Wellington summer light, a Lunar New Year week and a car waiting at the airport
Mid February in Wellington brings long gold evenings, a stiff harbour breeze and a terminal full of travellers fresh off their Lunar New Year celebrations. The runway sits right beside the water at Rongotai, and you can often spot whitecaps on Cook Strait before you reach the exit doors. If you want to head out to the Wairarapa vineyards, the Kapiti coast or the Interislander ferry queue, Wellington International Airport car rental is the easiest way to begin. This 10 to 17 February window comes just after the Chinese New Year holiday period, yet 14 quotes still turned up, with a median of $1427.98.
Alamo is the only supplier in this set, so the real question is which car to pick, not which company. The cheapest quote is $1218.45 for a Mystery Car, and the Toyota Yaris at $1231 is a near second if you would rather know what you are getting. If you are hunting for cheap rental cars Wellington International Airport, stick with Special, Economy or Compact, because the top quote of $3850 is about 3.2 times the lowest.
All 14 cars seat five, which works for a family or a group of friends with a couple of suitcases in the boot. Nine are standard petrol, three are hybrid, and there is one diesel and one electric, so ask at the counter if you fancy the Tesla Model Y or a hybrid for the long hills out of the city. The wind can pick up fast on State Highway 2 and along the Hutt, so leave yourself plenty of room and keep both hands on the wheel through the gusts. If you have a ferry sailing booked, collect the car early and allow extra time for the Wellington waterfront traffic at the end of the working day.