Car Hire at Halifax Airport

Hola Car Rentals is a premium partner of the leading car hire companies at Halifax Airport, giving you exclusive access to our All Inclusive+ rate. This rate includes extra benefits that no other company can match:

• Full vehicle coverage with no excess (applies only to certain rates and itineraries)
• Toll cashback: get back up to 5% of your total booking value for tolls charged during your hire
• Premium travel medical assistance for up to 5 passengers in case of emergency, covering up to CAD 200,000 (pre-existing conditions excluded)
• No Extra Charges© guarantee: if the counter charges you for something not listed on your confirmation and not an optional add-on you accepted, Hola Car Rentals will work to remove or reimburse the charge after verification

All at no additional cost, ensuring a unique hire experience with complete protection and peace of mind during your trip at Halifax Airport.

No. With Hola Car Rentals, all costs and charges for your booking at Halifax Airport are clearly shown at the time of reservation and in your confirmation email, so you know exactly what you are paying before you arrive at the counter.

On top of that, every Hola Car Rentals booking includes the No Extra Charges© guarantee. This is a pricing guarantee (not insurance) that protects you if the counter at Halifax Airport charges you for something that was not listed on your confirmation and was not an optional add-on you accepted. If that happens, Hola Car Rentals will work with the hire partner to remove or reimburse the charge after verification.

The only costs outside this guarantee are:

• Optional add-ons you choose at the counter (GPS, child seats, prepaid fuel)
• Usage-based charges (tolls, fuel shortfall, traffic fines)

All major hire car counters at Halifax Airport are consolidated in the Airport Parkade lower level, a short walk from the baggage claim area. No shuttle is required.

From baggage claim, follow the overhead signs for Ground Transportation and Hire Cars. The walkway leads directly to the parkade lower level, where you will find brands including Enterprise and Hertz at 747 Bell Blvd inside the parkade structure, while Avis and Budget have counters in or adjacent to the baggage claim area with vehicles parked just outside. Payless and other partners are also located nearby in the same parkade level.

Because all counters are on-site at Halifax Airport, there is no need to wait for a shuttle bus, which saves time compared to many larger airports.

Arriving from an international flight, the full process from landing to driving away at Halifax Airport typically takes between 1.5 and 3 hours, depending on queue lengths and how thorough the vehicle inspection is.

The main steps and their approximate times are:

• Baggage collection from the carousel: 20 to 40 minutes
• Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) processing, including Primary Inspection Kiosks for passport scan, photo, and declaration, followed by a final officer check: 20 to 60 minutes
• Walking from baggage claim to the Airport Parkade lower level hire counters: 10 to 15 minutes
• Counter check-in and vehicle inspection: 30 to 60 minutes

To keep things moving smoothly at Halifax Airport, have your driver’s licence, passport, credit card, booking confirmation, and round-trip flight itinerary ready before you reach the counter.

To collect your hire car at Halifax Airport, you must present the following physical documents at the counter:

• A valid, original driver’s licence in the main driver’s name
• A major credit card with the driver’s name printed on the card, in the main driver’s name, for the authorisation hold
• A passport or valid government-issued photo ID
• Your booking confirmation or printed voucher
• Round-trip flight tickets or itinerary (required for visitors from outside Canada)

If your driver’s licence is not in English and does not use a Latin alphabet (for example, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, or Cyrillic script), an International Driving Permit (IDP) is mandatory and must be carried alongside your original licence. For licences in other non-English scripts, an IDP is strongly recommended.

All documents presented at the Halifax Airport hire counter must be physical originals. Digital copies on a phone or tablet are not accepted. Name mismatches between your licence, passport, and credit card are a common cause of delays, so verify they all match before you travel.

Yes, there are toll roads relevant to drivers departing Halifax Airport, and the billing method depends on which road you use.

The two main toll situations are:

• Cobequid Pass on Highway 104: a 45-km tolled section between Masstown and Thomson Station. The one-way toll for passenger cars is CADUS$ 4.00. Nova Scotia-plated hire vehicles are often waved through at cash lanes, but out-of-province vehicles are charged. Use the cash lane and inform the attendant if your hire has NS plates to confirm whether the exemption applies.
• Halifax Bridges (Angus L. Macdonald and A. Murray MacKay): these bridges previously used the MACPASS cashless transponder system, but tolls were removed entirely on 17 March 2025. No toll applies when crossing these bridges from Halifax Airport.

If your hire company offers a MACPASS transponder programme, daily fees typically range from CADUS$ 3.95 to CADUS$ 6.95 per day plus actual tolls, depending on the partner. For low toll usage, paying cash at the Cobequid Pass booth is usually more economical.

