Akureyri Airport (AEY)
Best for: Starting a North Iceland drive after an Akureyri flight
Use AEY as the airport pickup, with the chosen company and return station recorded in the offer.
Akureyri Airport car hire
At Akureyri Airport (AEY), Hertz has a desk inside the arrivals hall and its cars in the airport parking lot outside the terminal. For a Hertz return, use its airport parking area and the desk or the self-service instructions provided for your booking. Avis also has an AEY airport station, but its airport desk and vehicle positions should come from the Avis reservation. AEY suits a North Iceland start when your flight lands here; set the vehicle and return around the first overnight stay, the planned Ring Road or Diamond Circle legs, and the current road conditions.
Editor: Ane
Akureyri Airport at a glance
- Hertz collection
- Desk inside the AEY arrivals hall; vehicle in the airport parking lot outside.
- Hertz return
- Use the Hertz airport parking area, then the desk or booked self-service key instructions.
- Eastbound toll
- The Vaðlaheiðargöng tunnel on Route 1 uses an electronic toll payment process.
Search Akureyri Airport car hire
Search starts at Akureyri Airport [AEY], with the same return location and ISK as the requested currency. Check the exact branch, collection instructions and full conditions in the selected offer.
Preparing live car hire search
Choose when to collect in Akureyri Airport
Supplier collection arrangements
Selected airport rental operators and collection arrangements. Check availability in your search. Your selected offer and voucher identify the booked branch.
Hertz desk inside the AEY arrivals hall; Hertz vehicles in the airport parking lot outside the terminal
- Hertz Akureyri Airport
Return to the Hertz parking area outside the terminal. Give keys to the desk when open or use the self-service return method and key position supplied for your reservation.
Other rental companies
- Avis Akureyri Airport
- Europcar Akureyri Airport
Collect at the AEY branch on your booking
For a Hertz booking, start at its arrivals-hall desk and collect the assigned car outside.
Use the Hertz arrivals desk when booked with Hertz
After collecting luggage at AEY, find the Hertz desk inside the airport arrivals hall. Hertz places its rental cars in the airport parking lot just outside the terminal. Complete the agreement at its desk, then use the assigned vehicle details to locate the car. Check the condition record, tyres, lights, fuel and any pre-existing marks before leaving. If the desk is closed at your flight time, arrange the offered self-service pickup for that booking in advance and check when the terminal is accessible.
Prepare for the AEY handoverKeep Avis airport and town bookings distinct
Avis operates an Akureyri Airport station and a separate downtown branch at Hjalteyrargata 6. The station name on the reservation matters: arriving at AEY with a downtown booking does not establish an airport collection. If collecting outside desk hours, establish whether keybox pickup has been arranged for your airport reservation. Use the meeting point and car position supplied for that reservation rather than assuming Avis shares the Hertz desk or parking bay.
Compare Iceland pickup regionsChoose the first North Iceland leg
AEY is close to Akureyri town but a regional drive needs more daylight and weather margin.
Decide between town and an eastbound start
Akureyri Airport is on the edge of town, so a local first night can avoid launching a long drive straight after a flight. If the next base is around Lake Mývatn, Goðafoss or Húsavík, plan the eastbound leg by the actual arrival and vehicle handover time. The Diamond Circle connects those areas with Dettifoss and Ásbyrgi, but that makes a multi-stop regional itinerary rather than a short airport transfer. Map the day around daylight, weather and realistic stops.
Check the tunnel payment before Route 1
The Vaðlaheiðargöng tunnel lies on Route 1 east of Akureyri. It has an electronic toll without a booth: the tunnel operator permits single-trip payment within 24 hours before or after using it. Ask whether the selected rental already handles this charge and what administration fee would apply if the operator bills the vehicle owner. If you will pay it yourself, keep the vehicle registration and a payment record. Do not assume the rental rate includes the tunnel.
Check the tunnel payment methodFit the car to Iceland's conditions
The assigned vehicle, tyre condition and allowed roads matter more than a category badge.
