For a thrilling adventure in Queenstown, be sure to pick up your car rental at Queenstown Airport. We at VroomVroomVroom can help you find the perfect car hire for your next trip by comparing rental cars from major suppliers such as Avis, Hertz, Budget, Thrifty, and Europcar.
Considered as one of the fastest growing airports in Australasia, Queenstown Airport welcomes many visitors through its doors all year round. It is the fourth busiest airport in New Zealand and is heavily used for flightseeing.
Queenstown Airport is the fourth busiest airport in New Zealand and is the gateway to the natural beauty of the South Island. Located in the suburb of Frankton, it is a 10-minute drive from Queenstown’s CBD and makes for a great spot to start your journey to experience the wonder of Milford Sound, Aoraki Mt. Cook and the Southern Alps.
Currently, international and domestic flights including trans-Tasman flights are serviced by the airport bringing more than 2million passengers through the terminal. The terminal building opens at 5am and closes at 10:30pm. Shops, cafes and bars, on the other hand, open half an hour before the first flight of the day and close half an hour after the last scheduled flight.
There are a variety of parking options available at Queenstown Airport including a two-minute zone directly outside the departure terminal for drop-offs and P20 express pick-up and drop-off areas for more time to say hello or goodbye to family and friends. For longer parking needs, the airport offers several paid options for as little as $25 a day at the terminal or $30 for two-days at the new Park & Ride option a short shuttle-bus ride away from the terminal.
Queenstown Airport address: Sir Henry Wigley Dr, Frankton, Queenstown 9300, New Zealand
Number of on-site suppliers: 6. Alamo (operating as Enterprise), Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Thrifty
Car rental opening hours: Car rental is available at Queenstown Airport between 7:30am to 10:00pm, 7 days a week
Need to pick up/drop off a hire car early morning or late evening? These depots have extended hours.
 | Avis Queenstown Airport: Sunday to Friday from 8:00am to 9:30pm. Saturday from 8:00am to 7:30pm. |
 | Budget Queenstown Airport: Sunday to Friday from 8:00am to 9:30pm. Saturday from 8:00am to 7:30pm. |
 | Enterprise Queenstown Airport: Monday and Saturday from 7:30am to 8:30pm. Tuesday to Friday and Sunday from 7:30am to 10pm. |
 | Europcar Queenstown Airport: Monday to Sunday from 8:00am to 10:00pm. |
 | Hertz Queenstown Airport: Sunday to Friday from 7:30am to 9:30pm. Saturday from 7:30am to 8:00pm. |
 | Thrifty Queenstown Airport: Monday to Sunday from 8:00am to 9:30pm. |
The best way to get an idea of renting a car is to read about fellow traveller’s real recent experiences. Our team have reached out to some of our customers who recently rented from Queenstown Airport and their experiences are shared below.
Janine (October 2019): Janine collected a hire car with Budget for their trip to Queenstown. She was allocated a Hyundai Santa Fe from their full size car category. She rated the condition of the hire car 7/10 and recommends joining their loyalty programme in advance to streamline pick up and drop off.
Travel time from Queenstown Airport to the centre of town is approximately ten minutes by car. Please note that Queenstown is surrounded by a small number of scenic towns. From there, you can explore and drive to Arrowtown, Cardrona, Cromwell, Glenorchy, and Kingston. First-time drivers should remember that cars in New Zealand must keep to the left side of the road. Many roads include varying conditions and can be narrow, windy and cover hilly train. Click here for more driving tips in Queenstown.
Car rental counters are conveniently located inside the Queenstown Airport terminal in the arrivals hall.
You can return your hire car to your car hire company allocated car park. Lock the car, remember to collect all your belongings and return the keys to your car hire company counter in the terminal building.
The nearest petrol is the 24-hour BP Connect Queenstown on the Frankton / Kawarau Road Roundabout.
There are no toll roads in and around Queenstown. Find more information about toll charges in New Zealand here.
The airport is not just the gateway to Queenstown itself, but the whole Wakatipu and Central Otago region. In fact, There are numerous incredible places to drive to in your rental car, but we've picked only the best. Check it out below.
Hoglund Art Glass Gallery - Central Otago
Address:1767 Luggate Cromwell Road (between Wanaka and Cromwell)
World-renowned glass artists Ola Hoglund and Marie Simberg-Hoglund opened their Central Otago gallery in December 2015. It is set on a terrace overlooking the Clutha River, amongst the vineyards of Central Otago countryside. Call in to view paintings, art glass and glass jewellery.
Get on your bike in Arrowtown
There are fantastic restaurants in Arrowtown, as well as Dorothy Brown's boutique cinema, bar and bookstore, rated as one of New Zealand's finest independent cinemas. Grab a hire bicycle, and explore some of the sensational trails available, such as the Arrow River Bridges ride. This 16 km trail zigzags over 5 bridges, and tunnels under a major state highway to take you past AJ Hackett's famous bungy jump. It finishes in the Gibbston Valley, home of Central Otago wines. The luxury golf resort and spa of Millbrook is near Arrowtown.
Wanaka
Another gorgeous lakeside community, with the best access to Cardrona and Treble Cone skifields.
Scenic Drive to Glenorchy
Glenorchy and the Dart River are around 50 minutes travelling time from Queenstown Airport. The Dart River flows deep into the Mt. Aspiring National Park, and is true 'Lord of the Rings' country. Experience something unique with a Funyak safari! A funyak is an inflatable canoe, and tour guides will accompany you to drift peacefully on the river, as well as to explore hidden streams, rock pools and deep chasms. The trip can be combined with a Dart River jet boat ride. Alternatively, book a horse riding adventure with Dart River stables, another way to see incredible countryside from a unique perspective.
Cromwell
The town of Cromwell sits on beautiful Lake Dunstan, a 45 minute drive from Queenstown Airport. Visit Cromwell's unique historic precinct, formed when the Clyde Dam was completed in 1990. Cromwell's main street disappeared under Lake Dunstan, but many of the historic buildings dating back to the gold rush of the 1860s had been saved and rebuilt on higher ground. The Highlands Motorsport Park is a new attraction for Cromwell that offers something for everyone. You can tour the racetrack in a Porsche Cayenne Turbo, 'The Highland Taxi'. The tour consists of two laps, the first is an informative tour, the second is at speed! Or you can try your hand at go-karting or visit the Motorsport Museum.
Of course, there is plenty to do in the town of Queenstown itself. Cruise Lake Wakatipu, or enjoy the nightlife. Check out our Queenstown guide of things to do, places to stay and places to eat.
