Car rental with best rewards program

But what about the rental car you use to get from the airport to the hotel? Most major rental car companies offer loyalty programs as well — and the best car rental rewards programs can help you save both money and time on your next rental. The right credit card can supplement your rental car insurance , help you earn travel rewards on car rentals and — in some cases — automatically grant you elite status in certain car rental loyalty programs. When you combine the best car rental programs with the best credit cards, renting a car becomes easier, less expensive and more enjoyable than ever before.

National Emerald Club rewards frequent renters with frequent upgrades. Once you reach Emerald Club Executive status — which you earn after 12 paid rentals or 40 paid rental days in a calendar year — you unlock Executive Area Status, which allows you to choose any car full size or above in the Executive Area and only pay mid-size rates.

Plus, Emerald Club members earn one free rental day after seven qualified car rentals, and Emerald Club Executive members earn one free rental day after six qualified car rentals. The Hertz Gold Plus Rewards program is all about streamlining the car rental process.

Members can skip the counter at drop-off as well, using e-return services to save valuable time. Hertz also gives Gold Plus members the opportunity to earn points that can be redeemed for free rental days, travel experiences, exclusive events and more. Instead of membership tiers, points systems or unlockable perks, the Alamo Insiders program simply rewards you with an easy way to save money on car rentals. The Avis Preferred Points system rewards Avis Preferred members with points that can be redeemed for free rental days, rental accessories and car upgrades.

At the Avis Preferred level, members earn 1 point for every dollar spent on a car rental and 2 points for every dollar spent on a rental accessory like SiriusXM Radio or roadside assistance. It only takes points to earn a free rental day, and accessories can be added to your car rental package at points per accessory per day. Avis Preferred Plus members also receive complimentary upgrades when available, a special Avis Preferred Plus phone number for reservations and customer support and exclusive monthly email offers.

Small-business owners who want to save money on company car rentals should consider the Budget Business Program. Budget Business Program members also get complimentary Fastbreak membership, which allows them to skip the counter at pickup. Enterprise Plus offers a fairly standard rewards system, but its annual Plus Your Points promotion is where the program really shines.

In most cases, renters earn between 1 and 1. During a Plus Your Points promotion, all points earned on qualifying rentals are doubled. Points can either be redeemed for FoxBucks, which can be used to pay for future Fox rentals, or for SuperCertificates from GiftCertificates.

One point is worth 1. Many credit cards, including several top travel credit cards, offer automatic car rental benefits and elite status.

Four popular luxury credit cards also offer elite status or benefits associated with one or more car rental programs:. Whether you rent a car once a month or once a year, the right rental program combined with the right credit card can save you money on your rentals, cover your rental car insurance and reward you with cash back, miles, points and more.

The editorial content on this page is based solely on the objective assessment of our writers and is not driven by advertising dollars. Alamo Insiders 5. Budget Car Rental Fastbreak Program 6. Fox Rewards 7. Thrifty Blue Chip Rewards 8. Sixt Loyalty Program 9. National Car Rental Emerald Club Dollar Express Rewards Every dollar you spend earns you one point, and you can use your points to get free day rentals and online rewards.

The Avis Preferred Plus reward program allows you to enjoy expedited service with plenty of rewards to go along with it. You also get to go straight to your car and drive off the lot.

As a Preferred Member, you can also utilize the Avis App to its fullest potential. Choose your car, confirm, cancel, or even extend the rental, all at the touch of a button. Enterprise Plus makes rewards simple, where dollars spent equal points earned. The more you rent, the more rewards you get. Your points never expire, as long as you remain an active member with at least one qualifying rental every three years.

Alamo Insiders is free and easy to join. Returns are easier for Fastbreak members, too. The Fox Rewards Program gives you the power to earn car rental reward points and enjoy members-only specials.

You also gain access to coupons and benefits. You earn four points for every dollar you spend. You can also earn FoxBucks , which can be redeemed for Fox car rentals. Many of the credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.

This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers.

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