Advice needed: Using Murcia airport and car hire there

[Ron Palfrey]

We are planning to visit relatives who live near Albox in Almeria, Spain. I've flown into Alicante before and driven down (2 hours). Looking at budget airlines Murcia seems a good bet as a destination airport using Ryanair.

Has any one used this airport and the car hire service there? If so what are your comments/recommendations.

We travel last week in July returning a week later in early August. Stansted looks favourite for departure but East Midlands, Birmingham and Luton airports are all pretty convenient. For some reason Luton seems to be expensive pricewise.

I would welcome your thoughts before I book. Is it best to book a.s.a.p. with budget airlines, or leave it until the last minute?

Ron

 

[coxyhog]

Budget airlines tend to sell their seats in blocks,the cheapest being the first sold.
If you leave it until the last minute & they're getting full you'll pay more than a scheduled airline.

 

[JEZ.S320L]

We are planning to visit relatives who live near Albox in Almeria, Spain. I've flown into Alicante before and driven down (2 hours). Looking at budget airlines Murcia seems a good bet as a destination airport using Ryanair.

Has any one used this airport and the car hire service there? If so what are your comments/recommendations.

We travel last week in July returning a week later in early August. Stansted looks favourite for departure but East Midlands, Birmingham and Luton airports are all pretty convenient. For some reason Luton seems to be expensive pricewise.

I would welcome your thoughts before I book. Is it best to book a.s.a.p. with budget airlines, or leave it until the last minute?

Ron

I use Murcia (San Javier) Airport every week.!

1) The earlier you book - the cheaper the seats.
2) Car hire is available at the Airport - pre-booking is ESSENTIAL - http://www.spanish-airport-guide.com/murcia-airport-car-hire.html
3) The nearest motorway (AP7) is a few minutes drive from the Airport, and is VERY easy to get to/find.
4) In order of service/reliability/cost - 1) Monarch 2) easyJet 3)Ryanair

If you want to know anything else, please PM me.

 

[Ron Palfrey]

Thanks for replies.
Have pm'd you Jez.
Ron

 

[Dosco]

We are planning to visit relatives who live near Albox in Almeria, Spain. I've flown into Alicante before and driven down (2 hours). Looking at budget airlines Murcia seems a good bet as a destination airport using Ryanair.

Has any one used this airport and the car hire service there? If so what are your comments/recommendations.

We travel last week in July returning a week later in early August. Stansted looks favourite for departure but East Midlands, Birmingham and Luton airports are all pretty convenient. For some reason Luton seems to be expensive pricewise.

I would welcome your thoughts before I book. Is it best to book a.s.a.p. with budget airlines, or leave it until the last minute?

Ron

Ron as far as UK airports go Luton IS the most expensive, second in the UK in fact - would you believe Heathrow is far cheaper! Due to its private ownership and being greedy and is as near to the bottom of the pit as one can get, booking in and returning transit through times (luggage and customs) can be longer than Heathrow. EM is the cheapest, Birmingnam is quicker to get through but not sure about long term parking costs however If someone is taking you then EM is free to drop off Birmingham charges £1 to drop off (the excuse being security!!) Luton is free to drop off but is messy to get into (until the long awaited local approach road works are completed that is) For you to travel by rail Luton might be the easy option with Birmingham being the next. EM would have to be by Coach or Taxi.

Last minute is the cheaper option but the risk is that you might find it hard to get what you want unless you can go NOW so to speak (my experience that is). Hope that helps.

 

[JEZ.S320L]

I use Murcia (San Javier) Airport every week.!

1) The earlier you book - the cheaper the seats.
2) Car hire is available at the Airport - pre-booking is ESSENTIAL - http://www.spanish-airport-guide.com/murcia-airport-car-hire.html
3) The nearest motorway (AP7) is a few minutes drive from the Airport, and is VERY easy to get to/find.
4) In order of service/reliability/cost - 1) Monarch 2) easyJet 3)Ryanair

If you want to know anything else, please PM me.

Forgot to add - I fly out of Gatwick, so can't help your with your UK Departure options, I'm afraid.

 

[Blobcat]

I've flown into Alicante before and driven down, my villa owning friend advises that it can take longer to get out of Murcia due to the traffic that driving down from Alicante.

 

[Ron Palfrey]

Thanks all for your responses. Have booked Ryanair out of Stansted into Murcia for £600 total for 3 of us. My younger son is driving us down so car parking isn't an issue. Pink Elephant were quoting £55 for that. Car hire in Murcia is <£100 for a Corsa or Clio with air-con so we'll go for one of those.
Thanks again for all your help.
Ron

 

[JEZ.S320L]

I've flown into Alicante before and driven down, my villa owning friend advises that it can take longer to get out of Murcia due to the traffic that driving down from Alicante.

It takes <2 mins to get out of San Javier Airport - I do it EVERY week..!! Straight down the road - 2ks to the AP7. Couldn't be simpler - there's only one road

As for Murcia (city) thats another story - but there's no Airport there and anyway - Murcia (city) is over 40 kilometres away from San Javier, where the Airport IS.

 

[w210inSpain]

Hey Ron

Your relatives aren´t John & Jane are they by any chance??
Just that I recognise the surname from one of our neighbours, what would be the chances of that?!?!

Enjoy your visit!

Pete.

