Car Hire by British Airways

Each driver needs to present :

1. A full, valid driving licence in English (held for 12 months or more) from their country of residence. This should include both photo and paper parts of the licence where applicable *see note below

2. A credit card in their name (for deposit and excess)

* For UK residents, in June 2015, the paper counterpart to the UK driver's licence was abolished. If you're collecting a car from a UK depot/rental location, you won't require the paper counterpart, the DVLA 'Share Driving Licence' online code or a downloaded summary of your driving licence record - the photocard will be sufficient. However, if you're collecting a car from an overseas depot/location, for peace of mind Avis recommend you do take the DVLA 'Share Driving Licence' online code or a downloaded summary of your driving licence record. Please visit the DVLA's website for more information and advice.

If you still hold a paper driving licence issued before the photocard licence was introduced in 1998, you will be able to collect your vehicle with this so long as you have photographic identification too i.e. a passport.

Additional drivers can be arranged directly with the depot on collection of your pre-booked hire car (please note that additional charges will be applied and are payable locally). The second driver will need to present a full driving licence and credit card in their name, on collection of the vehicle. A minimum age restriction may apply to second drivers, which is variable by depot. Please contact us for more information.

If you are a member of the British Airways Executive Club, you are entitled to a free second driver with all pre-paid Avis car rental booked via ba.com or over the telephone with us. Simply provide your Executive Club account number at the time of booking – we do not require the name of the second driver. The second driver does not need to be an Executive Club member but they will need to present a full driving licence and a credit card in their name, on collection of the vehicle. Where applicable, a young driver surcharge may apply. If you have an existing booking and didn't provide your Executive Club account number at the time of booking, please telephone us to let us know that you require the free second driver and we will arrange this for you.

No. If you are booking car hire only (without flights), we only require the name of the first driver. Please see above for guidance on additional drivers.

The term 'Or Similar' is used because the vehicle you are allocated may not be the exact make and model as the vehicle displayed. However, it will be from the same car group, meaning that it will be comparable in size and performance to that vehicle.

The actual vehicle you are allocated will depend on the makes and models available at the time within the car group you request. If we are unable to provide a vehicle in your requested car group, we will provide a vehicle from the next available car group up at no extra charge.

You may book car hire with or without a British Airways flight.

Please be aware that if you book your car separately to your flight, the Avis depot will not be aware of your flight information. In the unlikely event of a flight delay, you will therefore need to call the 24 hour In-Resort number on your voucher, so that we can advise the Avis depot of your progress. Alternatively, please contact us prior to travel and we can inform Avis of your flight details.

If you require stand-alone car hire i.e. you do not require flights or any other ground arrangements, search for car rental using the 'create a trip' form here. Tick the 'Returning to a different location' field. If a one-way rental fee applies, this will be included within the price quoted to you.

If you require flights and other ground arrangements with your car, use the 'Customise your trip' link from our home page. This will enable you to book one-way car hire and if a one-way rental fee applies, this will be included within the price quoted to you.

If you require just flights with your car, it is possible to book one-way rental if you are arriving into and departing from different airports. Use the multi-city link from the home page to select your flights then add car rental to your booking - the system will allow you to select different depots for collection and return. If you are arriving into and departing from the same airport, it is currently only possible to book one-way rental if the duration of the car hire differs to the duration between the flights. Once you've selected your flights, follow the links to add car hire to your booking.

Unfortunately, it is not currently possible to arrange one-way car hire if the duration of the car hire matches the duration between the flights, for example, a Flight + Car package.

Some countries will not allow you to cross their borders with a hire car. Please check this when you collect your vehicle. Alternatively, please contact us to confirm before you travel.

Excess fees vary considerably according to vehicle type, destination and even depot. They also change frequently. For full, up-to-date information, please contact us.

There are two Avis depots at Heathrow Airport – one at Terminal 5 and one that services Terminals 1 to 4 via a shuttle bus.

If you book car hire from Heathrow Airport, by default, the system will book collection from Terminal 5. However, if you book a BA flight at the same time as your car, Avis will use your flight information and assume that you wish to collect your car from the terminal you fly into. For example, if your BA flight arrives into Terminal 4, your Avis car will be ready for you to collect at the Terminals 1 - 4 location even though your pre-paid voucher will show Terminal 5.

If you do not book a BA flight at the same time as your car, you can choose which depot you collect your car from. We recommend you check the depot opening hours - in the event that the Terminal 5 depot is closed, you can use the Terminals 1 to 4 location. We do not need to know in advance which terminal you wish to collect the car from.

Avis Terminal 5 opening hours are 0500 - 0000. Avis Terminals 1 to 4 location is open 24 hours.

