Darwin International Airport (DRW) is the main airport in Australia’s Northern Territory. It is the closest airport if you’re going to Kakadu National Park, Litchfield National Park, and Mary River National Park, among others. Darwin is often considered the tropical gateway to the Australian Outback.
The airport is located 13 km northeast of Darwin city center. It takes roughly 20 minutes by car to travel between DRW and Darwin CBD.
Darwin Airport handles around 2 million passengers annually, which is small by Australian standards. It is the country’s 10th busiest airport and offers direct flights to most major airports in Australia, as well as international services to Southeast Asia.
Major Airlines - Air North, Qantas
Qantas maintains scheduled daily routes to the largest Australian airports, including Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, and Brisbane. Qantas Link operates some of these flights and provides additional routes to Adelaide, Cairns, and Alice Springs.
Jetstar, Australia’s largest low-cost airline, also offers direct flights to those cities, making it a suitable option for budget-conscious travelers.
Regardless, most flights at Darwin Airport are actually regional. Air North is the airport’s largest airline, and it flies to more than 10 destinations in the Northern territories and neighboring states.
Another prominent regional airline is Fly Tiwi, which focuses on smaller airports in the territory.
International airlines, such as Singapore Airlines, Aero Dili, Indonesia AirAsia, and China Southern Airlines, connect Darwin to major airports abroad like Changi, Denpasar (Bali), Guangzhou, and Dili (Timor Leste).
Click here to check the live departure board at Darwin Airport.
Terminal Layout, Gates, and Transit Procedures
Darwin Airport has an integrated terminal on the northern side of the airfield that handles both domestic and international flights.
The terminal has a total of 16 gates: 10 for domestic flights at the northern end and 6 for international flights at the southern end. The building is small, and the walking distance between Security and the farthest gates is just 5 minutes. There’s clear signage.
Darwin Airport is not a transit hub, though it may so happen that you have a layover there. The airport allows transits without a visa (TWOV) but not overnight transits, i.e., unless you have a valid Australian visa, you must leave on the same day you arrived. Note that only certain nationalities are eligible for a TWOV.
Darwin Airport has no inter-aircraft baggage transfer arrangements, so you must clear Immigration to collect and transfer baggage if you leave on a different aircraft from the one you arrived on.
The terminal is open 24 hours, and staying inside overnight is allowed.
Free Wi-Fi and other services
Free WiFi is available throughout the terminal. Select the DarwinAirport network and accept the terms and conditions to get connected.
There are laptop workstations with plug outlets landside, on the ground level.
Other passenger services at Darwin Airport include:
ATMs: Available both landside and in International Departures. Some of Travelex’s ATMs dispense foreign currency.
Currency exchange: Travel Money Oz is located in the Arrivals Hall on the Ground Floor and on Level 1 of International Departures.
Baby change rooms: Located on the Ground Floor near the car rental kiosks, on the First Floor, opposite Gate 9, and in International Departures.
Baggage trolleys: Available to rent for 5 AUD in the Baggage Reclaim area, in the car parks, and throughout the Terminal.
Luggage storage: There are digital lockers located within the walkway shelter in the Short Stay car park, next to the Terminal. Payment is only by card, and there’s no physical key, but a code that you can use to unlock the locker. Price depends on the size of the locker, between 14 and 35 AUD per day.
Lost luggage: The lost property office is located on the ground floor next to Gate A, at the Terminal Control Centre. It’s open from 8 AM to 2 PM on working days.
Massage chairs: Spread throughout the terminal.
Showers: Available on the First Floor of Domestic Departures. Free of charge and on a first-come, first-served basis. You need to bring your own toiletries.
Smoking areas: A purpose-built smoking area is located directly in front of the terminal building, between the two walkways. In all other areas of the airport, smoking is strictly prohibited.
Drinking water: There are water fountains located on the Ground Floor and in the Domestic Departures lounge upstairs.
Prayer room: Located near Gate 11.
Viewing terrace: Accessible on the First Floor. The airport is shared with the Royal Australian Air Force, and some military aircraft can be seen on the runways on some days.
Lounges at Darwin Airport
There is only one lounge at Darwin Airport: the Qantas Club. It’s located in the Domestic part of the Terminal, at the top of the escalator, just past security, but it is combined for both domestic and international flights. Note that the International Transit Lounge has been permanently closed, so the Qantas Club is the only option left.
Access to the lounge is complimentary for premium Qantas Club members, frequent fliers, eligible oneworld partners, and those with a Business or First Class Qantas ticket.
