Save Money on your trip to New Zealand!
Cheap Flights to & around New Zealand
When travelling into New Zealand it can be a good idea to fly into one airport, say Christchurch (in the South Island) & fly out of another airport say Auckland (in the North Island) if you have the option. That way you're not back tracking, you save money (more revealed later) & time.
Domestic flights within New Zealand
Flying is the easiest way to get round New Zealand. It is generally hassle free with at most 60 min check in time required. No long queues or multiple security checks like abroad!
There are 3 main domestic airlines in NZ, Air New Zealand, Jetstar & Pacific Blue.
It can be cheaper to book on our local NZ website than on your home country's site as prices are often cheaper here especially if you pick up a bargain on grabaseat specials (more below). They are more likely to show specials on our local site than abroad! You can do a comparison to see if there are any differences.
Air New Zealand Widest network by far, flying to most cities & some towns.
Budget Airlines
Pacific Blue (Part of the Virgin Blue Group)
Jetstar The budget divison of Qantas has started flying within New Zealand but also offers cheap flights to Australia.
Domestic Cheap Flight Specials (very limited specials, can last minutes!)
Air New Zealand Grab a Seat
Grab a Seat is an excellent site for very limited special deals updated daily for flights within NZ & occasionally internationally. Have offered $13 one way specials to Oz, Fiji & Cook Islands in the past!
Pacific Blue Happy Hour
Less well known than Grab a Seat but still offers NZ domestic specials by Pacific Blue between 12-1pm NZ time
Jetstar Has a Friday Frenzy when prices are cut drastically on selected routes.
Hotel & Accommodation Deals in New Zealand & Abroad
Options when travelling in NZ are:
Camping, hostels, motels / B&Bs, hotels.
With the sites listed below, if you can leave it until the lastminute you can often pick up some real bargains but you risk the hotel becoming fully booked. They also offer deals in advance but may not be as cheap as lastminute deals.
Hotel Deals
Save up to 60% OFF on Hotels in New Zealand & around the world! :
They can work out cheaper than some motels & B&Bs!
Good for hotel reviews & great prices!
Wotif
Clear format of hotel prices daily over 2 weeks or just display weekend offers.
NZ site of Expedia for Cheap Hotel bookings, Cheap flight Deals & car hire
Hostels
You can save alot of money by staying in hostels and the quality of the accommodation can be surprisingly good!
The following are the main International booking sites for hostels:
(Smaller than HostelWorld but with no Booking fees)
HostelWorld.com NOTE they charge a $2 booking fee unlike hostelbookers!
Hostels in New Zealand
BBH Budget Backpacker Hostels.
Largest group of privately owned hostels in NZ. Have ratings by travellers of their hostels.
If staying for some time in New Zealand and planning on staying in alot of BBH hostel it is worth getting their BBH card at $45 (includes $20 phone card) allows you to get discount on each nights stay around $2-4/night. Little like YHA card around the world.
Good value as represents largest group of backpackers if planning on staying more than 2 weeks in New Zealand.
Some of the nicest hostels in NZ. Again get discount if member of YHA in your own country or can join when you get to New Zealand.
Base Newest chain of backpackers in New Zealand.
Baches & Holiday Homes Baches is the Kiwi for holiday homes. They are more personal & can work out much cheaper than staying in motels if there is a large family or group of people wanting to stay together. They are often owned by private individuals that rent them out. They will use them themselves over Summer or when it is quieter.
The following is a search engine for booking baches in New Zealand:
Book a Bach site in NZ Camping & Caravaning sites Top 10 Is a group of campsites around New Zealand that have camp, caravan & often motel sites & are normally are very good quality.
There are a number of Department of Conservation camp sites where you can camp much cheaper than standard private camp sites. These are offered by the NZ government. Check out this link for more information.
If you hire a campervan you can often stay in numerous places but at the more popular places or in town it often states no overnight camping. If you are discreet though you can often stay with your campervan outside towns.
