Vehicles important information
Qantas is not itself a vehicle-rental provider. Vehicle rental services are not provided by Qantas and are provided by other service providers as set out in your booking. Qantas is acting as a booking agent for these other service providers, and you should obtain and read the applicable vehicle supplier’s terms and conditions as they will contain important information relevant to your booking. All vehicle bookings made on qantas.com are subject to the vehicle supplier’s rental agreements on collection of the rental vehicle.
We've partnered with our preferred car providers, Avis, Budget and SIXT to provide a quick, convenient and easy-to-use vehicle hire booking service. As a booking agent, Qantas receives commission from these service providers for Qantas Car Hire bookings.
Qantas uses a third-party intermediary to facilitate your booking with the service provider.
When booking vehicles through Qantas, it's important you're familiar with the following information.
Fees and surcharges
Payment will be collected by the vehicle supplier at collection or return of the vehicle. Other charges such as tolls, petrol, local fees may also be payable in accordance with your rental agreement with the vehicle supplier.
You can use Qantas Points for vehicle rentals in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and Canada. In Australia, you also have the option to use a combination of Qantas Points and cash for rentals.
See below table for further information:
| Payment details | Avis | Budget | SIXT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credit cards accepted | Visa, MasterCard and American Express. A physical credit or debit card must be presented at the start of rental. |
Visa, MasterCard and American Express. A physical credit or debit card must be presented at the start of rental. |
Card payments are accepted by all SIXT locations. Like most other businesses that offer payment by credit and debit card, payments to SIXT are subject to card fees in order to cover our merchant costs. SIXT accepts payment via Visa, Mastercard, American Express and JCB. When paying by credit or debit card, SIXT only accepts cards which are bank issued, and hold the VISA/MASTERCARD/AMEX /DINERS emblem. SIXT customers can also pay using their mobile device via Apple Pay. |
| Credit card fees and/or surcharges | Within Australia: 1.29% + GST Within New Zealand: Visa and Mastercard: 2.53% + GST Payable on all credit and debit transactions. Outside Australia and New Zealand: contact Avis for more information. |
Within Australia: 1.17% + GST Within New Zealand: Visa and Mastercard: 2.2% + GST Payable on all credit and debit transactions. Outside Australia and New Zealand: contact Budget for more information. |
Within Australia: Visa / Mastercard 1.10% + GST No charge for American Express Outside Australia: contact SIXT for more information. |
| Cash payment | Accepted at selected locations on completion of the rental only. Contact for more information. |
Accepted at selected locations on completion of the rental only. Contact for more information. |
SIXT locations do not accept payment by cash. Our preferred method of payment is credit card. |
| Minimum Qantas Points required (Australia, New Zealand, Canada or United States only) | 2,000 |
2,000 |
N/A |
| Bond/Security Hold | A valid credit or debit card in your name will be required when the vehicle is collected At the time of collecting the vehicle, a pre-authorisation will be processed by Avis on Your Account for the amount of $200.00 (for passenger vehicles) and $400.00 (for Avis Signature Series and commercial vehicles) per rental, in the case of any additional charges payable. This is in addition to any ancillary products that you purchase from Avis at the time of collection. |
A valid credit or debit card in your name will be required when the vehicle is collected. At the time of collecting the vehicle, a pre-authorisation will be processed by Budget on Your Account for the amount of $200.00 (for passenger vehicles) and $400.00 (for commercial vehicles) per rental, in the case of any additional charges payable. This is in addition to any ancillary products that you purchase from Budget at the time of collection. |
When collecting your vehicle, in addition to paying for your rental, SIXT requires a deposit (as security). Deposits range between $300 (passenger and commercial vehicles) and $1000 (premium vehicles) depending on the vehicle type, pickup location and payment type. This charge will be taken and released upon return of the vehicle in alignment with the terms and conditions of your rental agreement. Please note we do not accept cash deposits. The same rules which apply to your rental payment also apply to your deposit - Credit Cards used must be bank-issued in the name of the authorised renter, and the credit card holder must be present at the time of collection. Contact SIXT for more information. |
| Cancellation fees | Qantas will not charge a cancellation fee for bookings made via qantas.com. Contact Avis for more information or visit the relevant Avis rental location terms for more information. |
Qantas will not charge a cancellation fee for bookings made via qantas.com. Contact Budget for more information or visit the relevant Budget rental location terms for more information. |
Qantas will not charge a cancellation fee for bookings made via qantas.com. Contact SIXTOpens in a new tab or window for more information or see SIXT rental terms and conditionsOpens in a new tab or window. |
| Change fees | Changes cannot be made on bookings made using Qantas Points. Contact Avis for changes required to your booking |
Changes cannot be made on bookings made using Qantas Points. Contact Budget for changes required to your booking |
Contact SIXT for changes required to your booking and quote your reservation number. |
| No show fees | Qantas will not charge a no-show fee for bookings made via qantas.com. Any Qantas Points earned will be deducted from your Qantas Frequent Flyer account for no-shows. Contact Avis for more information or visit the relevant Avis rental location terms for more information. |
