Wellington Airport in February: a week of wind, harbour light and cheap Corollas
Land at Wellington Airport in mid February and the first thing you notice is the light, long and golden over Cook Strait, with a southerly or northerly usually doing its best to rearrange your hair on the walk to the terminal. This 11 to 18 February window is the tail end of the 2027 Spring Festival, so the flights fill up with visiting families, ferry-bound travellers and holidaymakers chasing the capital's waterfront cafes. All of that keeps Wellington Airport car rental busy, and I counted 80 listings across the suppliers when I checked. The cheapest is $593.04 and the dearest is $2720.33, a 4.59 times spread, so where you click really matters.
Sixt is the story of this week, averaging $730.10 with a low of $593.04, and Ezi follows at $1015.75 with options from $667.75. Hertz ($1843.12) and Budget ($2171.03) cost the most, and the overall median of $1423.50 shows where most of the market sits. A sensible booker checks Sixt and Ezi first, then looks at the middle pack only if they need something those two don't have. Five listings came back with no price at all, so skip those and keep scrolling.
Most of the fleet seats five (58 listings), which suits a couple with two big bags and a boot that actually closes. Hybrids are easy to find (19 listings) and they make sense for the hills out of town and the drive to the Wairarapa. Wellington gusts can shove a high sided van around on the Remutaka Hill, so a sport utility or a mid size hatch will feel calmer than a 12 seater. Pick up in the morning if you can, because the airport counters get chaotic when the afternoon flights land together.