How to rent a car at Henri Coandă Airport (Otopeni) in 5 steps

Renting a car directly from Henri Coandă International Airport (Otopeni) is the easiest way to start any trip to Bucharest or the surrounding area. You don’t wait for transfers, you don’t haggle with taxi drivers and you don’t plan your day around public transport timetables. You step off the plane, pick up the keys and leave exactly when you want. In this guide we explain, step by step, how booking with Skycar works and what to watch out for so everything goes smoothly.

If you want to see the airport offer straight away, visit our dedicated page for car rental Otopeni without deposit, where you will find the available cars and the pick-up conditions at the terminal.

Step 1: Choose the pick-up location and dates

Everything starts in the Skycar booking form. Here you select where you want to pick up the car — Henri Coandă Airport (Otopeni), Băneasa Airport or an address in Bucharest — and the date and time of pick-up and return. It is worth entering your actual landing time, not your departure time, and leaving a margin for luggage and passport control. If your flight has a layover, also allow for a possible delay.

The minimum rental period is one day (24 hours). For longer periods the daily price drops automatically, so it is worth checking whether extending your booking by a day or two works out better. Prices start from 15 EUR/day for rentals longer than 21 days.

Step 2: Choose the right car from the fleet

Once you have set your dates, you immediately see the available cars in the Skycar fleet, each with the price calculated for your period. You don’t have to do any maths and there are no hidden costs that only appear at the end: the price shown is what you pay for the car and the period you chose.

When choosing a car, think about a few simple things:

• Number of passengers and luggage — a family with two large suitcases needs a generous boot, not just four seats.
• Type of driving — in the city a compact car is easy to park; on long trips comfort and fuel consumption matter.
• Gearbox — if you are not used to a manual gearbox, choose an automatic car from the start.
• Mileage — most cars come with unlimited mileage; if a car has a limit, it is clearly shown on its page.

Step 3: Fill in your details

To send the booking you only need a few details: name, email address, phone number and date of birth. The minimum age for renting is 21, and your driving licence must have been held for at least one year. Double-check your phone number, because that is how we contact you for confirmation and also how we reach you if your flight is delayed.

At pick-up you will need your ID card or passport and a valid driving licence, both in the driver’s name. For licences issued outside the European Union an International Driving Permit may also be required.

Step 4: Receive your booking confirmation

After you send the request, the Skycar team contacts you quickly to confirm. We tell you exactly where we will meet you at the airport, how to recognise us and what to do after landing. If you have additional questions — about a child seat, a pick-up time outside normal hours or returning the car at a different location — this is the ideal moment to sort them out.

You can also book directly by phone at +40 765 416 139, including on WhatsApp. This is the fastest option if you need a car for the same day.

Step 5: Pick up the car at the airport and go

On the agreed date we meet you at Henri Coandă Airport. We check the documents together, you sign the contract, take a quick walk around the car and we note its condition (scratches, fuel level, mileage). Payment is made when you pick up the car and you don’t need a credit card. The biggest advantage: you can rent without a deposit, so no large amount is blocked on your card for the whole rental period.

Before leaving the car park, adjust the seat and mirrors, connect your phone for navigation and check where the lights and wipers are. These few minutes make the drive much more relaxed, especially if you arrive in the evening or in the rain.

Why rent without a deposit

At many rental companies the deposit means several hundred or even over a thousand euros blocked on your credit card. For many travellers, especially Romanians living abroad who come home for the holidays, this blocked amount is a real disadvantage: it reduces the budget available for the trip and it can take days before the money is released.

At Skycar you can choose the no-deposit option for a small daily supplement. If you still prefer the classic option, with a refundable amount blocked until the car is returned, you can choose that as well. If you are staying in the city and want to pick up the car in Bucharest, check our offer for car rental Bucharest without deposit, with the same simple conditions.

Useful tips for a stress-free pick-up

• Book early in busy periods — summer holidays, Christmas and Easter — when demand for airport cars rises sharply.
• Keep your phone on right after landing so we can contact you.
• Take photos of the car at pick-up, for your own peace of mind.
• Free cancellation — if your plans change, let us know by phone or WhatsApp and we will change or cancel the booking at no cost.
• Report late returns in advance — after the grace period an extra day is charged at the same daily rate.

Conclusion

Five simple steps stand between you and your own car at the airport exit: choose the location and dates, choose the car, fill in your details, receive the confirmation and pick up the keys. No blocked deposit, no credit card and free cancellation. If you have any questions, call us on +40 765 416 139 or write to office@skycar.ro — we answer around the clock.