Car Rental at Gold Coast Airport

Airport travel guide

Located just south of Brisbane, the Gold Coast is a backpacker and tourist mecca and one of the most visited places in the whole of Australia. Whether you come for the famous Surfers Paradise, beautiful beaches, or some of the nearby destinations that you can easily access with a car, you’re in for a treat. These are five of the most interesting attractions in and around the Gold Coast:

• Surfers Paradise. Not only surfing heaven, but also a hub of restaurants, nightlife, and hotels, Surfers Paradise is the busiest and most famous place on the Gold Coast. Some travelers love it, while others consider it too commercialized and crowded and look for more relaxed spots which can be found up and down the coast. Either way, if you’re in the Gold Coast, the area and its beautiful coastline deserve at least one visit so you can make up your own mind.  Surfers Paradise is also the Theme Park Capital of Australia, so attracts many visitors looking for roller coasters, movie stunt shows, wildlife and entertaining shows.
• Lamington National Park. The nature of Queensland can be experienced not only on the beaches but also in the numerous nature reserves that surround the Gold Coast. Made up of ancient peaks, cloud forests, and the emblematic Australian bush, this popular hiking area is less than an hour’s drive southwest of Gold Coast. The national park’s hills and forests are inhabited by wildlife like parrots, wallabies, bandicoots, and platypuses (although very hard to find). If visiting the World Heritage Listed Lamington National Park has only increased your appetite for wilderness, the nature preserve is bordered by Springbrook and Border Ranges National Parks. Here you’ll discover more lush ancient rainforest and thundering waterfalls.
• Gold Coast Hinterland. A large territory that includes Lamington National Park, Gold Coast Hinterland is an area that gets fewer visitors than the coastal parts but hides a surprising number of interesting locations. These include Tamborine Mountain and the majestic views from the top of it, Numinbah Valley, and a number of lakes, wineries, and mountain villages. Many Australians think that this area offers some of the most scenic drives in the country. Most of the places that make up the hinterland are no more than an hour's drive from Surfer's Paradise.
• Burleigh Heads. If you’re looking for a more local beach experience away from the tourist crowds of Surfers Paradise, drive twenty minutes south to Burleigh Heads. You’ll find a great number of local restaurants and cafes and some of the best surf breaks on the Gold Coast. On the southern end is Burleigh Heads National Park, which offers a stunning hike around the headland to Tallebudgera Creek. You may even see whales offshore during the winter months. While at Tallebudgera, you can paddleboard the crystal clear waters of the creek, or enjoy the calm waters for a swim. Families especially love it here.

Road Trip Ideas

The Gold Coast has an idyllic location sandwiched between the stunning coastal regions of Northern NSW in the South and the Sunshine Coast in the North. Both of which are less than two hours drive. It’s the perfect region for enjoying a road trip that will highlight this area's stunning natural beauty, but also the Australian surfing culture and lifestyle. 

• Gold Coast to Lennox Head. The Gold Coast to Lennox Head road trip is a 90-minute scenic drive, but you can turn that into a day or even longer, as it’s filled with stunning beaches, great surf, coastal hikes, and small towns you’ll want to get lost in. Highlights include the sleepy towns of Kingscliff and Lennox Head, and one of Australia’s most popular towns, Byron Bay. It’s on a crystal bed AND has been a sacred healing ground for over 20,000 years. This traditional place for ceremony, dancing circles, birthing rituals, spiritual respite and dreaming has a certain kind of magic to it., but you will want to stop off at several locations along the way.
• Gold Coast to Noosa. This stunning two-and-a-half-hour drive will take you through many of the Sunshine Coast’s coastal communities. Expect a more laid-back vibe to the beaches of the Gold Coast. This area also has a pristine hinterland region worth exploring, including the Glass House Mountains which you’ll see rising up from the highway.  In this area, you’ll find Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo, the most famous zoo in Australia. Like Byron Bay in the South, Noosa is one of Australia’s most popular coastal destinations. On the edge of the small village is the Noosa National Park filled with trails, great surf breaks, and, if you’re lucky, you may spot koalas in the trees.
• Fraser Island. If you want to go off-road and do some serious beach driving whilst exploring shipwrecks, pristine lakes, stunning forest, and dodging wild dingos, head over to Fraser for some of the best 4-wheel driving in the country. 75 Mile Beach on Fraser Island is classified as a part of the Bruce Highway? And that Fraser Island is the largest sand island in the world? You can also drive along the Great Beach Drive just north of Noosa on the way there.  Fraser Island is about a five hour drive north of the Gold Coast.
• Dreamworld. Australia’s biggest theme park, Dreamworld has more than 40 different attractions including several thrill rides, one of the world’s fastest drop towers, and even a flying theater. Dreamworld is located just off the M1 highway, about a 30-minute drive north of downtown Gold Coast. Dreamworld is located right next to WhiteWater World, a large water park that’s open from September to April. 

Top international routes

• Sydney
• Melbourne
• Auckland
• Adelaide
• Canberra
• Cairns
• Newcastle
• Christchurch
• Denpasar
• Wellington

Main airlines

Jetstar Airways, Virgin Australia, AirAsia X, Air New Zealand, Qantas, and Tigerair Australia

Terminals

The single airport terminal serves all domestic and international flights.

Location

Gold Coast Airport is about 25 km (16 mi) south of Gold Coast. Gold Coast Highway, Tugun Currumbin Road, M1, Southport Burleigh Road/State Route 3, and Allawah Street are the main roads connecting the airport to the city.

Most popular types of rental car

• Medium cars - from $42 per day
• SUVs - from $41 per day
• Large cars - from $34 per day
• Small cars - from $37 per day
• Vans - from $95 per day
• Premium cars - from $36 per day
• Convertibles - from $154 per day
• Station wagons - from $167 per day

Car rental desks

Some desks are inside the airport terminal, while other rental companies offer free shuttle service to their nearby facilities. The exact location of your car rental provider's desk will be listed on your Confirmation Voucher.

Services and facilities

While the Gold Coast airport is quite small, you’ll find a number of shops, including duty-free shops, as well as many cafeterias, bars, restaurants, and fast food outlets. There are also ATMs, three currency exchanges, baby changing facilities, a luggage wrapping service, and three nearby hotels. Self-service luggage lockers are near the central walkway, next to the main parking lot. The airport is well equipped for travelers with reduced mobility. Special assistance is also available, but make sure to contact your airline in advance if you’d like this service. Do keep in mind that the airport is open from 4:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. You can find more information on the airport's official website.

Nearest gas station

Freedom Fuels gas station, at Airport Central, 1 Eastern Avenue, can be reached in about two minutes and is open 24/7. There are many other gas stations near Gold Coast Airport and on the way to the city.

Popular one-way rentals

• Brisbane (99 km / 62 miles)
• Byron Bay (67 km / 42 miles)
• Ballina (89 km / 55 miles)
• Toowoomba (202 km / 126 miles)