Car Rentals at Halifax International Airport

Halifax International Airport is the seventh largest airport in Canada, as its passenger numbers have been recorded at over three million per annum since 2004. In 2011, the airport handled over 3.5 million passengers. It is also noted as one of the best airports in the world for its size in terms of service, and has won numerous awards. There are buses and taxis available for the transport of arriving passengers, as well as several Halifax International Airport car hire companies that provide quality vehicles and competitive car rental rates. A rented car is often considered as the best form of transport from Halifax Airport.

Halifax Airport, also known as the Halifax Stanfield International Airport, and by the IATA code of YHZ, is located approximately 35km from Halifax, in the area of Enfield. It is an airport of the Nova Scotia province of Canada, and is served by a wide variety of airline carriers. Many destinations are served as well, both local and international. The airport has a single terminal building that was built in 1960, but which has been extended and renovated on several occasions throughout the years, in order to keep it modern, functional and of a size suitable for its number of passengers. The facilities of the building are all within walking distance of one another, and are well laid out for the convenience of passengers. The Halifax International Airport car rental companies are found in the domestic arrival area, and can be accessed from all parts of the airport. they are also open seven days a week, from about 06:30am to 12:30am.

The car hire companies of the airport include Hertz, Budget, Europcar, Avis, Auto Europa, National, Alamo, Thrifty, Dollar and Enterprise, and these are all well known car rental companies of the world. Hertz is popular for their vehicles which can sometimes even be hired by specific makes and models at certain rental locations, and as the longest-standing car hire company in the world, while Auto Europa is not far behind with over fifty years of experience in the car hire industry. National is an excellent choice for corporate car rentals, Alamo is often popular in the leisure car hire industry and Avis is a favourite for all types of car rentals, with a large range of quality vehicles. Europcar may offer additional services, such as chauffeur driven vehicles, and Enterprise is a car rental company well known for their competitive car hire rates in Canada, the United States, Ireland, Germany and the United Kingdom. Thrifty and Dollar have many car hire options available as well, and offer a number of programs which could be beneficial to occasional and frequent renters. Budget is, of course, famous for their ‘budget’, but quality vehicles.

All passengers of Halifax Airport are recommended to hire their vehicle from the car rental company they choose in advance, as vehicles from this location can be in high demand. Online reservations are preferable, as often cheaper rental rates can be secured. It also brings peace of mind in knowing that your ideal car is waiting at the airport for your arrival, and allows time to make arrangements for different types of rentals, such as one way hires and cross-border rentals. From Halifax International Airport, one way hires may be driven to all areas in Canada, and then returned to a different rental location, while cross-border rentals will need to be arranged if the vehicle will be driven to the United States.

For rented cars, additional items of equipment can be requested. It is essential that parents travelling with babies or young children arrange car seats for their little ones, and satellite navigation systems are often recommended for drivers who are unfamiliar with the area. Although the roads in Canada are well organised, a GPS unit is very convenient, and helps to quickly locate any destination. Their extensive list of points of interest are useful as well.

Disabled passengers are welcome at Halifax International Airport, as all the facilities to ensure their comfort are provided. All levels of the airport can easily be accessed, and there are accessible forms of transport available. Passengers can also arrange assistance from their airline companies. The airport car hire companies may provide a limited number of wheelchair accessible vehicles, and hand control equipment for drivers with a lower limb disability may be requested. Hand controls operate the brake and accelerator pedals of automatic cars, and are free of charge from the rental location of Halifax International Airport. Hand controls should be reserved at least forty-eight hours in advance of your arrival at the airport.

Passengers of Halifax Airport will choose a car category from their chosen car hire company, rather than a vehicle of a specific make and model. The categories available often include Economy, Compact, Midsize, Standard, Fullsize, Premium, Luxury, SUV and Minivan. Smaller cars found in the first few categories mentioned may be similar to the Suzuki Swift, Nissan Versa, Dodge Caliber, Hyundai Accent, Kia Rio and Nissan Sentra, while larger or more elegant vehicles include the Chevrolet Impala, Volvo S80, Ford Fusion, Chrysler 300 Sedan, Buick Lucerne, Buick Allure and Lincoln Towncar. SUVs, Minivans and Pickups are available for hire as well, and include the Ford Escape, GM Tahoe, Chevrolet Suburban, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Ford Explorer, Chevrolet Silverado and the Dodge Grand Caravan.

From Halifax International Airport, rented cars may be driven to a wide variety of locations, and there are many interesting towns and cities nearby Halifax. Within easy driving distance are the cities of Dartmouth (5km), Elmsdale (43km), Chester (64km), Mahone Bay (100km) and Greenwood (154km). Always follow the road rules of the country, which include taking note of the speed limits. The speed limits to follow are, in general, 50kph in urban areas, 100kph on open roads and 130kph on motorways and highways.

Contact your favourite Halifax International Airport car rental company for further details regarding their hire cars and car hire services.