Car Rental at Queenstown Airport

Airport travel guide

Often called the adventure tourism capital of the world, Queenstown attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. Lying on the eastern shore of Lake Wakatipu, the city is as famous for its majestic sights as it is for things to see and do. These are four of its most interesting attractions:

• Winter Sports. Although New Zealand is the southernmost country on the planet, it is also a global hub of skiing and snowboarding. The city is surrounded by alpine scenery and plenty of high-quality slopes like Coronet Peak and the Remarkables. There’s plenty of options for everyone from first-timers to seasoned pros. Also worth checking out is the Snow Farm, an area famous for cross-country skiing — although less breathtaking than going down the mountain, it’s a great way to explore the surrounding nature. The ski season in Queenstown generally runs from late June to the beginning of October.
• Adventure sports. Even if you’ve come to Queenstown during the Southern hemisphere’s summer, don’t despair — there’s plenty of thrill on offer during the warmest time of the year as well. Activities like mountaineering, bungee jumping, parasailing, paragliding, and many more are offered to visiting daredevils by tours and companies all around the city. Visit the adventure section of the city’s official tourism website to learn more. Queenstown is also a fantastic destination for hiking enthusiasts, with many trails at your disposal.
• Mount Aspiring National Park. A land of green valleys, snow-capped summits, and deep fjords, New Zealand (and especially the South Island) is epitomized by its nature. The national parks of the country are the right places to enjoy this wilderness at its most untouched. Whether you want to feel like a hobbit on a quest by following the hiking trails or try to spot local fauna, Mount Aspiring is the right place. The town of Makarora, a gateway to this national park, is about 130 km (80 miles) north of Queenstown and can be reached in less than two hours. The park can be visited on a day-trip, but there are also lodging options. Fiordland National Park, a similar natural wonder, is about the same distance southwest of Queenstown.
• Queenstown Gardens. Bordering Lake Wakatipu, the gardens are one of the nicest nature experiences you can have without leaving the city boundaries. In addition to many local flora species, the gardens have plants from various faraway destinations. Although good for a picnic, the gardens can also be explored by following its main walking trail, which is just over 3 km (2 miles) long.
• Fiordland National Park - The drive between Queenstown, Te Anau, and Milford Sound is one of the best drives you will find on the South Island. Ending at the glacier-carved Milford Sound with Mitre Peak proudly hovering above the area, it’s a view you won’t forget. For a slightly less-crowded experience, book a tour to Doubtful Sound instead.
• The Remarkables Park. Particularly beloved amongst winter sports enthusiasts, the Remarkables is Queenstown's most popular ski area. Not a fan of skiing? It’s a great place to visit in the summer, with great trails for beginner to advanced hiking enthusiasts.  

Top international routes

• Auckland
• Christchurch
• Sydney
• Wellington
• Melbourne
• Brisbane

Main airlines

Air New Zealand, New Zealand’s flag carrier, serves the most destinations at Queenstown Airport including all major cities in New Zealand and Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney in Australia.

Jetstar, an Australian low-cost airline provides connections to and from the Gold Coast, Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, and Wellington. Qantas also Sydney with seasonal service to and from Brisbane and Melbourne. Finally, Virgin Australia also serves the three largest Australian cities.

Finally, Air Milford has flights to Milford Sound and Te Anau, small, but busy, airports in popular tourist destinations.

Terminals

One single-level terminal serves both local and international flights.

Location

The airport is around 8 km (5 miles) from the Queenstown central business district. Motorways 6 and 6A/Frankton Rd. are the main roads connecting Queenstown Airport to the city.

Most popular types of rental car

• Medium cars - from $12 per day
• Small cars - from $12 per day
• Large cars - from $16 per day
• Vans - from $64 per day
• SUVs - from $33 per day
• Premium cars - from $64 per day
• Station wagons - from $27 per day

Car rental desks

Europcar and Enterprise (including Alamo) have desks in the airport’s terminal near the domestic baggage collection area. If arriving on an international flight, take a left after exiting the international arrivals area.

All other rental companies serving the airport provide shuttles for their customers. A free phone can be found outside of the terminal by the check-in area with which you can call the specific company.

Go Rentals and Areodrive are located right next to the airport. NU (serviced by Scotties), Discount, and Hitch are a few kilometers away.

Find out which are the easiest to find and more in our list of the best rental companies in Queenstown.

Services and facilities

You’ll find a restaurant, cafés, snack bars, shops, and three duty-free stores. There are also a number of ATMs, a children’s play area, parents rooms, a first aid room, and a pharmacy. Luggage storage is located outside the terminal near the check-in area. Oversized items can be left at the information desk for $10 per item per day. The airport facilities are friendly to travelers with reduced mobility. You can find more information on the airport's official website.

Nearest gas station

A BP station located at the Highway 6 roundabout is on the way to the airport from those coming from most directions. If approaching the airport from the south, it is also the most convenient station, even though it requires a circle to reach, as there are no other stations south of the airport.

If renting from NU, Discount, or hitch, an NPD station located on the roundabout of Highway 6 and Hawthorne Drive is the best station for filling up before returning a rental car. It is directly on the way to the locations of those companies.

Popular one-way rentals

• Christchurch (482 km / 300 miles)
• Dunedin (282 km / 175 miles)
• Invercargill (188 km / 117 miles)
• Blenheim (785 km / 488 miles)