In short
- The terminal kerbs are strict no-standing zones: pull in only when your passenger is outside and ready, and stay with the car.[1]
- Domestic Terminal: the first 15 minutes in ParkShort (Level 2 of the P1 car park) are free. Its pick-up waiting area was closed when this guide was written (October 2026).[2][1]
- International Terminal: the green Passenger Pick-Up lane lets you wait with the car for up to 10 minutes free; after that a fee applies.[3]
- Early or delayed flight? AIRPARK gives up to 1 hour free, and the Brisbane Airport Service Centre off Moreton Drive has free parking for up to two hours.[4][6]
- Stopping anywhere else on airport roads can bring a Commonwealth parking infringement notice.[8]
Can you wait at the kerb when picking someone up?
No. Brisbane Airport treats the pick-up and drop-off areas at both terminals as "No Standing" zones: your passenger has to be ready the moment you pull in, and drivers seen waiting are asked to move on by airport staff. You can't leave the car unattended at any point.[1]
The rest of the airport's roads are signed No Parking or No Stopping.[1] So the routine is to wait somewhere legal, ask your traveller to call once they have their bags, and then drive round to collect them.
Picking up at the Domestic Terminal
The Domestic Terminal's pick-up waiting area was listed as closed on the airport's parking FAQ when we checked. Instead, ParkShort on Level 2 of the P1 car park gives the first 15 minutes free, which is enough if the flight has landed and your passenger is near the bags.[1][4]
If you'd like to meet them inside, stay in ParkShort and walk across; the airport describes the car park as a short stroll from check-in and baggage claim.[2] These were ParkShort's drive-up rates at Domestic in October 2026:[5]
| Time parked | Price |
|---|---|
| Up to 15 minutes | Free |
| 15–30 minutes | $15 |
| 30–60 minutes | $27 |
| 1–2 hours | $33 |
| 2–3 hours | $40 |
| 3–4 hours | $42 |
| 4–24 hours | $77 |
There are six accessible pick-up and drop-off spaces under the Skywalk for vehicles showing a valid Disability Parking Permit; two more, closer to the terminal, must be booked at least 24 hours ahead on +61 7 3406 3261 (weekdays 8am to 3:45pm).[2]
Picking up at the International Terminal
International works differently because arrivals and departures use separate roads. For a pick-up:[3]
- From Airport Drive or Moreton Drive, go through the roundabout and keep left of the ramp.
- Move into the green Passenger Pick-Up lane as you approach the terminal.
- Take a ticket, enter the pick-up area and pull into the kerbside zone. Stay with your car.
- Your passenger comes out to the Arrivals Hall, down to Level 1 and across the pedestrian crossing to meet you.
Up to 10 minutes in the Passenger Pick-Up area is free. Staying longer costs a fee, but you can leave and come back in as many times as you need.[3] For a longer wait, ParkShort at International is the open-air car park at ground level; in October 2026 it charged $15 for up to 30 minutes, $27 to an hour and $33 for 1–2 hours.[5]
Dropping someone off is simpler: public drop-off is on the Level 4 Departures Road, and the driver must stay with the vehicle. Passengers needing assistance use the Green Zone on the same road, where designated spaces allow up to five minutes with a valid permit displayed.[3]
Where can you wait for free if the flight is late?
Circling the terminals is exactly what the airport asks drivers not to do. Its suggested places to wait are:[4]
| Place | Free time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ParkShort Domestic (P1, Level 2) | 15 minutes | Next to the Domestic Terminal.[4] |
| International Passenger Pick-Up | 10 minutes | In the pick-up lane itself; exit and re-enter as needed.[3] |
| AIRPARK | Up to 1 hour | Open-air car park on airport land, open 24 hours, with a free shuttle bus to both terminals. From 1–2 hours it's $10.[6] |
| Brisbane Airport Service Centre | Up to two hours | Just off Moreton Drive, with fuel and food around the clock and free Wi-Fi.[4][7] |
The Kingsford Smith Memorial, opposite the International Terminal and open 6am to 6 in the evening, is another place to pass time; from there the roundabout on Airport Drive turns you back towards either terminal.[1][4]
How do you pay, and what about fines?
- Paying: without an online booking, pay by credit card at the exit gate or at an automatic payment machine. Cash works only at the machines on Level 2 of P1 (Domestic) and at ground level (International). The machines and gates don't take EFTPOS.[1]
- Same card: if you entered by tapping a credit card, use the same card to exit.[1]
- Height: the undercover car park clearance is 2.25 metres for Domestic P1 and 2.3 metres at International.[1]
Airport parking fines are Parking Infringement Notices issued on behalf of the Australian Government under the Commonwealth airport regulations. The amounts are fixed by federal law, the issuing officers have no discretion, and an appeal has to be made in writing to Brisbane Airport Corporation.[8]
In a rental car, fines during the rental are yours under clause 10 of the rental terms; how a fine reaches a Rentzy renter is in fuel, parking and fines in Brisbane. The Gateway Motorway has an airport ramp at Moreton Drive, so a trip that uses it can add a toll; see the Gateway Motorway guide.
Sources
- Brisbane Airport Corporation: Parking FAQs (read 23 October 2026)
- Brisbane Airport Corporation: Domestic Pick Up and Drop Off (read 23 October 2026)
- Brisbane Airport Corporation: International Pick Up and Drop Off (read 23 October 2026)
- Brisbane Airport Corporation: Pick Up Waiting Areas (read 23 October 2026)
- Brisbane Airport Corporation: ParkShort (read 23 October 2026)
- Brisbane Airport Corporation: AIRPARK (read 23 October 2026)
- Brisbane Airport Corporation: Brisbane Airport Service Centre (read 23 October 2026)
- Brisbane Airport Corporation: Traffic Infringements (read 23 October 2026)
Written by the Rentzy team at Rentzy Car Rentals. Rentzy prices, fees and rules in this guide come from our published terms and update with them; rules set by others (roads, tolls, licences, transport) are from the official pages above, as read on the dates shown. Something out of date? Tell us.
