Resort Connections timetable PDF, valid from 17 June 2026 (no end date printed); subject to airline schedule changes
Departures 1–10 / 10
Departures 1–10 / 10
Crossing time
~60 min
Operator
Cruise Whitsundays (Resort Connections)
Map – Airlie Beach to Hamilton Island Ferry
| Fare type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult, Port of Airlie to/from Hamilton Island (per person) | $74.50 |
| Child, Port of Airlie to/from Hamilton Island (per person) | $63.00 |
| Additional luggage item | $12.00 |
Cruise Whitsundays prints per-person fares for 'To/from Hamilton Island': adult $74.50, child $63, the same for Port of Airlie and for the Hamilton Island Marina and Airport tables. The page does not say whether the figure covers one direction or a return, and it gives no age band for the child fare on this route. The fares page says prices were updated from 11 April 2026 because of fuel and economic pressures, so the figures already include that change; no separate fuel line is shown. Under the Port of Airlie table the page prints a validity of 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027, in a sentence that names the Daydream Island prices. A non-refundable card surcharge of 1.42 per cent applies to Visa and Mastercard bookings and is not in these figures. Additional luggage beyond one large suitcase and one small piece per person is $12 per item. All fares in Australian dollars (AUD).
Cruise Whitsundays runs the passenger ferry from Port of Airlie, at 24 The Cove Road in Airlie Beach, to Hamilton Island. The terminal is described on the operator's locations page as a five-minute walk from the Airlie Beach main street, with limited on-site parking from $12 a day and opening hours of 6:30 am to 7:00 pm. The island's own website tells visitors to use the Cruise Whitsundays timetable and says services run daily.
Where you arrive matters. Cruise Whitsundays calls Hamilton Island Marina the access point for holidaymakers and people visiting on business. Hamilton Island Airport has its own jetty about 100 metres from the airline check-in desks, but the operator says travel to and from that jetty is strictly for passengers connecting with flights. Several sailings call there on the way, which the printed timetable shows as 'via HTIA'. If you are not flying in or out the same day, plan on the marina.
The timetable PDF, marked valid from 17 June 2026 with no end date, prints nine departures from Port of Airlie between 7:15 am and 4:05 pm, and eight from Hamilton Island between 8:50 am and 5:30 pm. Two Airlie sailings are marked Direct, at 8:00 am (printed arrival 8:50 am) and 3:05 pm (4:05 pm). The rest call at Daydream Island, and some also at the airport jetty or Shute Harbour, which stretches the printed journey to as long as 90 minutes. A note on the PDF says times are subject to airline schedule changes.
Fares are printed per person: $74.50 for an adult and $63 for a child 'to/from Hamilton Island', the same at both ends. The fare table does not say whether that covers one direction or a return. The fares page says prices were updated from 11 April 2026 in response to fuel and economic pressures, and that card bookings carry a non-refundable surcharge of 1.42 per cent on Visa and Mastercard. Luggage is limited to one large suitcase and one small piece per person, checked in 15 minutes before departure, and extra items cost $12 each.
Cruise Whitsundays asks passengers to arrive at least 30 minutes before departure, with final boarding five minutes before. It strongly suggests booking before the travel date because each vessel has a maximum number of guests, and anyone over that number is sent to the next ferry.
- Arrive at the terminal a few minutes before departure; vehicle boarding usually closes earlier.
- Check the operator's service alerts before travelling — weather, tides and river levels affect services.
- Confirm accepted payment methods and whether a booking is required for vehicles.
Frequently asked questions
Printed journey times start at 50 minutes on the 8:00 am Direct sailing and 60 minutes on the 3:05 pm Direct sailing, and reach 90 minutes on the 12:45 pm via Daydream Island and Shute Harbour. The island's website describes a 60-minute crossing from Airlie Beach.
Cruise Whitsundays says the marina is the access point for all holidaymakers and visitors on business. The airport jetty, about 100 metres from the airline check-in desks, is strictly for passengers connecting with flights. Some sailings are marked 'via HTIA' because they call at that jetty.
The fares page prints $74.50 per adult and $63 per child for 'To/from Hamilton Island', with a validity of 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027 printed under the Port of Airlie table. It does not state whether that is one way or return. Visa and Mastercard bookings carry a 1.42 per cent non-refundable surcharge.
7:15 am, via Daydream Island, with a printed arrival of 8:20 am. The next is the 8:00 am Direct sailing at 8:50 am, then 8:20 am, 10:30 am, 11:35 am, 12:45 pm, 2:30 pm, 3:05 pm and 4:05 pm. The latest departure from Hamilton Island is 5:30 pm.
Cruise Whitsundays advises arriving at least 30 minutes before departure, with final boarding five minutes before. It strongly suggests booking before the day of travel because vessels have a passenger limit and extra guests go on the next ferry. Airport transfers must be booked in advance.
One large suitcase and one small piece per person through the luggage service, checked in 15 minutes before departure. Additional items cost $12 each according to the operator's timetable page.
The terminal has limited on-site parking through Easypark from $12 a day, and the operator also notes a bus stop on site and taxi and Uber access. The terminal is open 6:30 am to 7:00 pm. Most Airlie Beach accommodation is within walking distance.
Hamilton Island's own website says services between Port of Airlie and the island run daily. The timetable PDF, valid from 17 June 2026, shows a single set of times with no weekday split, and warns that it is subject to airline schedule changes.