If you drive through a cashless lane without a transponder, the hire company will receive a toll-by-plate invoice and will charge your card for the toll plus an administrative fee of CADUS$ 15 to CADUS$ 25. Carrying Canadian coins and using cash lanes avoids this at Halifax Airport.

Hiring at Halifax Airport adds several location-specific fees on top of your base rate that are worth budgeting for before you arrive.

• Customer Facility Charge: CADUS$ 10.00 per contract, applied by on-airport providers such as Budget at Halifax Airport.
• Concession Recovery Fee: charged by all on-airport hire companies to cover the cost of operating within the airport. The exact percentage varies by partner.
• Harmonised Sales Tax (HST): Nova Scotia applies a 15% HST to the base rate, surcharges, and most fees.

These charges are standard for airport hire locations and are separate from any optional add-ons you choose at the counter, such as a toll transponder programme or additional driver fee.

Your booking confirmation will show which taxes and fees are included in your prepaid rate and which are listed as due at pick-up. If your confirmation states Taxes and Fees: Included, you should not be billed again for those items at the Halifax Airport counter. The No Extra Charges© guarantee covers situations where a disclosed-as-included fee is charged again at the counter.

Yes, when you hire a car at Halifax Airport through a booking that includes Canadian statutory liability, third-party liability cover is included by default. Canadian provincial law requires every hire vehicle to carry third-party liability, so this statutory minimum follows the car automatically.

However, the statutory minimum may not be sufficient for all situations. You can purchase supplementary liability cover (LIS/ALI/SLI) to increase your protection limits. This is especially worth considering if you plan to drive beyond the Halifax Airport area into more remote parts of Nova Scotia.

Third-party liability covers bodily injury and property damage you may cause to other people while driving. It does not cover:

• Damage to the hire vehicle itself (that requires CDW/LDW)
• Your own injuries (that requires Personal Accident Insurance)
• Your personal belongings (that requires Personal Effects Cover)

Check your booking confirmation to see exactly what liability cover is included in your rate before arriving at Halifax Airport. All named drivers on the hire agreement are covered; anyone not listed on the contract is not.

Yes, all bookings include Tolls Cashback, which reimburses up to 5% of your total booking value for tolls you pay during your hire from Halifax Airport.

This is useful if you drive the Cobequid Pass on Highway 104 (CADUS$ 4.00 per one-way crossing for passenger cars) or encounter any other tolled road during your trip from Halifax Airport.

To claim your cashback:

• Email [email protected] within 30 days of returning the vehicle
• Use the subject line: Tolls Cashback - Reservation [Your Confirmation Number]
• Attach your Hola Car Rentals booking confirmation, the signed hire agreement from Halifax Airport, and a receipt or statement showing the toll charges paid
• Include your full name, travel dates, and the last 4 digits of the card used for your booking

The refund is processed to your original payment method and typically arrives within 7 to 10 business days after approval. Claims submitted after 30 days are not accepted. Tolls Cashback does not mean tolls are free; you still pay them normally and claim the reimbursement afterwards.

Yes, a major credit card in the main driver’s name with the driver’s name physically printed on the card is required at the Halifax Airport hire counter for the authorisation hold.

Key points to know before arriving at Halifax Airport:

• The card must be a major credit card (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, or similar line of credit). Debit cards and prepaid cards are not accepted for the deposit hold.
• The card must be physically present. Digital wallets, virtual card numbers, and someone else’s card are not accepted.
• In Canada, typical authorisation holds range from CADUS$ 300 to CADUS$ 500, though some Halifax Airport locations may place a hold of approximately CADUS$ 750 for certain vehicle classes or rental terms.
• The hold reduces your available credit until your bank releases it after the hire ends, which can take up to 15 business days.

Even if you prepaid your booking online, you must still present a physical credit card at the Halifax Airport counter. Bring a backup credit card in your own name in case your primary card is declined, and notify your bank of your travel dates to prevent fraud blocks on the authorisation.

Returning your hire car at Halifax Airport is straightforward. Follow the airport signs for Car Hire Return to the designated parking area in the Airport Parkade, which is the same location where you picked up the vehicle.

Steps for a smooth return at Halifax Airport:

• Refuel before arriving at the airport. The full-to-full fuel policy means you must return the car at the same fuel level recorded at pick-up to avoid refuelling charges and service fees.
• Note the odometer reading and fuel level before leaving the vehicle, and take a photo of the dashboard as evidence.
• Return the keys and hire agreement to the counter agent, or use the on-site key drop box if returning after hours. Avis, Enterprise, and Budget Fastbreak participants can self-drop without visiting the counter.
• Keep all paperwork, including the final hire receipt, for at least 6 months in case of any post-hire toll invoices or charges.

