Darwin Airport

Car Hire Darwin Airport

We’re all about you.

Call or email our Darwin Airport team to arrange after-hours pick-up. For after-hours returns, head to Redspot’s rental service desk inside the terminal building. You’ll find our drop box located right by the desk.

Airport Information

Find Redspot’s branch right inside the Darwin Airport terminal building. Our rental vehicles are just a short walk away, inside the airport’s car rental parking area. Just hop off your plane and head to our kiosk to kickstart your adventures. From sturdy SUVs to reliable sedans, you’ll find the rental car to take you on a rugged Northern Australia journey.

Quick and easy car rental

Need a car hire that can handle the bush? Redspot is your local expert on the ground, getting you where you need to go. Thanks to our awesome value packages and helpful services, it’s easy to find your perfect rental companion for the road. 

Note for Redspot Darwin rentals: Please keep in mind there are some special considerations for our Darwin rentals. You can enjoy 200 kilometres free per day on all vehicle classes, with excess kilometres at $0.275 per kilometre. 

Darwin has a few restricted areas where we cannot cover you for damage liability, or provide 24/7 roadside assistance. Please see our terms and conditions (Page 8) for the exact non-permitted areas of use. 

Certain vehicles, like 4WDs, may still be covered for damage liability in restricted areas. For further information, please contact our staff on 1300 668 810. We can discuss your travel plans and guide you through any specific details you will need to get rolling!

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Returning your rental car

Our drop-off and pick-up car park is just a short walk away from the terminal. Find the Redspot kiosk on the ground floor, near the baby change rooms. Just park your car hire in our designated parking and return your keys to our desk!

After hours pick-up

Landed late and need to get going? Call our Redspot team on 1300 668 810 to arrange after-hours pick-up. We’ll do all we can to get your red-y for the road.

After hours drop-off

An after-hours drop box is available for late-night returns at Darwin Airport. Park your rental car in the airport car park and head to the Redspot desk inside the terminal building, located on the ground floor. Pop your keys into the box and we’ll take it from there!

One-way car hires

Redspot’s Darwin branches offer one-way car hires between Darwin branches*. For example, if you’ve picked up your car in Holtze, you can just drop it off at Darwin Airport on your flight out!

*Vehicles hired from Redspot Darwin Airport, Darwin City and Holtze are eligible for one-way car hire, exclusively between these branches. One-way hire is not available outside these locations, i.e., it cannot be dropped off in other states. Contact us at 1300 668 810 to learn more.

Roadside Assistance

We’ve got your back with 24/7 roadside assistance so you never have to worry about being stranded.

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Load up with Redspot’s red-hot value packages!

For an even smoother car rental experience, we have designed two packages for damage and liability coverage and extra services!

Package prices will be calculated based on your vehicle selected and rental period. Proceed to the car rental booking page for a quote.

Terminology Key:

Let us break down our package terms so you know exactly what may appear on your invoice:

*Damage liability excess: ‘Amount reduced by’ is dependent on the vehicle type and hire itinerary selected.

**Contract fee: We have a small surcharge to cover our costs to draw up our rental agreement with you. 

***Premium location fee:  Sometimes a premium airport or downtown location will charge us an additional surcharge for each rental and we are upfront about this cost in your package! The price will depend on the location selected. 

****Registration recovery fee: We pay a surcharge to cover our vehicle registration and compulsory third-party insurance costs and we highlight this clearly in your package breakdown. 

At Redspot, we believe in straight-up honesty! Just so you’re in the loop, all the nitty-gritty on damage liability and extra charges can be found in our terms and conditions. 

At Redspot, we believe in straight-up honesty! Just so you’re in the loop, all the nitty-gritty on damage liability and extra charges can be found in our terms and conditions. 

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Redspot Driver Facts

Rev-Up for Young Drivers

We are one of the few car rental companies to have a minimum driver age of 21!

Note that drivers under 25 will pay a daily surcharge on their car rental fee. Car hire is limited to small to medium-sized sedans and hatchbacks.

Maximum age is no barrier

With Redspot, age is just a number! There is no maximum age to hit the road.

Local P-Platers and Full Licences

Redspot Car Rentals gives P-platers the green light – one of the few Aussie companies that do! Our safety rules include:

• You must have held your provisional driver’s licence for a minimum of 1 year.
• Your full driver’s licence must be valid for a minimum of 12 months from the date of rental collection.

Overseas visitors welcome

Explore every Aussie hotspot with Redspot! Temporary overseas visitors can hire a car with:

• A full valid driver’s licence and passport
• Licences must have photo identification
• If the licence is not in English then you will need an official translated document from your embassy or road traffic authority in your home country
• Some countries may need to apply for an international driver’s permit

Credit Card Condition

Cover your back and ours. All rental cars require a credit card at pick-up for a pre-authorisation.

Share the ride with additional drivers

We can easily add additional drivers to your car rental booking. The driver will need to show their full valid driver’s licence in any branch and provide a credit card for a daily surcharge. Too easy!

