Two weeks of Lunar New Year road tripping out of Wellington Airport
Mid-February in Wellington brings long summer light, a harbour that glitters one hour and gets slapped by a southerly the next, and a terminal full of families arriving for Lunar New Year reunions. The runway sits right on the water, so you step out into salt air and a wind that tries to steal your boarding pass. Most travellers are here for the capital's dumpling spots and waterfront walks, then a run up the Kapiti Coast or over to the Wairarapa wine country. Wellington Airport car rental is busy this fortnight, and 75 listings across six suppliers show how wildly the price swings.
The median quote sits at $2,988.18 for 14 nights, but the spread runs from $1,395.75 up to $5,239.26, nearly four times as much. Ezi is the cheapest by a long way with a $2,131.75 average, while Hertz and Budget average above $4,100. A smart booker checks Ezi, Europcar, Thrifty and GO Rentals first and skips the rest unless a specific car is a must. Six listings showed $0, so treat those as unavailable, not free.
Most of the fleet seats five, which suits two couples and their bags, but pick a seven-seater if you are packing the whole family or a lot of luggage. Hybrids and petrol cars dominate, and either handles the Remutaka Hill and the twisty coast road toward Makara without fuss. Pickup is quickest early in the morning, before the Lunar New Year arrivals queue at the desks, so book a morning slot if you can. Gusts on the Wellington motorway can shove a small hatchback around, so a Corolla Cross or RAV4 feels a bit more planted.