Both the North and South terminals have their own special car rental buildings conveniently located on Lower Forecourt road. Most of the major car hire firms have an office at these buildings, including Avis, Dollar, Enterprise, Europcar, Hertz, National and Thrifty. The car rental building at the North Terminal is open every day from 06:00 to 22:00, while the car rental facility at the South Terminal is open 24-hours, every day of the week.

While it is certainly possible to hire a car directly at the airport upon arrival, a better alternative is to pre-book your rental using the internet. Pre-booking online is easy and convenient. The rates offered online are almost always lower than those given directly at the airport. Pre-booking also allows you to choose the vehicle of your preference in advance and know that it will be waiting for you upon your arrival at Gatwick.