Ring in the new year with a Wellington Airport rental and an open summer road
Landing at Wellington Airport on New Year's Eve gets you a long summer evening, light that lingers past 9pm, and that famous southerly rattling the terminal windows. Everyone is here for the same reasons: family reunions, Wairarapa beach baches, and the ferry across to the South Island. The rental desks fill up fast, so sort your Wellington Airport car rental well before you land. We pulled 71 listings for 31 December to 7 January, with a median of $1,487.21 for the week.
Sixt has the lowest price at $966.06, but it lists just one car, so call it a lucky find rather than a rule. Europcar is the steady pick, with 16 listings averaging $1,432.52 and starting at $1,085.24, and GO Rentals comes next at $1,478.91 across 11. Hertz averages $1,992.09 and climbs to $2,812.30, so compare a few brands before you hit book.
Most of the fleet seats five (54 of 71), which suits couples and small families with a couple of suitcases, and only 13 cars seat seven or eight. Petrol and hybrids dominate, and a hybrid will stretch your fuel on the winding run up the Kapiti Coast or over the Remutaka Hill. Heading for the ferry terminal on New Year's Day? Collect your car early and leave plenty of time for holiday traffic.