Chasing Chinese New Year sunshine from Christchurch Airport
Mid February in Canterbury brings long gold evenings, a dry nor'wester that rattles the terminal windows, and the Southern Alps standing sharp on the western skyline as your plane descends. It's Chinese New Year week, and the arrivals hall at Christchurch International Airport is full of families dragging suitcases and carrying red envelopes, all bound for Akaroa, Tekapo or the West Coast. Everyone needs wheels, and the Christchurch International Airport car rental counters feel it. Between 10 and 17 February 2027, I found 12 listings, with a median of $1,321 for the week.
Alamo is the only supplier showing, so the savings come from choosing the right car, not the right company. The cheapest seven nights is $1,224 and the average is $1,546, so a careless pick can cost you $300 more for the same week. Book early, compare the Special, Economy and Compact prices side by side, and skip the Fullsize and Premium tiers ($2,431 and $2,597) unless you truly need that Pajero Sport or Ranger.
Every car in this batch seats five, so a family of four with big cases should look at the Corolla or a hybrid rather than a Yaris. Seven are standard petrol, three are hybrids and two are diesel, and a hybrid is a smart call for the long, steady highway stretches to Tekapo. Allow extra time at pickup during the holiday rush, and fill the tank before you return, because the airport roads clog fast when everyone is flying out at once.