Two spring weeks, one Christchurch Airport car and plenty of open road
Late September into October at Christchurch Airport brings spring light that can swing from crisp sunshine to a cold southerly in an hour, with fresh snow on the Southern Alps and lambs dotting the Canterbury plains. It's also National Day Golden Week, so the arrivals hall fills with travellers who have fourteen nights to fill and a long list of places to see. Sort your Christchurch Airport car rental before you walk out to the lot, because the cheaper cars go first. Of the 43 listings we checked, 12 came back without a price, so availability is already tight.
Prices run from $1,162 all the way up to $5,297, with a median of $1,960 for the fortnight. GO Rentals and Europcar supply most of the listings (16 and 10), and that's where the cheap cars live, working out to about $83 a night at the floor. A smart booker checks those two first, then looks at Budget's electric Hyundai Kona at $1,858 before paying the higher prices on the single-listing brands.
Most of the fleet seats five, which is plenty for a couple or a small family with two big suitcases. If you're crossing Arthur's Pass or heading into the high country, spring mornings can bring frost, so a diesel 4x4 like the Ford Wildtrak at $2,044 is worth a look. Hybrids are the easy pick for long days behind the wheel, and the three electrics suit a slower trip with charging stops planned. Lock in your pickup time and leave extra room at the airport, because Golden Week queues at the counter can run long.