Travel Hacks

Picking Up Your Wheels at Gold Coast Airport

The Gold Coast looks like a beach strip from the plane window, but that's only the postcard version. The real trip, the one with rainforest waterfalls & hidden local gems only happens if you've got your own car. Public transport gets you up and down the coast well enough, but it won't take you to Tamborine, it definitely won't take you across to Byron, and it moves on someone else's timetable, not yours.

Picking up a hire car at OOL means the whole region opens up the moment you land: beaches one way, hinterland the other, another state entirely if you feel like it. No waiting on connections, no missing the last bus back, just your own schedule and a full tank of fuel

Picking Up Your Rental Car

Bags collected. Keys next.

You've landed, you've got your bags, and the Gold Coast is right outside those doors. Here's the fast version of getting behind the wheel so you can stop reading about your trip and start enjoying it.

Where to go

Most rental counters are right there in the terminal near arrivals, with rental cars close enough that you won't need a shuttle. A few providers run off-airport depots with a quick shuttle transfer instead. Either way, you'll be behind the wheel well without needing to mentally check out of holiday mode.

The bit nobody tells you...

Book online before you fly. It's faster at the counter, the rates are usually better, and you skip the walk-up price altogether. If you're travelling over a long weekend or school holidays, lock it in early. The good SUVs go first.

From here, it's beaches one way and hinterland the other, with the whole Gold Coast in between. Check out our other blogs where we've mapped a couple of our favourite routes…

 

Trade The Beach For The Rainforest 

Swap out the surf board & wetsuit for some hiking shoes & binoculars and prepare to see the natural wonders of the Gold Coast Hinterland. 

 

 

 

 
 The Ultimate Guide To Exploring South of The Border

With NSW just a 15 minute drive from the Gold Coast Airport, your adventure is no longer limited to just one state... 2 states, one tank of fuel, zero stress.

Ready to hit the road?

Sort your car hire before you land. Search providers at goldcoastairport.com.au/transport/car-rentals, and get straight on the road.
 

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