Christmas in Canterbury: 7 Nights from Christchurch Airport, Priced
Touch down at Christchurch Airport on Christmas Day and the nor'wester is warm on your arms, the Port Hills hazy gold, and the rental forecourt humming with families hauling boogie boards and chilly bins. This is the week the South Island belongs to road trippers, from Akaroa's summer stillness to the turquoise pull of Tekapo. If you are sorting Christchurch Airport car rental for the festive stretch, here is what 78 quotes for the 2026 Christmas week actually say.
The cheapest wheels on the tarmac are Sixt's Corolla Hybrid at $741.65 total, less than half the $1,785.46 median, and after that the floor jumps straight to Ezi at $1,094.75. Ezi is the quiet overachiever this week, landing cheapest in six different categories, from compact SUVs to a Prado at $2,018.75. A smart booker grabs the Sixt deal fast or hunts the Ezi floor prices before the holiday fleet sells through.
The fleet leans five-seat and petrol, but 16 hybrids and a handful of EVs mean you can sip fuel all the way down to Otago. Book a 7-seater now if you need one, only nine exist in this pool. Pack light if you take a compact, double-check your ferry and campground timing around New Year's Eve, and allow extra minutes at the airport gate on Boxing Day when the pickup queues stretch long in the summer heat.