Car rental prices at Melbourne Airport

For October 2026, booked around a month ahead, a good price at Melbourne Airport is around $71 a day for an Intermediate, a Toyota Corolla-sized car. An Economy car like a Suzuki Swift is around $53 a day, while a Compact Toyota Corolla Hybrid runs $58. If you leave booking to the final 2 weeks, the Intermediate drops to $62. Across the year, August 2027 is the cheapest month at $53 for a Mini, while January 2027 is the dearest at $127 for a luxury model. Check our price checker for your exact dates.

For October 2026 at Melbourne Airport, booking late saves money, with an Intermediate dropping to $62 a day in the last 2 weeks compared to $71 a month ahead. Booking 9 months before your trip averaged $100 across the year, so waiting does not penalise you. Across the 395 airports we track car hire prices for, 48% of our customers book within 14 days of pickup. If you are travelling in January 2027, prices reach $127 a day, compared to $53 in August 2027.

Simba Car Hire is the cheapest company at Melbourne Airport for an Intermediate car, averaging $39 a day over the last 12 months. Simba Car Hire does not yet have enough reviews for a score, whereas Sixt costs $92 a day from 1,540 prices and scores 89/100. Alpha is another low-cost option at $46 a day from 872 prices, but it requires a $1,778 card deposit.

The cheapest company can cost you a longer queue or a bigger deposit, so check the review score and desk wait beside each car in the results before you book.

Sixt is the best-reviewed company at Melbourne Airport, scoring 89/100 from 106 reviews, with desk waits averaging 18 minutes. Sixt costs $92 a day on average for an Intermediate car over the last 12 months. Simba Car Hire is cheapest at $39 a day but does not yet have enough reviews for a score. Hertz follows Sixt on reviews at 86/100 from 72 reviews, averaging a 19-minute wait.

Review scores are CarTrawler customers' own, from the last five months; the score and the desk wait sit beside each car in the results.

At Melbourne Airport, deposits held on your card range from $143 with Budget and Avis up to $1,778 with Alpha, and 3 of the 15 desks accept a debit card. Ten desks require a credit card, while 2 take debit cards for some cars only. Filter for a debit card before comparing prices so you only see cars you can collect. Any extras charged at the desk are listed under each vehicle with their prices.

If you bring your own child seat, check your airline's rules first: most carry one free, some charge.

Security deposits reach $1,778 and desk queues run over 20 minutes at Melbourne Airport. Alpha requires that $1,778 deposit on a credit card, while Avis keeps people waiting an average of 23 minutes at the counter. Aucar operates the only off-airport desk among 15 suppliers, while 10 counters refuse debit cards entirely. Arriving with a debit card at a credit-only desk turns a long flight into an expensive negotiation.

Cars are collected at the Domestic Terminal at Melbourne Airport, which is not always the terminal you land in.

Only 93% of prices at Melbourne Airport are full tank out, full tank back, so read the fuel line under the car before you book.

For 5 people, pick a Compact car at Melbourne Airport, such as the Toyota Corolla Hybrid, which is around $58 a day in October 2026. It seats 5 but holds 3 bags, so a full group will need soft bags on laps. An Economy car like a Suzuki Swift saves $5 a day at $50 but takes only 2 bags, while an Intermediate Corolla takes 4 bags at $71. Automatic gearboxes make up 99% of cars offered, so you do not need to pay extra to secure one, while hybrids account for 15%.