Sixt has a reputation as one of the more polished international brands in car hire, and at Tenerife’s airports that reputation is earned in some ways and complicated in others. A specific line item shows up consistently on Sixt bookings at both TFS and TFN: a mandatory “Premium Location” surcharge, added automatically for airport pickups, on top of the base rate and the standard excess. It’s not hidden exactly — it’s disclosed in the booking terms — but it’s the kind of add-on that a lot of renters don’t clock until they’re already comparing the final total against what they remembered seeing when they booked.
What Actually Sets Sixt Apart
- A mandatory “Premium Location” surcharge applies automatically to airport pickups at both of Tenerife’s airports — it’s disclosed in the booking terms rather than hidden, but easy to miss when comparing a headline daily rate.
- Standard excess (Loss Damage Waiver deductible) commonly runs around €1,400, with additional deposit amounts held on top if you’re renting extras like child seats, a GPS unit, or a ski rack.
- Unlike some local operators’ credit-card-only policies, Sixt has a documented track record of accepting debit cards, including for renters without a credit card at all.
- A recurring, specific complaint describes a “pre-existing damage claimed as new” pattern at return — echoing the same shape of dispute documented for Hertz — alongside reports of deposits simply not being returned or explained.
- Sixt’s reputation isn’t uniformly negative — several reviews describe genuinely excellent service, including staff stepping in smoothly when a competing company’s booking fell through at the same airport.
What’s the actual pattern in Sixt’s Tenerife complaints?
Three threads repeat often enough across independent reviews to call a genuine pattern rather than isolated bad luck: a high-pressure sales conversation at pickup, disputes over vehicle condition at return, and deposits that go unreturned or unexplained for extended periods. One reviewer describes the pickup experience directly as “high pressure sales pitch at the airport to get me to spend on things I did not want,” followed by “coercive and unpleasant behaviour on return of the car, claiming I had caused damage that was there before my hire period” — a sequence that echoes across several separate accounts rather than standing alone. Another describes a family of six on a strict budget being told, after already booking a waiver online, that they’d need to pay an additional €231 at the desk to bring a €2,500 excess down to zero — money that reviewer says derailed several planned family activities for the rest of the trip.
What’s this “Premium Location fee” that shows up on Sixt bookings?
It’s a mandatory surcharge Sixt applies specifically for pickups at higher-demand locations — airports being the clearest example — reflecting the added cost of operating a counter in a premium, high-traffic spot rather than a suburban or city-centre office. It’s listed among the mandatory surcharges in Sixt’s own published rental terms for Tenerife, alongside things like unlimited mileage and the Loss Damage Waiver deductible, so it isn’t concealed — but it’s exactly the kind of line item that’s easy to skim past when you’re comparing a headline daily rate across several companies rather than reading the full breakdown of what’s included. If you’re comparing Sixt’s price against a local operator with zero-excess and no comparable surcharge built in, it’s worth adding this fee into your mental total before deciding which quote is actually cheaper.
How high is Sixt’s standard excess, and can you actually reduce it for a fair price?
Commonly cited around €1,400 for the Loss Damage Waiver deductible at Tenerife’s airports, with the exact figure varying by vehicle category — a meaningful jump above Cicar’s €200–€400 or Autoreisen’s zero deposit, though broadly comparable to Europcar’s range. Reducing that excess toward zero means paying for an upgraded cover product at the desk, and this is exactly where the documented complaint pattern shows up most clearly — the family-of-six account above describes being quoted €231 specifically to bring a €2,500 excess (a different, higher figure than the standard €1,400 LDW, suggesting the exact number varies meaningfully by vehicle category and rate type) down to zero, despite having already purchased a waiver online that the desk described as “totally useless.”
| What renters report | Detail |
|---|---|
| Standard excess (LDW deductible) | Commonly ~€1,400, varies by vehicle category |
| Premium Location fee | Mandatory for airport pickups, disclosed in terms |
| Extra deposit for equipment | Additional hold for child seats, GPS, ski racks, etc. |
| Reducing excess to zero at the desk | Reported cost around €231 in one documented case |
| Debit card acceptance | Documented as accepted, including for renters without a credit card |
Does Sixt accept debit cards, unlike some competitors?
