Cancun airport (CUN) caters for a remarkable 22 million passengers per year making it Mexico’s second busiest airport and the third in Latin America.
Cancun (Photo: Erik Kristensen via Flickr / CC BY 2.0)
As you’d expect at such a busy airport, there’s a large selection of car rental companies, the majority of which are located in the Car Rental Centre across from the baggage claim area in the airport terminal. Other companies that are off-site can be accessed through a shuttle service operating out of the passenger pick-up area.
To determine which rental car companies offer the best vehicles across our three categories (Most Affordable, Best for Luxury, Best for Minivans), TravelMag.com carefully researched prices, availability, policies and customer reviews of the 15 car rental companies operating out of CUN. Here are our findings:
Most Affordable: Budget
For a cheap car rental, Budget had the majority of the lowest rates with a choice of five vehicles under $30 per day on the dates we researched, at the beginning of the high season. That choice included economy and family cars like the Volkswagen Polo, Renault Logan and the Nissan March. As is often the case, car rental companies that are able to offer cheaper rates have to cut corners and in the case of Budget, users have to normally wait a little longer to pick up their vehicles than with other companies. However, in other areas, it scores very well with users especially complimentary about the cars cleanliness and the helpfulness of the staff.
Best for Luxury: Sixt
The selection of luxury vehicles may not be as expansive at CUN airport as it is in other major tourist destinations, but Sixt does have a few impressive premium sports cars and SUVs in its portfolio. The most noteworthy vehicles are the Chevrolet Cruze and Ford Escape. Avis comes in a close second, offering a Chevrolet Malibu at a similar price as Sixt. Also, making a mark on Cancun’s high-end rental car market is Mex which offers convertibles and several premium options. With all three of these companies scoring similar ratings on the popular car rental site, rentalcars.com, you may just want to go with the company with the best prices on your holiday dates.
Best for Minivans: Avis
Avis offers high-quality vehicles for small and larger groups, making it a great option for families. Moreover it’s dead easy to find with its counter located in the middle of airport terminal. While not the least expensive of the family-friendly options, Avis has a solid international reputation and offers one of the largest minivans in the market in the form of the 12-seater Toyota Hiace. It also rents out smaller vehicles such as the 7-seater Chevrolet Suburban and the 5-seater Kia Sorrento which are both available for about $200 per day in high-season.