Hi Sparky. Head for the lift in the car park facing arrivals, then take it down to the basement. You will need to show your passport and documentation that you are picking up another vehicle to the security people short of the rental offices.

This topic brings up another question: We are renting a car for 2 weeks in Malaga with pickup at the airport. The problem is we are not flying into the airport but arriving from Madrid by Ave train, then taking the local train to the airport. Will we have a problem getting to the car rental area if we arrive by train?

If your car rental office is in the basement of airport arrivals, follow the advice above. If not, well, I'm sure the best advice regarding how to get to the collection point will come from the rental company itself.

Spring Hill:

Follow Tony's advice and ask the rental company exactly where to pick up the car. The airport is in the midst of a large expansion project and there is a lot of construction, so it may not be easy to find the rental place. Some rental places are across the road, but the area is really huge. The best thing is to see if you can go to the rental offices at the basement of the airport because they have their rental cars parked close by.

I should have pointed out that the pedestrian route to and from the train station has changed in recent months. Now when you come in by train from Malaga, the walkway from the staion will take you straight into the NEW covered car park, adjacent to the old one.

As far as I am aware (though please correct me if I am wrong), you cannot gain access to the car rental offices by heading down in the lift from here.

As you enter the new car park from the station walkway, head right, then, about 100 yards on, you will find yourself in the old car park, which faces the main terminal building and departures.

This is where you will find the lift that takes you down to the basement and the airport car rental offices.

Hope this helps. Tony.

The car hire companys have offices on the floor where you return your car at the end of your hire period, You have to go out of the arrivals hall and across the road, (passed taxi stops) and then take the lifts down. We hired a car from the airport last May even though we were arriving at the airport by rail from malaga not by plane. Thrown to start with as could not get access through arrival hall All the offices are there, we were the only people collecting a car all the rest were leaving there cars took just 5 mins to process paperwork. We have booked a car the same way this year as we again will be arriving from cordoba by train.