Blog, Mauritius, Travel | 16 April 2025 | 10 MIN READ
Renting a Car in Mauritius: Tips, Costs & What to Expect
2 days ago
Why Rent a Car in Mauritius?
Should you rent a car in Mauritius? I’d say yes. Of course, I’m biased since I love driving. I mean, who needs a car on an island in East Africa?
Well, it depends on what kind of experience you’re after. I would first ask yourself these two questions:
- Do you want to see and explore the island and all its glory?
- Or, do you just want to stay at the hotel and relax?
There’s no wrong answer. Both are good options, but one will require a vehicle. If you just want to stay at the hotel, then you can easily catch a cab at the airport.
If you want to rent a vehicle–continue reading below. Also, before you read any further–Mauritius (like New Zealand and Australia) is right-hand drive.
Easy Access to Car Rentals at Mauritius Airport
The best part about renting a car in Mauritius is the convenience.
The car rental facilities are located right next to the airport, making it super easy to pick up your vehicle as soon as you arrive.
When you exit the airport, simply turn left, and you’ll see the car rental building with several rental companies all right next to each other.
The rental experience in Mauritius is much more convenient compared to Réunion Island, France (which is just a short distance away).
In Mauritius, the car rental center is right outside the door, so you don’t have to walk far to pick up your vehicle. In contrast, on Réunion Island, the rental car office was a solid several-minute walk—definitely not fun when you’re lugging your checked luggage
Gear Used
Choosing the Right Rental Company
You might have a preferred rental car company. Mine is Hertz (and it’s not cause I love it).
If you haven’t noticed across this blog, acquiring status and getting rewards is sometimes something I love doing. I just don’t obsess over it. Keep scrolling to see how I maximize rewards and why Hertz a key player in my overall strategy for “free” travel.
Hertz didn’t have many customers. In fact, I was the only one being served at the time.
However, I’ll share that the most crowded lines were at the following rental car companies (see the photo above and at the end of this post for additional proof):
- autoUnion Car Rental (a Greek car rental company–this was packed both arriving and departing)
- Pingouin Car Rental
- Europcar, Avis, and Budget (had the same amount of traffic on arrival)
Why I Choose Hertz for Car Rentals
While the rental process at Hertz in Mauritius wasn’t as seamless as I’ve experienced in other countries (like Switzerland or Spain), there are still perks that make it worth considering:
- Delta Partnership: Renting through Hertz allows you to earn Delta miles, which can be applied across SkyTeam partners. This includes Air France, where I had the luxury of experiencing a free business class upgrade on one of the trip’s legs.
- Gold Plus Rewards: If you have Delta Platinum status, you’ll also gain access to Gold Plus Rewards President’s Circle, which can lead to perks such as vehicle upgrades and faster service. Some of these perks include a larger, more comfortable vehicle or simply avoiding econoboxes. What does that mean? It means you might get an automatic instead of a manual or a slightly larger vehicle.
In the case of Mauritius, the Hertz experience was a bit more convoluted. The checkout process wasn’t seamless and required a different payment form, which didn’t include AmEx as a payment option. However, I still entered the information anyway, since that’s how I signed up on the official Hertz.com website. I recommend always booking directly with the parent company to avoid any issues with regional ones, unless absolutely necessary
On top of that, my name was entered incorrectly as ‘Brabt.’ Although they assured me it didn’t matter, I was cautious about whether my rewards would appear in my account and if there was a larger issue at hand.
It was definitely an unusual process compared to my experiences at other Hertz locations across various countries
However, I was happy to get a tiny vehicle, since I wanted to efficiently and effectively navigate the roads in Mauritius,thinking the roads were tiny and windy. But, I was rather surprised that Mauritius had rather flat land compare to it’s nearby neighbor—and other island I visited—Reunion.
Hertz gave me a Suzuki S-Presso–which in my opinion is a cheap-o vehicle, but gets the job done and has really great gas mileage.
Weirdly, this vehicle surprisingly came without a “P” or park option. I’ll share more why this was just weird.
- Fuel Efficiency: Despite its size, the car had great gas mileage—perfect for a few days of island driving. I spent Rs 1,399.03 MUR ($31.77 USD) for 5 days.
