Avis First Expands Premium Car Rental Service to Heathrow and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airports
Avis has expanded its premium car rental service, Avis First, to London Heathrow Airport in the United Kingdom and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport in France, extending the service to more than 30 airport and city locations across North America and Europe. The expansion strengthens the company’s presence in major international travel markets and aims to provide customers with a more convenient, personalized vehicle rental experience.
The service is designed to simplify the car rental process by coordinating vehicle delivery and return through dedicated concierge support. Available exclusively through the Avis mobile app, Avis First allows travelers to arrange their vehicle in advance and receive assistance throughout their rental, reducing the time and effort typically associated with collecting and returning a rental car.The addition of Heathrow and Charles de Gaulle airports represents another step in Avis’ efforts to expand its premium mobility offerings at major international gateways. Both airports serve large numbers of international passengers and provide important connections to business districts, tourism destinations and other regional transport networks.
Expanding Premium Mobility Services Across Europe
Avis First was initially launched in the United States in July 2025. Since its introduction, the service has expanded into Europe, with availability at several major airports, including Geneva, Rome and Zurich. Its European network also includes Munich, Barcelona in Spain, and Porto in Portugal.The addition of London Heathrow and Paris Charles de Gaulle further broadens the service’s reach across key European aviation markets. These locations provide travelers arriving in two of Europe’s major cities with access to a premium rental experience designed around convenience and personalized assistance.
According to Avis, the service has attracted positive customer responses, reflected in high repeat booking rates and strong customer satisfaction ratings. These results have supported the company’s efforts to introduce the offering at additional locations.Avis Budget Group Chief Executive Officer Brian Choi said the service is intended to extend a premium travel experience beyond the airport and into ground transportation.
First class shouldn’t end at the gate,” Choi said. He explained that Avis First allows vehicles to be delivered directly to customers while a dedicated concierge manages important details associated with the rental. The expansion to Heathrow and Charles de Gaulle is part of the company’s broader effort to redefine customer expectations for premium car rental services.By introducing the service at additional international airports, Avis aims to create a more connected travel experience in which customers can move from their flights to their vehicles with fewer interruptions.
Concierge-Coordinated Vehicle Delivery and Return
A central feature of Avis First is its concierge-coordinated vehicle delivery and return process. Rather than following a conventional rental procedure, customers receive assistance from a dedicated concierge who coordinates the handover of the vehicle and helps manage the details of the rental.Upon arrival, the vehicle is prepared ahead of the customer’s arrival and delivered directly to the traveler. This arrangement is intended to reduce the time spent completing vehicle collection procedures and help customers begin their journeys more efficiently.
The vehicle is prepared with passenger comfort in mind, including having the cabin temperature set before the customer arrives. The concierge also assists with luggage and helps connect the traveler’s phone to the vehicle before departure.These services are designed to make the transition from air travel to road travel more convenient, particularly for passengers arriving after long international flights or those who need to continue their journeys immediately after landing.
The service also provides assistance when the rental period ends. Instead of following the usual return process, customers coordinate with their concierge to hand over the vehicle at the designated drop-off point. Travelers can then proceed directly into the airport terminal for their departing flight.This coordinated approach is intended to reduce unnecessary delays at both ends of the journey. For business travelers, families and other passengers with demanding travel schedules, the ability to organize vehicle delivery and return in advance can help simplify ground transportation arrangements.
Premium Vehicles and Personalized Customer Support
Avis First combines concierge assistance with a curated selection of premium vehicles. According to the company, the service includes current model-year vehicles with low mileage, offering customers a selection designed to meet premium rental expectations.The emphasis on vehicle quality complements the service’s focus on convenience and personalized support. Customers can arrange their rentals through the Avis mobile app, which serves as the platform for booking and coordinating the experience.
The app-based approach allows the company to integrate vehicle arrangements and customer support into a single service offering. By coordinating key aspects of the rental through the app and a dedicated concierge, Avis aims to reduce the administrative work that customers may otherwise encounter when hiring a vehicle.The service includes four principal elements:
- Vehicle delivery and return: Vehicles are delivered upon arrival and returned at an agreed departure drop-off point through coordinated arrangements.
- Premium vehicle selection: Customers have access to a curated selection of low-mileage, current model-year vehicles.
- Dedicated personal service: Concierge support is available to help coordinate the rental experience.
- App-based convenience: Customers book and coordinate the service through the Avis mobile app.
Together, these features distinguish Avis First from a conventional rental transaction by placing greater emphasis on personalized assistance and minimizing the steps required to collect and return a vehicle.
