How to pick up and return a hire car at Cairns Airport (CNS)
Great value rental cars from Cairns Airport’s most trusted car hire providers
Cairns Airport (CNS) has two terminals — one international and one domestic — with the former north-facing and the latter west-facing. Terminal 1 (T1) handles all international flights, Terminal 2 (T2) handles all domestic flights, the two terminals are around a seven minute walk from each other, and rental car providers maintain desks serving both terminals. See below for clear instructions on how to find Cairns Airport’s car hire desks and where to pick up your rental car.
International or domestic?
If you’re flying internationally, you’ll be using T1, while domestic fliers will be using T2.
| Airlines | T1 | T2 |
| All international flights | ✅ | ❌ |
| All domestic flights | ❌ | ✅ |
Transferring between terminals
While Cairns Airport terminals are in separate buildings, they are only about a seven minute walk from one another, meaning there’s no need for bus or taxi transfers between the two. Forming a roughly upside down L shape, T1 faces roughly to the north while T2 faces west across the main runway and taxiway.
How to pick up your hire car
At Cairns Airport, both on- and off-airport rental car providers are available, and regardless of which you’re using, when booking an airport rental car it’s a good idea to supply your flight number so that the provider is aware if your flight is delayed.
Find your rental desk: On- or off-airport
Cairns Airport has both on-airport and off-airport depots, so knowing which type of provider you have booked with is the first step in determining where you need to go to collect your rental car.
On-airport pickup
The on-airport hire car desks at Cairns Airport are located inside the arrivals hall near where the luggage is collected at both the domestic and international terminals. Budget only maintains a rental desk in T2.
Finding the car rental counters at Cairns Airport Terminal 1
Looking for the car hire counters at Cairns Airport Terminal 2
Collecting an off-airport hire car at Cairns Airport
Off-airport pickup
Cairns Airport’s off-airport rental car depots don’t maintain desks at the airport itself, meaning you need to arrange transport to their depot, either by using a shuttle transfer, taxi, or rideshare. Most off-airport depots serving Cairns Airport are located immediately to the south of the airport.
Rental car shuttle transfers tend to leave regularly, although not always on demand, so there may be some waiting involved. In some cases the last shuttle transfer is 20 minutes before the depot closing hours, so if you have a late arrival time, it is important to check with your depot regarding their shuttle bus hours.
| Provider | Shuttle cost | Shuttle hours | T1 | T2 |
| Bargain Car Rentals | Free | Mon–Fri 7:00 am–6:40 pm Sat & Sun 8:00 am–4:40 pm | Courtesy vehicle & rideshare pickup area. | Courtesy vehicle & rideshare pickup area. |
| East Coast Car Rentals | Free | Mon-Fri 7:00 am–8:00 pm Sat & Sun 08:00 am–7:00 pm | Shuttle parking bay 6 | Courtesy vehicle & rideshare pickup area. |
| Everything Fleet | Free | Mon–Sun 7:00 am–10:00 pm | Courtesy vehicle & rideshare pickup area. | Courtesy vehicle & rideshare pickup area. |
Finalise your rental agreement and collect keys
Once you reach the correct hire car desk, you’ll need to finalise the paperwork, inspect the vehicle, and collect your keys. Learn more about a typical airport rental car pickup process.
What should I do if the desk is unattended?
Hopefully the car rental provider has left a sign with instructions or a contact number which you can call to let them know that you’ve arrived. If not, make your way to the rental car parking area where a rental attendant should be able to assist you. If the desk is unattended and there’s no sign, check your booking confirmation email for a contact phone number. If you have no luck contacting staff, call us at 1300 722 920. Don’t be alarmed — unstaffed rental desks are not unusual — but rest assured there’s usually staff in the hire car parking area.
How to return your hire car
On-airport return
Cairns Airport is around a 12 minute drive to the north of downtown Cairns, with the primary access point being Airport Avenue which leads right to the airport precinct. If you’re driving to the airport during weekday peak hours (typically 07:30-09:30 and 16:30 to 18:00), be sure to allow a little extra time in the case of traffic congestion.
As you approach Cairns airport, follow the signs for the car rental parking areas. The parking area for T1 is opposite the eastern end of the terminal, while T2’s rental car parking area is opposite the northern end of the terminal. Learn more about how to return an airport rental car.
