FAQ Queenstown Airport

Looking for rental car deals in Queenstown? Make sure you have a look at our deals page, home to our latest discounts and offers to help you save on your next car hire.

Downloading the GO Rentals app is another great way of having everything you need at your fingertips.

For the latest car rental deals straight to your inbox, make sure you sign up for our newsletter and never miss a deal!

Our GO Rentals Queenstown Airport branch is conveniently located right on the airport property, by the main carpark entrance. Once you’ve landed, exit through the arrival door and follow the ‘Rental Cars’ sign outside. Follow the footpath across the road and look for a grey building on your right with our bright pink GO Rentals signage, which is approximately 50m away. All in all, the walk should take you less than one minute.

The Queenstown branch hours are always 8 am - 5 pm, Monday-Sunday.

If you need to pick up or drop off your vehicle outside these hours, there’s an after-hours service that will allow you to do so! Once you’ve confirmed your booking, we’ll email you instructions on how to pick up and drop off your car outside of our branch hours.

If you are running late, please contact the branch on +64 3 441 4340 during branch hours and they can advise you of the after-hours process.

It is best to plan ahead if you are renting a car for a trip. This means booking your chosen vehicle around 3-6 months in advance to guarantee an affordable price and the car you want the most. GO Rentals are happy to accommodate last-minute bookings if we have availability in our Queenstown branch. Our car rental deals are regularly updated to include current offers and relocation deals for quick bookings.

We sure do!
GO Rentals can arrange one-way car hires to and from all our locations, including Queenstown Airport. The only restrictions we have in place are:

• Minimum hire periods
• The time of the year
• Damage caused by unauthorised additional drivers.
• Certain directions of travel
• Subject to a relocation fee

The rental fee per day will vary depending on your location, the vehicle type, rental period length and the seasonality availability. All of our fee variables are reduced for longer rental periods. To get a quote for your itinerary, enter your trip details into the Queenstown booking widget or check out our special deals page for certain rental periods and vehicles.

Yes, you will require a car in order to get around the Queenstown area in New Zealand, particularly from the Airport. Most importantly, a car grants you the freedom to travel the beautiful sights of the South Island unhindered.

You can make regular trips through Queenstown and into the surrounding areas to find the hidden wonders of New Zealand. With a rental car, you’re sure to easily discover all sorts of unique attractions, such as remote beaches and hidden walking trails, that you wouldn’t find on foot or through public transport.

A 4WD vehicle is generally only required if you are considering driving off-road around Queenstown.

In the summertime, it is fairly easy to traverse all roads with a 2WD.

When it comes to winter, a 4WD may be the best option if you decide to head to a nearby skifield, such as Coronet Peak or Treble Cone. However, all of our vehicles can be fitted with snow chains which are available to hire, so you can travel with peace of mind in a 2WD.

Getting to the downtown district of Queenstown from the Airport is only a short drive; generally around 25-30 minutes, depending on traffic.

Although the city is fairly easy to traverse by car you may require some directional guidance when heading off on a journey. Feel free to speak to our super-friendly team who will be more than happy to point you in the right direction. We may have handy maps available in branch, or you can also hire a GPS to help you get around.

If you’re planning a trip up the mountain, we can help you get sorted with snow chains available for hire from our Queenstown Airport branch. We’ll even show you how to fit them so that you’re fully independent while travelling.

Some roads, especially around Queenstown, have compulsory snow chain usage in place during the snow season. If you’re planning on taking those routes, it’s best to plan ahead and add them to your booking.

There are no tolls on New Zealand’s South Island roads. There are only three toll roads in New Zealand, all of which are located on the North Island:

• The Auckland Northern Gateway Toll Road
• The Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road
• The Tauranga Takitimu Drive Toll Road

There are multiple Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations in Queenstown, conveniently located in areas such as:

• Athol Street
• Frankton (PAK’nSAVE) Queenstown
• Queenstown Airport
• Golden Elm Lane
• Hawthorne Drive

There is parking available in the town centre of Queenstown, but it is common for these spots to be rapidly filled up during the morning. The best time to secure a spot for your rental car is during the early morning or evening hours.

There are many parking CCTV cameras in Queenstown and fines for illegal parking range typically range from $40-$60 in this area. Please note that any unpaid parking fines in a GO Rentals car will incur an admin fee charge.