Avis also offer a facility for customers to collect their rental cars from Terminal 2. However, a charge of approximately £19.99 (subject to change without notice) will be applied by Avis should you wish to take advantage of this Terminal 2 depot – payment for this charge will need to be made directly to the depot when collecting your car. You do not need to notify us in advance should you wish to collect your car from this depot, even if your pre-paid voucher shows collection from Terminal 5. Simply visit the Terminal 2 depot and staff will be able to assist you.

All British Airways flights at London Gatwick use the South Terminal.
Please proceed to the Avis depot at the South Terminal to collect your car. A complimentary shuttle service runs every few minutes between terminals. 

When making your booking, car availability will only be offered to you if the depot is open for your requested pick up and drop off times. In the event that you do not see any availability, this could mean that the depot is closed – try alternative pick up and drop off times. We are unable to organise collection/drop off outside the depot’s opening hours, but some depots offer a 'drop box' to enable you to return the car and keys out of hours. Check directly with the depot when collecting your car to see if they offer this service.

We recommend that you book your car and flights together in one transaction – this will ensure the depot receive your flight details. If you book your car separately, the depot will not know your flight information. Therefore, in the unlikely event of a delay, you will need to call the 24 hour number on your voucher so that we may advise the depot of your progress.

All prices promoted on ba.com/avis are in GBP and are based on Group A car size. The holidays featured are ATOL protected under the British Airways Holidays number ATOL5985 (i.e. flight and car booked at the same time). Standard British Airways terms and conditions apply.

General
Car rental durations are based on a 24 hour clock. Minimum rental age and standard British Airways terms and conditions apply. Driver must present a full valid driving licence (both parts if new style UK paper/picture card version; International Driving Permit if the driver’s licence is written in non-Roman alphabet e.g. Greek / Arabic etc.). For packages (flight + car or flight + hotel) departing outside the UK, please see our terms and conditions for the appropriate insolvency protection arrangements in place.

Earning Avios
To qualify for the standard Avios award (3 Avios per £1 spent) and all bonus Avios awards, rentals must include the British Airways Executive Club membership number of the first named driver (the “renter”). This Executive Club card number must be given at time of reservation and the card shown at time of rental. Rentals made using Avis contracted (corporate/government) rates/AWDs do not qualify for standard or bonus Avios.  Chauffeur Drive, van rentals, travel industry staff rates including BA and Avis employee programmes, replacement/insurance rates, selected association programmes, net rate programmes and rentals booked through other online travel agents, brokers and price comparison sites do not qualify for Avios. Only UK Prestige rentals qualify for Avios; Avios will not be awarded on any other Prestige rentals worldwide.

Only rentals that qualify for standard Avios (ie 3 Avios per £1 spent) will qualify for any bonus Avios listed below, or any bonus Avios issued as a result of special promotions run by Avis from time to time.

Consecutive or conjunctive rentals will not qualify for Avios awards – only the first qualifying rental in such situations will be awarded Avios.
Avios can be earned on Avis car rental without taking a flight. The awarding of Avios may take up to 8 weeks from date of rental. All Avios issued are subject to Executive Club terms and conditions. Renter must meet Avis age, driver and credit requirements.

Earn 3 Avios per £1 spent on Avis car rental
Avis will award a standard ‘3 Avios per £1 spent’ on qualifying Avis rentals. If the rental is not paid in £ sterling, then the currency will be changed to £ sterling at the Avis Exchange rate applicable on date of rental commencement (the date the car is collected). The final rental value used to calculate the Avios award will exclude any charges for damage (actual damage charges or insurance excesses charged due to damage) and will exclude all taxes.

A minimum of 500 Avios for 1-2 day rentals and a minimum of 700 Avios for 3+ day rentals will be awarded per qualifying rental. A maximum of 10,000 Avios will be awarded per qualifying rental. Post-rental, if any adjustments to the value of that rental are made (e.g. a refund is made by Avis Customer Services) then the appropriate Avios award adjustment will be credited or debited from the Executive Club member’s account as necessary.

2 Avios per £1 spent on Avis corporate rates
Avis will award 2 Avios per £1 spent on certain selected qualifying Avis corporate rentals. If the rental is not paid in £ sterling, then the currency will be changed to £ sterling at the Avis Exchange rate applicable on date of rental commencement (the date the car is collected). The final rental value used to calculate the Avios award will exclude any charges for damage (actual damage charges or insurance excesses charged due to damage) and will exclude all taxes.  There is no minimum Avios award for corporate rentals. A maximum 10,000 Avios will be awarded per qualifying rental. Avis corporate rentals do not qualify for any bonus Avios promotions. Post-rental, if any adjustments to the value of that rental are made (e.g. a refund is made by Avis Customer Services) then the appropriate Avios award adjustment will be credited or debited from the Executive Club member’s account as necessary.  To qualify for the 2 Avios per £1 spent on selected Avis corporate rentals, rentals must include the British Airways Executive Club membership number of the first named driver (the “renter”). This Executive Club card number must be given at time of reservation and the card shown at time of rental. If you are a corporate customer and have any questions regarding your eligibility for Avios, please contact your Avis Corporate Account Manager.

