Like many savvy travelers, you might have prioritized the lowest price when booking rental cars, perhaps overlooking the advantages of rental car loyalty programs. However, if you’re planning any trips that require a vehicle, now is the perfect time to explore and enroll in these programs. Joining a rental car rewards program is not only free but also unlocks a world of benefits. As a member, you can enjoy perks such as complimentary car upgrades and accumulate points towards future free rentals, significantly enhancing your travel experience.
Here’s an in-depth look at some of the best car rental reward programs available, detailing what you need to know to make the most of them.
Alamo Insiders
Alamo Insiders stands out by offering straightforward savings without the complexity of elite status tiers or points systems. Members of Alamo Insiders benefit immediately with a 5% discount on base rates for rentals in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Latin America.
Beyond direct discounts, Alamo Insiders also allows you to accrue points or miles with a wide array of partner airlines and hotels. These partners include major names like American AAdvantage, Hilton Honors, and Southwest Rapid Rewards. For a complete overview of participating partners, you can visit Alamo’s partner page.
Related: Credit cards that offer elite status for car rentals
Avis Preferred
Avis boasts a substantial global presence with over 5,000 locations spanning more than 170 countries, making its loyalty program, Avis Preferred, highly valuable for international travelers. This program is structured with three elite status tiers, each offering increasing benefits: Preferred, Preferred Plus, and President’s Club.
Avis Preferred
The entry-level Avis Preferred membership offers immediate benefits, including earning 1 point for every dollar spent on car rentals and 2 points per dollar on accessories. These points can be redeemed for rental days starting at just 700 points, with the added flexibility of no blackout dates.
A key advantage of Avis Preferred is the time-saving feature of bypassing rental counters at most locations globally, allowing for a quicker and more convenient rental process.
Avis Preferred Plus
Elevating to Avis Preferred Plus status is achieved by renting 10 times or spending $4,000 within a calendar year. This tier increases your earning rate to 1.25 points per dollar on rental costs and 2.5 points per dollar on optional products.
In addition to all Preferred benefits, Plus members are entitled to a complimentary one-class car upgrade when booking a midsize or larger vehicle, subject to availability, enhancing your driving comfort and experience.
How to achieve this status: Fast-track your way to Preferred Plus by leveraging existing airline status. United MileagePlus Premier Silver or Gold members can upgrade their Avis status through a status match. Furthermore, holders of The Platinum Card® from American Express receive complimentary Avis Preferred Plus status upon enrollment.
Avis President’s Club
The highest tier, Avis President’s Club, is for frequent renters who complete 20 rentals or spend $6,000 annually. President’s Club members earn 1.5 points per dollar on rentals and 3 points per dollar on accessories, maximizing reward accumulation.
Benefits at this level are significantly enhanced, including:
- Guaranteed two-class upgrade when reserving a midsize car or higher (excluding large SUVs and Signature Fleet, subject to availability).
- Guaranteed car availability up to a full-size with a 24-hour advance reservation, ensuring you always have a vehicle.
- Exclusive access to a dedicated Avis Preferred Plus customer service and reservation line, providing priority support.
How to achieve this status: Several avenues exist to gain President’s Club status. United cobranded credit cards such as the United ClubSM Infinite Card and the United ClubSM Business Card offer this status as a perk. Additionally, United MileagePlus Premier Platinum elite status holders and higher also receive this valuable rental car status perk.
The information for the United Club Business has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Related: How to never pay full price for a rental car
Budget Fastbreak
Budget’s loyalty program, Fastbreak, focuses on simplicity and efficiency, making the rental process as smooth as possible. Membership is free and designed to expedite both pick-up and drop-off procedures.
Similar to Alamo Insiders, Budget Fastbreak does not feature elite status tiers. Instead, Budget periodically offers attractive, limited-time promotions to its members, such as bonus Budget Bucks that can be used towards future rentals.
Related: Save money on your next trip: Use these tips to never pay full price for a rental car
Dollar Express Rewards
The Dollar Express Rewards program is structured around earning points redeemable for free rentals, alongside offering practical benefits. Members enjoy priority service, expedited returns, and the valuable addition of a free authorized driver (spouse or domestic partner).
