Canberra Airport Parking

These days, you can fly from Canberra to a whole range of dynamic destinations – from Darwin and Doha to Sydney and Sunshine Coast.

And if you’re driving there too, even better – you get to plan your own route and pump your own playlist with no arguments whatsoever (moody teens aside).

But you might be perplexed about parking. In which case, we’ve got the perfect pill for that particular headache – this great guide, packed with a ton of CBR parking tips and some top airport amenities info to boot.

If you’re an out-of-towner, you might want to tack on a little extra time to explore Australian Capital Territory too – there’s much more to Canberra and its environs than most people realise. The Aussie capital since 1927, this hip city combines cool cultural experiences with first-class cuisine and wild bushland with lovely lakes. Parliament House is the nation’s political powerhouse, there are museums aplenty and for some discerning partygoers, the nightlife is second to none.

Top things to do here include taking the kids to Questacon – the National Science and Technology Centre, or the National Zoo and Aquarium, with its rhinos, red pandas and more. And culture vultures can gorge themselves on awesome indigenous and international works at The National Gallery of Australia and the National Portrait Gallery.

Meanwhile, the serene Lake Burley Griffin is Canberra’s scenic heart and foodies can’t get enough of the fresh fayre on offer at Haig Park Village Market and Capital Region Farmers Market. And if you like things a little more leftfield, visit the flying saucer shaped Futura House at the University of Canberra, take a brewery tour to sample cult brews like Zierholz and Capital, or visiting Superhero Square in Tocumwal Lane to soak up the gorgeous graffiti superheroes.

Find the best deals at Canberra Airport

What does it take to find a fantastic parking deal at Canberra Airport?

The best place to start is your own requirements – once you’ve worked out whether you need to park super-close to the terminal, don’t mind hopping on a shuttle bus or want to whisk through departures as swiftly as possible, it’s a lot easier to sift out what’s not suitable and narrow down your choices.

But we’ll do the searching for you so you don’t have to – that way, you can compare CBR parking deals quickly, make your choice and get booked. Maybe even picking up an early bird price while you’re at it.

Compare parking at Canberra Airport

With 1000 indoor spaces and 900 indoor spaces, there are plenty of parking berths at Canberra Airport – so provided you book ahead, you’ll pretty much never be stuck.

Handling over 3 million passengers a year, Canberra Airport has humble beginnings – as a paddock in the Majura Valley originally used for grazing animals. Co-opted by the Royal Australian Airforce in 1939, it remained a fully military base until 2003 and still retains an area for the Prime Ministerial aircraft.

Let’s get right on to your official (and alternative) CBR parking options next.

What parking is there at Canberra Airport?

There are lots of official and unofficial parking options at Canberra, so checking a reliable parking comparison site isn’t a bad idea at all when you’re looking for a bargain – Looking4Parking is just one great example.

Now let’s take a look at your official CBR parking options.

Indoor Parking

The two multi-level indoor car parks at Canberra Airport have quick access to the departures and arrivals zones and are colour-coded green and blue. Car height restriction is 2.3m in both these car parks and a high-tech parking guidance system precisely calculates the number of free spaces on each level. For your convenience, red and green LED ceiling lights clearly indicate where you can find vacant spaces.

Outdoor Parking

Colour-coded red and yellow, CBR Outdoor Parking has two lots located near the terminal which are a very economical choice for long-stay and weekend flyers. With 900 spaces (across 2 lots) there’s planet of room and this area offers a great combination of low-cost and high convenience.

Accessible parking

Every car park at Canberra Airport offers accessible parking and these bays are always located nearest the entrance to the terminal. Pay machines are also designed for easy use by disabled passengers, but if you have any problems whatsoever, push the help button and airport assistance staff will help you on your way.

Passenger pick-up

When you’re picking up friends and rellies, the CBR passenger pick-up zone offers 10 minutes of free parking in the red zone, only a couple of minutes’ walk from arrivals.

Express Passenger pick-up

Located on the ground floor of the green indoor car park, Express Pick-up is a 20 minutes’ scroll from arrivals and there’s a comfy waiting lounge in case you have to hang around for longer than expected.

Special deals

Book through the official Canberra Airport and you can enjoy significant discounts on weekend and long stay car parks.

As you can see, CBR offers several superb parking choices which are all conveniently close to the terminal. There’s also no obligation to book ahead – just make sure you get your ticket and pay by cash or credit card at pay stations. Car parks open every morning at 4am and close half an hour after the last flight.

Getting to Canberra Airport

CBR is around 20 minutes from the centre of Canberra.

If you’re driving in to the airport, the address for SatNav is Canberra Airport, Terminal Cct, Australian Capital Territory 2609.

Facilities at Canberra Airport

As you might expect, facilities and amenities at CBR are top class.

If you need to check your emails or social media, free Wi-Fi is available on the ‘Fly CBR’ network in the departures lounges and waiting lounge and if you need some quiet time for spiritual contemplation, there’s a multi-faith prayer room in the main terminal ground floor.

If you’re travelling with tiny tots, you’ll find several baby care rooms, and other services include public phones, Travelex foreign exchange services, and of course, toilets.

And if you fancy a little more luxury, there are lounges aplenty at CBR. The Qatar Airways Chairman’s Lounge has high-end food, flight monitors, telephones, internet terminals and more, while Qantas Airways Domestic Business Lounge has showers, alcoholic drinks, internet booths, and a children’s area. There are also two well-appointed Virgin Lounges at CBR.

If you’re arriving at Canberra Airport from further afield and want a more relaxed pre-flight experience, there are several great hotels close by, including Vibe Hotel Canberra Airport, East Hotel, Hotel Kurrajong Canberra, and Garden City Hotel. Especially if you’re travelling with young kids or elderly relatives, spending a laid-back evening in a comfy hotel the night before you fly can be a joy.

Chances are that you’ll want to dine and perhaps shop at the airport and there’s plenty to choose from. If you want to pick up something local to take to rellies elsewhere in Australia or even abroad, you should definitely check out Merchant – from wine to chocolate and homeware, it’s a great place to pick up a unique gift. Meanwhile, NEWS@CBR is the place to pick up bestselling books, brilliant magazines and the latest newspapers.

When you want to relax with a few beers before your flight, there’s nowhere better than The Capital Brewing Bar at Canberra Airport – you can sample specialities like Trail Pale Ale and Coast Ale. And if you’re peckish, Noodles XO will definitely tempt your taste buds, with bao, sushi, dumplings and spring rolls, as well as appetisers like pot stickers and edamame. Alternatively, Baker’s Cut takes the classic Aussie sandwich back to its roots, with a focus on fresh ingredients and bread straight from the local Three Mills Bakery. There’s more to this emporium than sandwiches too – it’s a popular breakfast spot and salads are also popular. Finally, if you need a caffeine fix, Cityhill coffee serves high-grade brews created from local ONA coffee, as well as an all-day menu peppered with farm fresh eggs and local honey and bread.

Canberra Airport might not exactly be the world’s biggest but as you can see, it’s well-designed and has all the modern conveniences you expect when you fly. Whether you’re flying solo or leaving for a family holiday in a large group, you’ll be well looked-after by the friendly and professional staff at this top-notch air hub.