Season
July and August normally carry the highest demand. Spring, autumn and winter can be considerably cheaper.
CRETE AUTORENT
Sitia Airport Car Rental (JSH)
Collect your car at Sitia Public Airport and explore Vai, Toplou, Zakros and the quiet roads of east Crete. Compare no-deposit, no-credit-card and zero-excess offers for your dates.
✓ No Deposit Required✓ No Credit Card Needed✓ Airport, City & Hotel Pickup✓ Full Insurance Options✓ Zero Excess Options✓ Manual & Automatic Cars✓ Free Cancellation Options✓ New Cars Available
Sitia Airport car rental: quick answer
Sitia Public Airport (JSH) is a small airport just outside Sitia town, a few minutes' drive from the seafront. Flights are limited, so there are fewer rental cars than at Heraklion: book ahead and check the meeting arrangement on your voucher. Small cars start from about €25/day in winter and about €60/day in August, and no-deposit and no-credit-card offers are available on selected cars.
Small-car seasonal price guide
Low-season prices are usually lowest in winter and spring, while July and August are the busiest and most expensive months.
| Month / 2026 | Small car | Large car | SUV | Van | Cabriolet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | €25 | €50 | €70 | €70 | €70 |
| February 2026 | €25 | €50 | €70 | €70 | €70 |
| March 2026 | €25 | €45 | €65 | €65 | €60 |
| April 2026 | €30 | €50 | €70 | €70 | €65 |
| May 2026 | €35 | €55 | €75 | €75 | €75 |
| June 2026 | €45 | €70 | €90 | €95 | €90 |
| July 2026 | €55 | €85 | €100 | €115 | €90 |
| August 2026 | €60 | €90 | €115 | €130 | €105 |
| September 2026 | €40 | €60 | €85 | €85 | €80 |
| October 2026 | €30 | €50 | €75 | €70 | €60 |
| November 2026 | €25 | €40 | €65 | €65 | €45 |
| December 2026 | €30 | €50 | €75 | €75 | €75 |
Indicative price guide — not a booking offer. Values are rounded for easier planning and seasonality comparison. Use the booking form for the exact price and conditions available for your dates.
POPULAR CAR TYPES
Indicative low- and high-season examples
Typical reference ranges help you budget before checking exact availability.
| Example vehicle | Type | Passengers | Luggage | Low season | High season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🚗 Fiat 500 or similar | City / Mini | 4 | 1 | €25 | €40 |
| 🚗 Ford Fiesta or similar | Compact | 5 | 2 | €30 | €45 |
| 🚗 Volkswagen Polo or similar | Compact | 5 | 2 | €30 | €50 |
| 🚙 Toyota Corolla or similar | Sedan | 5 | 3 | €35 | €55 |
| 🚙 Hyundai i30 or similar | Compact | 5 | 3 | €40 | €60 |
| 🚙 Nissan Qashqai or similar | SUV | 5 | 3 | €50 | €75 |
| 🚙 Kia Sportage or similar | SUV | 5 | 3–4 | €55 | €80 |
| 🚙 Toyota RAV4 or similar | SUV | 5 | 3–4 | €60 | €85 |
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What changes the price of car rental in Crete?
Car category
Small manual cars usually cost less than automatics, SUVs, vans and convertibles.
Rental length
The daily rate can change with the number of rental days, especially for longer stays.
Pickup point
Airport, port, city and hotel delivery conditions can affect the final total.
Coverage & extras
Insurance level, child seats, additional drivers and one-way returns can affect the total price.
ARRIVAL GUIDE
Picking up a rental car at Sitia Airport
Sitia Public Airport (JSH) is the gateway to the far east of Crete. It is much smaller and quieter than Heraklion, with mainly domestic flights and a limited number of seasonal routes, so car collection is usually quick.
Most visitors who fly into Sitia stay in Sitia, Makry Gialos or near Vai and Zakros. If you land at Heraklion instead, Sitia is about 135 km and roughly 2 hours away by road, so picking up at JSH saves a long transfer.
Quick guide
Airport codeJSH · Sitia Public Airport
Locationjust outside Sitia town
To Sitia seafronta few minutes by car
Pickupthe supplier meets you at the terminal, as shown on the voucher
Meeting point
There are few rental desks at Sitia Airport, so local suppliers usually meet you at the small terminal with a name sign or deliver the car from their Sitia office. Your voucher shows the exact arrangement and a contact number.
