Festive road trips start with Christchurch Airport car hire
The summer sun beats down on the tarmac at CHC, baking the long rows of cars waiting by the terminal gates. The 2026 Christmas and New Year week brings a massive wave of travellers eager to hit the wide open Canterbury Plains and wind their way down to the deep blue waters of Akaroa. Securing a good deal on your Christchurch Airport car rental right now is the difference between a stress-free departure and an hour of sweating in the queue.
Finding cheap rental cars Christchurch Airport is entirely possible if you look past the major global names. GO Rentals holds the absolute cheapest ticket for the week at $1092, though Ezi brings the lowest overall average across its entire fleet at $1664.38. Smart bookers ignore the shiny premium badges and lock in an Intermediate or Compact option early to dodge the premium rates.
You will find an overwhelming 61 five-seater vehicles on the lot, alongside a healthy mix of standard petrol engines and fuel-sipping hybrids. The mountain passes are wide open and dry for this late December heat, so a compact two-wheel drive is perfectly fine for the South Island highways. Pack light to fit your gear into a smaller hatch, because the cheapest rides always have the tightest boots.