Renting a car at Kutaisi Airport: where to get one 2026

Kutaisi International Airport (KUT), named after David the Builder, is the main low-cost gateway to western Georgia: this is where Wizz Air and other budget airlines land. Renting a car right in the arrivals hall is popular here — the airport sits about 20 km from the city and away from the main highways, while the best of Imereti and Svaneti is spread out and poorly served by public transport. For how renting works in general, see how to rent a car in Georgia; for the deposit specifically, see renting with no deposit. Specific prices change, so confirm them with the rental company.

Where to pick up a car at Kutaisi Airport

• In the arrivals hall — rental desks, usually right after baggage claim on the right-hand side. Both large international chains and local Georgian companies operate here (the up-to-date list of airport rental firms is on the official site, kutaisi.aero).
• Book ahead online — aggregators (such as Localrent or Discover Cars) let you compare prices and terms and lock in a car. This matters especially at Kutaisi: low-cost flights often land late in the evening or at night and all at once, so walk-up cars can sell out.
• Picking up at the airport makes sense when you get straight behind the wheel and drive on. If you’re spending your first days in Kutaisi itself (the centre is compact and walkable), it can be cheaper to rent later — in the city or with delivery.

How far is the city, and why bother with a car

From the airport to central Kutaisi it’s about 20–25 km, roughly half an hour along the E60 highway. Public transport from the airport is limited (there are transfer buses timed to flights, plus taxis), but further out across the region a car saves you constant connections: the caves, canyons, monasteries and mountainous Svaneti all lie in different directions. That makes Kutaisi one of the most logical places to start a road trip across the country.

Destination	Distance	Drive time
Central Kutaisi	~20–25 km	~30 min
Tskaltubo	~12 km	~15–20 min
Imereti canyons and caves	up to ~50 km	up to ~1 h
Batumi	150 km	~2.5 h
Tbilisi	221 km	~3.5 h
Mestia (Svaneti)	~220 km	~5–6 h

Distances are approximate, by road; times depend on the season and weather — confirm before you go. Regional figures come from our Kutaisi section and the airport’s official site.

Where to drive from Kutaisi

Around Imereti (day trips)

Within an hour of the city are western Georgia’s main natural sights: the karstic Prometheus Cave with its underground river, Sataplia with dinosaur footprints, the Okatse and Martvili canyons, plus the UNESCO-listed Gelati monastery and Motsameta perched on a cliff above a gorge. A ready-made plan is Imereti: canyons and caves in 2 days.

Tskaltubo

Fifteen minutes away is Tskaltubo with its radon baths and famous abandoned Soviet-era sanatoriums — a popular short trip from Kutaisi that’s also easier with a car.

Svaneti and further afield

Mountainous Svaneti (Mestia, Ushguli) is a serious drive: about 220 km and 5–6 hours, partly over mountain stretches, so take a sturdy car with good ground clearance — and a 4×4 for the upper gravel roads. There’s a ready route, Svaneti: Mestia and Ushguli in 3 days, and a Mestia guide. For the coast there’s Batumi; toward the capital, the scenic Tbilisi → Batumi in 7 days road works from Kutaisi too.

What kind of car to take

For Kutaisi itself and day trips around Imereti (caves, canyons, Gelati) a basic economy hatchback is enough — those roads are paved. For Svaneti and other mountain routes take something higher with good ground clearance, and a proper 4×4 for the upper gravel sections: after rain, ruts and loose rock are normal there. If you’re not used to a manual, ask up front about an automatic — there are fewer of them in the budget class and they cost more. And don’t skimp on air conditioning: in an Imereti summer it’s a necessity, not an extra.

What it costs and when to book

Season is the main price driver. Summer is the peak: Kutaisi takes a lot of low-cost flights, demand for cars (especially 4×4s for Svaneti) is high, and the good options go early. Aggregators show economy cars from roughly $20–25 a day off season; in summer and for a 4×4 it’s noticeably more. These are advertised “from” rates — the final figure depends on dates, class, insurance and excess, so compare the total price with cover already included rather than the daily rate. Book ahead online, both to lock in the price and to make sure a car is waiting for a night arrival.

Roads, fuel and parking

The E60 (Kutaisi–Tbilisi and Kutaisi–Batumi) is a good fast road with filling stations at regular intervals on the main routes. Before the long mountain leg to Svaneti, though, fill up in advance: stations get sparse higher up. Parking in Kutaisi itself, unlike Tbilisi, is easy and mostly free. Keep some cash in lari for rural filling stations and small towns.

Documents, deposit, insurance — in brief

You’ll need your passport and a driving licence (if your licence isn’t in the Latin alphabet, an International Driving Permit, IDP, is handy). The deposit is usually held on your card — though some rates come without one (see renting with no deposit). With insurance, look at the size of the excess, not the daily price. For the full rundown, see how to rent a car in Georgia; for the mandatory health insurance required to enter the country, see the insurance section.

What to check at pickup in the airport

• Photograph the body, wheels, windscreen and interior — record any damage before you drive off.
• The fuel level and the return condition (often “full to full”).
• In the contract: the excess, the mileage limit, and whether you can cross into neighbouring countries.
• Airport specifics: for a night arrival, check the desk’s opening hours in advance and confirm that the car handed over matches the one you booked online.

Next, pick a route and have a look at the Kutaisi guide and the car rental section. To get from the plane into the city without a car, see from Kutaisi Airport. You can compare rental offers through the box below.