Quick returns
Several customers found the drop-off fast and straightforward, with one completing the return in minutes.
Al Garhoud
AVIS Rent A Car at Terminal 1’s Departure (CAR RETURN) is an airport car-rental service in Al Garhoud. Reviews point to a particularly quick return process, with options ranging from practical cars such as the Nissan Sunny to larger vehicles including the Volvo S90.
Source: Google Maps
Several customers found the drop-off fast and straightforward, with one completing the return in minutes.
One customer received the security deposit back in less than a week, while another reported a prompt return at drop-off.
Some renters received clean, new cars; a Nissan Sunny was described as being in good working condition.
A customer said the paperwork was carefully explained, and another appreciated guidance on Dubai traffic rules and the invoice.
An agent helped fit a child car seat, a useful touch for families arriving after a flight.
Allow time. Build in a substantial buffer at Terminal 1: one review says the full process can take up to three hours.
Inspect first. Check warning lights, tyres, fuel use, cleanliness and equipment before leaving, and report faults immediately.
Confirm charges. Ask what parking, Salik or other final charges cover and request a proper invoice before accepting unexplained card deductions.
Check fuel. Photograph the fuel gauge at pickup and confirm the agreed level, since several customers did not receive a full tank.
Check insurance. If booking through a third party, confirm Avis’s insurance and deposit requirements in advance; one review reports a 5000dhs hold.
Verify times. Check the return time printed on the invoice before leaving, as one renter disputed a charge based on an incorrect recorded date.
Plan the visit
| Mon | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Tue | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Wed | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Thu | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Fri | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Sat | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Sun | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
One renter used a Volvo S90 but reported a persistent seat-belt message for unoccupied seats.
The return process can include settling toll charges at the counter; one customer completed this in under five minutes.
Multiple renters reported security deposits taking weeks or months to return, alongside unexplained card charges.
Pickup times vary sharply, with reports of waits from 30 minutes to 90 minutes and one account of a three-hour process.
Reviews describe warning lights, technical faults, dirty interiors and cars supplied with less fuel than expected.
Some customers arrived to find their reserved vehicle unavailable and were quoted more for a replacement or equivalent car.
The shared DXB rental area can become congested, making vehicle movement and check-in or check-out slower.
The Bottom Line
AVIS at Terminal 1 Departure handles airport car rentals and returns in Al Garhoud. You can collect everyday cars such as a Nissan Sunny or larger models such as a Volvo S90, then return the vehicle at the airport. The clearest strength in the reviews is the handback: several customers describe drop-off as fast, smooth and easy, with toll payment taking less than five minutes in one case.
The experience before that is much less predictable. Some renters received clean, new vehicles and helpful explanations of traffic rules, paperwork and invoices. Others waited 30 minutes, 90 minutes or longer because cars were stored off-site and the shared airport parking area was congested.
A few vehicles arrived dirty, low on fuel or showing service, tyre, seat-belt or engine warnings. The biggest caution is financial follow-up. One renter received a deposit back in under a week, but others reported delays of 20 days, several months or more, plus card deductions they said were unexplained or incorrectly invoiced.
Photograph the car, fuel gauge and dashboard before driving away, confirm the return time and ask for an itemised invoice covering parking, Salik and any final charges. If your flight is tight, leave a generous buffer for the airport process.