Two spring weeks of Queenstown Airport road trips, from lake to snowy peaks
Late September in Queenstown is made for a road trip. The Remarkables still wear their snow, the lake is a hard, cold blue, and the air at the terminal door smells of frost and woodsmoke. Spring school holidays pack the arrivals hall with families and ski bags, and the car park fills up fast. Fourteen nights is enough to drive out to Glenorchy, cross the Crown Range to Wanaka and still keep a few slow mornings by the water. Book your Queenstown Airport car rental early and the trip won't cost more than it needs to.
The price spread is wide: 68 listings run from $1098 to $6702.78, with a median of $3269.29. Ezi and Alamo average lowest at $2259.08 and $2307.02, and GO Rentals owns the single cheapest car among its 16 listings. If you're hunting for cheap rental cars at Queenstown Airport, compare the same size of car across suppliers. Hertz, Thrifty and Budget all average above $3800 for the same fortnight.
Most of the fleet (49 of 68 listings) seats five, which suits a couple with luggage or a small family. Spring mornings can be icy on the Crown Range and around Glenorchy, so a four wheel drive like Ezi's Outlander at $1745.75 is worth a look if your plans take you up high. Hybrids are easy to find (17 listings), and over two weeks of long scenic drives they save a fair bit on fuel. Pick up in daylight if you can. That gives you time to check the car, work out the heater and get a feel for the tight lakeside bends before dark.