Car hire at Kerry Airport
Hiring a car at Kerry Airport
Kerry Airport (KIR) is one of Ireland’s regional airports. It currently offers direct flights to Dublin, London-Stansted, London-Luton and Frankfurt-Hahn. During the summer months, it also provides flights to Alicante and Faro.
The airport is located in located in Killarney, County Kerry, in the stunning south-west of Ireland. This part of the country is steeped in a rich history, offering visitors the chance to explore many different heritage sites against a backdrop of spectacular scenery.
Hiring a car will mean that you can explore every part of Kerry, allowing you to make the most of your Irish adventure.
What you need to know
There are several car hire companies that operate out of Kerry Airport, meaning there’s plenty of choice when it comes to choosing your vehicle. By using our booking tool, you can get the best possible deal. You can select the dates of your trip and choose the type of car you want - whether that’s a mini, estate or SUV.
Booking through us also protects you against amendment and cancellation fees, as we feel that you shouldn’t be chastised when your plans change. We also provide you with customer service support 24/7, so no matter what time you need us, you can be sure we’re ready to take your call.
Where to pick up your car
After you’ve collected your luggage, you need to exit the terminal and head to the Long Term Car Park, as this is where the car rental desks are located. Hiring your car before travelling makes it much easier to collect your vehicle and ensures the type you require is available. Simply head to your rental provider to collect your keys and you'll be good to go.
It won’t be as simple if you wait until you arrive at Kerry Airport to arrange your rental and it’s likely to be more expensive. Why not let us do the hard work for you?
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Where to go
You can tailor your trip to Kerry so it suits your interests, whether that’s history, nature, culture or just having fun.
The county can be split into four main areas: The Iveragh Peninsula and Killarney, the Dingle Peninsula, the Beara Peninsula, and Northern County Kerry. You’ll find something unique in each of these locations, whether that’s dramatic coastlines, majestic mountains, a rich past or historical monuments.
Why not visit the bustling narrow streets of Dingle and pick up something made by the locals, such as a beautiful painting or something delicious to eat? You could head to Tralee and see the Kerry County Museum or make your way to the heritage town of Listowel and visit the Tarbert Bridewell Jail and Courthouse.
There is a wealth of places to see and things to do in this spectacular part of Ireland, all you need to do is get in your car and hit the road.
Nearby Kerry Airport
After exiting the airport’s car park, if you drive on to the N22 you can be at Killarney Lakes and National Park in around 30 minutes. Here you can see rugged mountain landscapes, rolling green hills and Irish Red deer wandering freely. You can also visit the 19th-century Muckross House and Gardens, which is one of Ireland’s most famous stately homes.
If you want to stretch your sea legs, you could head straight to the coastline and find yourself a hidden inlet or cove to try your hand at beach or boat angling. The Banna Strand and Rossbeigh beaches are some of the most beautiful stretches of sand in Ireland, as well as in Kerry.
You could head to one of the quaint towns and villages dotted across Kerry if you want to sip a pint of Guinness while listening to some quality music. The town of Tralee is just a ten-minute drive from the airport at most. Here you’ll find a place that is proud of its past but has fully embraced modern life.
Longer drives
It would be remiss of us not to suggest experiencing the Ring of Kerry on your trip. This spectacular drive carries you through centuries of dramatic history, dense forests and past the crashing waves of the Atlantic Ocean. As you’re driving across the rugged terrain, you are rewarded with views of glorious landscapes, tumbling waterfalls, streams full of wild salmon and other natural wonders that make Ireland feel almost magical.
Overall, the circuit is 179 kilometres long, which could be done over a day or stretched into a week or two if you really wanted to experience Kerry, rather than just seeing it from a car window. You could stop in a town or two - such as Killorglin and Kenmare - for a bite to eat or get out of the car to take some stunning holiday photos between Waterville and Caherdaniel.
If you want a break from driving, you could park up and explore some of the route on foot. The grassy plains and mountains of the Ballaghisheen Pass are well-worth a closer look.
Top attractions to visit near Kerry Airport
The fantastic location of Kerry Airport means you can get to some of the county’s top attractions easily, particularly if you’ve hired a car for your trip.
Rose of Tralee
If you should happen to be in Kerry during the summer, you may be able to experience the oldest and largest festival in Ireland, the Rose of Tralee International Festival. This world-famous annual celebration - based on a love song by William Mulchinock - crowns one lucky woman the Rose. The winner is the one who most matches the attributes in the song, so she must be ‘lovely and fair’.
Kenmare Heritage Centre
An hour away from Kerry Airport lies the town of Kenmare’s old courthouse, which now contains its history, rather than men and women waiting to be tried. You can learn about how it was established by the Marquis of Lansdowne as market town and how the Poor Clare Convent was founded in 1861.
South Pole Inn
In the town of Annascaul you will find the famous South Pole Inn, which is popular among locals and visitors alike. Owned by Antarctic explorer Tom Crean when he retired, the establishment is a pub, eatery, museum gift shop all at once. Learn about how Crean became an intrepid explorer, what his experience in the Antarctic was like and what he did when he returned home.
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