Ten Lunar New Year nights on the Canterbury road from Christchurch Airport
Mid February in Canterbury is peak summer: long golden evenings, a warm nor'wester rolling over the plains, and the Southern Alps sharp on the horizon. Lunar New Year brings a wave of visitors with family road trips to Lake Tekapo, Akaroa and Arthur's Pass on their minds, and the arrivals hall is busy from the first morning flights. Plenty of them line up for Christchurch Airport car rental within an hour of landing, so supply gets stretched fast. We checked 83 listings for 12 to 22 February 2027 to show you what ten nights really costs.
The spread is wide, from $939.55 to $4,098.04, and the median quote lands at $2,457.39. Sixt has the single lowest price on a Corolla Hybrid, but with only one listing it's a lucky catch, not a plan. For steadier savings, look at Europcar, Ezi and GO Rentals, whose averages all sit under $2,350, and keep in mind that 7 listings came back at zero, which usually means no car is available.
Most of the fleet seats five, which suits two couples or a small family with a boot full of suitcases. If you're heading over Arthur's Pass or out to Tekapo, a Compact SUV like the Ford Puma ($1,591.75 with Ezi) or an Intermediate like the Corolla Cross Hybrid ($1,761.75) gives you a little more height and comfort without the Fullsize price. Book your pickup for the morning rather than late evening, when the desk queues are shorter, and you'll be through the airport gate and on the road with plenty of daylight left.