Qantas will not charge a no-show fee for bookings made via qantas.com. Any Qantas Points earned will be deducted from your Qantas Frequent Flyer account for no-shows. Contact Budget for more information or visit the relevant Budget rental location terms for more information. |
Qantas will not charge a no-show fee for bookings made via qantas.com. Contact SIXT for more information or see SIXT rental terms and conditions. |
| Additional charges for drivers aged between 21 and under the age 25 | Within Australia: No fee. Outside Australia: charges vary, contact Avis for more information. |
Within Australia: No fee. Outside Australia: charges vary, contact Budget for more information. |
Within Australia: Drivers between the age of 21-24 will be charged a day fee between $15-28 AUD per day, per driver. Some premium or specialty vehicles may not be available to drivers under 25. Outside Australia: Contact SIXTOpens in a new tab or window for more information. |
| Additional driver charges | You may be charged for each Additional Driver. All additional drivers must meet Avis Renter requirements, and Avis Terms and Conditions of Rental. Only names recorded on the Rental Agreement may drive an Avis vehicle. Outside Australia: charges vary, contact Avis for more information. |
You may be charged for each Additional Driver. All additional drivers must meet Budget Renter requirements, and Budget Terms and Conditions of Rental. Only names recorded on the Rental Agreement may drive a Budget vehicle. Outside Australia: charges vary, contact Budget for more information. |
Within Australia: $5.50 per day per driver + GST All additional drivers must meet SIXT Renter requirements, and SIXT Terms and Conditions of Rental. Only names recorded on the Rental Agreement may drive a SIXT vehicle. Outside Australia: Contact SIXT for more information. |
| Roadside Assistance | Roadside Assistance is an optional extra. If purchased, it will include coverage for: Call out fee Delivery of up to $10 of fuel Flat tyre assistance Flat battery assistance Vehicle lockout service Lost key replacement 100km of towing |
Roadside Assistance is an optional extra. If purchased, it will include coverage for: Call out fee Delivery of up to $10 of fuel Flat tyre assistance Flat battery assistance Vehicle lockout service Lost key replacement 100km of towing |
During the Rental Period, free roadside assistance is provided for mechanical faults in the Vehicle but fees and charges apply for driver induced errors and faults. To see a full list of mechanical faults see SIXT rental terms and conditionsOpens in a new tab or window. Additional Recovery Plus Protection (RPP) is an optional extra. If purchased, it will cover at-fault incidents:
Without RPP, these incidents typically incur a minimum $165 AUD callout fee, and costs can rise depending on the vehicle type and situation. Contact SIXTOpens in a new tab or window for more information. |
Using Qantas Points
Using Qantas Points is available with Avis and Budget. Classic Car Rewards and using Qantas Points are available on Avis car rentals in Australia, New Zealand, United States and Canada, and are subject to availability. In order to book, a minimum of 2,000 Qantas Points is required. Members must select a Classic Car Reward at the time of booking in order to be eligible for a Classic Car Reward. Qantas Points cannot be earned on a Classic Car Reward. In Australia, members can use Points Plus Pay – Cars with Avis and Budget and a minimum of 2,000 Qantas Points is required. Qantas Points will be earned on bookings made using Qantas Points and Points Plus Pay bookings only, not on Classic Car Rewards. Qantas Points cannot be used on package tours, government, travel industry, some corporate rates and in conjunction with any other offer, coupon or promotion.
Earning Qantas Points
Qantas Frequent Flyer members can earn 4 Qantas Points per A$1 value on the daily base rate (time and kilometre charges) for bookings with Avis or Budget within Australia. For rentals outside Australia, members will earn 700 Qantas Points per rental with Avis and Budget. Points will not be earned on Classic Car Rewards. Points are not earned on GST, car ancillaries, or optional extras such as car seats, coverage, excess reduction, or roadside assistance, nor on fees like excess kilometres, one-way, airport, late return, collection, recovery, or roadside callout charges. Points will be credited within eight weeks after rental completion.
Points can only be earned by one member and cannot be split between multiple members on the same rental.
Retrospective claims
Retrospective claims will only be processed if the rental occurred no more than six months prior to receipt of the Member's claim. Retrospective claims or claims for points omitted from the Activity Statement will be accepted only if a copy of an Avis or Budget rental agreement, or an Avis or Budget rental number is provided as proof of rental. Vouchers, charge card vouchers and confirmation advice will not be accepted.
Total price
The rental price and any quoted taxes and charges are approximate only and include GST. Refer to the table above for other fees and charges, including credit card fees and/or surcharges, or contact your vehicle supplier for details.
Special requests
Special requests, such as a child seat, can be made at the time of booking. If you make a special request, we recommend you contact the vehicle supplier directly to check if the request can be fulfilled. Additional fees apply for special requests and are payable directly to the vehicle supplier. Their contact details will be provided in your booking confirmation e-mail.
Please ensure that you check the vehicle supplier’s terms and conditions for your pick-up location to see if any car ancillaries, such as snow tyres and snow chains, are legally required for your pick-up location. For bookings with pick-up locations outside of Australia, please visit the relevant Avis, Budget or SIXTOpens in a new tab or window rental location, or contact Avis, Budget or SIXT for more information on the terms and conditions.