Driving times from the airport
Sitia town a few minutes, Toplou Monastery about 20 minutes, Vai about 30 minutes, Zakros about 45 minutes, Ierapetra about 1 hour and Agios Nikolaos about 1 hour 15 minutes.
Returning the car
The terminal is small, so 1.5 hours before your flight is usually enough. Confirm the return time with the supplier in advance, especially for early-morning flights.
Limited availability
With fewer flights, fewer cars are based in Sitia. Automatics and larger cars can run out in summer, so book well ahead; a Sitia town pickup is an alternative if the airport shows no cars.
No deposit
With a no-deposit offer nothing is blocked on your card when you collect the car at Sitia Airport. These cars usually include full insurance; you still pay the rental price, part online and the rest as stated in the offer.
No credit card
Selected cars can be paid by debit card or in cash at pickup. Bring a physical card in the main driver's name; prepaid and virtual cards are often not accepted.
Zero excess
Full insurance (FDW/SCDW) reduces the excess to zero on selected cars. Check whether tyres, glass, the underside and keys are covered, as some policies exclude them.
Automatic cars
Automatics are available at Sitia Airport, but in smaller numbers than manual cars. For July and August book early and use the automatic filter in the search.
Search
Choose the city or pickup point and your exact dates.
Filter
Use no-deposit, no-credit-card, automatic and other filters.
Compare
Review the total price and the conditions of each car.
Extras
Add child seats, extra driver or other available options.
Driver
Enter the main driver and contact details.
Reserve
Pay the online advance shown for the chosen vehicle.
Collect
Follow the voucher instructions and collect the car in Crete.
FAQ
Sitia Airport car rental – frequently asked questions
How far is Sitia Airport from Sitia town?
Sitia Public Airport (JSH) is just outside the town, a few minutes' drive from the seafront and the harbour.
Should I fly into Sitia or Heraklion for east Crete?
Sitia is far closer to Vai, Zakros and Makry Gialos, but it has few flights. Heraklion has many more flights and cars, but the drive to Sitia takes about 2 hours.
Can I rent a car at Sitia Airport without a credit card?
Yes, on selected offers. Use the 'No credit card' filter: payment is usually by debit card or cash, and the accepted methods are shown with each car.
Are there enough rental cars at Sitia Airport in summer?
Fewer than at Heraklion or Chania, because fewer flights arrive. Book early for July and August, especially if you need an automatic or a larger car.
Can I rent a car in Sitia without a deposit?+
Yes. No-deposit rentals are available for selected cars and dates. When this option is available, no security deposit is required. The exact conditions are shown before you confirm your booking.
Can I rent without a credit card?+
Yes. Selected cars can be rented without a credit card. Debit-card or cash payment may be available depending on the rental conditions, and the accepted payment method is shown before booking.
Is insurance included?+
Insurance is included according to the conditions of the car you choose. Full-insurance and zero-excess options may also be available. Coverage, excess and exclusions are clearly shown before confirmation.
Can I get an automatic car?+
Yes. Both manual and automatic cars are available in Crete. Automatics are especially popular in July and August, so earlier booking is recommended for the best choice.
Can I pick up at an airport or hotel?+
Yes. Pickup is available at major airports, cities and many hotel or resort locations across Crete. Choose the most convenient pickup point when making your reservation.
What documents do I need?+
You normally need a valid driving licence and a passport or national ID. An International Driving Permit may also be required when the licence is not written in Latin characters.
How much does car rental cost in Sitia?+
Prices depend on the month, car category, rental duration and pickup location. The price shown for your selected dates is the total to use for your booking; the seasonal tables on this page are useful for planning.
Should I book before arriving in Crete?+
Booking ahead is recommended for July and August, especially for automatic cars, SUVs and 7- or 9-seaters. Spring and autumn usually offer more availability.
Are there toll roads in Crete?+
No. Crete has no conventional motorway toll roads. Parking fees and local access restrictions can still apply in some towns and tourist areas.
Can I add a child seat or second driver?+
Yes. Child seats and additional drivers can be added when available. Any charge is shown before you complete the booking.
Can I return the car in another city?+
Yes, one-way rentals between different Crete locations can be available. If a one-way charge applies, it is shown before the reservation is confirmed.
Can I modify or cancel the booking?+
Yes. Cancellation and modification conditions are shown before booking, and many cars include free-cancellation options. Keep your booking details handy if you need to make a change.
