Ten nights of Auckland summer, from the airport gate to the New Year
Late December at Auckland International Airport smells of sunscreen and jet fuel. The evenings are long and warm, and a sea breeze drifts in off the Manukau Harbour. Families spill out of arrivals with surfboards, grandparents and far too much luggage, bound for beaches, bach stays and fireworks. Everyone wants wheels at the same moment, so the Auckland International Airport car rental counters stay busy from the 29th right through to 8 January. Book ahead and you skip the queue and most of the stress.
Across 107 listings the median quote is $2,800, but prices run from $1,299 to $6,050, so shopping around pays. Thrifty ($2,483 average) and GO Rentals ($2,574) are the cheapest suppliers, and GO Rentals has the lowest car-style quotes, from $1,560. Alamo and Hertz both average above $3,000, though each hides a few bargains in the list, so compare by car and not just by brand. The $1,299 Hertz quote is a flat deck work truck, not a holiday car, so skip it.
Most of the fleet seats five, so pack soft bags and save the boot for beach gear. Hybrids are plentiful and sip fuel on the long drives north to the Bay of Islands or south to Raglan, and a Corolla Cross or Yaris Hybrid is plenty for most trips. Only 9 listings seat seven, so larger groups should lock one in early. Holiday traffic on the Southern Motorway and the Harbour Bridge can crawl on the 29th and the 2nd, so pick up in the morning and be out of the city before the afternoon rush.