Regional airlines in NZ?

[random]

Sooo I’m trying to book flights for Dec/Jan, and I need to somehow get from Auckland to Tauranga and then Dunedin to Auckland…

googling all I get is quantas, freedomair, and origin pacific, but none seem to go to Tauranga (not suprising) nor Dunedin (somewhat suprising). All I can find so far that works is air NZ… does anyone know of any (cheaper) regional options?

[Redskea]

Most of the smaller airports (includeds Tauranga) are only served by Air NZ.
It's a small country so there are not many airlines. (population of whole country only 4 million)
It may be cheaper to fly to a larger airport if you can get transport from there eg Hamilton or Rotorua.

Rental car from Auckland to Tauranga?

[random]

Ah, that's what I figured. Thought about getting a rental car in Auckland, but somehow arriving at 5:30am and getting right into driving on the left in Auckland traffic leaves me a little sketched... And I'm kind of pressed for time anyway when I arrive (to make Christmas with the family).

thanks for the help anyway.

[lemon boy]

it isn't that bad driving on the left, plus at 5:30 there won't be anybody around (but watch out at 7:30. Actually, extra traffic makes it easier.

FWIW I never saw other than NZ Air regional sized planes when there.

[midget]

Heh, you could always hop on a tour bus......but driving here isn't bad, the view is usually pretty nice!

Otherwise, what everyone else said.

[chippersmullet]

If you are going for longer than a couple of weeks you could always try and buy a car. I bought one off someone who was leaving the country for $450NZ and then gave it to a friend when I left. Loads of people do it all the time, just hang around anyone of the hundreds of backpackers in Auckland or where ever you are flying into and you will pick one up that is cheap then just do the reverse when leaving! You don't need insurance in NZ and as long as the car has a valid Warrant Of Fitness - a Kiwi version of the MOT in the UK, not sure if you have them in the States, you are good to go.

[Redskea]

If you are going to cross Cook Straight ie ferry ride it may be more expensive to drive than to fly. Gas is not cheap there either. It's a relatively long drive from Tauranga to Dunedin and back too, no interstate and if it's around Christmas there will be slow traffic.
Although you are not required by law to have insurance in NZ that could bite you if you were involved in a crash.

[skier666]

I just checked my Visa statement. To fill up a Nissan Maxima rental a couple weeks ago was around $66 US.

[random]

I'm only there for two weeks or something like that, so buying a car is mre of a hassle than it's worth...
The plan is to ditch the car in Wellington and get one again on the other side to avoid the expensive ferry...

I'd fly or take a tour bus, but I have a lot of semi-random places to go (i.e farms and villages no ones heard of) and stops to make. the trip is too short to spend a lot of time being a tourist...

not going to be the cheapest trip, but I've been putting it off for too long now.

Oh I lead a hard life

[skiHOG]

I got a $10 Inter-City bus ticket from Picton to Christchurch. Cost $35 to get from Wellington over to Picton by ferry. Good tramping right now with the low snow and warm temperatures.