Avis, Budget and Hertz serve Cairns Airport. Avis and Hertz are listed at both terminals, while Budget is listed at the T2 Domestic terminal. They differ in pick-up locations, card holds or deposits, age requirements, and rules for unsealed roads and remote routes.
Airport surcharges, damage excesses and other charges depend on the booking. A card hold temporarily reserves money on your card; a damage excess is the amount you could owe for damage under the rental agreement. Check the full quote and rental record for your vehicle and payment method before booking.
Compare the three providers
| Provider | Pickup and return | Airport fee | Age and licence | Excess and card security | Road-use restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avis | Cairns Airport lists Avis at T1 International and T2 Domestic, with rental-car return parking at both. The airport directory lists 07 4033 9555. The current counter hours and Avis-specific after-hours return arrangements are not established here. | Avis says its quoted price normally includes taxes, administration fees, vehicle registration fees and location surcharges unless stated otherwise. No fixed Cairns Airport surcharge is published. | Minimum age 21. Drivers need a full, current licence held for at least 12 consecutive months. Learner and provisional licences are excluded, and a young-driver surcharge may apply. A licence not in Roman script must be accompanied by an International Driving Permit or official translation. | Avis lists an additional card pre-authorisation for passenger vehicles: A$0 for pay-later credit-card rentals, A$200 for pay-later debit-card rentals and A$200 for pay-now rentals by card. Commercial vehicles may require up to A$400. These amounts are holds, not the damage excess. A local-hirer form, extra identification and a security deposit may also be required. No single Cairns damage-excess amount is stated. | Queensland restrictions include specified travel beyond Chillagoe, around Normanton and Karumba, north of Cooktown and west of Lakeland. The Bloomfield Track north of Cape Tribulation is restricted. A coastal road north of Cape Tribulation is permitted only in a 4WD, subject to Avis’s terms. |
| Budget | The counter is in T2 Domestic; cars are across the road, about 50 metres from the terminal. The airport lists Budget returns at T2, and Budget directs renters to signed return areas. Its Cairns page gives a key-drop window of 04:30–22:30, while also describing after-hours returns as available during airport hours. Confirm the applicable instructions for your return time. Airport directory phone: 07 4033 9777. | Budget’s Australian terms say an airport Premium Location Surcharge may apply and that the amount is disclosed during booking. No fixed Cairns amount is stated. | Minimum age 21. Drivers under 25 are limited to specified vehicle groups. Drivers need a current, valid licence for the booked vehicle category, held for at least 12 consecutive months. Learner, provisional and restricted licences are excluded. | Budget’s requirements page states a refundable security deposit of A$1,000, or A$500 with Zero Excess, secured on an eligible credit or bank-issued Visa or Mastercard debit card. Cash is not accepted. Separate pre-authorisation guidance lists an additional A$200 for pay-later debit-card passenger rentals, A$0 additional for pay-later credit-card passenger rentals, and counter-added extras plus A$200 for pay-now passenger rentals. The damage excess for a particular Cairns booking is not stated as a fixed amount. | A 4WD booking does not remove route restrictions. Budget prohibits off-road use; vehicles must stay on properly formed sealed, metalled or gravel roads. Its Queensland restrictions include the Bloomfield Track north of Cape Tribulation and other named limits also listed by Avis. |
| Hertz | Cairns Airport lists Hertz at both terminals, with returns at both. Hertz’s branch page gives Airport Ave, 4870, daily hours of 06:00–23:30 and phone 07 4038 9990. The airport directory instead lists 07 4035 9299 for the shared Hertz, Thrifty and Dollar listing. Check the booking confirmation for the right contact number. | Hertz says airport-related fees and recoveries are charged at the rates stated on the Rental Record or required by law. No fixed Cairns Airport amount is stated. | Hertz’s Australia age terms list a surcharge for drivers aged 21–24. The general rental terms require an eligible, non-learner licence held for at least 12 consecutive months. A licence not in English needs a certified English translation. Confirm eligibility and any surcharge for the selected vehicle. | The Cairns branch page does not state a fixed excess or deposit. Hertz’s rental agreement makes applicable excesses and coverage choices dependent on the Rental Record. | Hertz’s general agreement prohibits off-road driving and use on roads unsuitable for the vehicle. The Cairns-specific named-road restrictions are not stated. A 4WD booking does not itself confirm permission to use a particular track. |
Cairns Airport’s directory and the Australian branch and rental information are current to 14 October 2026. Budget’s rental terms are effective 4 June 2025.
Check the full booking cost
No fixed Cairns Airport surcharge is stated for any of the three providers. Budget says its Premium Location Surcharge, if applicable, will be disclosed during booking. Avis says location surcharges are normally included in the quoted price unless noted otherwise, while Hertz records airport-related charges on the Rental Record. Compare totals using the same dates and vehicle category. Keep the payment method and protection options the same too.
Keep the security deposit, card pre-authorisation and damage excess separate when comparing costs. Avis and Budget publish some deposit or hold amounts, but the excess depends on the rental and cover selected. Hertz’s Cairns branch information does not give a fixed deposit or excess. Before collection, check the rental record for the excess, any optional cover price and the amount that will be held on your card.
The Cairns branch pages do not state a fixed child-restraint charge or a common mileage allowance across these bookings. Check the selected quote and rental record for child-restraint availability and cost, and for any mileage limit or charge.
Choose a pickup and return plan
Budget has the clearest published pickup directions: collect from the T2 counter and walk about 50 metres to the cars across the road. Its return guidance has two different descriptions of after-hours service, so confirm the drop-off window and key-drop instructions against your return time.
Avis is listed at both terminals, but the airport information does not establish its counter hours or after-hours procedure. Hertz publishes daily hours of 06:00–23:30; its general agreement says an out-of-hours return must follow the location’s instructions, and the renter remains responsible for loss, theft or damage until the location reopens. For either provider, make sure your booking confirmation covers the terminal and return arrangement you intend to use.
Match the car to your route
For a route that includes unsealed roads or remote areas, read the road restrictions before choosing a vehicle. Avis and Budget publish Queensland-specific limits, and Budget explicitly requires travel on properly formed sealed, metalled or gravel roads. Hertz prohibits off-road use and roads unsuitable for the vehicle, but its Cairns-specific named-road limits are not stated.
A 4WD does not automatically make a restricted road permissible. If your itinerary includes a remote track, obtain written confirmation from the rental provider that the exact route is allowed for the booked vehicle. Also check the rental record for any mileage terms that apply to your booking.