Car rental at Dakar airport — AIBD

Your car is waiting when you land. Blaise Diagne airport is about fifty kilometres from Dakar: that is precisely why people take a vehicle there rather than a taxi. Book online, 20% of the amount when booking, the balance when the keys are handed over.

Flight number on the bookingNight flight: hand-over agreed in advanceReturn to AIBD or Dakar, depending on the owner

Departure

Return

Fifty kilometres: the fact that decides everything

≈ 50 km

between AIBD and central Dakar, via the toll motorway.

≈ 1 h

of driving in normal conditions, more at the entrance to Dakar at rush hour.

2 trips

the point at which the car becomes cheaper than a taxi. Most stays involve ten.

The airport is not in Dakar. It is in Diass, halfway between the capital and the Petite Côte. If you are heading down to Saly, Somone or Nianing, it is even on your way: picking up the car here saves a whole day. If you are going up to Dakar, you have to cross anyway — you may as well do it at the wheel of the car you will use for the days that follow.

That is the difference between a transfer and a stay. A taxi drops you off once. A car picked up on arrival takes you to your accommodation in the evening, to the market the next day, to Lac Rose the day after, and brings you back here at the end.

What happens when you arrive

1
You give your flight
The flight number goes on the booking, in the comment field or on WhatsApp. The booking's WhatsApp number stays reachable before, during and after the flight.
2
The hand-over place is agreed
Once the booking is confirmed, the exact hand-over spot at the airport is set with the owner, on WhatsApp.
3
Checks and balance
Driving licence, ID, and the balance of the rental. The amount is the one in your confirmation email, to the franc.
4
Condition report, then off you go
Walk-around, photos, fuel level: the condition report is drawn up by both sides. The car is returned here, or in Dakar if the owner has agreed.

What if my flight lands at 2 a.m.?

Give your flight number when booking, in the comment field or on WhatsApp: the hand-over time is agreed with the owner before you leave, not on landing. A delayed flight is reported on the booking's WhatsApp number, and the hand-over is rescheduled.

Vehicles available for pick-up at AIBD

All categories, sorted by price. The price shown is that of the vehicle page; the resident rate, with renters who offer one, applies in the basket.

No vehicle is online yet. Message us on WhatsApp: we will tell you what is available on your dates.

See all cars for pick-up at AIBD →

Prices shown are those of the vehicle pages. The button leads to the vehicle page: you book through the search or from the vehicle page.

Location Sénégal — accommodation

And for the first night?

Landing at 11 p.m. and looking for somewhere to stay the next morning means a day of your trip lost. Location Sénégal also offers accommodation, on its accommodation site.

Staying near the airport

Diass, Saly, Somone: houses and villas less than thirty minutes from the terminal, for a first night without crossing town.

Villas with a pool in Saly

The Petite Côte is on the way from the airport, not beyond Dakar. The drive can be done by day or by night.

Apartments in Dakar

Almadies, Ngor, Plateau: for stays that start in town.

See accommodation

Que Faire Sénégal

And for the first few days?

A visitor who lands has two questions: where to sleep, and what to do. The car is the practical answer to the second. Lac Rose, Joal-Fadiouth, the Saloum Delta, Somone: all are within a day's reach of the airport, and none is served other than by vehicle.

Things to do on day one

Outings that don't need a long drive: Ngor, the Almadies, Gorée island from the ferry terminal.

Day trips

Lac Rose, Bandia, Joal-Fadiouth, Saloum: distances, driving times and track conditions, page by page.

Bookable activities

Our partners' activities can be booked online on Que Faire Sénégal.

See the activities

Frequently asked questions

Where does the hand-over take place at the airport?

At the spot agreed with the owner on WhatsApp once the booking is confirmed. The AIBD pick-up point is an area, not a counter.

What happens if my flight is delayed?

Report it on the booking's WhatsApp number: the hand-over is rescheduled with the owner. That is why the flight number must appear on the booking.

Can I return the car in Dakar rather than at the airport?

If the owner agrees: it is arranged before booking. A one-way rental may add fees — they show in the basket before payment, never after.

How much do I pay when booking?

20% of the order total, online, when you book. The balance is paid when the keys are handed over. Nothing else is charged in between.

Do I need an international driving permit?

Your national licence is enough for a tourist stay, together with an ID document. The driver must be the person named on the booking; a second driver can be added as an option.