Spring on the Otago Peninsula: Dunedin Airport wheels for Mid-Autumn week
Late September at Dunedin Airport smells of cut grass and cold sea air. Lambs dot the paddocks along the road in from Momona, and the sky can swing from sunshine to hail in a single afternoon. Families arrive for the Mid-Autumn Festival break, and plenty head straight for the albatross at Taiaroa Head, the penguin beaches and the long gravel roads of the Catlins. The arrivals hall is small and the desk queue is usually short, but the best cars go early. Searching for Dunedin Airport car rental for 28 September to 5 October? The data below shows where the money goes.
Of 25 listings, 3 came back at $0 (read those as unavailable), and the median sits at $839 for the week. GO Rentals has the most cars at the low end, 8 listings averaging $809, and Europcar's $596 is the lowest quote overall. Hertz spans the widest range, from $784 to $2,136, so compare the same car class across suppliers before you click anything.
Most of the fleet seats five, which suits two couples or a family with a couple of suitcases, but check the boot if you're carrying golf clubs or bikes. Hybrids like the Yaris Hybrid and the RAV4 Hybrid stretch a tank nicely on long Southern Scenic Route days, and a Ford Wildtrak or Pajero Sport only earns its higher price if you plan on gravel or a snowy Lindis Pass crossing. Spring mornings can be icy in the shaded corners of the peninsula, so collect your car in daylight and give yourself time to settle into driving on the left before you leave the airport.