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Car hire at Phuket Airport

Car rental at Phuket International Airport (HKT) from local companies. See the full price, deposit and cover on every car before you pay.

Cheap car hire offers at Phuket Airport

Each price already includes any airport handover charge. Every car shown takes a deposit, so check the amount under each one.

Which car class suits a Phuket road trip?

How do you meet your car company at Phuket Airport?

Local companies hand these cars over, and your voucher gives the meeting point and their phone number. The airport’s own rental desks are a separate service.

Keep the voucher handy

Save the meeting point and the company’s phone number offline before you fly, so you have them the moment you land.

Stay reachable

Keep the phone number you booked with switched on from the day before pickup. If your flight runs late, call the company straight away.

Check before driving

Walk round the car with the company, photograph any marks and note the fuel level. Ask exactly where and how the return works.

Some cars carry a handover charge at the airport and some carry none; the prices above already include it.

Touring more of Thailand after landing? Agree any drive beyond Phuket province when you book.

Phuket Airport guide: terminals, services and parking

Two terminal buildings, one international and one domestic, open around the clock. Here is what is inside, where to park and how to set off.

Parking and drop-off

  • BuildingOpposite International
  • Car parkOpposite Domestic

Two places to park: a parking building opposite the international terminal and a car park opposite the domestic one.

Both are open around the clock, every day.

  • Dropping off or picking up? Stays under 15 minutes are not charged.
  • Driving an electric car? Four charging bays are on level 2 of the parking building.
  • Charged by the hour, with any part of an hour counting as a full hour.

Services in the terminal

  • Cash machines from several Thai banks on floors 1 and 2 of the domestic building.
  • Exchange counters from three banks, also in the domestic building.
  • Free Wi-Fi for 60 minutes after signing in with an email address.
  • The Coral Lounge in the international building, open 24 hours.
  • Lost property at the information counters in Departures.

Driving away from Phuket Airport

  1. Mind motorbikes Riders and passengers wear helmets; check your mirrors before each turn.
  2. Marked crossings Anyone on foot there goes first, so stop for them.
  3. Heading for the mainland? The Sarasin Bridge, about 30 minutes north, links Phuket to the mainland.
Driving in the rainy season? From May to October, heavy rain can cause flash floods and close roads. Check conditions before a long drive and slow down in a downpour.

Collecting and returning your car

  1. Collect your bags from belts 1 to 5 for international flights or 6 to 10 for domestic.
  2. Find the meeting point on your voucher, and call the company if you cannot see them.
  3. Return the car at the place on your voucher, then walk to Departures.
Landing in the early hours? Some companies add a charge for a handover at night. Search with your real landing time and the price will include it.

Can you rent a car at Phuket Airport without a credit card?

The six cars above can be collected without a credit card, though each takes a deposit. Check how each one is paid.

You pay an advance of 15 to 20% online and the rest to the company at the airport. Deposit and balance methods differ between cars, so never assume cash or card will do.

If you would rather avoid a card hold, filter for cars in Thailand that need no credit card.

How far is Patong from Phuket Airport?

Patong is 36.6 kilometres south, about 45 minutes on clear roads. Every time below starts at the airport; hill roads and holiday traffic can add more.

A green wooded island in a sparkling blue sea off the coast at Kamala, under a pale blue sky
Phuket Airport→Kamala Beach
35 min · 27.7 km
Historic buildings in Phuket Town, in the old town district
Phuket Airport→Phuket Old Town
45 min · 31.8 km
Patong area on the west coast of Phuket
Phuket Airport→Patong
45 min · 36.6 km
The sun setting behind a small island off Kata Beach, with waves rolling in under a golden sky
Phuket Airport→Kata Beach
55 min · 46.6 km
The curved sand of Nai Harn Beach and turquoise water framed by green hills, with flowers in the foreground
Phuket Airport→Nai Harn Beach
1 h 15 min · 48.6 km
A quiet sandy beach curving round a bay at Khao Lak, with palm trees, green hills and a blue sky with clouds
Phuket Airport→Khao Lak
1 h 30 min · 84.2 km

The Patong time ends at a beachfront hotel, and the old town time at its historic centre.

Khao Lak lies in Phang Nga province. Agree that drive with the company when you book; some cars list a fee for it.

Running costs on top of the rental

The price on each car pays for the car and its cover.

  • Fuel, parking, tolls and any fines are yours to pay.
  • Check parking at your hotel before you arrive; a space at the airport car park is not part of the hire.

Your first drive from Phuket Airport

Plan the first leg before you set off, with the route loaded on your phone.

Driving on the left

Traffic keeps to the left in Thailand. Take a minute in the car park to learn the controls before joining the main road.

Mileage and provinces

A few cars carry a daily kilometre limit. Trips into Phang Nga, Krabi or the islands need the company’s agreement at booking.

Paved roads only

Stay on paved public roads, even where a sat nav offers a track to a beach or viewpoint.

Carry your passport

Police can ask to see it. Keep your licence and permit with you every time you drive.

