CdIn2S4, CdS and In2S3 photocatalysts were fabricated via a facile solvothermal method using indium chloride, cadmium nitrate and thiacetamide as precursors. The physicochemical and optical properties of the as-prepared samples were characterized by a series of techniques. The photocatalytic activities of the as-prepared samples were evaluated by selective aerobic oxidation of aromatic alcohols to corresponding aldehydes under visible light illumination. Compared with pure In2S3 and CdS samples, CdIn2S4 photocatalyst shows superior photocatalytic performance for selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol (BA) to benzaldehyde (BAD). Under the optimal conditions, the conversion and selectivity for photocatalytic selective oxidation of BA to BAD are 80.1 and 98.8% under visible light irradiation for 2 h, respectively. The excellent photocatalytic performance of CdIn2S4 photocatalyst should be ascribed to its unique structure with a favorable absorptivity, appropriate conduction band and valence band positions and longer lifetime of photogenerated charge carriers. A possible reaction mechanism for selective oxidation of BA to BAD over CdIn2S4 photocatalyst with O-2 and visible light is proposed. It is hoped that the current work could offer an avenue to prepare high-performance chalcogenide photocatalysts used in the field of photocatalytic selective organic transformations.