Ten Lunar New Year nights out of Christchurch with the Southern Alps ahead
Mid-February at Christchurch International Airport brings long summer light, the Canterbury Plains gone gold and straw-coloured, and a hint of mountain air drifting off the Alps on the nor'wester. It's also Lunar New Year, so the arrivals hall fills with families hauling suitcases and kids who have been counting down to that first lake. Most people grab their keys and point the car at Lake Tekapo, Aoraki Mount Cook or the long road south to Queenstown. If you're lining up a Christchurch International Airport car rental for these ten nights, book early.
The data comes down to a single supplier. Alamo is the only company with listings for 12-Feb to 22-Feb, so there's no shopping around between brands. The savings are in the car you pick: a Yaris at $1,524 or a Corolla at $1,571 costs well under the $2,702 Ranger, so the smart move is the smallest car that fits your group and luggage.
All 12 listings seat five, which suits a family or a group of friends, but five adults with big bags will fill a small hatch fast, so check boot space before you commit. February roads are dry and quick, and the run over to Tekapo has plenty of long straights where hybrids and diesels get the best range per tank. Collect the car mid-morning, once the early-flight rush has cleared the desk, and you'll be out on State Highway 1 before the afternoon traffic builds.