Chinese New Year in Canterbury: Summer Road Trips from Christchurch Airport
Mid-February in Christchurch means long golden evenings, the Nor'wester drying out the plains, and lupins long gone but the Canterbury coast still glowing at 8pm. Families arrive through the airport gates with luggage full of mooncakes and swimwear, chasing ten days of South Island summer while the Lunar New Year fireworks pop back home. If this is you, book your Christchurch Airport car rental early, because 2027 Chinese New Year falls smack in the middle of peak season and the yards know it.
Across 91 listings for these dates, the median sits at $2,490 and the cheapest full quote is $1,431.98 for a Suzuki Jimny at Europcar, which also posts the lowest supplier average at around $2,002. Avis surprises with the lowest floor among the big internationals, $1,486.98 for a Mazda 3, while GO Rentals stretches up to $3,910 at the top end. The smart play is to compare Europcar, Ezi and Thrifty first, then check whether Avis has quietly undercut them on your dates.
The fleet leans towards five-seaters (62 of them) with a strong petrol and hybrid showing, and I would happily take a hybrid Corolla Cross or RAV4 for February's long stretches between petrol stations on the east coast. If your crew numbers seven or more, book that Kia Carnival at $2,283.11 well ahead, since the seven-plus seaters are a thin slice of the yard. Allow a little extra time at pickup during the holiday rush, and remember State Highway 1 south of Kaikoura can still throw afternoon wind at you, so load the boot heavy and low.