It’s also a good idea to allow at least 30 minutes for the processing of your paperwork and returning the vehicle at an on-airport depot, and at least an hour for an off-airport depot — the latter can take a bit longer due to the extra time involved with taking a shuttle transfer to the terminal. Be wary of returning your vehicle too close to your flight departure time — you’re best to be at the terminal two hours before departure for a domestic flight and three hours for an international flight.
Off-airport return
Off-airport depots serving Cairns Airport are located to the south of the airport precinct, around a five minute drive away. In high season traffic congestion around Cairns Airport can be an issue, so be sure to allow sufficient time (in most cases 30 minutes should be adequate) to return your airport rental car, and, as shuttles do not typically leave upon demand, allowing a further 30 minutes for the shuttle transfer to Cairns Airport is prudent.
| Provider | Shuttle bus | Depot location | Depot hours | Drive time |
| Bargain Car Rentals | Free, last shuttle 20 minutes before closing time. | 410 Sheridan St, Cairns | Mon–Fri 7:00 am–8:00 pm Sat & Sun 8:00 am–5:00 pm | 4 min |
| East Coast Car Rentals | Free | 411 Sheridan St, Cairns | Mon-Fri 7:00 am–8:00 pm Sat & Sun 8:00 am–7:00 pm | 4 min |
| Everything Fleet | Free | 462-464 Sheridan St, Cairns | Mon–Sun 7:00 am–10:00 pm | 6 min |
Frequently asked questions
On picking up and returning a rental car at Cairns Airport
Can I walk between the terminals at Cairns Airport?
Yes. Cairns T1 and T2 are just a few minutes apart on foot, so there’s no need for a bus or taxi transfer between the two.
Can I walk to Cairns Airport’s off-airport depots?
While in theory this is possible, as it’s around an hour walk, we don’t recommend it. You’re far better off to use either the shuttle transfer provided by rental providers, catch a taxi, or use a ride share service to reach any off-airport depot.
Are shuttle buses to off-airport providers free?
Bargain Car Rentals, East Coast Car Rentals, and Everything Fleet offer a free shuttle bus service to their off-airport depots.
Do all car hire providers have rental desks in every terminal?
No. At Cairns Airport most on-airport providers have rental desks at both terminals, although Budget only maintains a rental desk at T2. Off-airport providers don’t maintain desks at the terminals, instead you’ll need to use their shuttle services (or a taxi or ride share) to reach their depot.
How long should I allow for dropping off my car and getting to my flight?
Passengers are typically recommended to arrive at Cairns Airport two hours before domestic flights and three hours before international flights.
If you’re using an on-airport provider, allow at least 30 minutes to process any paperwork and return the vehicle. In peak season it’s prudent to allow longer in case the rental desks are busy.
For off-airport providers you should allow at least an hour, primarily because the shuttle services from the depots to the airport don’t always depart on demand, meaning there may be some waiting time before you’re on the way to the airport.How long should I allow to get from my flight to the car hire desk?
Passengers arriving on international flights into Cairns Airport should allow at least an hour from the time they land through to clearing immigration, collecting their baggage, and passing through customs. Those not on Australian passports should allow an additional 30 minutes as immigration and customs may be more time consuming.
For those arriving on domestic flights, 30 to 45 minutes should be an adequate amount of time. In peak season, when Cairns Airport can be very busy, allowing an extra 15 to 20 minutes is a good idea. If you’re travelling with carry-on luggage only, 20 to 30 minutes should be enough time to get from your flight to either an on-airport rental car desk or the shuttle pickup for off-airport providers.
Bear in mind that if you’re using an off-airport provider, you also need to factor in transfer time from Cairns Airport to the depot. Drive time is around five minutes (depending on traffic), and you may need to wait for ten minutes or so before a shuttle arrives to pick you up. A good idea is to call your rental car provider as soon as you’re off your flight to let them know you’re on the way. In doing this, they can either dispatch a shuttle transfer so it’s waiting for you when you walk out of the terminal, or ask one already on the way to the airport to wait for you.Where are the closest petrol stations to Cairns Airport?
Unless you have pre-paid for your fuel it’s a good idea to make sure you have refuelled your rental car before you return it to the rental car provider to avoid them needing to refuel it and charge you for the service at a premium rate.
Petrol stations convenient to Cairns Airport include:
bp: 66 Anderson St, Manunda.
Caltex: 35-39 Arnold St, Stratford.
Shell: 291-293 Sheridan St, Cairns.
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