This vehicle is essentially a manual vehicle that functions as an automatic through its “automated manual transmission” in what Suzuki calls “Auto Gear Shift (AGS).”
To be honest, the shifts were rather harsh and ill-timed, and the vehicle was under-powered, especially when merging in traffic. I felt that if I had a clutch, I would be way more smooth and efficient.
Note: When you’re traveling with your checked luggage in your vehicle, you should not have any problems. And if you have an Apple AirTag in one of your luggage, you can keep track of the position of your car and your luggage.
Maximizing Travel Rewards with Hertz and Amex
Hertz is great for travelers who love maximizing rewards when paired with a strong credit card and airline partner.
Here’s the process I use to get the most out of my rental with Hertz:
- Pay with American Express Platinum Card: Use your American Express Platinum Card to pay for the Hertz rental and earn Amex points.
- Select Airline Rewards Program: During the Hertz booking process, choose to have your rental rewards applied to your preferred airline program (e.g., Delta), as Delta partners with Hertz.
- Earn Delta Miles: Watch your Amex points transfer to your Skymiles account on Delta.com. You can then use or apply these miles for future flights (see image above).
- Opt for American Express Car Insurance: For a fee of $24.95 for the entire rental period, select premium car insurance via your Amex. This ensures your personal insurance isn’t affected while you get coverage. This service is applied automatically during your rental check out process only when you use your Amex. If you swap and use another car the insurance is void.
That means you’ve just maximized your “point capture” process through a very nice waterfall. Nice, right? You’re earning points from both Amex and Delta miles. The secret? You can also transfer those Amex points directly to Delta miles. BAM!
Renting a Car / Car Hire in Mauritius
Tips, Tricks, and Logistics
- Understand the Driving Conditions: Mauritius follows right-hand drive, similar to the UK. If you’re used to driving on the opposite side, take some time to adjust, especially when making turns or merging into traffic (watch out for the roundabouts).
- Plan for Fuel Costs: Fuel in Mauritius is relatively affordable if you have a strong currency and driving a small, fuel-efficient car can help keep costs down. Gas for a 5-day rental, for example, cost approximately Rs 1,399.03 MUR ($31.77 USD).
- Rent from Convenient Locations: Car rental agencies are located conveniently at the airport in a building just a short walk from arrivals. If you’re flying in, this will save you valuable time upon arrival. Some online resources suggest messaging someone on WhatsApp or Facebook, but I’ll leave that up to you. Personally, I prefer low-hassle, low-haggle, high-yield options when traveling, especially when it’s PTO and not nomadic travel
- Consider Renting with Hertz for Added Benefits: Hertz offers perks through its partnership with Delta Airlines, allowing you to earn Delta miles. Additionally, if you have an American Express Platinum card, you can unlock upgrades and enjoy hassle-free insurance options.
- Check Rental Terms and Insurance: Make sure to review the rental agreement for any hidden fees (e.g., young driver fees or additional charges for GPS). If you’re concerned about insurance, consider using American Express’s car rental insurance option for $24.95, which covers your trip and doesn’t affect your personal car insurance in certain countries.
Lessons Learned
In short, it’s definitely not the vehicle I would choose to purchase.
However, it’s one I’d rent again, and I’d do so willingly. The great gas mileage meant I didn’t have to worry much about the fuel gauge. I definitely learned my lesson in Australia when I rented a cheap MG econobox and barely spent any money on gas despite all the driving.
In short, it’s definitely not the vehicle I would choose to purchase. However, it’s one I’d rent again, and I’d do so willingly. The great gas mileage meant I didn’t have to worry much about the fuel gauge. I definitely learned my lesson in Australia when I rented a cheap MG econobox and barely spent any money on gas despite all the driving down Australia’s Gold Coast.
In the past, I’d rent cars in Hawaii through Hertz and specifically select a Ford Mustang, Dodge Charger, or Nissan Murano. But then it came down to—why am I spending so much on these rental vehicles? Sure, they transfer to Delta miles through Hertz, but the conversion rate isn’t nearly as good as using those miles for another flight to a new country or covering the cost of a hotel.
But don’t hold me to that—when the time comes to go back to Germany and I get to rent a car on the Nürburgring (see here or here), you bet I’m going to splurge!