Speed limits change with the road, so follow the signs. In an emergency, call 191 for the police or 1669 for an ambulance.

The car stays in Thailand

Rental cars may not leave the country, and other provinces need agreement first.

A Phuket Airport car cannot leave Thailand. Inside the country, many cars list a fee for other regions, shown before you book.

Can you return a Phuket Airport car somewhere else?

Some cars can end in Patong, Phuket Town, Khao Lak, Krabi, Koh Samui or Bangkok. Enter the return city when you search to see the drop-off charge.

Pick the return city

Choose the city or its airport as the return place. The drop-off charge shows on each car before you pay.

Agree the provinces

Krabi, Khao Lak, Koh Samui and Bangkok are outside Phuket province. Confirm the route with the company at booking.

Confirm the handback

Ask where the company meets you at the far end. To change the return place later, cancel and book again.

Leave time to refuel and for the handover at the far end, especially with a flight to catch.

When is car hire cheapest at Phuket Airport?

Each bar is a typical daily price for a week from the 15th, collected and returned at the airport. Treat it as a guide, not a fixed rate.

N/A means no price was found for that month.

Airport handover charges are already in these prices. Changing times, cover or extras changes the total.

Hire is charged in 24-hour days, so going a few hours over adds a full day. Ask the company before you extend.

Travelling as a family or group

Check seats, bags and drivers before you book, so the airport handover runs smoothly.

Extra drivers

Add anyone else who will drive to the booking. Each one must meet the car’s age and licence rules and carry a permit too.

Child seats

Many cars offer child seats, boosters or infant seats, priced car by car. Add them when booking and check the fit at pickup.

Seats and luggage

Some cars here seat seven. With every seat in use the boot shrinks, so check your bags will fit before picking a small car.

Travelling with a pet

Only small pets may ride, and they stay in a carrier for the whole trip. Leave room for the carrier as well as the bags.

Car rental insurance at Phuket Airport, car by car

Cover levels differ between these cars, and the deposit and the excess are separate figures. Compare both before you pay.

Minimum coverageIncluded as standard
  • Damage to other vehicles (TPL) (included)
  • Damage to your hire car (not included)
Basic coverage
  • Limited collision cover (CDW) (included)
  • Damage to other vehicles (TPL) (included)
  • Glass and tyre damage (not included)
Full Coverage
  • Limited driver liability (Super CDW) (included)
  • Damage to other vehicles (TPL) (included)
Full Coverage Plus
  • Full damage cover (included)
  • No driver liability for accident damage (included)

Minimum only on some cars. Some of the cheapest offers come with Minimum (TPL) cover alone, which does not protect the hire car itself.

No deposit is not no excess. A car with no deposit can still leave you liable for damage at Basic; paid Full Coverage Plus can bring that to zero.

Top cover on some cars. Some offers have Full Coverage Plus with no deposit and no excess, at an extra price.

Check the levels offered. Not every car offers all four levels, so compare what is covered, not only the price.

The cover levels differ in excess, but standard insurance leaves out the wheels, underside, windscreen and interior. Deliberate damage or neglect voids any cover.

Bring a licence and an International Driving Permit

Every driver needs the original national licence plus an IDP, both valid past the return date. Copies and digital licences are refused.

Permit and licence

Carry both together whenever you drive. Without the permit you can be fined, and the insurer may refuse a claim.

Age and experience

Minimum age and years licensed differ from car to car, even between similar models. Check yours before paying.

With a UK licence, you need the 1968 International Driving Permit for Thailand.

Handing the car back at Phuket Airport

Return it with the fuel you started with, and leave time for the inspection before check-in.

Fuel level

  • Bring the car back with the same fuel as at pickup. A shortfall is charged at the company’s rate; extra fuel is not refunded.

Clean enough to inspect

  • If the car is too dirty to check for damage, the company washes it and you pay for it.

Agree any extra time with the company before your booking ends.

Changing or cancelling your booking

To change dates or the car, cancel and book again.

Notice needed

Cancel at least seven days before pickup, or thirty for luxury cars and convertibles. With the optional cancellation extra, one day is enough. Later cancellations lose the advance.

Getting a refund

Email your voucher to cancel. The advance comes back within fourteen days, less a 6% payment fee, to the account you paid from.

Phuket Airport car hire questions

Can I pick up a car at Phuket Airport at night?

Yes. The airport is open 24 hours and some cars can be collected at night, though some companies charge extra. Enter your real times to see the price.

Is there a rental desk to go to?

No. Your company meets you at the point given on your voucher, not at the airport’s own rental desks. Call the number on the voucher if you cannot find them.

Can I drive to Krabi or Khao Lak?

Only if the company agrees when you book, as both are outside Phuket province. Some cars list a fee for it, shown before you pay.

Are automatic cars available?

Yes. Filter by gearbox, then check it on the car you choose, as a similar model can differ.

Do I need a credit card at pickup?

Not on cars with a no-card option, but there is usually still a deposit. Check how your car takes the deposit and the balance.

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