Gold Coast International Airport (formerly known as Coolangatta Airport) is located about 25km from Surfers Paradise, and about 24km from the Gold Coast. Although there’s no rail connection from the airport to the city, there are bus services to the train station at Varsity Lakes station which connects to the Gold Coast. Be ready to hit the road the second you touch down by making your next hire car an airport pickup hire car. VroomVroomVroom can show you the best rates available, and make sure the vehicle is ready and waiting for you when you touch down.
| 🚗 Vehicle types | Car, Monospace, Passenger Van, SUV, Sport and Ute. |
|---|---|
| 🔑 No. of depots | Nine car rental depots at Gold Coast Airport. |
| ✅ Rental brands | Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, East Coast, Enterprise, Hertz, Sixt and Thrifty. |
 Economy CarStarts at AUD $52/day |
 Compact CarStarts at AUD $53/day |
 Intermediate SUVStarts at AUD $62/day |
 Passenger VanStarts at AUD $99/day |
 Intermediate Pick up (single/extended cab) 2 doorStarts at AUD $105/day |
*Rates last updated on December 07, 2023 Rental rate prices displayed were available in response to a search at 7:01 am on December 07, 2023 by an Australian resident aged between 30 and 69 years old, for the specified travel dates, with a pickup and return time of 10:00 am. Rates and vehicle availability may change without notice. Use our price comparison tool to get current rental rates. Rates include all mandatory fees for the rental and exclude credit card surcharges and extras.
Please note that the depot hours below may change at any time without notice.
You’ll find a selection of the best-known car rental companies located opposite the arrivals area at Gold Coast Airport. See below for clear instructions on how to find Gold Coast Airport’s car hire desks and where to pick up your rental car in each terminal.
Gold Coast Airport has one terminal known as Terminal 1. Domestic arrivals is located on the left side of the terminal and international arrivals are on the right — the flight check-in desks are in between.
The on-airport hire car desks are located within the main arrivals terminal, near the baggage carousels. Your rental company will direct you to the correct location to collect your car.
The on-airport hire cars are parked on site and within walking distance of the terminal building. This makes it easy to collect your hire car from Gold Coast Airport.
Hopefully the car rental company has left a sign with instructions or a contact number. In this situation, use the number they have provided and let them know that you have arrived or follow the directions out to the car park where a rental attendant will help you.
If there is no sign, check your booking confirmation email for a contact phone number.
If you still have no luck finding assistance, contact us. Don’t be alarmed. It’s not unusual to see unmanned desks, and rest assured there’s usually someone who can help out in the car park where the rental cars are located.
If you booked with an off-airport provider, you’ll need to catch a shuttle to the car rental provider’s premises near the airport.
To return your hire car, follow the signs for the Rental Returns car park, located on the right-hand side of Terminal Drive.
For after-hours returns, there is a return slot where you can drop off the key. Park and lock your car then place the keys in the drop box located in the car hire returns area.
For Bargain Car Rentals you will need to return the vehicle to their off-site depot located at 2/57 Ourimbah Road, Tweed Heads. There is a shuttle service back to the airport terminal, though please note it is only available within business hours and 20 minutes prior to closing. Please allow sufficient time (approximately 20 min) for the shuttle to arrive.
The information on this section was last reviewed on June 9, 2023.Prices start at AUD $52 per day for an Economy Car, up to AUD $226 per day for a Premium SUV. Get a live rate for your planned dates and desired vehicle at Gold Coast Airport.
If you prefer to plug your car in rather than fill it up, an Electric Car costs AUD $105 per day. Enter your car hire dates and find a live rate for your desired Electric Car at Gold Coast Airport.
If you’ve got a crowd, but don’t need something as large as a bus, then a 7-seater or 8-seater Minivan hire might be your best option. A Minivan costs between AUD $99 and AUD $432 per day. Check for a live rate by entering your desired car hire dates at Gold Coast Airport.
The highest-rated rental car at Gold Coast Airport is Suzuki Swift or similar, based on ratings by our customers within the last 12 months.
Sixt is the highest-rated car hire provider at Gold Coast Airport, based on ratings by our customers.
The per-day rates of some rental cars may fall if you book for a longer rental period. Prices often change around daily, three-day, five-day and seven-day periods. Also, note that the selection of rental cars available at Gold Coast Airport may be more limited if you are looking for a long-term car rental, so it's best to to compare a few different lengths of bookings first to see what day rates result.
Most of our car rental providers offer automatic cars at Gold Coast Airport. The vehicle details section of our results page also indicates the transmission type of the rental vehicle, so you can ensure that you are getting an automatic car.
Have a look at what VroomVroomVroom customers had to say after they booked a hire car for Gold Coast Airport.
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