Two weeks of Wellington summer and Chinese New Year on the road
Early February at Wellington Airport means long golden evenings, a wind that can flatten a hat on the runway apron, and the harbour glinting below as you walk out of arrivals. The Chinese New Year break sends visiting families, returning locals and holiday road-trippers through the terminal all at once, so the rental desks fill up fast. If you're lining up Wellington Airport car rental for 6 to 20 February, the data covers 75 listings across six suppliers, and 6 of them came back with no price at all. Prices run from $1395.75 to $5336.10, with the middle sitting at $2673.12.
Ezi wins on price, averaging $2131.75 across 7 listings, while Thrifty ($2624.80), Europcar ($2759.12) and GO Rentals ($2813.36) cluster together in the middle. Hertz averages $3427.60 and Budget $4278.15, so the same fortnight can cost you double depending on who you book with. Compare the cheapest car per supplier, because the gap between the lowest and highest quotes is almost 4 times.
Most of the fleet is a five-seater (54 of 75), which suits couples and small families heading up the Kapiti Coast or over the Remutaka Hill to the Wairarapa. The summer wind on State Highway 1 and the Remutaka Hill Road is no joke, so a hybrid like the Corolla Cross or RAV4 gives you steady handling and good fuel economy. If you're packing for a group of seven or more, only 18 listings have the seats, so lock one in early and plan to collect the keys before the afternoon airport rush.