Cheap Car Hire Newcastle Airport
Big savings on car Rental at Newcastle Airport
Compare the best Newcastle Airport car rental deals from over 10 rental brands. Avis, Hertz, Thrifty, Europcar, Enterprise, National, Alamo, Apex and more.
* Some rental car suppliers may charge a credit card fee for amounts payable on arrival.
Easy to use and we got a pretty good deal on a hire car for our Brisbane trip. Will recommend to others.
Quick and convenient. Good prices.
Simple and quick. Lowest price I could find.
Car Hire Options at Newcastle Airport
Taking a taxi from Newcastle (Williamtown) Airport into the city centre will cost you as much as $90. And that’s just one-way. So why not book a rental vehicle instead? Hiring a car gives you the flexibility and freedom to travel at your own pace and can save you money.
There are more than 11 rental car brands at Newcastle Airport. If you want to find the best deal that’s a lot of websites to check out...
To make things easy, our car rental comparison search engine hunts down the very best offers available from all car rental suppliers and lists them side-by-side for you. This lets you instantly compare and find the best deals.
All rental car companies, including Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Enterprise, and Thrifty, are “on-airport” — no need to wait for a shuttle bus! All have desks located in the domestic arrivals area of the airport terminal and their vehicles are parked close to the front entrance, next to the drop off zone. If the depot is closed when you return your car drop your keys off in the drop-off boxes situated on the rental car counters.
Before you go to the desk to pick up your vehicle, make sure you have your booking confirmation eVoucher, a valid driver's licence for each of the drivers, a credit card or cash for the bond and suitable ID.
On-Airport Rental Brands
“On-airport” means these rental companies have check-in desks within the Newcastle Airport terminal.
The big advantage of this for you is convenience and speed. Once you’ve checked in you can jump in your car and get going. No waiting around for transfer vans.
But it does come at a cost. The fees are higher than off-airport rental companies to offset the costs of being at Newcastle Airport.
All car rental counters are located in the domestic arrivals area of Newcastle Airport, near the baggage claim.
Use our price comparison search tool to find the best prices for these on-airport car hire brands at Newcastle Airport:
Maximum Choice. Best Deals.
Newcastle Airport Car Hire Tips
Ways to save money on Newcastle Airport car hire
Compare prices of on-airport and off-airport brands. If you're not in a big rush, hiring a vehicle from off-airport car hire depots can result in big savings.
But you will have to take extra time with the shuttle transfer. Transfers are usually free, but limited to opening hours, so check when you book.
Don’t hire a bigger rental car than you require and consider if you really need all the extras you’ll be offered, such as a GPS. Google Maps on your phone will normally do the trick, provided phone data charges aren’t an issue.
With lengthy distances and long travel times between major cities, petrol stops are likely to be frequent. Fuel prices can vary widely from place to the next, so if you want to spend less at the pump use a mobile app like MotorMouth to find the best prices.
Driving in Newcastle
Newcastle CBD is nearly 28km from the airport, and a 35-minute drive outside peak hours. Once you get there, the city is easily accessible, whether you’re negotiating it by car, on foot or on the electric bikes you can hire from docking stations around the city. You’ll find metered street parking and council-operated parking stations within the CBD, including the multi-storey Mall Car Park in King Street (but make sure you’re out before the early closing hours). Free parking is sometimes available in Darby Street, and after 5pm at the Civic, Boat Harbour, Queen’s Wharf, and Foreshore council-operated car parks. If you plan to be in and around the city for awhile, get Newcastle’s EasyPark app (it’s on the Apple App Store and Google Play) which gives you 15 minutes free parking and is the best way to find, monitor and pay for your street parking.
When you’re done exploring the city, jump in your hire car and there’s plenty to see, all within an hour’s drive. Take your pick or visit them all — Port Stephens for stunning beaches; Hunter Valley for world-class wineries; the Barrington Tops World Heritage-listed rainforest; Lake Macquarie (the country’s largest saltwater lake; or the world-renowned horse stud farms in the Upper Hunter.
In Australia, you’ll need to drive on the left-hand side — if you’re not already used to it, you might find it difficult to adjust. Unless otherwise signposted, the speed limit in urban and suburban areas is 50km/h, and on highways the default limit is 100km/h. When driving your hire car, all occupants must wear seatbelts or an approved child restraint (a child safety seat or booster seat depending on the child’s size).
Return with a full tank
It’s a good idea to make sure you return your rental car with a full tank of petrol so you avoid the higher price rental companies charge to top up the tank. There are petrol stations close to the airport, including the Metro Petroleum station on Williamtown Drive. Click here to find petrol stations close to Newcastle Airport.
Saved a lot of time thanks. Booked the car we wanted at a good price.
Quick and convenient. Good prices.
Easy to use and we got a pretty good deal on a hire car for our Brisbane trip. Will recommend to others.
NEWCASTLE Attractions
A rental car gives you the freedom and flexibility to make the most of your time exploring Newcastle, Australia’s second oldest city, plus surrounding areas like the famous Hunter Valley wine country. Below are some of our favourite attractions that we know you will love. For more ideas, check out the Newcastle Tourism website.