While lacking elite status tiers, Dollar Rewards members earn a straightforward 1 point per dollar spent on qualifying rentals within the U.S. and Canada. Free rental redemptions start at 500 points for weekend days and 625 points for weekdays (excluding taxes and fees), making rewards easily attainable.
Related: How you can redeem points and miles for car rentals
Enterprise Plus
Enterprise Plus features a tiered elite status program designed to reward frequent renters. The program includes four levels: Plus (basic), Silver, Gold, and Platinum, each offering enhanced benefits, including bonus points and free upgrades.
Enterprise Plus
Basic Plus status is granted upon sign-up and lasts through your first five rentals. Members earn 1 point per dollar on qualifying rentals from the outset.
Enterprise Silver
Achieving Silver status requires six qualifying rentals. Silver members receive a 10% bonus on points earned from rental dollars and are awarded one free car upgrade annually, enhancing value and comfort.
Enterprise Gold
Gold status is reached after 12 qualifying rentals or 40 rental days. Benefits increase to a 15% bonus on earned points and two free car upgrades per year, further rewarding loyalty.
Enterprise Platinum
The top-tier Platinum status requires 24 qualifying rentals or 85 rental days. Platinum members enjoy a 20% bonus on points and four free car upgrades annually, representing the highest level of benefits within Enterprise Plus.
Points earned within the Enterprise Plus program can be redeemed for free rental days without any blackout dates. The points required for a free rental vary based on rental specifics, but start at 400 points, offering flexibility and value.
For those looking to accelerate their status within Enterprise Plus, the program offers status matching from over 40 other travel loyalty programs. If you hold elite status with an airline, hotel, or another car rental program, it’s worth checking Enterprise’s website to see if you can leverage your existing status for an upgrade with Enterprise.
Related: Everything you need to know about rental car elite status
Fox Rewards
Fox Rewards offers a straightforward points-based system, where members earn 4 points for every dollar spent on rentals (excluding taxes and fees). Redemption options are flexible, allowing points to be exchanged for either gift cards or FoxBucks.
Gift card redemptions are facilitated through a partnership with Tango Card, providing access to a wide array of merchants like Amazon, Apple, and Starbucks. Rewards begin at 2,500 points for a $25 gift certificate, scaling up to 12,500 points for a $125 certificate.
Alternatively, FoxBucks provide a direct way to use points towards car rentals. Redeeming rental car rewards points as FoxBucks starts at 1,600 points for $20 in value, increasing to 8,000 points for $100, offering a direct discount on rental costs.
Hertz Gold Plus Rewards
Hertz’s loyalty program, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards, is free to join and designed to streamline the rental experience from start to finish. Members can bypass the rental counter, proceed directly to vehicle pick-up, and earn points redeemable for free rentals.
Hertz Gold Plus Rewards is structured with three elite tiers: Gold (basic membership), Five Star, and President’s Circle, each offering enhanced benefits and rewards.
Hertz Gold
Basic Gold membership is activated upon sign-up and provides foundational benefits:
- Earn 1 point for every dollar spent on rentals.
- Access to Hertz Ultimate Choice at participating locations, allowing you to select your preferred car from a designated section.
- Complimentary additional driver (spouse or domestic partner) within the U.S., adding value for couples and families.
Hertz Five Star
Five Star status is achieved by completing 10 Hertz rentals or spending $2,000 within a year. Key benefits include:
- Earn 1.25 points per dollar spent, accelerating point accumulation.
- Complimentary upgrades based on car availability at the time of rental.
- Enhanced car selection within Hertz Ultimate Choice locations, offering Five Star members a wider range of vehicles to choose from.
Additional paths to status: Delta Medallion Silver or Gold status holders can status match to Hertz Five Star, linking airline loyalty with car rental perks.
Hertz President’s Circle
President’s Circle, the top tier, is reached after 15 Hertz rentals or $3,000 in annual spending. Members receive all benefits from lower tiers, plus:
- Earn 1.5 points per dollar spent, maximizing rewards earnings.
- Guaranteed car upgrades at the time of rental, ensuring a better vehicle experience.
- Premier vehicle selection within Ultimate Choice locations, offering President’s Circle members the widest and best selection of available cars.
- Exclusive access to a dedicated Hertz phone line for President’s Circle members, providing priority customer service.
