Auckland and Christchurch are separated by just under 1,000 kilometers as the crow flies, with the Cook Strait in between. By car and ferry, the journey takes at least two full days. With Air New Zealand, you can fly the same distance in 65 minutes.
Booking
- Air New Zealand is the easiest option, comparable to Jetstar in terms of lower fares.
- We paid around 213 CHF for two people—cheaper than two days of car rental plus gas.
- Note the baggage allowance: 23 kg checked, 7 kg carry-on.
When it’s worth it
When the domestic flight is worth it
If you want to travel around both islands by rental car, you should check the pickup and drop-off locations: Starting on the South Island and dropping off on the North Island is usually significantly cheaper than the other way around. That’s why we flew to Christchurch first, picked up our SUV from Apex there, and dropped it off in Auckland at the end. The domestic flight pays off twice over this way.
