Sun, salt, and Dunedin Airport car hire for summer road trips
The January sun is beating down on the tarmac at Momona, and a salty nor-east breeze is rolling in over the hills when you step outside the terminal. The summer holiday rush is in full swing, with families keen to trade the city heat for the wild beaches and penguin colonies of the Otago Peninsula. Securing your Dunedin Airport car rental right now is the best way to trade the busy terminal for the open coastal road. The scene at the counters is busy, but a little local knowledge goes a long way.
Across the thirty-one available vehicles for this New Year week, prices swing from a very tidy $962 up to a steep $3134. Ezi consistently offers the lowest average rates, making them my first click when hunting for cheap rental cars Dunedin Airport. Europcar holds the absolute cheapest ticket for the week with a mystery vehicle, while GO Rentals sits at the higher end of the middle pack.
You will mostly find petrol and hybrid five-seaters in the available fleet, which are perfect for zipping around the harbour or heading out to the Catlins. I always recommend grabbing a compact hybrid if you can, because fuel adds up fast on those steep South Island hills. Book an early morning pickup to skip the afternoon queue at the airport gate, and pack light so you can easily fit your bags into a smaller, more economical ride.