The lounge offers a wide variety of food options at lunch and dinner. The bar, stocked with drinks, draft beer, and wines, opens at noon. A barista is on site for special coffee drinks.
The Qantas Club stays open from one hour before the first Qantas flight of the day until the last one. This roughly translates to opening times from 04:15 AM to 07:25 AM, from 10:00 AM to 2:20 PM, and from 10:50 PM to 00:10 AM.
Dining Options at DRW
There are just a handful of dining options at Darwin Airport, but most are exciting and offer a great variety.
Here are the 6 most prominent restaurants and bars at the airport:
Charlie’s Bar: Serves a range of coffee drinks, sweets, and sandwiches. Located on the Domestic Arrival Ground Floor and open from 5 AM to 12 AM daily.
Northern Common: A taphouse and kitchen with Australian bar classics like chicken parma, burgers, and drinks. Located on Level 1 of Domestic Departures and open daily from 4 AM to 1:30 AM (5:30 AM to 1:30 AM on weekends).
Pronto: A small cafe and bar on Level 1 of International Departures. Open based on flight schedule - 1.5 hours before an international flight.
Red Rooster: Perhaps the most famous chicken fast food chain in Australia. Located on Level 1 of Departures, next to Gate 9 and open from 10:00 AM to 12:00 AM daily.
Roll’d: Serves fresh Vietnamese cuisine. Open every day on Level 1 of Domestic Departures, based on the season and day of the week (roughly 10 AM to 12 AM).
Territory Bar: Serves barista coffee, fresh meals, and grab & go snacks, as well as alcoholic beverages. Located on Level 1 of Domestic Departures. Open every day on Level 1 of Domestic Departures, based on the season and day of the week (roughly 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM and from 9:30 PM until the last departure).
There is also a Relay store in Domestic Departures, which is the only place where you can buy snacks and drinks during the night.
Transport to and from the airport
A public bus connects DRW to Darwin City. It stops on Henry Wrigley Drive, next to the Mercure Darwin Airport Resort, which is 600 meters from the terminal. In the city, buses stop at the Bradshaw Tce Bus Stop. All public buses in the Greater Darwin Region are free of charge.
Another option is to take the Darwin City Shuttle. The kiosk is located inside the Arrivals Hall, opposite Carousel 1. It reaches many of the major landmarks and hotels in Darwin with services scheduled with flight arrivals, to minimize waiting time. The shuttle costs 25 AUD one-way.
Taxis at DRW are available around the clock. The taxi rank is located directly in front of the terminal. All taxis use a meter - as a ballpark figure, expect to pay around 35 AUD for a trip between the airport and the CBD district, including a 4 AUD airport surcharge.
Similarly, ridesharing like Uber is also possible. The Rideshare Pick Up area is in the Short Stay Car Park. Prices are similar to taxis.
Lastly, renting a car is a popular option, especially if you want to explore the Northern Territory more freely. Several providers have desks at Darwin Airport, including Avis, Bargain, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Redspot, SIXT, and Thrifty.
Parking at Darwin Airport
For immediate pick-ups and drop-offs, you can use the designated area right in front of the terminal entrance. The maximum wait time is just 2 minutes, so if you think you will need more time, it’s better to use the short-term parking lot, where the first 10 minutes are free, or the long-term saver lot, where the first 30 minutes are free.
You can find a summary of the available parking facilities and their prices below:
Short Stay: Located directly in front of the terminal. The first 10 minutes are free, after which you will be charged 12 AUD for the first hour. Additional hours cost less with the daily maximum capped at 54 AUD. There are discounts for longer stays.
Long Stay Plus: Premium parking, right next to the terminal (on its left, with the entrance on the Fenton Court). Costs 45 AUD for the first day, with discounts for long stays.
Long Stay SAVER: A cost-effective option for long stays, located behind Long Stay Plus (entrance on Pedersen Road). It is about a 6-minute walk via a covered walkway away from the terminal, or you can call the free shuttle to pick you up using the phone near the entrance. The first 30 minutes are free of charge, after which you will be charged the daily rate of 37 AUD (discounts for longer stays).
Hotels near Darwin Airport
The closest hotels to the airport are both less than 1 km away:
Mercure Darwin Airport Resort: Resort-style accommodation with free parking and a pool.
Novotel Darwin Airport: A modern hotel that shares most facilities with the Mercure resort.
For either hotel, you can use the courtesy phone next to the baggage carousel inside the terminal to call for a shuttle pick-up.
Click here to see more details about these two hotels or discover other nearby Darwin Airport hotels.
Darwin, NT, Australia
