Car hire at Mauritius Airport (MRU) from $27/day

Car rental at Mauritius Airport at a glance

Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International is the only place in Mauritius where most cars are handed over on the spot rather than delivered, and it has the widest choice on the island: 160 cars from $26.20 a day, ready when you land.

In the week starting 11 Oct, the cheapest day to pick up a car for a 7-day rental is Monday (from $26.20 a day) and the most expensive is Thursday (from $29.61). Dates further ahead also fall into another season, so compare them with the prices by month.

Renting without a deposit at Mauritius Airport

146 of 160 cars can be rented with no deposit at all, starting at $26.20 a day. Nothing is blocked on your card, which is why many travellers choose these offers. Use the “No deposit” button above the search; for offers with a deposit, the amount is shown on each car before you book.

Key facts: car rental at Mauritius Airport

• 160 cars are listed at Mauritius Airport today: from $26.20 a day for a 7-day rental, a typical car about $47.83.
• 91% of cars need no deposit; the rest of the price is paid at pick-up, in cash for 100% of cars.
• Of the months that are already fully listed (October to February), the cheapest to start a rental is January (from $20.50 a day) and the most expensive is October (from $29.61).
• In the week starting 11 Oct, the cheapest day to pick up a car for a 7-day rental is Monday (from $26.20 a day) and the most expensive is Thursday (from $29.61). Dates further ahead also fall into another season, so compare them with the prices by month.
• Last-minute choice: 103 cars for pick-up in 3 days, 160 when you book two weeks ahead.
• For a 30-day rental the lowest price is $26.20 a day.

Where you pick up the car at MRU

Mauritius has one international airport, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam (MRU), on the south-east coast near Mahébourg. Everywhere else on the island, rental cars are brought to your hotel; the airport is where the choice is widest and prices are usually lowest, because the suppliers' cars start here. After baggage claim and customs, you meet the supplier either at a desk in the arrivals area or at the exit with a name board, depending on the company; your booking confirmation says which.

Have these ready for the hand-over:

• your driving licence and passport;
• the booking confirmation;
• the card or cash for any balance or deposit shown in your offer (91% of cars here need no deposit).

Walk round the car with the representative, photograph each side and the fuel gauge, and check the air conditioning. Give your flight number when you book so the supplier can follow a delay, and check the offer conditions if you land late at night.

Driving from the airport to the north, west and east coasts

Mauritius drives on the left, and nearly every rental car is an automatic (99%), so the only thing to get used to is the side of the road. From the airport, the motorway runs north across the island past Port Louis. Approximate drive times:

• Mahébourg and Blue Bay: about 10–15 minutes.
• Belle Mare and the east coast resorts: about 45 minutes.
• Flic en Flac and the west coast: about 50 minutes to an hour; see car hire in Flic en Flac.
• Grand Baie and the north: about 1 hour 15 minutes; see car hire in Grand Baie.

Rush hour around Port Louis can add a lot to the drive north, so if you land in the late afternoon, expect it. Set the navigation before you leave the car park, keep left at roundabouts, and watch for buses stopping and people walking along the verges.

Airport pick-up or hotel delivery?

Picking up at the airport gives you the widest choice and usually the lowest price, and the car is yours from the first minute: no transfer to book, no waiting for a delivery. It suits a daytime arrival and anyone heading to a villa or apartment without a hotel transfer.

Delivery to your hotel suits a night arrival, a hotel transfer already included in your package, or a first day spent at the resort. A popular combination is to have the car delivered the morning after you arrive and return it at the airport when you fly home. Either way, check the offer conditions for any fee for returning the car at a different place. The Mauritius car hire page explains delivery areas and island-wide tips.

Returning the car before your flight

Agree the return time and meeting point with the supplier when you book, and confirm them at pick-up. Plan the drive back generously: from the north or west it takes an hour or more, and traffic around Port Louis is unpredictable. Refuel on the way if your offer has a full-to-full fuel policy, then photograph the car, the fuel gauge and the dashboard at hand-back and ask for the return to be confirmed. For very early or late flights, check that the supplier can meet you at that hour.

The cheapest small automatic here costs from $26.20 a day, and the price table on this page shows how other classes compare. On most dates, the airport is the best-value place on the island to start a rental.

Where these numbers come from

By the Autalo editorial team. Prices and car counts updated 27 September 2026.

Prices, car counts and conditions on this page come from live offers of local rental companies in the Localrent network and are refreshed daily by Autalo (Alto Media Limited). Prices are for a 7-day rental starting 2026-10-11 unless stated otherwise; your final price depends on dates, season and extras and is always shown in the search before you pay. Last checked 27 September 2026.

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