Brisbane Airport – Best Independent Car Hire Companies

Brisbane airport’s Premium Location Fee is a fixed 10.7%. Therefore, opting to go with one of the independent companies who are located just off-site will increase your chances of finding a bargain. These are the best value companies we uncovered. Bargain Wheels comparison site is a great starting place for both new and used cars. East Coast Car Rentals in general offers the best deals particularly for car hires 4 days or longer. For shorter term hires, there are several more worth comparing depending on your mileage requirements:

Bargain Wheels Go To Site

Independent companies comparison site. New and used cars

Bargain Wheels aggregates prices across about nine off-site Brisbane Airport independent car hire companies for you to compare. They include used cars which if you are comfortable to accept will be noticeably cheaper.

Always read the Rental and Supplier information provided to ensure you know the exact terms and conditions of the rental, including the standard mileage and insurance excess. As the cars can be from any of a number of companies, we recommend you call Bargain Wheels for exact pickup instructions and location. Note that in the preliminary search results, the daily rates listed are often subject to further fees and you will have to click through in order to obtain the final price.

If you intend to hire your car from East Coast Car Rentals (see ECCR below) for 3 days or under, booking through Bargain Wheels can be cheaper.

East Coast Car Rentals Go To Site

Great value for all car sizes with unlimited km’s

Considering the included unlimited km’s, East Coast Car Rentals is (or very close to) the best value Brisbane company across all the car models including the Economy Toyota Yaris manual hatch, Compact Nissan Tiida auto hatch, Intermediate Toyota Corolla sedan and Toyota Tarago Van. Their Standard Toyota Camry’s are 2005-2007 models. They come with A$3000 damage liability that can be reduced to A$200 for A$13.20/day or less. Located off-site, they offer a courtesy shuttle service to take you to their depot from the airport. Your credit card details are required to make the booking but will not be charged until you pick up the car.

If you intend to hire for 3 days or under and decide to go with ECCR, you might want to check Bargain Wheels to see if booking via them can save you a little extra (perhaps about $10). See more information on Bargain Wheels above.

Alpha Car Hire Go To Site

Cheap for Economy up to SUVs, 3 days or less with 500km/day

With 500km’s included per day, Alpha may be cheapest for the 4WD Hyundai Tuscon SUV (although not allowed off-road). With what in practice is almost equivalent to unlimited km’s, for any rentals 3 days or under, you will likely find the best prices across the range from the Economy manual to the SUV. Anything beyond 500km is charged at 27.5 cents/km. Alpha includes a default standard collision damage liability of A$2750. Extending your coverage with them to lower this to A$330 will require you to fork out A$16.50/day, getting less the longer you rent.

Note that Alpha charges an administrative fee of A$220 in addition to the Damage Liability in the event of damages and A$99 for any traffic infringements you incur.

If you decide to book with them, use this voucher for A$10 off any 3-day or more car hire, or A$20 off for 14 days or more.

Airport Rent-A-Car Go To Site

Cheap from Economy up to Full-sized Cars and Vans, 3 days or less, if only 200km/day required

Particularly in the months where 10% discounts are offered, Airport Rent-a-Car is another value alternative company for short-term Brisbane Airport rentals but only if 200km/day is adequate for you. Exceeding this amount, they charge 25 cents/extra km. Standard A$2750 collision damage liability is included. A further A$16/day reduces this liability to A$550. Courtesy transfers to/from the airport are provided.

Abel Rent-a-Car Go To Site

Best value for shorter distance car rentals, 3 days or less with 100km/day

If you do not require more than 100km/day (A$0.30/extra km), Abel probably has the best price across all the car hire size categories for 3 day rentals or less. Being located a few minutes off-site, they offer free transfers to and from the Brisbane airport.

Note: However, Abel like ECCR has also had its share of bad publicity in the Courier News for ripping off customers over dubious damage claims as recent as April 2008 (read the article here). Misunderstanding or otherwise, you decide how to interpret this information. If you need the extra peace of mind, you could opt to protect yourself with some form of insurance (Abel charges A$20/day or less to drop the standard collision damage liability on a regular car from A$3300 to A$330 but you can look for cheaper external alternatives e.g. travel insurance that covers car hire). Be also aware they charge an additional A$250 administrative fee in the event of damages to the vehicle, and a A$99 fee if you incur any traffic infringements during the rental period.