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Airport Basics.....
Auckland International Airport opened in 1965 and sometimes called the Mangere Airport, is New Zealand's busiest and biggest airport. The largest percentage of New Zealand visitors come thru this airport. In fact roughly 70% of all international visitors into New Zealand land at the Auckland Airport. About 7,000,000 passengers per year (both domestic and international) travel thru Auckland Airport every year, and the airport employs close to 20,000 employees. The airport sits just North of the Manukau Harbour, in the Northern half of New Zealand.
Auckland Airport Car Rental.....
Renting a car at the Auckland Airport is a relatively easy event with rental car companies like Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, and Thrifty with desks set up at the airport. Companies such as Jucy and Ace Car rentals have offices (and cars) just off the airport grounds, but near the airport complex itself. Often these choices are less expensive. Be sure when running the booking engine to inquire of these types of car rental companies. Also, check for offers on the Super Saver series at the Auckland Airport Car Rental. These cheap rental car types often have more than 150,000 and are sometimes more than 5 or 6 years old. For the cost conscience, these cars are a perfect choice.
If you are a domestic traveler you can locate car rental agents on the ground-floor of the multi-level car park building, just across from the domestic terminal forecourt. For international travelers, car rental company desks are situated by the arrivals area on the ground floor.
Driving out of the airport to Auckland is not too difficult. Hop on George Bolt Memorial Drive and head North towards the city of Auckland. Just after leaving the facility, you will cross a road called the Tom Pearce Drive. Just a few meters after crossing this road, you will see a Shell fueling station on the left. Remember the station when returning your vehicle, as it is a good place to fill up the vehicle before returning.
George Bolt Drive (sometimes referred to as 20A Motorway) will take you within about 6 km of the city of Auckland. Turn right on Dominion Rd and follow the signs into the city. The total distance from the Auckland Airport to the city of Auckland is about 20 km - a distance that can often be expected when traveling from an international airport into the local city.
Auckland Airport Amenities.....
The airport also provides many amenities for travelers thru the Auckland Airport. For example, wireless hotspots exist throughout the facility. In the international terminal hotspots are available at the Jean Batten International Terminal, the Cafe Down Under area, and the Cafe Espresso area. In the domestic terminal, the Air New Zealand air side gate, the Qantas area, and the public shopping and food court area. It is important to remember that these services are not free and can be paid via credit card (Visa or MasterCard.)
Auckland also maintains currency exchange stores within the facility. You can convert to 50 different currencies, get travelers checks, money transfers, wires and drafts and phone cards as well.
Currently there is a large expansion within the arrival facility, in plans for the Rugby World cup, which will take place in the fall of 2011. A new runway is also planned for the same date.
Eating at the Auckland Airport.....
Several restaurants fill the facility at Auckland. In the domestic terminal, you will have cafe-type options in The Bach Alehouse and Cafe. They serve up sandwiches, salads and hot food to those traveling domestically. Or you could try the Sumo Salad, another fine establishment located in the domestic area. They offer a tempting alternative to fast food - called instead "fresh food fast". Hot pastas, risotto, wraps and soups are on sale there today. They claim no artificial colors and flavors ever enter their ingredients.
In the international terminal, even more choices are available. Here you will find a Mac's Down Under, a great starting place for those wanting to get acquainted with 'down-under' cuisine. It is situated before the security points. For a caffeine jolt, you might want to try Cafe Espresso before boarding the plane. You'll be able to get a cup of coffee on the plane, but an espresso here might be a better idea.
Car Rental Driving Distances.....
As stated above, a 20 km drive will get you to Auckland from the airport. However, some readers may be interested in traveling to a different nearby area or attraction. For those, we have put together a list of attractions or nearby towns and the driving distances to them. All distances are from the airport, and are only estimates. For exact distances, look into reserving a GPS when booking your rental car from the Auckland airport.
Manukau, Auckland, New Zealand 10 km.
Papakura, Auckland, New Zealand, 22 km.
Pukekohe, Auckland, New Zealand 45 km.
Kerikeri, Northland, New Zealand 262 km.
Tauriko, Bay Of Plenty, New Zealand 190 km.
Hamilton, Waikato, New Zealand 114 km.
Whakatane, Bay Of Plenty, New Zealand 282 km.
Gisborne, New Zealand 478 km.
Types of Vehicles Available at the Auckland Airport.....
Just about any and every type of vehicle is available at the Auckland Airport. From compacts to luxury to SUV to economy cars, they have it all. As mentioned above, often the Auckland Airport offers a great deal on older, higher mileage vehicles. These vehicles may have near 150,000 miles or more on them, and may be somewhat dated in terms of style and features. If interested in these vehicles, use our booking engine to find out if they're available during the time-frame that you're looking to book. If you do book one of these, it might be a good idea to take pictures of the vehicle before you leave, just so there's no misunderstanding on where the dings came from. Of course, this is generally a pretty good idea on just about any rental car as well.