blue Grotto viewpoint → Hagar Qim and Mnajdra temples. This is a full day and one of the most rewarding drives on the island.
The Mdina and Rabat circuit — The silent city of Mdina sits in the centre of the island and is one of the most dramatic fortified towns I have seen in the Mediterranean. Park just outside the main gate, walk in, explore Rabat next door. Half a day easily.
The northern beaches run — Golden Bay, Ghajn Tuffieha, and the quieter coves on the northwest coast. Much less crowded than the areas around Sliema and St Julian’s, and the drive through the interior to get there is genuinely beautiful.
The Gozo day (or two days) — Take the ferry from Cirkewwa in the north, pick up the Gozo roads from Mgarr Harbour. The island is smaller and quieter, the scenery is wilder, and the area around Dwejra is still stunning. I personally think Gozo deserves two days minimum.
Final Thoughts
Malta is one of those places where a rental car genuinely changes the experience. Not in a marginal way — in a fundamental way. The island rewards exploration, and exploration requires wheels.
Book early, filter above 8 stars, add full insurance during booking rather than at the counter, and photograph the car at pickup. Do those four things and you will be fine.
AutoUnion is my current top pick for Malta, with Alamo and Enterprise as solid alternatives depending on your dates and budget. Compare all three — and anything else that comes up — on DiscoverCars before confirming.
Have a great trip. Saħħa