Simplifying Fuel and Return Arrangements
Fuel arrangements are another feature of the Avis First offering. Customers pay only for the fuel they use, at local pump rates, without being required to refill the vehicle before returning it.Traditional rental arrangements may require customers to plan a refueling stop before reaching the return location, depending on the terms of their booking. Removing the requirement to refill before returning the vehicle can help simplify the final stage of a journey, particularly when travelers are working around airport departure times.
Combined with concierge-coordinated vehicle handover, the fuel arrangement is intended to make the return process more straightforward. Customers can concentrate on reaching their departure point and preparing for their flight rather than making an additional stop to refuel the vehicle.The service’s emphasis on reducing small but time-consuming tasks reflects its broader objective: making ground transportation a more seamless part of the overall travel experience.
Heathrow and Charles de Gaulle Strengthen the European Network
London Heathrow and Paris Charles de Gaulle are important international aviation gateways, connecting travelers with destinations across Europe and around the world. Expanding Avis First to these airports gives the company access to two major passenger markets and provides eligible customers with additional locations where they can arrange premium rental services.
The Heathrow launch extends the offering into the United Kingdom’s largest international air travel market, while the Charles de Gaulle addition strengthens its availability in France. Both locations can serve travelers who require road transportation after arriving by air, including visitors heading into city centers, business districts or destinations beyond the immediate metropolitan areas.The expansion also builds on Avis’ existing European locations, which include Geneva, Rome, Zurich, Munich, Barcelona and Porto. Together, these markets form part of a growing network intended to support customers traveling between major cities and international airports.
Anna Pawlak-Kuliga, President of International at Avis Budget Group, said the company wants to give travelers more time to explore Europe by reducing the friction between landing and beginning a road journey, as well as between returning a vehicle and catching a flight.She added that Avis continues to evaluate opportunities to expand the service thoughtfully across European markets and make the differentiated Avis First experience available to more travelers internationally.
A Broader Focus on Premium Travel Convenience
The expansion of Avis First reflects a wider focus on improving the convenience of ground transportation within the broader travel journey. While air travel connects passengers between destinations, travelers still need practical and reliable ways to reach hotels, meetings, tourist attractions and other locations after arriving at an airport.Rental vehicles provide flexibility for passengers who prefer to travel independently or need transportation beyond established public transport routes. However, collecting and returning a rental car can add steps to an already busy travel schedule.Avis First addresses these challenges by organizing the handover process around the customer’s arrival and departure. Vehicle preparation, concierge assistance, app-based coordination and simplified return arrangements are intended to reduce the time customers spend managing the rental itself.
The service may be particularly relevant to travelers who prioritize personalized service, predictable arrangements and a convenient transition between different modes of transport. Its expansion across North America and Europe also gives Avis an opportunity to introduce a consistent premium offering across multiple international markets.The company’s approach places customer experience at the center of its premium rental strategy, combining vehicle availability with assistance designed to make each stage of the journey easier to manage.
Plans for Further International Expansion
Avis has indicated that it plans to continue expanding Avis First into additional international airports and metropolitan markets across North America, Europe and Australasia.The latest additions in London and Paris represent progress toward that objective, extending the service to more travelers while building on its initial United States launch and subsequent European expansion.Future growth will depend on the company’s selection of suitable markets and its ability to provide the coordinated delivery, vehicle preparation and concierge support that define the offering. The company has not specified additional launch dates or confirmed the next locations in its expansion plans.
With its presence now extending to more than 30 airport and city locations across North America and Europe, Avis First represents an effort to combine premium vehicles with personalized ground transportation services. Its expansion to Heathrow and Charles de Gaulle gives travelers at two major European airports another option for arranging vehicle rental around their flight schedules.As Avis continues to develop the service internationally, its focus remains on making the rental process more convenient from arrival through departure. By coordinating vehicle delivery, offering dedicated concierge assistance and simplifying return arrangements, the company aims to make premium car rental a more integrated and efficient part of the travel experience.
ABOUT AVIS BUDGET GROUP
We are a leading global provider of mobility solutions through our three most recognized brands, Avis, Budget and Zipcar, as well as several other brands, well recognized in their respective markets. We license the use of the Avis, Budget, Zipcar and other brands’ trademarks to licensees in areas in which we do not operate directly. We and our licensees operate our brands in approximately 180 countries throughout the world. Our brands and mobility solutions have an extended global reach with approximately 10,000 rental locations throughout the world. We operate most of our car rental locations in North America, Europe and Australasia.