Daily 24-hour rentals sit just outside T1 arrivals
Car Rental Center T1 sits by the public arrivals area of Terminal 1 at El Dorado International Airport, with counters typically open 24 hours to match peak international banks. You collect keys and complete paperwork landside, so you exit customs first, then walk straight into the rental zone on the ground floor.
Most major agencies keep desks here, usually lined up in one strip opposite the exit from baggage claim in T1. Pricing swings a lot by season, but base economy rates often start around COP 120,000–180,000 per day before insurance. Expect to show a passport, your home country driver’s license, and a credit card with enough limit for a COP 2,000,000–4,000,000 hold.
Pick-up and return lots sit a short walk from T1, usually 3–5 minutes from the counters, signed in Spanish and English. Some companies share a single parking structure near the terminal access road, while others use open-air bays nearer the exit to Avenida El Dorado (Calle 26). Budget at least 15–20 minutes from exiting the aircraft to reaching your rental car, assuming no line at passport control.
Insurance is the big line-item: full coverage on a compact can easily add COP 40,000–70,000 per day. Colombia accepts most foreign licenses for tourist stays under 90 days, but agencies often scan your passport to confirm your entry stamp date. If you only have a digital credit card, ask in advance; some desks still want a physical plastic card for the hold.
For returns, most agencies at T1 publish a 24/7 drop-off process, with a key box and a quick walk back into the departures level. Give yourself 30–40 minutes from hitting the airport perimeter to standing at airline check-in, in case the return line stacks up or the attendant does a slow walk-around on minor scratches.
Step-by-step: renting from Car Rental Center T1
- 1. Land at T1, clear immigration, then pick up bags at the assigned carousel number.
- 2. Exit customs into the public arrivals hall and walk 50–100 meters to the car rental counters zone.
- 3. Choose your agency, present passport, driver’s license, and credit card, then confirm daily rate plus insurance in COP.
- 4. Sign the contract, note the fuel policy and mileage limits, and collect your rental agreement with plate number listed.
- 5. Follow the agency staff 3–5 minutes to the parking area, inspect the car, and photograph existing dents before leaving.
- 6. Drive out following signs to Calle 26 (El Dorado Avenue) toward Bogotá or the exit to the Bogotá–Medellín or Bogotá–Girardot highways.
- 7. On return, follow “Car Rental Return / Devolución de Autos” signs back to the same lot and allow 10–15 minutes for inspection.
- 8. Walk back to T1 departures, typically 5 minutes from the lot, and head to check-in or security screening for your flight.
One last tip: print or download your agency’s confirmation in Spanish and keep the booking number handy; it speeds up counter time at T1 when several flights land at once.