Ten nights of Canterbury summer light out of Christchurch Airport
Mid February in Canterbury brings long golden evenings, a warm nor'wester rattling across the plains and the Southern Alps standing sharp on the horizon as your plane comes in. It's the Spring Festival stretch, so the arrivals hall fills with families bound for Tekapo's turquoise water, Akaroa's harbour and the long road to Aoraki Mount Cook. The Christchurch Airport car rental desks get busy early, and the trolleys are lined up at the gate before the first bags appear. We checked 83 listings for 9 to 19 February, ten nights in all, so you can see where the money goes before you land.
The middle of the market is $2,492, but quotes stretch from $1,540 to $4,098, a gap of almost three times. GO Rentals owns the cheap end with 17 listings and that $1,540 Yaris Hybrid. Europcar has the lowest average at $2,272, while Hertz and Budget come in higher at $2,990 and $3,247. Compare like for like, because the same Mitsubishi Outlander can cost $1,770 with one supplier and $3,098 with another.
Most of the fleet seats five, which suits two couples or a family with a boot full of luggage. The 7 and 8 seaters are scarcer, so lock those in early. February roads are dry and fast, so a front wheel drive hybrid will happily make the run to Tekapo or Arthur's Pass. You'd only want four wheel drive if you plan to leave the sealed road. Pick up in the morning if you can, before the tour buses and festival crowds fill the car park.