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Car hire at Bilbao Airport - Gateway to the Basque Region

Located just 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) from the centre of Bilbao, capital of the beautiful Biscay province, Bilbao Airport (Aeropuerto de Bilbao) is the largest air transportation hub in the Basque Country and northern Spain in general. Serving dozens of airlines and connected with over 50 different destinations, it caters for almost 6 million passenger movements every year, many of whom are travellers drawn to San Sebastián some 100 kilometres (62 miles) away.

In recent years, Bilbao Airport has emerged as the most important gateway to northern Spain, and the number of passengers using its new, ultra-stylish terminal has been rising steadily, particularly since the opening of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in 1997 which increased tourist interest in the city. Furthermore, the Airports Council International Europe (ACI) named it the Best European Airport in the 5-10 million passenger capacity in recognition of its service quality and commitment to the local environment.

The city of Bilbao itself is notable for its modern architecture interspersed amongst the many historic buildings dotted around the centre. As capital of the Basque region, visitors can expect to find an atmosphere culture very different to many other parts of Spain, an aspect that also extends to the restaurant menus. Designed by the renowned architect Frank O. Gehry, the Museo Guggenheim is a state-of-the-art museum complex housing one of the world's most important art collections, along with the Museo de Bellas Artes, another of the city's top tourist attractions.

Besides visiting the city, there's so much you can see and do with a car hire from Bilbao Airport, starting with a tour of the nearby Basque region. Likewise, the enchanting and very vibrant city of San Sebastian located an hour's drive east of Bilbao boasts many fine museums and beaches, making it the ideal day-trip destination. And there's nothing more appealing than a leisurely drive through the picturesque Rioja wine region, home to one of Spain's most poular wines.

With over 70-plus years of experience providing top-quality car hire at the lowest prices, Auto Europe currently operates in over 180 popular destinations around the world, with pick-up points available in more than 28,000 different locations, including Bilbao Airport. You can book your car online right now through our high-tech search engine or contact our rental specialists and they will be more than happy to find you the best deal. For added peace of mind, check out the comments posted by previous visitors to the city on our Bilbao car hire reviews page.

Airport Information

Officially opened on the 19th of September 1948, Bilbao Airport is one of Spain's most important gateway airports, providing travellers with quick access to the popular Basque region of northern Spain. The airport is notable for its modern terminal building which was designed by architect Santiago Calatrava in the shape of a dove (La Paloma).

Bilbao Airport (BIO)
Address: 48180 - Loiu, Bizkaia, Spain
Telephone: +34 913 21 10 00
Airlines operating at Bilbao Airport: The list of airlines currently operating at Bilbao Airport includes Aegean Airlines, Aer Lingus (Dublin), Air Arabia Maroc, Air Cairo, Air Europa, Air France, Blue Air, Brussels Airlines, easyJet (Manchester, Bristol and London–Gatwick), Edelweiss Air, Eurowings, Iberia, KLM, Lufthansa, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Swiss International Air Lines, TAP Air Portugal, Transavia, Turkish Airlines, Volotea, Vueling (London–Gatwick) and Wizz Air.

Where to pick up my car hire at Bilbao Airport

You can rent a car at Bilbao Airport from a wide selection car rental companies such as Avis, Europcar, Hertz, Enterprise, Budget, Sixt and many local providers, all of which can be booked through the Auto Europe search engine. The majority of car rental suppliers operating at the airport have their desks located in the parking area opposite the main terminal building.

Car hire operating hours

	Avis at Bilbao Airport Opposite Terminal, Bilbao, Spain 48180 +34 902110198	Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-1lpm (Sat & Sun 7.30am-11.30pm)
	Europcar at Bilbao Airport Opposite Terminal, Bilbao, Spain48180 +34 911505000	Opening Hours: Tue-Fri 7.30am-11.30pm and Sat-Mon 8am-11.30pm
	Hertz at Bilbao Airport Opposite Terminal Bilbao, Spain 48180 +34 94 4530931	Opening Hours: Daily 7.30am-11.30pm
	Sixt at Bilbao Airport Opposite Terminal Bilbao, Spain 48180 +31 204 059 089	Opening Hours: Daily 7am-11.30pm

Terminals

Passengers arriving at and departing from Bilbao Airport will find one very modern terminal world-famous for its stylish, 21st-century design. With a surface area covering more than 30,000 square-metres, its interior is open and luminous and divided into two floors, the upper one for departures (check-in counters and gates) and the lower for arrivals. Recent improvemnst included enhanced shopping facilities for travellers, which almost doubled the total retail space.

Airport Facilities

Bilbao Airport has a full quota of first-class passenger facilities, as you would expect from one of Spain's sleekest airports. There are ATMs in both the Arrivals and Departures areas and two excellent full-service restaurants in the Departures area, along with Burger King and Starbucks, etc. A large Duty-free store operated by Dufry caters for travellers looking to purchase commodities such as cosmetics, electrical devices and alcoholic beverages, as well as Basque-style gifts and souvenirs. Free Wi-fi is accessible throughout the airport, plus the terminal is fully wheelchair-accessible with pre-arranged assistance available for the boarding of flights, etc.

How to get to and from Bilbao Airport

When picking up or dropping off your car rental at Bilbao Airport, just head north on Artxanda-Salbe Tunela from the centre of Bilbao and at the junction take a right on to the N-637 in the direction of 'Aireportua'. From there, take the exit on to the BI-631, after which you take exit 11 for the N-633 which leads directly to the airport terminal. The duration of the journey is around 10 minutes outside the rush-hour. The quickest route by public transport is by taking the Bizkaibus line which runs from the centre of Bilbao to the airport and vice versa, which conects the airport with the Bilbao Termibus stopping at Gran Vía 79, Plaza Moyua Osaguna/Hacienda and Alameda Recalde 11 en route. On the arrivals floor there is a Bizkaibus customer services desk and ticket office. Metred taxis are readily available outside the main terminal building on the 1st floor.

Parking Tips

After picking up your car hire at Bilbao Airport, you'll find plenty of convenient and affordable parking options at one of the many car parks located in the city centre. Another option is to use the Park and Ride (P+R) car parks located along the metro line so that you can park your vehicle at the station and comfortably access the different urban centres by public transport. When parking in Bilbao, you either have the option of using on-street parking (which operates on a pay and display basis) or one of the underground car parks. Take note of local street signs, because in some parts of the parking is solely reserved for residents. Bilbao Airport itself has a large four-stroey car park connected to the terminal via a 100-metre (328-foot) subterranean passageway, which can accommodate around 1,500 vehicles. The short-stay car park is located just past the Departures and Arrivals areas and is easily accessible from the terminal. A long-stay car park is available a bit further away.

Useful links

Bilbao Airport