 

[Dosco]

Thanks all for your responses. Have booked Ryanair out of Stansted into Murcia for £600 total for 3 of us. My younger son is driving us down so car parking isn't an issue. Pink Elephant were quoting £55 for that. Car hire in Murcia is <£100 for a Corsa or Clio with air-con so we'll go for one of those.
Thanks again for all your help.
Ron

No idea of your flight times but get your son to take account of the A14/M11, the M 11 is not to bad but the A14 is a real pig at times. Also when you return the secret is to get your son to park up at the service area on the M11/Stansted junction - easy to find as it is well signed on the Large R/about or the BP filling station (about 40 mins free parking) rest area on the approach to the airport again well signed then when you are through the customs and in the main hall give him a call to come and collect you from the area where he will have dropped you off, you will have a short walk through the terminal - to the Departure hall then out to the 'Drop Off Area' it is a breeze and saves on parking fees etc.

 

[Ron Palfrey]

Hello Pete,
Yes, John's my youngest brother and Jane's my sister-in-law of course. He's recently been over to ours for our parents Diamond wedding celebration. If you let him know, or pm me where you are and contact details, I'd be happy to make your acquaintance while we are there.

By the way, ended up arranging the carhire with AmigoAutos. Peugeot 207 5dr for 119 euros for the week. Comes with a full tank of fuel and you take it back empty, no charge. Brilliant. In the UK it costs nearly that for a tank of petrol now! Another thing, you pay when you get there and not before. No problems if you have to cancel for any reason.

Ron

 

[Ron Palfrey]

Dosco,
Thanks for the tip about picking up at Stansted. I've parked up in farm gateways for a snooze when collecting folk at unearthly hours but your advice about the service area is most useful. Sounds as if you know your airports!
Regards, Ron

 

[w210inSpain]

Hi Ron

Nice to hear from you, I got your PM, and have replied.
Look forward to meeting you next month.

 

[dava]

We go to Spain a couple of times a year and always find these the best for car hire.
http://www.doyouspain.com/

 

[Ron Palfrey]

Thanks for that dava. They look as competitive as who we've booked with this time. Will bear them in mind for the future.
Ron

 

[Ron Palfrey]

Ah well, home from Spain now. The 207 we had arranged to hire from AmigoAutos ended up being a Seat Ibiza Diesel from a firm they subcontracted me to. Disappointed but it was all covered in the small print. The price was more expensive too, 198 euros including a full tank of fuel (whether you use it all or not!) and we only used 1/2 a tank. Not quite the bargain I had allowed myself to believe I was getting. Just goes to prove that if it sounds too good to be true it usually is. The car was fine - a bit boring but very economical on fuel - and did everything it was supposed to.
Holiday was relaxing, the weather hot 38 C, but too warm at night to sleep comfortably.
Murcia airport was good, but roadworks near Murcia itself foxed the SatNav a bit.

Ron

 

[Splatt]

It takes <2 mins to get out of San Javier Airport - I do it EVERY week..!! Straight down the road - 2ks to the AP7. Couldn't be simpler - there's only one road

When picking up your hire car from San Javier airport be sure the check that your rear view and drivers door mirrors are aligned correctly for you, because just outside the airport you will join the elevated roundabout on the access road and will have to cut right across fast traffic coming up from behind on the right crossing over to get to your left . Not the time to find you can`t see anything in your mirrors.

 

[JEZ.S320L]

When picking up your hire car from San Javier airport be sure the check that your rear view and drivers door mirrors are aligned correctly for you, because just outside the airport you will join the elevated roundabout on the access road and will have to cut right across fast traffic coming up from behind on the right crossing over to get to your left . Not the time to find you can`t see anything in your mirrors.

The queues for car hire collection in the Airport, are extremely long at present (school holiday time). Good tip from Splatt - adjust mirrors BEFORE setting off, as there are a number of acute junctions in Spain where caution is called for.

The elevated 'roundabout' Splatt refers to, is quite a distance from the Airport (about 2K's) and is more of a mini-spaghetti junction, than a roundabout.

To those who haven't driven in Spain - relax. The main problems occur with holiday makers (unfamiliar car, driving on the right, confused by road signs, tiried and unsure of where they are going) rather than the 'locals'.

TOP TIP - If you can beg, borrow or steal a TOM-TOM (With European mapping) USE IT. It will be your best friend..!!!!!!

 

[Alex M Grieve]

We spent a week in Estepona around Christmas, arriving via Malaga. The rental company were very efficient and we were on the road speedily. They had built "tyre insurance" into the price @ around 15 Euros.

I would not normally have bought tyre insurance - have lived in Mediterranean counrtries for years and never had a problem. But it had been a long day, I was tired, the lady was polite, and I had a suspicion that they might know more about tyre life locally than I did.

The roads are not too clever once you get off the main track. Long story short, within 48 hours I had shredded the N/S front tyre of the A Class hire car.

Tweaked out the papers, phoned the number - lady answered immediately and without hesitation said I could have it dealt with localy for free if they had an agent locally, or should have it fixed locally at my expense if there was no convenient agent and they would reimburse when I returned the car.

A local tyre shop replaced the tyre promptly. Reimbrusement at the airport on departure was again "no quibble".

The people we were travelling with had declined insurance. They also wrecked a tyre and were required to replace both front tyres on their Jaguar rental car (have to do it for balance, etc said the tyre man).

My tyre cost me 15 euros. His cost 280!

Worth bearing in mind. Perhaps not a "UK thing", but it does seem to be a prevalent issue in Spain and they deal with it very effectively.