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European holiday rental car prices vary up to 135% across destinations
A study by the Arbeiterkammer Oberösterreich examined six rental‑car companies in 18 popular European holiday destinations during the first week of August 2025. The analysis, which included taxes, unlimited mileage, full‑coverage insurance and optional navigation, found price gaps of up to 135 % between the cheapest and most expensive offers. The lowest weekly rate recorded was €213 on Gran Canaria.
An additional comparison of airport‑pickup surcharges showed that collecting a car directly at the terminal can add a relative cost of about 80.7 % in Málaga, with similarly high premiums in Rhodos (59.6 %), Athens (57.9 %) and Thessaloniki (38.8 %).
Consumer‑rights groups note that rental‑car complaints were the fourth‑most common category in the 2025 European consumer‑network statistics, and the Spanish consumer organisation OCU has flagged unfair contract clauses at five major firms. The Arbeiterkammer advises travellers to compare offers early, inspect contract terms carefully and consider shuttle‑service pick‑ups to avoid unnecessary extra charges.
Entities
Arbeiterkammer Oberösterreich · Billiger-Mietwagen.de · Billiger‑Mietwagen.de · Bundesverband der Verbraucherzentralen · Centauro · Electric rental cars · European consumer‑network · European holiday destinations · Gran Canaria · Kayak · Oberlandesgericht Hamm · Organización de Consumidores y Usuarios (OCU)
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Charging extra fees for multiple small hand‑luggage items was found to have no factual basis. www.thueringen24.de
- [● 2 SOURCES] The case is filed under the docket number 13 UKL 4/25. www.thueringen24.de
- [● 2 SOURCES] The ruling bans mandatory use of the airline’s app and fees for name corrections. www.thueringen24.de
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Oberlandesgericht Hamm ruled in favor of the consumer association against Vueling regarding extra boarding fees. www.thueringen24.de
- [● 2 SOURCES] New passenger‑rights measures, including free hand‑baggage and reduced claim periods, will take effect in summer 2027. www.thueringen24.de
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Austrian study examined six rental‑car companies across 18 destinations during the first week of August 2026. faktum.at · www.leadersnet.at
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Skipping a deductible insurance option adds roughly €120 per week to the rental‑car price. www.leadersnet.at
- [○ 1 SOURCE] In Spain an electric rental car costs about 20 CHF more per day than a gasoline car. www.blick.ch
- [● 2 SOURCES] The cheapest weekly rental car price found in the Austrian study was €213 in Gran Canaria. faktum.at · www.leadersnet.at
- [● 2 SOURCES] Rental car price differences across European holiday destinations can reach up to 135 percent. faktum.at · www.leadersnet.at
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Billiger‑Mietwagen.de reported a relative surcharge of 80.7 percent in Málaga compared with the cheapest offers. www.fvw.de
- [○ 1 SOURCE] In Denmark an electric rental car is about 45.6 CHF cheaper per day than a gasoline car. www.blick.ch