Chania Airport car rental pickup guide: what to send before you land

Practical answer

Useful before you choose the car

A simple arrival checklist for CHQ: use the real flight and handover time, choose the car type around passengers and luggage, and confirm insurance and the return location before travel.

Before booking: decide whether you need the car from the airport

If the holiday begins with several days entirely in central Chania, hotel or city delivery later can sometimes be more practical than renting immediately. If you are leaving the airport for a resort, villa or road trip, CHQ pickup is usually the simpler start.

The quote form supports both approaches, so choose based on the actual itinerary rather than defaulting automatically to the airport.

Add the flight number

The flight number links the booking to a specific arrival. For a confirmed CHQ pickup, we monitor that flight so an airline delay does not leave the customer without the confirmed car. Late or after-hours pickup fees still apply according to the actual handover time and confirmed terms.

If the flight changes after booking, update the rental contact so the handover information remains current.

Use the real handover time

The quote form offers 30-minute times across the full 24-hour cycle, from 05:00 through 04:30, with 08:00 shown as the default. Change it to the realistic handover time for your flight.

Do not select a daytime time merely because it is the first option when the flight actually lands late at night.

Choose the exact car type and transmission need

If automatic transmission is essential, select an automatic car type. If seven or nine seats are essential, choose that capacity. Avoid requesting a generic “any car” if the trip has a non-negotiable requirement.

Model names are examples or similar unless an exact model is specifically confirmed.

Children, strollers and luggage change the required car size

A baby seat can be requested free, but the seat itself takes space. Strollers and large suitcases also affect boot capacity. Five seats on the specification sheet do not mean five people plus five large bags will fit.

Send the bag count and child-seat need when the vehicle size is being decided.

Late-night and early-morning arrivals

Enter the real arrival/handover time and flight number. Any special late handover arrangement or charge should be confirmed in the written quote before travel.

If the airline delays the confirmed flight, we follow the updated arrival and coordinate the handover. Late or after-hours pickup fees still apply according to the actual handover time. Contact us if the flight number changes, the flight is cancelled or diverted.

Plan the return before you land

The return can be requested at CHQ, in Chania, at a supported hotel location, Rethymno, Heraklion Airport or Heraklion Port. An open-jaw trip should be quoted from the beginning.

For a Heraklion departure, allow enough time for the vehicle handover before the flight or ferry rather than treating the departure time as the return time.