Christchurch Airport

Late March brings a beautiful, crisp light to Canterbury, painting the Port Hills in deep gold and dusting the first snow onto the higher Southern Alps. The evening chill in the air tells locals that the summer crowds have packed up, leaving the winding coastal roads and high country passes quiet and open. If you are stepping off a plane right now to explore the South Island, sorting out your Christchurch Airport car rental is your very first mission before you hit the tarmac in search of a flat white.

Looking at the 89 available vehicles for this specific week, a smart booker can easily dodge the pricey top end. Europcar is currently offering the absolute lowest rate at $825 for the week with a Chery Tiggo, while Ezi and Thrifty are fighting it out close behind with sub-$1000 options. You just need to filter out the expensive GO Rentals fleet and the $3600 luxury tags to find the real bargains sitting in the middle of the pack.

With standard petrol cars making up the bulk of the fleet, and a decent spread of five-seat runabouts, you will have no trouble finding a fuel-sipper for an autumn road trip. I always recommend grabbing a compact SUV or a hybrid, like the Toyota Corolla Hybrid from Ezi for $857, because the mornings get frosty on the inland alpine roads. Book an early morning pickup to beat the queue at the airport gate, throw your warm jackets in the boot, and drive straight out to the coast to catch the sunset.