Dunedin Airport car hire for an autumn Otago road trip
Late March paints the Otago Peninsula in deep amber and russet light, with crisp mornings breaking over the harbour just as the albatross breeding season gets into full swing. The summer crowds have packed up and gone home, leaving the open roads quiet and the beaches empty. Stepping off the plane into that brisk autumn air, grabbing the keys for your Dunedin Airport car rental is the exact moment the real holiday begins.
Sorting out cheap rental cars Dunedin Airport is refreshingly straightforward for this dates, with 33 listings spread across four suppliers. Ezi offers the best overall value at an average of $1,213.75, while Europcar holds the absolute cheapest ticket at just $824.91 for a compact car. A smart booker will check the smaller hatchbacks first, because that is where all the heavy discounts are hiding for this week.
You will mostly find five-seat petrol and hybrid vehicles on the lot, which are perfect for cruising the winding coast down to the Catlins. A compact car handles the central city hills easily, but grab an SUV like the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid if you want extra boot space for bulky hiking gear. Fill your windscreen washer fluid before you leave the forecourt, because the dusty gravel detours around the peninsula will definitely catch you out.