We are located in the airport, a 2 minute walk from the terminal. When returning your rental vehicle please ensure it is refuelled unless you have selected a pre purchase fuel option. If you do not refuel before return and have not pre purchased fuel, refuelling will be charged at the price stated on your rental agreement.
Invercargill Airport
Monday:07:30-20:30
Tuesday:07:30-20:30
Wednesday:07:30-20:30
Thursday:07:30-20:30
Friday:07:30-20:30
Saturday:10:00-18:00
Sunday:10:00-20:30
Where is the branch located?
The counter for pick up is in the airport, if walking in (not off a flight) we can serve from the counter or the Thrifty building located just outside the airport.
Invercargill Airport Car Rental FAQs
If the airport is closed there is a drop box at the front of the building located next to the airport.
Not available at this location.
If you are running late and you won't be able to collect your rental car at the allocated time, it is important to get in touch with the branch you are collecting from so that we can make alternate arrangements. If you have arrived at the branch and it is closed and if you haven't made prior arrangements for an after-hours collection you will need to pick-up your rental car the following day.
Car Rental Invercargill Airport
Welcome to the southernmost city in New Zealand! Waihōpai (Invercargill) is best known for being the gateway to Rakiura (Stewart Island), but this little town has some impressive features of its own. As the birthplace of Burt Munro, a world-record-setting motorcycle racer, Invercargill is proud of its history, with a bronze memorial sculpture carrying on Burt’s legacy outside Queens Park. Discover the best of Waihōpai and its surrounding areas with our pick of hotspots to make it a memorable visit.
Vroom Vroom in Invercargill
Invercargill’s appreciation for all things on wheels doesn't end with the iconic Burt Munro statue, in fact, the city is home to multiple galleries and collections showcasing everything from classic cars to engine parts - an automobile aficionado's paradise! At E Hayes Motorworks you’ll find over 100 displays of classic and vintage machines, cars and motorcycles, including the ‘Burt Munro Special’. Affectionately dubbed ‘The World’s Fastest Indian’, Burt Munro’s 1920 Indian Scout motorcycle - with which he set the land speed record for the fastest time for a motorcycle under 1000cc - sits on display here, attracting motor enthusiasts from around the world.
At Bill Richardson Transport World you’ll get an all-encompassing experience, and can easily spend a whole day here. With an extensive display of vintage trucks and classic cars, including a Volkswagen display and early Ford vehicles, a visit here is a must for any classic vehicle connoisseur. Visitors of all ages will enjoy Transport World, with interactive areas for little ones including a construction zone LEGO room, because who doesn’t love LEGO? Plus, there are vintage jukeboxes on display, a retro tea towel collection and even themed bathrooms, ensuring that a visit to Transport World isn’t only for those keen on cars. For something a bit more heavy-duty, visitors to Waihōpai can head to Dig This, the city’s heavy machinery attraction. Here, you can release any tension and get out any frustrations you may have by smashing and digging your way around on diggers and bulldozers weighing up to 15 tonnes! Plus, there’s a mini dig experience for the little ones.
Rakiura / Stewart Island
On the opposite end of the scale, natural beauty and a sky full of stars are waiting to welcome you at Rakiura (Stewart Island). Get here from Waihōpai on a 20-minute plane ride from Invercargill Airport and hey, what do you know, there’s a Thrifty Branch there too! Prefer to cruise sweet ocean waves to flying? Drive the rental car down to Bluff to catch the ferry to Stewart Island. Popular for its beautiful beaches and range of outdoor activities, the island is also home to the Rakiura Track -one of New Zealand’s 10 Great Walks. From beaches and rivers to forests and bays, the three-day hike around the island is an epic way to see the best of Rakiura. Suitable in any weather, the track welcomes visitors all year round. If you want to take your visit to Stewart Island to the next level, check out the annual Rakiura Challenge trail run. Starting from Horseshoe Bay, the 32km race elevates approximately 200m and passes through historic huts, bays and gullies before finishing in Oban.
From Rakiura it’s a 10-minute ride on the water taxi to reach Ulva Island/Te Wharawhara. One of NZ’s only predator-free sanctuaries, visitors head here to get a glimpse of wildlife up close including the Kiwi, Kaka and other native birds. With tracks and trails throughout, how you choose to adventure around the island is up to you. From easy 20-minute return walks in and out of Post Office Bay to longer hikes finishing at West End Beach, your journey through the forested open sanctuary will have you stumbling across native flora and fauna and admiring incredible views. Keen to take a dip? Discover an abundance of living fossils, diverse sea life and colourful seaweed at the Ulva Island Marine Reserve. Snorkelling and scuba diving is the best way to get up close and personal with marine life, and see if you can spot fur seals and yellow-eyed penguins on a boating or kayaking trip. Help keep Te Wharawhara predator-free by checking your clothes and bags before you leave.
From motor showcases to island hopping, Invercargill is a base for explorers to both stay and play. Whether you’re stopping by on your way to Stewart Island or just seeking a city escape, discover the best of Southland in a Thrifty rental car.