Campervans are a very popular way of travelling round New Zealand as it can save you on car and accommodation expenses. Always check to see all the extras that may be added to the final cost as these can mount up on top of standard rental fees such as insurance. So make sure you have an all inclusive quote.
Getting Around New Zealand
By far the easiest way around New Zealand is by Car. You can look at buying a car in the larger centres and then driving it around the country. These can vary in price depending on quality but is a popular option among backpackers.
You can also hire them and there are a number of rental car companies as listed below in our car rental section.
If you haven't got enough money for a car hire then check out the bus or coach companies.
Coach & Bus Deals
Try these sites for coach deals as they can be much cheaper than driving yourself, especially with these petrol prices.
Naked Bus
Don't worry you don't have to go naked just bare good deals from $1 for travel in NZ. Budget operated bus service for very cheap bus trips around New Zealand but often booked out early! The coach equivalent of low cost airlines!
Intercity Bus
National network of buses in New Zealand. They have a popular pass that allows you to travel on their network on set route or for a number of days.
South Island only
Atomic Shuttles offers a bus service throughout the South Island
Backpackers Bus Companies
Kiwi Experience
Magic Bus
Stray Travel
All travel a similar route and just need to compare prices. Always have your student card or YHA card as they frequently provide discounts for you.
A Student Card often provides you discounts at a number of places so it is always worth asking if they offer student discount even if they don't show student prices.
Hitchhiking
You could always hitch hike in the summer months not so easy in some of quieter routes such as Mount Cook area or West Coast. Can vary how long takes to get picked up. Often more likely to get lift in quieter areas as I guess people may feel sorry for you, easpecially if it rains!
Carpool King is supposedly the No1 Carpool site in NZ!
Jayride is a site that offers services to help hook you up with other people looking to share a ride.
Car & Motorhome Rentals
There are many car & campervan rentals options available in New Zealand. You can prebook in your own country or can book online.
FERRIES: NORTH to SOUTH ISLAND
We would recommend exploring each island by car then either flying to south island to pick up another or taking it across on the ferry between each island.
There are 2 ferry companies so always check each out to compare prices as some one can be cheaper than the other.
Interislander ferry deals Main company operating this route.
BlueBridge Ferry Often cheaper than Inter Islander. Travelled on both and they are both fine.
Buying things in New Zealand
Duty Free
On arrival in New Zealand you can unusually buy duty free from DFS Galleria in the arrivals hall of Auckland Airport. This allows you to buy alcohol, cigarettes and other electrical goods at duty free price! You cam alos buy these on departure but remember your allowance is always for the country you are arriving in which can vary!
Duty free allowances for New Zealand are:
Tobacco: 200 cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco or 50 cigars or a combination weighing not more than 250 grams.
Liquor: Six bottles (4.5 litres) of wine, port or sherry or
12 cans (4.5 litres) of beer.
Plus three bottles each containing no more than 1125mls of spirits, liqueur, or other spirituous beverages.
General: NZ$700.00 of other goods.
New Zealand's duty free prices are often very competative with international prices!
Save even more on Duty Free Shopping
Get a 20% discount on duty free alcohol, fragrance and cosmetics and a 5% discount on cameras and electronics by joining the Duty Free Store Frequent Buyers Club.
Save on Duty Free by pre ordering online at the link below:
Staying Healthy on your travels
NZ has reciprocal health agreements with:
UK & Australia
This means you can be treated for urgent health matters in NZ. If it is non urgent you are expected to pay.
Always have travel insurance when travelling abroad as they only treat you under certain situations.
Seating arrangements on flights
Seat Guru
Check out the best places to be sit on the plane.
In Flight Entertainment
If you're flying soon you can often check out what the in flight movies will be before boarding the flight but sometimes its fun to look forward to this. Means you don't go to cinema just before the flight and realise you have seen everything they're offering!
Check for the airline your travelling on vi google and type inflight entertainment.