Two weeks of Canterbury summer road trip from Christchurch Airport
Early February at Christchurch International Airport feels like late summer: long golden evenings, a dry nor'wester drifting over the Canterbury Plains, and the Southern Alps standing sharp on the horizon as you walk out of arrivals. It's the stretch around Chinese New Year, so families are landing with big suitcases and a long list of places to see. Sorting out your Christchurch International Airport car rental before you fly is the easiest way to skip the queue at the desk. Fourteen nights gives you time for Akaroa, Kaikoura, Lake Tekapo and Aoraki Mount Cook without hurrying any of them.
The data here is simple: all 12 listings come from Alamo, so you're choosing a car, not a company. Prices run from $2,134 for the Yaris up to $3,782.46 for the Ford Ranger Wildtrak, with a median of $2,505.05. Book an Economy or Compact early, since that's where the best value sits at this time of year.
Every car seats five, so luggage is the real limit: for four adults with big bags, a Corolla or Intermediate is a safer bet than a Yaris. Hybrids (3 listings) suit the long highway stretches to Tekapo and Kaikoura, and diesel (2 listings) comes with the bigger vehicles. Summer roads are mostly clear, but expect holiday traffic on State Highway 1 and slow campervans on the Lake Tekapo road, so set off early. If your flight allows, pick up in the morning so you reach your first stop in daylight.