VRENTY CAR is an independent comparison service. The search above is provided by our partner Localrent and lists local agencies side by side; you book directly with the provider. Always confirm the price, insurance and deposit before you pay.
📍 Keflavik International Airport (KEF): Iceland's main international airport on the Reykjanes peninsula, about 50 km south-west of Reykjavik and a short drive from the Blue Lagoon area.
Why Rent a Car at Keflavik Airport
Iceland's best sights — waterfalls, black-sand beaches, glaciers, geothermal fields and the northern lights — are spread out with very little public transport between them. Organised tours cover the famous stops on a fixed schedule, but a car lets you stay at a waterfall for as long as the light is good, chase clear skies at night and choose your own base. The airport sits right on the road network, so there is no need to go into Reykjavik first.
Our advice: after a long or overnight flight, do not plan a long first drive. Many visitors head for the Blue Lagoon or their first hotel, and rest. If you arrive late in winter, remember that daylight is short and the roads may be icy, so keep the first leg simple and short.
Drive Times from KEF
Times are approximate and change a lot with the hour and the season; use a live navigation app for the real figure.
| Destination | Approx. distance | Typical drive |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Lagoon area | ~20 km | about 20–30 min |
| Reykjavik centre | ~50 km | about 45–60 min |
| Hveragerdi | ~90–100 km | about 1–1.25 hours |
| Thingvellir National Park | ~100–110 km | about 1.25–1.5 hours |
| Geysir and Gullfoss | ~150–170 km | about 2–2.5 hours |
| Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss | ~170–200 km | about 2.5–3 hours |
| Vik | ~230 km | about 3–3.5 hours |
Picking Up at KEF: Meeting Points and Late Arrivals
How the car is handed over depends on the agency: some meet you at the terminal, some at a car park, some at a nearby yard with a shuttle, and many will deliver to a hotel on the Reykjanes peninsula or in Reykjavik. Use the "Specify location" option in the search to choose, and do not rely on a named counter unless it is written on the car card. Many flights arrive late or very early, so give the provider your flight number, and confirm what happens if the flight is delayed.
Check the car before you leave the yard. Photograph every scratch, chip in the windscreen, the wheels and the underbody with the agent present, and note the fuel type: many Iceland rental cars are diesel, and putting petrol into one is an expensive mistake that insurance does not cover.
Late arrival? Many Iceland flights land late at night or very early in the morning. Give the provider your flight number, confirm the meeting point and any out-of-hours fee, and check that the phone number on your voucher answers messages. In winter, ask about winter tyres and an ice scraper before you drive away.
Documents and Age
- Valid driving licence, usually held for at least a year; minimum age is typically 21 (23 or 25 for larger or premium cars)
- International Driving Permit (IDP) if your national licence is not in the Latin alphabet or is not from a country the agency accepts — a licence in English or another Latin-script language is often enough for short visits, but rules and agency policies vary, so confirm with the agency before you travel
- Passport and the booking voucher
- A payment method that matches the offer: many agencies block the deposit on a credit card; use the No deposit or No credit card filter if you need an alternative
What Affects the Price of a Rental at KEF
We do not quote a fixed price here, because rates for the same car change with dates and availability. Look at the live search for your exact days. The main factors:
- Season: summer (roughly June to August) with its long daylight is the busiest and dearest, the shoulder months and winter are usually cheaper but need winter tyres and more care, and 4x4 vehicles cost clearly more than small cars
- Car class: an automatic SUV or pick-up costs clearly more than a compact car
- Rental length: weekly and longer rentals usually lower the daily rate
- Insurance level: full coverage adds a daily amount but often removes the deposit
- Pick-up and return place: airport and out-of-hours pick-up, delivery and one-way returns can carry fees
When you compare, look at the total with full coverage, not the base rate alone.
Iceland Insurance and Deposit Explained
With basic insurance the excess — your share of any damage — can be large and the agency blocks a deposit. Full coverage brings the excess close to zero and, with many local agencies, means no deposit. Typical exclusions are tyres, glass, the underbody, interior damage and lost keys, and the cover is not valid off-road. Gravel protection (GP), sand and ash protection (SAAP) and wind or door damage are separate cover items that are often not part of the basic package; damage on F-roads and in river crossings is never insured. Tolls, fines and parking are billed separately. Photograph the car with the agent at pick-up and return and make sure all damage is in the acceptance document.
Reykjanes Roads, Closures and Volcanic Activity
The airport is on the Reykjanes peninsula, an active volcanic area. In recent years eruptions and ground deformation have at times closed roads and attractions in parts of the peninsula, including routes towards the Blue Lagoon and Grindavik, and conditions can change quickly. Before you drive, check the official road and safety information on road.is and safetravel.is, and follow signs and closures. For weather and wind warnings, vedur.is is the national weather service.
- Check road.is, safetravel.is and vedur.is before each day's drive
- Obey road closures and do not enter closed areas
- Wind on the open peninsula can be strong; hold the car door with both hands
Fuel, Cards and Unmanned Pumps
Many fuel stations, especially outside Reykjavik and at night, are unmanned and take only a chip-and-PIN card. Make sure your card has a PIN before you travel, and ask the agency about the fuel type and about prepaid fuel cards. Stations on the Ring Road can be far apart in the east and in the highlands, so fill up when the tank is half full rather than waiting for the warning light.
Insurance Items You Will See on the Car Card
Iceland rentals commonly list extra cover that is unusual elsewhere: GP (gravel protection), SAAP (sand and ash protection), and sometimes theft, tyre or glass options. Wind damage to doors, usually caused by opening a door in a gust, is generally excluded from standard cover, and so is any damage in river crossings and on F-roads. Read the exclusions on the car card, and ask the agency about anything unclear.
Driving Near KEF: Roads and Habits
The road from the airport to Reykjavik is a fast, well-kept main road, but wind, rain and snow squalls can arrive quickly, and winter ice is common. Outside towns, roads are often two-lane with no shoulder, gravel stretches appear without warning, and sheep and tourists stopping for photos are the main surprises. Daylight is very long in summer and very short in December and January, so plan the day around the light.
- Traffic drives on the right; overtaking is allowed only with a clear view, and passing on blind hills is a classic cause of crashes
- Headlights must be on at all times, day and night, all year; most rental cars switch them on automatically, but check
- Speed limits are signed and generally lower than visitors expect (typically about 50 km/h in towns, about 80 km/h on gravel and about 90 km/h on paved main roads); speed cameras exist, so keep to the signs
- Very low drink-driving limit with heavy penalties — the safest rule is zero alcohol before driving
- Seatbelts are compulsory for everyone, children need a suitable child seat, and handheld phone use is banned
- Off-road driving is illegal and heavily fined, and it damages fragile moss and lava; drive only on marked roads and tracks
- Sheep and horses roam freely in summer and may step onto the road; slow down when you see animals near the verge
- Do not stop on the carriageway or on a bridge to take photos; use the signed lay-bys and car parks
- Single-lane bridges (signed "Einbreið brú") and the end of paved sections (signed "Malbik endar") appear on rural roads; slow down in good time
- A rental car is normally for use in Iceland only; ask the agency about any exception before you plan a ferry trip
Best Day Trips from Keflavik Airport by Car
Car Rental at Other Iceland Pick-Up Points
If your trip starts elsewhere, pick up closer to your first night and save a long drive after landing.