Car rental at Ben Gurion airport (TLV): desks, prices and return tips for 2026

Most car rental desks are in the arrivals area of Terminal 3, the airport's international terminal; after customs, follow the signs for car rental.

The exact process differs by company, so read the pickup instructions on your voucher:
- Enterprise / Alamo / National: desks on Level 1 of Terminal 3 arrivals; staff then direct you to the on-site lot, about 200 metres on foot.
- Hertz: pickup in Terminal 3, with a dedicated lot; the airport runs a free shuttle roughly every 10 minutes that stops next to the Hertz lot.
- Israeli suppliers (Shlomo Sixt, Eldan, Avis/Budget Israel and others) have their own desks or counters in the same area and lots around the airport.

Not every supplier listed on comparison sites has a desk inside the terminal. Some meet you at a counter and drive you to an off-airport lot. If your voucher says shuttle or meet-and-greet, keep the supplier's phone number handy and allow an extra 20-30 minutes.

If you arrive on a domestic flight (for example from Eilat Ramon), confirm the meeting point with your supplier in advance, as it may differ.

A small car at TLV usually costs 130-190 ₪ per day in low season and 190-280 ₪ in peak periods, based on comparison-site prices for the coming season.

• Cheapest period: November and the winter months outside Hanukkah and Christmas. DiscoverCars' own TLV data shows November around 46% cheaper than July.
• Most expensive: Pesach, Sukkot, Christmas week and July-August. Small automatic cars sell out first; book 4-8 weeks ahead for those dates.
• Currency: many suppliers quote tourists in US dollars. A dollar price for a non-Israeli customer usually already excludes VAT; check whether the total includes the airport fee.
• Airport fee: most suppliers charge a one-time airport service fee for pickups or returns at TLV. Eldan's terms also say airport rentals are meant for travellers who landed within the previous 24 hours.

Because TLV has the biggest fleet in the country, it is often the cheapest place in Israel to rent, even after the airport fee, especially for rentals of a week or more.

Bring your passport, your driving licence, the entry slip you received at passport control and a credit card in the main driver's name.

• Entry slip (B2 visa): Israel no longer stamps passports; the small card you receive at passport control is your proof of tourist status and the key to the VAT exemption. Do not lose it.
• Licence: a foreign licence is valid for up to one year from entry. A licence that is not in English should come with an International Driving Permit.
• Credit card: not debit or prepaid. The deposit is blocked on it; Eldan, for example, states a minimum of 2,700 ₪. With a full coverage option bought through a comparison site, the desk still blocks the deposit.
• Voucher: printed or on your phone, with the booking number and the coverage you bought.
• Extra drivers: every person who will drive must be at the desk with their licence.

Expect the agent to offer an excess waiver and upgrades. If you already bought full coverage when booking, you can decline the desk's excess waiver, but the deposit stays.

From TLV, Route 1 takes you west to Tel Aviv or east to Jerusalem, and Highway 6 (a toll road) runs a few kilometres east of the airport, north to Haifa and south to Beersheba.

• To Tel Aviv: about 20 km on Route 1. At rush hour, traffic into the city can be very slow. The Route 1 Fast Lane is tolled; there is a free park-and-ride with shuttle buses at Shapirim, close to the airport.
• To Jerusalem: about 45-60 minutes on Route 1, climbing through the hills after Sha'ar HaGai.
• North (Haifa, Galilee): Highway 6 is usually faster than the coastal Route 2 at peak times, but it is tolled by plate.
• South (Beersheba, Dead Sea, Eilat): Highway 6 south, then Route 40 or Route 90.

Highway 6 has no booths: cameras read the plate, the rental company is billed at the casual rate (about 24-34 ₪ per trip in the 2026 tariff, depending on segments) and passes it to you with a handling fee. Set up Waze before you leave the lot; it is an Israeli app and works very well here.

Ben Gurion is the only place where you can realistically pick up a rental car on Shabbat, and only with some suppliers.

• Friday-evening and Saturday arrivals: check the supplier's opening hours in the offer details before booking. Choose a supplier that states it is open; otherwise you may wait until Saturday night.
• Night flights: several suppliers work late or around the clock at TLV, but not all. A flight delay can push you outside the desk hours; add your flight number to the booking.
• Pickup grace period: Eldan keeps a car up to 2 hours after the booked time (1 hour in summer and holidays).
• Returns: Eldan accepts returns at the airport 24 hours a day, but may charge extra outside working hours.

If you land on Friday afternoon and head to Jerusalem, remember that city shops and many roads quiet down quickly before Shabbat; plan to arrive before candle-lighting.

Return the car with time to spare: aim to drop it off at least 30-45 minutes before you need to be in the terminal, and be at Terminal 3 about 3 hours before an international flight.

• Follow the Rental Car Return signs as you approach the airport. Return areas differ by company; some are not next to Terminal 3, and Hertz, for example, directs returns via its own signposted area with a shuttle to the terminal.
• Refuel first: there are fuel stations on the access roads before the airport. Eldan charges missing fuel at the legal full-service price plus a per-litre fee.
• Inspection: wait for the check-in if staff are present, and take timestamped photos of the car, fuel gauge and odometer, especially for early-morning returns with no staff.
• Security: Ben Gurion's security checks can take time at peak hours. Do not plan to return the car at the last minute.
• Final charges: tolls, fines and fuel can appear on your card days or weeks after the rental.

Charges for tolls, fines and fuel can reach your card days or weeks after you return the car; this is normal in Israel, but check every line.

• Highway 6 and other tolls: billed by plate to the rental company at the casual rate, then passed to you with a handling fee. Eldan bills tolls at the operator's non-subscriber rate plus a handling fee from its price list.
• Speed cameras and parking fines: sent to the rental company, which transfers them to your name or charges your card, plus a handling fee. One international brand's Israeli terms list a 50 ₪ fee per unpaid ticket or toll.
• Fuel: if the car is returned with less fuel than at pickup, Eldan charges the missing litres at the legal full-service price plus a per-litre fee.
• Damage found after return: this is why you should photograph the car at return, especially for unstaffed early-morning drop-offs.
• Disputes: ask the supplier for the original ticket or toll invoice. If you booked through a comparison site, its customer service can help with the supplier.

Book early for holidays, compare the total price including the airport fee, and read the deposit and excess before you pay.

We recommend comparing on DiscoverCars, which shows suppliers at TLV side by side, including Shlomo Sixt, Eldan, Avis/Budget Israel and Hertz, with free cancellation up to 48 hours before pickup and a full coverage option. Then check Economybookings for a second quote. These are affiliate links: we may earn a commission, and your price is unchanged.

Checklist:
- Is the desk in the terminal, or is there a shuttle?
- Is the supplier open at your landing time, especially on Friday night or Saturday?
- Is mileage unlimited? Some Israeli suppliers cap short rentals at 250 km per day.
- What is the excess, and does the deposit fit on your card?
- Are you entitled to the VAT exemption, and does the price already reflect it?

Before driving out, read our guide to driving in Israel and our Israel car rental insurance page.