Car rental · Spain · File no. 005
Rent a car in Menorca without getting played
Real deposits observed, per agency
Amounts observed at the counter during my own rental, not the amounts advertised online.
| Agency | Indicative price /day | Deposit blocked | Excess | Counter insurance | Verdict | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balmes MenorcaThe forums' darling. All-inclusive by default, 0 € excess, family welcome behind the airport. | 20-45 €/day | 0 € | 0 € | Included by default (full coverage) | ✓ My pick | Book |
| OwnerscarsVery recent fleet; zero deposit with the “Premium rate”. | 20-45 €/day | 0 € | 0 € | Included by default (full coverage) | · | Book |
| Ok MobilityDeposit 900 to 1,400 €; massive queues in summer. | 25-68 €/day | 1,400 € | 1,200 € | Excess waiver ~26 €/day | ✗ Avoid |
⏲ Figures collected on 4 October 2025
Average market prices for an economy car (low season to high season), indicative only: they vary with the season, the model and how early you book. This is not the price paid, just a benchmark to compare.
If you book through this link, FirstHand earns a commission from the merchant, at no extra cost to you. That is what funds the on-the-ground checks.
The local alternative: Ownerscars (Premium rate)
If Balmes is fully booked (common in high season on this small island), switch with confidence to Ownerscars, selecting only their “Premium rate”: the same level of excellence, a very recent fleet, and zero deposit blocked.
Do you actually need a car in Menorca?
100% vital. Menorca has to be earned: its finest coves are reachable only at the end of small rural roads. A UNESCO biosphere reserve, public transport is limited to the two Mahón-Ciutadella axes. Without a car, you waste your stay.
When NOT to rent here
Honestly? Never, unless you stay in an all-inclusive resort at Cala en Porter and refuse to leave your sun lounger; the local bus then covers a round trip to Mahón. For everything else, having no car means wasting the stay.
Where you pick up the car
→ Shuttle from MAH airport to the lot
- 01Coming out of Mahón terminal (MAH), I reach the public-parking meeting point, 3 minutes on foot.
- 02The Balmes/Ownerscars shuttle picks me up for the short hop to their head office, right behind the airport.
- 03Family welcome, no crowded desk: settled in under 10 minutes.
The fuel trap
Strict “full to full”, the transparency edge of Menorcan agencies: you return the tank full, no hidden refuelling fee.
At the counter: what they will push
To refuse politely
- The low-cost chains' (Ok Mobility) ~26 €/day “excess waiver” if your local formula already covers everything
- Any “young driver” or “second driver” surcharge not stated online
To insist on
- The contract showing the excess at 0.00 € in black and white
- The fuel check at return (and nothing else)
What I experienced
To reach the finest southern beaches (Cala Turqueta, Cala Macarella), you drive narrow dirt tracks lined with dry-stone walls. Knowing my local formula included full excess waiver spared me cold sweats at every passing car.
At return, the clerk simply checked the tank was full. No obsessive bodywork inspection under the light, no fear of an abusive charge later on my card.
The anxious questions (the real ones)
+Do you really need a car in Menorca?
Yes, 100%. Public transport is limited to the Mahón-Ciutadella axis; the finest coves (Turqueta, Macarella) sit at the end of dirt tracks. Without a car, you miss the island.
+How do you avoid the deposit at Mahón airport?
Book direct with a local agency (Balmes, or Ownerscars on the Premium rate): 0 € excess, no deposit blocked, a contract showing 0.00 € in black and white.
+Is fuel a trap in Menorca?
Not with the locals: “full to full” policy, you return the tank full with no hidden refuelling fee. Keep the station receipt as proof.
An agency that is not in this table?
Thinking of booking elsewhere and wondering if it is safe? Give me the agency name and the city: I will tell you straight what I know, and add it to the file if it earns its place.
Ask me what I think