Additional paths to status: Several premium credit cards offer complimentary Hertz President’s Circle status, including the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card*, The Platinum Card® from American Express (enrollment required), and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card (enrollment required). Delta Platinum or Diamond Medallion status also grants complimentary President’s Circle status upon enrollment in the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards program.
*Upon enrollment, accessible through the Capital One website or mobile app, eligible cardholders will remain at that status level through the duration of the offer. Please note, enrolling through the normal Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment process (e.g. at Hertz.com) will not automatically detect a cardholder as being eligible for the program and cardholders will not be automatically upgraded to the applicable status tier. Additional terms apply.
Related: Stacking rental car perks with Hertz and the Venture X
National Emerald Club
National’s loyalty program, Emerald Club, is designed for ease and flexibility, featuring three status levels: Emerald Club (basic), Executive, and Executive Elite.
Emerald Club
Emerald Club membership provides immediate counter bypass and the ability to select any car from the Emerald Aisle when renting a midsize vehicle or larger. Members can choose to earn free rental days or points/miles with National’s partner programs. Additional perks include:
- Expedited service at rental locations in Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
- Free rental days awarded after accumulating seven rental credits.
- Waiver of second-driver fees, adding value for shared driving.
- Complimentary one-class upgrades at participating locations in the U.K., Ireland, France, Spain, and Germany (subject to availability), enhancing international rentals.
Emerald Club Executive
Executive status is achieved with 12 paid rentals or 40 paid rental days per calendar year. Status can also be obtained through select travel rewards cards like The Platinum Card® from American Express, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, or the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (enrollment required).
Executive members retain all base member benefits and gain:
- Free rental day after just six rental credits, accelerating reward earning.
- Access to the Executive Area, allowing you to pay the midsize rate but choose any car (including full-size and above) in the U.S.
- Guaranteed upgrades when reserving a midsize or larger car in the U.S. and Canada.
- Exclusive pricing on upgrades to Premier Selection vehicles at rental lots in the U.S. and Canada.
Emerald Club Executive Elite
The highest tier, Executive Elite, requires 25 rentals or 85 rental days annually. Top-tier benefits include:
- Free rental days after just five rental credits (on any car class except exotic vehicles and trucks), the fastest accrual rate in the program.
- Guaranteed vehicle availability (up to full-size) with 24 hours’ notice, ensuring reliability.
- Private airport delivery service for arrivals via private aircraft at smaller airports in the U.S. or Canada (within 50 miles of a National branch), a unique and premium benefit.
National Emerald Club also offers status matching from over 40 loyalty programs, allowing members to leverage existing elite status from hotels or airlines. Successful status matches have been reported using Hilton Honors Gold status to achieve Emerald Club Executive and United Airlines Premier 1K to reach Executive Elite, making it worthwhile to check for status match eligibility.
Related: Credit cards that offer elite status for car rentals
Thrifty Blue Chip Rewards
Thrifty Blue Chip Rewards program focuses on providing direct discounts rather than a points-based system. While it lacks elite status tiers and a point-earning structure, members benefit from savings and convenience.
Blue Chip members are entitled to up to a 15% discount on all rentals. Additional benefits include the ability to add a free authorized additional driver (spouse or domestic partner), along with quicker pick-up and return processes, simplifying the overall rental experience.
Best Credit Cards for Car Rentals
Selecting the right credit card is crucial for maximizing rewards on rental car expenses. Certain credit cards offer bonus points for all car rentals purchased directly, enhancing your rewards accumulation strategy.
Furthermore, some cards provide primary car rental coverage, which covers damages, theft, or loss to the rental vehicle without needing to claim on your personal auto insurance. To activate this coverage, simply decline the rental agency’s primary insurance and pay with a card that offers this benefit.
Bottom Line
While rental cars might not be the most glamorous aspect of travel compared to flights or hotels, they are often essential, especially when exploring destinations off the beaten path.
If your credit card or airline loyalty program offers complimentary elite status with car rental agencies, enrollment is a must. Even without automatic elite status, joining various car rental loyalty programs is highly advantageous. You can accrue points for free rentals, unlock exclusive discounts, and expedite the rental process, such as skipping the counter. The perks and benefits of participating in car rental loyalty programs are undeniable, making them a valuable tool for any traveler.
