Car Hire at Cairns Airport (CNS)

Part of our guide to car hire in Cairns.

How to Find Your Car Hire Desk at Cairns Airport (CNS)

• Book through eCarBookers first: Your booking confirmation from eCarBookers locks in your price and your vehicle class before you arrive. You pay the balance at the desk on collection, and the terms confirmed at booking are the terms you receive. Always confirm your hire in advance to guarantee your price from the moment you collect the keys.
• Two terminals: Cairns Airport has an international terminal (T1) and a domestic terminal (T2), within walking distance of each other and linked by a sheltered pedestrian passage. Sources give the walk as a few minutes, so no bus or taxi is needed between them. Check your booking confirmation for the terminal and pick-up point that applies to your hire.
• Where the desk is: Green Motion's listing for Cairns Airport does not state whether the pick-up is a counter in a terminal or a depot reached by shuttle. Some suppliers have desks in the arrivals halls, and others operate from depots on Sheridan Street, a few minutes from the airport, with a shuttle. The exact meeting point for your hire is shown on your booking voucher, which is the definitive source, so check it before you travel and follow it on arrival.
• If the desk is unattended: Look for a sign or contact number, and use the phone number on your confirmation. If your pick-up is off the airport, shuttles do not always leave on demand and the last one can leave about 20 minutes before a depot closes, so allow extra time.
• Opening hours: No opening hours are published for this branch. Choose a flight that lands at a sensible hour, and confirm the hours for your date in your booking confirmation.
• Delayed flights: If your flight is significantly delayed, call the supplier on the number in your confirmation so they know when to expect you.
• What to bring: The main driver should carry a valid driving licence, a passport, and a credit card in their own name with a limit high enough to cover the excess hold. If your licence is not in English, bring an International Driving Permit or an official English translation.

Pick-Up, Drop-Off, and Refuelling at Cairns Airport (CNS)

• Returning the car: Return the car at the time and place shown in your booking confirmation, and follow the rental car signs. On-airport return areas sit opposite the eastern end of T1 and opposite the northern end of T2. Allow about 30 minutes for an on-airport return and about an hour for an off-airport return.
• Out-of-hours returns: Some suppliers at Cairns Airport offer after-hours key drop boxes, but availability varies. A key drop has not been confirmed for this service, so arrange any late or early return with the supplier before you travel.
• Nearest petrol station: There are no fuel stations at the airport itself. The nearest are on Sheridan Street, a short drive away, including a Shell at 291 to 293 Sheridan Street. Confirm the fuel type on your booking confirmation before you refuel.
• Fuel policy: Refuel before returning the car unless you have prepaid for fuel, because a supplier charges a premium to refuel for you. Ask at collection which policy applies to your hire.
• Before you drive away: Photograph the vehicle thoroughly at collection and again at return, including all four sides, the wheels, the windscreen and the interior. Dated photographs give you a clear record of the condition you received.
• Tolls: Queensland's electronic toll roads are in the Brisbane area and at Toowoomba, so there are no toll roads on the usual routes from Cairns Airport. Confirm with your supplier at collection if you plan to continue south.
• Driving on the left: Australia drives on the left. If you normally drive on the right, take the first few minutes slowly, and give way to traffic already on the roundabout.

Top Car Hire Agencies at Cairns Airport (CNS)

Car hire at Cairns Airport (CNS) is available through Green Motion.

Every booking through eCarBookers shows the excess amount and full price before you confirm, and the balance is paid on arrival at the desk. Optional extras — such as additional drivers, supplemental tyre and glass cover, child seats, or out-of-hours fees — may be available from the supplier if required.

Getting from Cairns Airport (CNS) to Key Destinations

• Cairns city centre — about 7 km south, in roughly 10 to 15 minutes, by Airport Avenue and Sheridan Street. Weekday peaks of roughly 7:30 to 9:30 am and 4:30 to 6:00 pm are the slowest.
• Palm Cove — about 26 km north, in roughly 25 minutes along the coast. The beachside village is the easiest introduction to the northern beaches.
• Kuranda — about 29 km inland, in roughly 30 minutes. The rainforest village is known for its markets and wildlife, and the Kuranda Scenic Railway and Skyrail Rainforest Cableway run to it.
• Port Douglas — about 66 km north, in roughly 1 hour, along the Captain Cook Highway. The coastal road is also the route to Mossman Gorge and the Daintree.

How Payment Works for Car Hire at Cairns Airport (CNS)

Payment is made in two steps. A rental prepayment confirms your booking online, with Instant Confirmation from the supplier. You then pay the balance directly to the supplier on arrival, when you collect the car.

The price and vehicle class shown at booking are the terms you receive at the desk. Because the full rental amount is not charged at the time of booking, you keep flexibility if your plans change, and cancellation is free.

The supplier may place an excess hold on the main driver's credit card at collection, so check that the card in the driver's name has enough available limit. The amount is shown in your booking confirmation.