Mystery Car bookings made through qantas.com will be allocated by Budget Group and SIXT respectively; and it will be subject to their standard terms and conditions.
Collecting your vehicle
On collecting the rental vehicle at the pick-up location, you're required to show your physical driver's licence, provide a physical credit card or debit card, and to read and accept the vehicle provider's rental conditions. A deposit or security bond may apply; see the fees and charges outlined above for more information.
Please note payment by debit card is not accepted on all SIXT Vehicles or at all Hiring Locations. Please check with the Hiring Location SIXTOpens in a new tab or window to learn more.
Excess Reduction
You can pay an additional cash amount upon pick-up to reduce the excess you are liable for in case of loss or damage to the vehicle or damage to a third party (subject to the vehicle provider’s rental Terms & Conditions).
Please contact Avis, Budget or SIXT for more information on Excess Reduction and terms and conditions.
Age licence requirements for all vehicle suppliers
Avis and Budget
Avis, Budget and SIXT Drivers must hold a current and valid licence (not being a restricted licence, learner’s licence, or provisional licence) to drive the category of Vehicle for at least 12 consecutive months.
International Driver licences are accepted on “face value” but must be in English, or if not in English, the renter must have an English translation thereof to rent a vehicle with Avis, Budget and SIXT in Australia.
The Driver must (i) hold a full, current and valid driving licence (not being a learner’s, provisional or restricted licence), (ii) have an International Driving Permit (IDP) or official translation (if licence is not in Roman alphabet), (iii) have held their licence for minimum 12 consecutive months immediately prior to signing the Rental Agreement.
An International Driving Permit is not a stand-alone document, and this must be carried with your valid domestic driving licence for it to be valid.
Digital driver’s licences (DDLs) (with the correct endorsements) are accepted for any Avis, Budget or SIXT rental. All digital licences must be checked live at the time of rental, via the respective validation process. A screenshot or photo of the licence is not accepted.
A digital licence does not replace a physical licence and you should still carry your physical card, when travelling outside the issuing state or territory.
- DDLs must be in English or, the customer must carry an accurate English translation.
- DDL must include a photo of the holder of the DDL; and
- DDL must include a QR Code, Barcode or similar scannable image allowing access to the DDLs information.
Avis, Budget and SIXT may reject or accept any DDL that does not meet, at its sole discretion, the requirements set out in this policy.
Please note, a photo of a physical driver’s licence is NOT regarded as a valid DDL under this policy.
There is no young driver surcharge when renting an Avis or Budget vehicle in Australia and
- For Australia, the minimum age for rentals is 21 years of age, EXCEPT those under 25 years can ONLY rent:
- Passenger vehicles in Compact (Group B), Intermediate (Group C), Standard (Group D), Full size (Group E), Compact SUV (Group S) and Intermediate SUV (Group K); and
- Commercial vehicles in 4x2 Single Cab Ute (Group A), 4x2 Dual Cab Ute (Group L), Delivery Van (Group C), 4.2M Moving Van (Group F), 4.2M Tray (Group G), Hi-Top Van (Group H).
- For New Zealand, the minimum age for rentals is 21 years of age
For bookings with pick-up locations outside of Australia, please visit the relevant Avis, Budget or SIXT rental location, or contact Avis, Budget and SIXT for more information on age requirements and terms and conditions.
Digital Licence
Avis and Budget
Digital Driver’s Licences (DDLs) which are issued by a Verification Authority in an Eligible Country MAY be accepted by Avis as a valid form of identification for all purposes in which physical driver's licenses are currently accepted, PROVIDED that they meet AVIS security and authenticity requirements issued by the issuing Verification Authority (see below).
Eligible Countries
As at the date of this policy, DDLs issued by a Verification Authority in the following countries/states are accepted by Avis:
(i) Australia (New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria);
(ii) Brazil
(iii) China
(iv) Estonia
(v) India
(vi) Singapore
(vii) United States of America (Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi and Utah).
The following countries/states are either exploring, or in the process of developing, DDLs:
(i) New Zealand;
(ii) South Africa;
(iii) United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales); and
(iv) United States of America (Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Wyoming, Washington DC and Puerto Rico)
Once the Verification Authority in these countries/states issue DDLs, they will be accepted by Avis. Avis may at any time, and for any reason, reject a DDL.
AVIS Security and Authenticity Requirements
Avis will not accept a DDL unless it meets the following criteria:
- DDLs must be issued by a Verification Authority of an Eligible Countries listed above; and
- DDLs must use strong encryption and biometric authentication to ensure their security.
For bookings with pick-up locations outside of Australia, please visit the relevant Avis or Budget rental location, or contact Avis and Budget for more information.
SIXT
SIXT accepts Australian digital drivers’ licences that are issued by authorised Australian State and Territory governments for all car rental bookings in Australia, international digital licences are not accepted.
For SIXT car rental bookings outside of SIXT, please contact the locationOpens in a new tab or window to find out their DDLs.