Renting a car in Spain with a MasterCard
If a rent-a-car company accepts only credit cards, and among them, MasterCard is included, can I rent a car with a MasterCard debit card? Can they know at all whether cards with the MasterCard logo are a credit or debit card?
Best Answer
Many car rentals will accept a major debit card, basically those which are VISA or MasterCard. Some of those with the logo can be run as either credit or debit, and cards that are issued 'for electronic use only' would not be accepted. Yes, a merchant can tell whether the card is debit, credit, or both.
In the process of renting, the merchant will run your card and put a hold on your funds, so you need to have money sufficient for the entire amount of the rental. You may have a number of additional costs, such as extra insurance coverage and, in most cases, a large deposit (the amount can vary from 300€ to as much as 700€ ).
You can check in advance about the car rental company you plan to use, either on its web site, often in the FAQs, or by email. This Spanish site, for example, uses multiple suppliers, and notes that many accept debit cards, lists the ones which do, along with the additional requirements.
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Do car rentals take MasterCard?
Can I rent a car with a debit card? Yes, most U.S. Avis locations accept debit cards with the Visa or MasterCard logo as credit identification at the time of rental if you are at least 25. A hold is usually placed on the funds in your account for at least the estimated cost of the rental.Can I use a debit card to hire a car in Spain?
Yes, you can. Most of our suppliers will accept Visa or MasterCard debit card payment. Some will also accept Visa Electron or Maestro.Does Avis accept MasterCard?
Forms of PaymentAvis accepts most major credit cards and charge cards, as well as Visa and Mastercard debit cards, as a form of payment at most U.S. locations. Learn the details of our payment and credit identification policy.Can I use another credit card to rent a car?
Car rental company payment policies vary, so whether you can use another person's credit card to rent your vehicle depends on who is on the other side of the counter. For example, on its FAQ page, the Budget website indicates that you must use your own credit card that matches your driver's license to rent a car.Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Nicolas Postiglioni, Mati Mango, @felipepelaquim, Carlos Pernalete Tua