Hunter Valley
Grapes on the vine, Hunter Valley
Just an hour’s drive west of Newcastle, the Hunter Valley is Australia’s premier wine region. One of the first wine regions to be planted in the country, it is now home to over 150 wineries.
The Hunter Valley is famous for its Semillon, but it also produces a variety of delicious wines including Shiraz, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Verdelho.
The biggest wineries include Cessnock, Singleton and Pokolbin, but you can pick up a map at one of the many information centres along the trail to start your vineyard tour.
As the sixth most visited place in Australia, the Hunter Valley attracts more than 2.5 million people each year. It’s not just the wine tasting that lure them here, though — there are plenty of other things to do and see. From horse-riding, day spas, and hot-air ballooning adventures, to art galleries and top-class restaurants and cafes, there’s something for (almost) everyone.
Accommodation is available in many towns throughout the region, but it makes sense to book in advance during summer. And of course you want to make sure you have a driver who will stay sober if you choose to drive the wine trail.
Port Stephens
Zenith Beach, Port Stephens
Port Stephens is a natural harbour located in the Hunter region. It was named by Captain Cook, after Sir Philip Stephens who was Secretary to the Admiralty in May 1770 and it would soon become a popular hideout for escaped convicts.
Fast-forward a few centuries and you now have a much calmer and more peaceful town that attracts tourists keen to see the dolphins and whales. Deep sea and big-game fishing is also popular in the region as well as snorkelling and bush trekking. And with 26 golden beaches, sunbathing is also popular here.
If you enjoy hiking, you might like a trip up Tomaree Head Summit walk, which will take you between 45 minutes and an hour. Don’t forget to bring your binoculars between May and October when the whale migration season is in full-swing and you may even spot dolphins (at any time of the year).
The Great Lake Marine Park is home to dolphins, turtles, seabirds and a variety of fish, as well as indigenous heritage sites. During their migratory route north, humpback whales have been known to congregate at the park as well.
Port Stephens is a one-hour drive up the A43 from Newcastle. If you’re staying overnight or longer, there are a variety of accommodation options in and around Port Stephens, along with cafes and restaurants for you to enjoy.
Port Macquarie
Port Macquarie, on the Hastings River / Peter Neaum CC 3.0
Known for its extensive beaches and riverways, Port Macquarie is a popular beach resort-town with a large koala population. It is also home to the Koala Preservation Society’s Koala hospital, which saves injured koalas from a variety of illnesses and injuries.
A two-and-a-half hour drive along the coast from Newcastle, Port Macquarie can be seen in a day. But with so much to see and do, it makes more sense to stay for a few days, or even a week.
If you enjoy the Australian wildlife, you will love visiting the Billabong Koala breeding centre and wildlife park — a sanctuary to a variety of animals including penguins, monkeys, red pandas, reptiles, cheetahs and, of course, koalas.
The Sea Acres Rainforest Centre is one of the largest and most diverse coastal rainforests in New South Wales, and a beautiful place to visit. Enjoy a tour through the forests and learn more about Australia’s ecosystem and how it works together to make such stunning scenery.
You might also choose to take a horse trek through the Bellrowan Valley. After a long day of hiking and wildlife watching, take the family to Raleigh Water Park where they can cool off.
In the evening, visit the Port Macquarie Observatory. Find out more about the southern skies and enjoy a three-dimensional exploration of Mars.
A wide range of accommodation options are available at Port Macquarie, ranging from camping under the stars, through to some luxurious coastal hotels and resorts.
The Entrance
Feeding the pelicans at The Entrance / Tirin CC-SA 3.0
Although it might not seem like an inspired name for a town, The Entrance is particularly special because it is bound by ocean waters on three sides. This makes it a top tourist spot for those who want to see Australia’s unique ocean life.
Originally founded by the Europeans in 1796, The Entrance came to the attention of the Governor of Tasmania, Colonel David Collins of the First Fleet, while searching for an escaped convict, Mary Morgan.
The town was named after the Aboriginal name for the point on the south bank of the channel at the Pacific Ocean (‘Karagi’, which means entrance).
Not only is it a picturesque town, but it is also known as the pelican capital of Australia, thanks to a pelican feeding platform constructed in 1999. Pelican feeding takes place every day at 3:30pm. During the feed, the organisers provide tourists and locals with information about the local birdlife, while also checking the birds for injuries.
Norah Head Lighthouse is also a nice spot to look out at the Pacific Ocean. Tours through the lighthouse, which was constructed in 1903, operate every day (except Tuesdays) for half an hour each, between 11am and 2pm.
The heritage walk, marked with informative plaques about historical buildings and landmarks, is a great way to find out more about the history of the region.
The Entrance is also home to Brisbane Water National Park which includes ancient Aboriginal engraving sites and picturesque bush-walks. Watagans National Park is also a stunning place to visit, with a wide range of hiking, biking and camping options available.