Loyalty Bonus – receive 750 bonus Avios when you have made 4 qualifying rentals with Avis in a 12-month calendar year.
Make four qualifying rentals with Avis during a 12 month calendar year (1st January – 31st December) and receive a once-only loyalty bonus award of 750 Avios. The rental start date (ie the date the car is picked up) will determine what calendar year that rental has been accrued in, to count towards the four rentals required. For example, a rental that commences on 20th December 2013 and closes on 4th January 2014 will be counted in the 2013 calendar year.

250 bonus Avios when you pay for your Avis rental using your co-brand British Airways finance card (participating cards only).
Qualifying rentals must either be pre-paid using a participating British Airways co-brand finance card (via ba.com, avisba.com, BA Call Centres or Avis Call Centres) or if a pay-later reservation has been made, the rental must be paid for at the rental location when the car is returned using a participating British Airways co-brand finance card.

Participating cards (list correct at December 2014):
British Airways American Express Card (UK)
British Airways Visa  Signature ® Card (USA)
RBC® British Airways Visa Infinite Card (Canada).
British Airways Mastercard issued by Standard Bank (South Africa)
British Airways Credit Card issued by Absa Bank (South Africa)
Dah Sing British Airways Platinum Card (Hong Kong)
ICICI Bank British Airways American Express Credit Card (India)
British Airways American Express Premium Card (Russia)
British Airways Visa Platinum Card issued by CIBC FirstCaribbean (Caribbean)
British Airways Visa Platinum Card issued by Butterfield (Bermuda)
British Airways Barclaycard Classic & Barclaycard Premium (Germany)
British Airways Barclaycard Priority & Barclaycard Prestige (U.A.E.)
British Airways Visa EnterCard (Sweden)
Diners Club British Airways Card (Switzerland)
Cornercard British Airways Classic Credit Card (Switzerland)
Cornercard British Airways Gold Credit Card (Switzerland)

Only payment for rentals will qualify for the bonus. Separate payment for non-rental items such as ancillaries, damages, fines will not qualify for the Avios bonus. If the rental value is subsequently refunded by the British Airways co-brand finance card, the 250 bonus Avios will be debited from the Executive Club member’s account.

Avis Preferred
Join Avis Preferred through one of our Avis & British Airways partnership enrolment communications or at avisba.com/preferred. This way you will be asked to provide your Executive Club membership tier and your Executive club membership number and this information will be stored in your Preferred membership profile, ensuring you receive Avios on every rental you make. Please always remember to bring BOTH parts of your driver's licence if you have a new style picture one. It's essential that we check both parts for identification and driving endorsements. Sometimes our Avis Preferred members forget as they understandably assume that they don't need ANY paperwork, but we do need to be able to check a valid driving licence at each rental, so please bring it along. When you receive your Preferred card you will also receive a voucher for 500 bonus Avios on your first Preferred rental, and a worldwide upgrade voucher (UK & Western European residents only). Simply follow the booking instructions on the reverse of the vouchers to qualify. It is now possible to include your Avis Preferred number in your car hire booking on ba.com. Please note that a BA AWD (Avis Worldwide Discount number) will be automatically applied to these bookings. If your Avis Preferred profile includes a corporate AWD this will be over-written with a BA AWD during the booking process so you will not receive a corporate rate. If you are a corporate customer and have any questions regarding this process, please contact your Avis Corporate Account Manager.

Executive Club members are eligible for one free additional driver on every qualifying rental, worldwide.
Simply log in to your Executive Club account and make your reservation as normal. You do not need to request an additional driver at time of booking. Simply request an additional driver to be added when you collect your car. The additional driver must meet standard Avis age and driver requirements for that rental location. The additional driver must present a full valid driving licence (both parts if new style UK paper/picture card version; International Driving Permit if the driver’s licence is written in non-Roman alphabet e.g. Greek / Arabic etc.). Only one additional driver may be claimed free of charge per rental. Further additional drivers will be charged at time of rental at the appropriate rate published for that location. This benefit is available for British Airways Executive Club Members only, all membership tiers, booking on ba.com; avisba.com; BA Call Centres or Avis Call Centres using a BA Executive Club AWD: Gold N744400; Silver N744300; Blue N744100; Bronze N284300.