After-hours returns are available at Halifax Airport via key drop. The vehicle will be inspected the next business day, so document the car's condition with photos before leaving it. Counter hours vary by brand; Enterprise, for example, operates daily from 06:30 to 23:59 at Halifax Airport.

Yes, you can add an additional driver to your hire car at the Halifax Airport counter, but the additional driver must be physically present at pick-up with a valid driver’s licence.

Whether there is a fee depends on your booking rate:

• If your confirmation states Additional Driver: Included, the first extra driver is free of charge.
• If not included, fees at Halifax Airport vary by partner: Avis, Budget, and Payless charge CADUS$ 13 per rental day (capped at CADUS$ 65); Hertz, Dollar, and Thrifty charge CADUS$ 13.50 per day (capped at CADUS$ 189); Alamo, National, and Enterprise charge CADUS$ 15 per day.

Important requirements at Halifax Airport:

• The additional driver must be present at the counter and sign the hire agreement.
• They must meet the minimum age requirement for the hire location.
• For Avis, Budget, and Payless at Halifax Airport, the additional driver must be at least 25 years old.
• If their licence is not in English or uses a non-Latin alphabet, they will also need an International Driving Permit.

Only drivers listed on the hire agreement are covered by CDW/LDW and liability protections. Anyone not named on the contract who drives the vehicle may void your cover.

If your flight is delayed and you arrive later than your scheduled pickup time at Halifax Airport, hire companies will generally hold your reservation for up to 24 hours from the original pickup time, provided you arrive during counter operating hours.

Counter hours at Halifax Airport vary by brand. As a reference, Enterprise operates daily from 06:30 to 23:59. Some partners, such as Budget, may have reduced hours on certain holidays. If your delay means you will arrive outside counter hours, an after-hours pickup may not be available and you should contact support as soon as possible.

Key points to keep in mind:

• If the delay is less than 24 hours, your booking at Halifax Airport should be held automatically. Confirm you will arrive during service hours.
• If the delay exceeds 24 hours, contact Hola Car Rentals via WhatsApp at +1 (786) 999-8312 or by email at [email protected]. Changes are not guaranteed but the team will assist where possible.
• If you miss the 24-hour window without contacting support, the booking may be forfeited with no refund.

Building in extra time when booking your Halifax Airport pickup, especially on international itineraries with customs and immigration processing, reduces the risk of missing your reservation window.

Yes, most bookings include travel assistance coverage provided by Terrawind Global Protection, and this benefit applies to trips starting at Halifax Airport. However, this coverage is available only to customers who are not residents of Canada or the United States.

The travel assistance included with eligible bookings covers:

• Travel insurance with medical coverage for up to 5 passengers
• Legal assistance in the event of a road accident
• Compensation for luggage lost by the airline
• Flight cancellation insurance

This is particularly relevant if you experience a medical emergency or a breakdown on a remote stretch of highway after leaving Halifax Airport, such as on Highway 104 toward the Cobequid Pass area, where services can be sparse.

To use the assistance, contact Terrawind 24 hours a day, 7 days a week:

• Phone (toll-free or collect): +1 888 980 9992
• WhatsApp: +1 208 910 1001
• Email: [email protected]

Provide your full name, your Hola Car Rentals confirmation number, your current location, and a brief description of the situation. Always contact the assistance line before incurring expenses, as some reimbursements require prior authorisation. Check your booking confirmation for the exact coverage limits and terms that apply to your Halifax Airport hire.

Yes, one-way hires from Halifax Airport to a different drop-off location are possible, but a drop-off fee may apply depending on the route, hire partner, vehicle class, and season.

How it works at Halifax Airport:

• During the booking process, select a different return location. The system will calculate whether a drop-off fee applies and display it under the To Pay at Destination section before you confirm.
• The fee is route-specific. A short intra-province one-way may carry a lower fee than a long-distance or cross-provincial route.
• Cross-border one-ways (for example, from Halifax Airport to a US city) may be restricted or carry significantly higher fees depending on the partner. Always confirm cross-border permissions before booking.

The drop-off fee cannot be prepaid and is payable at the Halifax Airport counter at pick-up. It is separate from fuel, tolls, and taxes, though it is typically subject to Nova Scotia HST at 15%.

If the counter charges a drop-off fee that differs from what your booking confirmation showed, keep all paperwork and contact support. The No Extra Charges© guarantee covers undisclosed fees that were not shown on your confirmation at the time of booking.