Christchurch Airport · 2027 New Year's Day (10d)

The long twilight over Halswell just fades into a warm velvet sky when you land in Christchurch for the New Year. The nor'wester arch wind blows dry and hot off the Southern Alps, drying out the paddocks and pushing everyone toward the coast. Securing a Christchurch Airport car rental is step one for ten days of chasing azure lakes and high-country passes.

Ezi sits firmly at the top of the value pile with the absolute cheapest price of the report at $1,492. With 89 vehicles on the board, cheap rental cars Christchurch Airport can still be found if you ignore the shiny Premium aisles and look directly at the Compact and Intermediate rows. Smart bookers grab the reliable Suzuki Jimny or Corolla Hybrid early before the New Year's Eve rush entirely cleans out the lots.

The fleet is overwhelmingly five-seater, standard-fuel cars, which is perfect for two people with a couple of suitcases. Keep in mind that sealed roads get very busy near Kaikōura and Akaroa this week, so grabbing a smaller car makes parking near the cafés much easier. Skip the premium electric options this time, as charger availability gets tight in the remote high country.