Use current road information
North Iceland weather can change a comfortable Ring Road leg into slow or unsafe travel, especially with snow, ice or wind. Check the official road map and forecast before leaving AEY and again before each longer day. Keep an alternate overnight plan when conditions threaten the route. The airport car gives flexibility only while the roads remain open and the driver is comfortable with the conditions; a confirmed rental booking is not a promise that every planned stop will be reachable.
Check current Iceland road conditionsKeep highland roads out of an assumed itinerary
A normal North Iceland route around Akureyri and Mývatn is a different decision from driving a highland F-road. Highland routes can be rough, close seasonally and include unbridged rivers. A vehicle described as 4WD is not automatically suitable for a particular F-road or permitted by the rental agreement. Get the supplier's written road permissions for the chosen car and check live access before adding a highland detour. Never treat an insurance package as a promise of river-crossing cover.
Match luggage and tyres to the group
Count seats, child seats and bags for the fullest day, not just the first transfer into town. Compare boot space and transmission in the actual category, then ask what tyres the assigned car will carry for your travel dates. A larger class may help luggage without improving grip on ice. Keep heavy bags secured and rear visibility clear. If a smaller car meets the route and packing needs, its easier parking may matter more than unused size in Akureyri.
Check vehicle and luggage fitCompare the full AEY rental quote
Use the same airport, dates and drop-off when weighing vehicle offers.
Read the contract beyond the daily rate
Compare the selected offer's payment card, deposit or hold, damage excess, gravel or tyre exclusions, fuel rule, extra driver, child seats and mileage. Add any parking charges and the Vaðlaheiðargöng toll if the eastbound route uses the tunnel. Check whether the quoted currency and final payment currency differ; the ISK tool setting is a planning preference, not a guarantee of the supplier's checkout currency. A low starting rate does not settle the cost of the intended route.
Compare the AEY journey costUse the driver’s actual country of residence
Set the real country of residence before comparing AEY offers. The airport search can return different choices for UK and Australian residents even with the same flight dates and times. Changing residence to obtain a result does not establish eligibility for that driver. Keep the country, age and payment requirements consistent with the person who will collect the car.
Price the true final station
If the flight home leaves from another Iceland airport, request that exact drop-off in the search. The supplier must accept the one-way journey, and a different branch can change the rate, permitted return window and driving day. A town overnight followed by an AEY return is a simpler pattern only if the trip actually ends at AEY. Leave margin for an uncertain winter road leg before committing to an early flight and a car handback on the same morning.
Return to the booked AEY station
Each airport operator has its own key and parking instructions.
Use Hertz's outside airport parking area
For Hertz, bring the vehicle back to its parking area outside the terminal. Remove belongings and return keys at the airport desk when it is open. Outside opening hours, follow the self-service drop-off instructions issued for the reservation and check the precise key position before leaving the lot. Photograph the parked car, odometer and fuel gauge, then keep the contract and final return record. Allow time to reach the terminal from the lot before boarding.
Check Avis's keybox arrangement in advance
For an Avis airport return outside desk hours, ask whether a keybox handback is included in your reservation and where to park and deposit the keys. Return to the station agreed in the rental contract; responsibility for the vehicle may continue until Avis has examined the car and keys. Do not use the Hertz parking or key method for an Avis car. Record the car's condition and fuel level, and keep the Avis return confirmation.
Akureyri Airport rental questions
Where is the Hertz desk at Akureyri Airport?
Inside the AEY arrivals hall. Hertz vehicles are in the airport parking lot outside the terminal.
Can I collect an AEY car outside desk hours?
Ask the selected airport station whether self-service or keybox pickup can be arranged for your flight. Confirm terminal access, the key method and the assigned car position on the reservation before travel.
Is the Vaðlaheiðargöng tunnel included in an AEY rental?
Do not assume so. It has an electronic toll; check the selected rental's handling and the tunnel payment process if your route uses it.
Can I take any AEY 4WD onto Iceland's F-roads?
No. Check whether the road is open, whether that vehicle is suitable and whether the selected rental agreement permits the specific route. A 4WD label alone settles none of those questions.
Compare Akureyri Airport car hire
Choose your dates and compare the total price, pickup arrangements and rental conditions. Check the branch and return plan before confirming an offer.
Search Akureyri Airport car hire