Under the EU Package Travel Directive, car rental is one of the travel services that can form a package, for example together with a flight or a hotel.
- In a package, the organiser is liable for all services, even if a local rental company provides the car, and must have insolvency protection.
- You can cancel before departure against a reasonable fee, and free of charge if the price rises by more than 8%.
- A linked travel arrangement gives less protection, mainly against insolvency.
Many people book a car the same way they book everything else for a holiday: on the airline or travel agent's site, right after the flight or hotel. That convenience can bring extra rights. When a rental car is part of a package, the organiser is responsible for it, even though a local company hands you the keys. Here is how to tell whether that applies to you, and what changes when something goes wrong.
Car rental as a travel service
The EU Package Travel Directive (2015/2302) covers combinations of at least two types of travel services. The European Commission lists them: transport, accommodation, car rental, and other tourist services such as guided tours. A package can be a ready-made holiday from a tour operator, or a customised combination you put together at a single point of sale, online or offline.
| You booked | Likely status |
|---|---|
| Flight and rental car together, one booking | Package |
| Hotel and rental car together from one travel agent | Package |
| Flight, then a car offered by the airline's site and booked within 24 hours | Possibly a linked travel arrangement |
| A rental car alone | Neither; normal rental rules |
| Flight and car on two unrelated sites | Usually neither |
The Commission adds that businesses must tell you whether you are buying a package or a linked travel arrangement, using a standard information form that explains your key rights.
What the organiser is responsible for
In a package, the organiser is liable for problems with any of the services, even when another company performs them. For a rental car, that can mean:
- the car is not available, or is of a lower class than booked;
- the desk charges for items that the package said were included;
- the pick-up location or time differs from the booking.
Under Article 13 of the Directive, the organiser is responsible for performing the travel services, and you should inform it without undue delay of any lack of conformity you notice. Report the problem at the desk and to the organiser, in writing, and keep the reference.
Cancelling a package
The European Commission explains that you can cancel a package before departure for any reason by paying a reasonable fee. You can cancel free of charge if unavoidable circumstances, such as war or natural disasters, make the destination dangerous. If the price rises by more than 8% of the original price, you can also cancel without charge.
This differs from a rental car booked on its own, where there is no withdrawal right and the booking terms decide. See cancelling a car rental booking.
Insolvency protection
Organisers must have insolvency protection that covers refunds and, where needed, repatriation if they go bankrupt. The Commission notes this also applies to linked travel arrangements. If the travel company that sold you the fly-drive package goes bankrupt before your trip, you have a route to get your money back.
Linked travel arrangements: less protection
A linked travel arrangement is a lighter category. It covers cases where you book services through separate processes, for example when the airline's site offers you a car after your flight booking and you book it within 24 hours. You get insolvency protection, but the business that sold the second service is not responsible for the performance of the whole trip.
What stays with the rental company
Even in a package, the rental desk is where the practical rental happens: the deposit, the damage report, fuel and the return inspection. For these, the usual rental advice applies, and a damage claim after return will often come from the rental company. ECC-Net's advice still holds: inspect the car with a staff member, note every mark, and keep copies. If the charge relates to something the package promised, involve the organiser too. Our guide on who to complain to when you booked through a broker explains how to split such problems.
Check your booking type
Find the standard information form, or ask the organiser in writing whether your booking is a package.
Report problems at once
Tell the desk and the organiser, in writing, as soon as something is wrong. Photos of the car and a copy of the desk's paperwork help.
Complain to the organiser after the trip
Describe what was missing, what it cost you and what you want. Use our sample letters. If the organiser is in another EU country and does not resolve it, your European Consumer Centre can help.
Changes ahead
The European Commission notes that the Directive was amended by Directive (EU) 2026/1024 of 29 April 2026, and that member states have 28 months to transpose the changes into national law. Until then, the current national rules continue to apply.
A short example
You booked a fly-drive holiday to Crete with a travel agent: flights, a hotel and a compact car. At the desk, the car is not there and the only option is a larger car for 25 euros a day extra. You note the problem on the desk form, photograph it, and email the organiser from the desk. After the trip, you ask the organiser to refund the 175 euros for the week, because the package promised a compact car at no extra cost.
Frequently asked questions
Is a fly-drive holiday a package?
Usually yes. The European Commission lists transport, accommodation and car rental as types of travel services. A flight and a rental car bought together from one point of sale combine two types, which is the core of a package.
Who do I complain to about the car in a package?
To the organiser. The European Commission explains that the organiser is liable for problems even when another company performs the service. You can also mention the problem to the local rental desk, but the organiser is responsible for solving it.
What is a linked travel arrangement?
It is when you book separate services through linked booking processes, for example a car offered after your flight booking, with the second booking made within 24 hours. You get insolvency protection, but not the full package rights.