Chase Endless Summer in the Deep South with Dunedin Airport car hire
February is absolute magic in Otago. The afternoon sun hits the steepest streets in the world with a warm golden glow, and the Otago Harbour stays glassy and calm under the late summer sky. The Lunar New Year holiday from February 14 to 21 perfectly aligns with the best driving weather of the year, drawing crowds down to the peninsula to watch albatrosses soar. Sorting out your Dunedin Airport car rental early is a smart move for this exact week. Securing cheap rental cars Dunedin Airport style means more pocket money for fresh Bluff oysters and petrol for the coastal runs.
Hertz holds down the premium end with an average quote of $1600, but you do not need to spend that much to get a good vehicle. Europcar currently holds the cheapest absolute rate at $995, while Ezi maintains a remarkably low fleet average of $1173 across its available cars. A smart booker checks the individual vehicle categories rather than just trusting the brand names, because the real bargains are scattered across different suppliers.
The lots are absolutely packed with standard five-seat petrol cars, but grabbing a hybrid like the Toyota Corolla from Ezi for $1038 will save you a fortune on fuel. The roads around the Otago Peninsula are narrow and winding, so a smaller vehicle is actually much easier to park at the wildlife hides. Keep in mind that an Economy hatchback will swallow two large suitcases just fine, which is plenty for a seven-day trip if you pack layers for the unpredictable coastal breezes.