Family-friendly car hire

Redspot is a family-run business and selects modern SUVs, sedans and people carriers for family comfort. With a range of baby, child and booster seats available to hire, the little ones don’t miss out.

Toll-road Tricks

Buy peace-of-mind with a Redspot toll road waiver and say goodbye to unexpected charges.

Fuel Flexibility

Pre-pay, post-pay or refuel your rental car yourself. Redspot make it easy to keep a full tank for an Australian adventure.

Don’t sweat the paperwork

All you need to bring for collection is your valid driver’s licence and credit card. We will take care of the rest!

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Never a rainy day for satisfied Redspot customers!

With over 35 years of satisfied customers, Redspot has the rental industry experience to find the perfect hire car for you. But don’t just take our word for it! Here’s what some of our customers have to say:

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Frequently Asked Questions:

What is a cross border fee for rental cars?

A cross-border fee is a charge applied when you take a rental car across state or national borders. For example, if you’re driving from Queensland to New South Wales or any other state, this fee helps cover the logistics of moving the vehicle and any potential risks. With Redspot, we don’t charge cross-border fees for any of our vehicles, so you can roam freely.

That said, one-way car hires are only available between Redspot Darwin branches in the Northern Territory. For instance, if you’ve hired from one of our NT branches, you can drop off your rental car at our Darwin Airport, Darwin City or Holtze locations. Rent from our Darwin City or Holtze branches, then drop your ride off at the airport and jet off with ease!

Can you take a hire car on a ferry?

Yes, you can hop on a ferry and take your Redspot hire car along. For Darwin, this means you can easily access places like Wagait Beach or the Cox Peninsula with the Mandorah ferry.

Please note that there are a few special considerations that apply:

• The elected damage liability does not apply while on the ferry, i.e. in the event of the ferry sinking or the hire car being damaged while on the ferry, the customer is up for car replacement/repair costs.
• There must be a gazetted road (a sealed or unsealed road regularly maintained by the Australian government) on the other end of the ferry. 

Questions? Contact our friendly Darwin team at (08) 8945 3909 (branch direct) or darwin@redspot.com.au to discuss details.

Can you hire a car overseas?

Coming in from overseas? No problem! Tourists are more than welcome to rent a car with Redspot. All you need to do is show your valid overseas driver’s licence and passport upon vehicle pick-up. 

Loving Darwin so much, you’ll be staying for over 3 months? Then you’ll need to transition to a local driver’s licence. How to do this can vary depending on the state or territory you’re in. Be sure to check in with our friendly Darwin team for local advice.

Note: Make sure to bring a physical driver’s licence to the kiosk. Certain digital licences or passports are not accepted as valid documents.* If your licence is not in English, we’ll need a translated version from your embassy or traffic authority in your home country. 

For more information, see our complete guide to renting a vehicle with an overseas licence.

*Digital licences or passports are accepted from the USA, Singapore, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

What documents do I need to hire a car in Australia?

To hire a car from our Darwin Airport branch, you will need:

• A valid credit card or debit card* or purchase order/prepaid voucher**.
• A valid driver’s licence and the licence of any other drivers using the car. Licence not in English? You will also need an official translation, as provided by your embassy or home nation’s traffic authority. 
• Does your licence show your current address? If not, you will need to provide documented proof of address, such as a utility bill. 
• If you are not an Australian citizen, you must also provide your passport. 

*Debit cards: Must have the customer’s name displayed, and the ability to make online payments e.g. Visa or Mastercard debit cards.

**Purchase order or prepaid vouchers: Customers must also supply a valid credit card or Visa/Mastercard debit card for any incidental expenses (extensions, fuel charges, etc.).

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Explore Darwin with Redspot

Related blogposts

Darwin is surrounded by some of the most uniquely Australian vistas you can find. From wild encounters with crocodiles to colourful forests and coastal scenery, you’ll find something amazing in Darwin. Pick up a Redspot Darwin Airport car hire and experience the outback for yourself. 

Crocosaurus Cove

Darwin Military Museum

Litchfield National Park

Kakadu National Park

Red-hot Darwin tips from our local staff

“Aviation enthusiasts will enjoy the Darwin Aviation Museum, where you can see a B-52 bomber up close (one of only two on display outside the U.S.) and learn about Darwin’s role in World War II, including the bombing of Darwin.” – Kylie, Rental Agent Darwin.

“Get up close with Australia’s most famous reptiles at Crocosaurus Cove, located in the heart of Darwin. The Cage of Death offers a thrilling experience where you can enter a clear enclosure and be lowered into a pool with massive saltwater crocodiles!” – Chris, Fleet Manager, Darwin

“For a unique cultural experience, take a ferry or scenic flight to the Tiwi Islands, located 80 km north of Darwin. The islands are home to the Tiwi people, known for their vibrant art and cultural traditions. Guided tours give you insight into the local way of life, and you can purchase authentic Aboriginal art directly from the artists.” – Richard, Area Manager, NT.

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Meet Our Fleet

Grab a heavy-duty SUV ready for the bush, or enjoy legroom for the whole crew with a spacious minivan. No matter where you’re heading, your partner on the road is waiting for you at Redspot!