Deposits · United Kingdom

London Airport Stansted car hire deposits: what each supplier holds on your card

The deposit is blocked on the main driver's credit card for the whole rental. At London Airport Stansted it is typically €815, and it varies far more between suppliers than the price does.

Data updated 7 October 2026 · 44 searches.

What the numbers say about London Airport Stansted

  • Deposits here run from €295 (Europcar) to €3,490 (DRIVUS) - about 12 times apart, far wider than the prices.
  • The cheapest week here (U-Save, about €280 with a second driver) holds one of the biggest deposits (€2,332): a trade-off, not a bargain.
  • 26% of cars here accept a debit card for the deposit.
London Airport Stansted: the deposit each car hire supplier holds on your card, from €295 (Europcar) to €3,490 (DRIVUS); typical €815.
The deposit each supplier at London Airport Stansted holds on the main driver's card, lowest first, with the typical deposit here marked. From our own searches, data updated 7 October 2026.

Every supplier, lowest deposit first

SupplierDeposit heldRatingA week, 2nd driver incl.
Europcar€2958.2€426
SIXT€6608.4€549
Keddy€8158.2€353
Routes Car Rental€1,0828.0€316
GreenMotion€1,7507.6€322
Drivalia€1,7507.2€464
U-Save€2,3328.1€280
DRIVUS€3,4908.2€2594

Typical figures across our week-long searches; ratings are DiscoverCars customer reviews.

How deposits split at London Airport Stansted

  • Average deposit: 38% of offers
  • Low deposit: 30% of offers
  • High deposit: 18% of offers
  • Low deposit option available: 14% of offers
  • Deposit-free option available: 12% of offers
  • No deposit: 6% of offers

London Airport Stansted against other airports

Typical deposit: €815 here, against €200 at Bodrum Airport (lowest we measure) and €2,000 at Dublin Airport (highest).

What people get wrong about deposits

  • It must be a credit card in the main driver's name - 26% of cars here take a debit card for it.
  • Full cover bought when you book does not remove it: the desk still holds the deposit (DiscoverCars' own terms).
  • A separate excess policy does not lower it either - it pays you back after a claim.
  • It is released after you return the car, usually within days to a few weeks, depending on your bank.

Only low-deposit cars

Search London Airport Stansted and tap "Low deposit": cars with a low or no deposit, ranked by the total you pay.

Search London Airport Stansted →

More on London Airport Stansted: the full market report · prices by month · the deposits guide. We earn a commission when you book through DiscoverCars; it never changes the order.