Yes, based on multiple independent accounts, and this is a genuine point in Sixt’s favour compared with companies whose written policies require a credit card specifically. One reviewer describes being turned away by a competitor for lacking a credit card, then being accommodated by Sixt staff who “made it possible for me to pay by Debit card” — a detail worth knowing if you’re planning around card type for your Tenerife trip. This flexibility doesn’t extend to every aspect of the booking, and it’s worth confirming directly for your specific reservation, but it’s a genuinely useful point of difference from some of the stricter local operators.
Why do “pre-existing damage” disputes keep showing up in Sixt reviews too?
This is the part of Sixt’s review pattern that most closely echoes what we’ve documented for Hertz — a renter returns the car in the condition it was collected, and a mark or scratch is identified at return as new damage rather than pre-existing. One detailed account describes exactly this: a light scratch on a headlight, disputed by the renter as already present at pickup, followed by an initial promise the deposit would be returned “in two hours,” and then a €950 charge appearing four days later with no clear explanation offered. This is precisely the scenario thorough pickup photography protects against — every panel, every existing mark, timestamped, ideally with a staff member visibly present in at least one shot to counter any later claim that the condition wasn’t jointly acknowledged at handover.
What happens if your deposit isn’t returned?
Based on the pattern in these reviews, don’t assume it’ll sort itself out without you following up directly and in writing. One account describes a €100 deposit still unreturned after 20 working days despite Sixt’s own stated 10-day timeline, with no damage identified and no explanation offered beyond the company “basically decided to keep my money,” in the reviewer’s words. If this happens to you, formally disputing the charge — in writing, with your booking confirmation and any pickup/return documentation attached — is worth doing promptly rather than waiting indefinitely for the company to resolve it on its own timeline.
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Is Sixt worth booking over Cicar or Autoreisen?
For renters who specifically value Sixt’s brand consistency, its debit-card flexibility, or availability when a local operator is fully booked, it remains a reasonable choice — and the positive reviews genuinely describe excellent, professional service in a meaningful share of cases, including one account of Sixt staff smoothly stepping in after a different company’s booking fell through at the same Tenerife airport. The honest comparison, though, mirrors what applies across the other international brands covered on this site: a real, documented excess figure plus a mandatory location surcharge, against Cicar and Autoreisen’s zero-excess-as-standard approach with no comparable add-on fee. If predictable pricing and minimal desk friction matter more to you than brand familiarity, that structural difference is worth weighing seriously before you book.
FAQ
What is Sixt’s “Premium Location” fee in Tenerife? A mandatory surcharge applied to pickups at higher-demand locations, including both of Tenerife’s airports, disclosed in Sixt’s rental terms but easy to overlook when comparing a headline daily rate.
How much is Sixt’s standard excess in Tenerife? Commonly around €1,400 for the Loss Damage Waiver deductible, varying by vehicle category — higher than local operators like Cicar (€200–€400) or Autoreisen (no deposit).
Does Sixt accept debit cards in Tenerife? Yes, based on multiple independent accounts, including renters without a credit card at all — a genuine point of flexibility compared with some local operators’ credit-card-only policies.
Why do Sixt reviews mention pre-existing damage being claimed as new? It’s a recurring, specific complaint pattern similar to what’s documented for Hertz — thorough photo documentation at pickup is the strongest protection against this kind of dispute.
What should I do if Sixt doesn’t return my deposit on time? Follow up formally and in writing with your booking confirmation and pickup/return documentation, rather than waiting indefinitely — reviews describe cases where deposits went unreturned well beyond Sixt’s own stated timeline.
Is Sixt more expensive than local operators like Cicar in Tenerife? Often yes, once you factor in the standard excess and the mandatory Premium Location fee for airport pickups — worth comparing the full total rather than just the headline daily rate.
Is Sixt a good choice for a Tenerife rental despite these complaints? For renters prioritising brand familiarity, debit-card flexibility, or availability, yes — many reviews describe genuinely excellent service, though it’s worth going in aware of the excess and surcharge structure documented here.