Parking is not free in the town centre of Queenstown. However, the overall cost is generally low, with most parking spaces costing $1-$6 per hour.

The closest petrol station is BP, Frankton/Kawarau Road roundabout, which is a 7 minute drive from our Queenstown branch. Vehicles will need to be returned with a full tank of gas (similar to pick-up), otherwise will incur fuel top-up charges and an admin fee.

Getting around Queenstown on foot is possible, especially with the range of short, scenic walks available in and around the town.

Despite this accessibility, it’s often more convenient and efficient to use a vehicle if you are planning on a full-day venture or activity. That way, you can easily take along any equipment or supplies you require

In order to rent and drive a car with GO Rentals, you must be at least 21 years of age. This excludes cars like the Tesla Model 3 and Tesla Model Y, which have higher age restrictions of 25 years of age.

We have no upper age limit to rent a car at Queenstown Airport. You must hold a full, unrestricted driver licence.

There is no need for a shuttle service to reach our Queenstown branch from the Airport. This is because our office is located just 50m outside of the terminal itself, barely a one-minute walk!

If you do require special assistance getting between the Airport and the branch, please call us at the branch at least 24 hours in advance of arriving at the Airport. Our team will be sure to accommodate your situation.

When you come to collect your hire car at our Queenstown Airport branch, you’ll need only two things:

• A valid driver’s licence
• A credit or debit card for security.

You can drive on most full international drivers licences without an international drivers permit. Your foreign licence will allow you drive in New Zealand for 1 year from the date you enter the country, providing you have no suspensions or disqualifications. If your licence is not in English, you are required to obtain an official English translation and carry both copies with you at all times. To understand the rules per country, review our blogs for:

• Australia
• Canada
• China
• Germany
• Japan
• Singapore
• United States
• United Kingdom

If you don't have a credit card but you do have a Visa or Mastercard debit card, you can hire a car. However, our GO basic and Assured insurance option will need a credit card for the security bond. Our Peace of Mind insurance option does not have a security bond so we can accept a debit card for these and you will benefit from a reduced liability excess.

Just a heads up that if you pay for your hire online, your debit card will be subject to a non-refundable payment processing fee. Your card must have the cardholder's name embossed on the front and the cardholder must be the main hirer.

To help you get winter-ready, we have ski racks available for hire from our Queenstown Airport branch.

These racks can only be fitted to specific vehicles. You’ll know if you’ve selected a compatible vehicle when you see the rack hire option during our online booking process. This will occur during the ‘Extras’ section of the process.

At the moment, speed limits for the Queenstown district generally sit at 40 km/h. These limits are subject to change in certain zones, so be sure to keep an eye out for changes to the speed limit while driving.

Located in the lower South Island, it’s perhaps no surprise that the most popular rental cars from our Queenstown Airport branch come from our 4x4 range and include the Toyota Rav4 and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport. For shorter term hires, the Toyota Corolla is always a popular vehicle here in New Zealand and the Tesla Model 3 and Tesla Model Y are proving to be a popular rental car from all our branches.

If you are hiring a car in Queenstown, there are a number of great options within a short driving distance from downtown. Some of the most popular destinations include the Christchurch, Wanaka, Dunedin, Milford Sound, and Te Anau. Find out more about the most popular holiday destinations from Queenstown.

The roads in New Zealand are well maintained and safe to drive on both the North and South Islands. Cars are driven on the left-hand side and may take some getting used to for international drivers who travel on the right-hand side. Prepare for the differences in road rules with our helpful guides:

• 20 New Zealand Driving Rules: A Tourist's Guide
• New Zealand Roads: A Guide for Travellers
• 10 tips for driving on the left-hand side of the road

The road from Te Anau to Milford Sound is a breathtaking scenic journey to enjoy. However, there are some things drivers should be aware of before taking the trip on the winding roads:

• The road is well maintained but may close from time to time due to adverse weather conditions, always check the Milford Sound road status before travelling.
• It takes 2 hours of non-stop driving to complete but may take longer in busy periods.
• There are no petrol or electric charging stops along the road so prepare in advance.
• There is limited phone reception along the route.
• In winter, pack snow chains for your car incase of weather changes. These can be hired from GO Rentals.