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The benefits of elite status are popular with savvy travelers, but rental car elite status doesn't always get the attention it deserves. Rental car status can pay off — it helped one former TPG staffer rent a $100,000 BMW 7 Series for $3 per day. Whether you're planning a road trip or looking for a vehicle to explore your next destination, rental car status can help you skip lines, take the keys and be on your way in record time. Plus, many rental car elite status tiers are obtainable by holding the right credit cards or airline or hotel status, making them more accessible than you might think.
Here, we'll explore the different elite tiers offered by major rental car companies and how you can earn and make the most of your rental car status.
Related: How to skip long rental car pickup lines for free
Avis rental car elite status
The baseline membership with Avis is called Avis Preferred. Anyone can join for free — and right now, Avis is offering 100 bonus points to new members who rent a car within three months of joining. Redemptions start at 700 points per day.
Basic membership allows you to go straight to your car, which has saved TPG staffers lots of time over the years. You can also earn Avis Preferred points on paid rentals, though you'll forgo earning airline miles or hotel points if you select this option. The higher status tiers allow you to earn points faster and provide additional benefits like free vehicle upgrades. Here's an overview:
| Qualifications | Free to join | 10 rentals or spending $4,000 per calendar year | 20 rentals or spending $6,000 per calendar year |
| Point accrual rate | 1 point per dollar spent on rentals
2 points per dollar spent on accessories | 1.25 points per dollar spent on rentals
2.5 points per dollar spent on accessories | 1.5 points per dollar spent on rentals
3 points per dollar spent on accessories |
| Expedited service | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dedicated support phone number | ✓ | ||
| Upgrades | Free one-car-class upgrade when reserving a midsize or above | Free two-car-class upgrade when reserving a midsize or above | |
| Guaranteed vehicle | Up to full size with 24-hour notice |
In addition, Avis has an unpublished Chairman's Club status tier that is invitation-only.
There are several ways to get Avis elite status without meeting the requirements above. For example, you can reach Avis Preferred Plus after earning 60,000 American Airlines Loyalty Points, by having United Airlines Premier Silver or Gold status, or by holding the right credit card. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees), the Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ (see rates and fees), The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express all offer this status as a perk (enrollment is required).
And right now, the Chase Sapphire Reserve is offering a best-ever welcome bonus: Earn 100,000 bonus points plus a $500 Chase Travel℠ credit after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
FoundersCard members also receive free Avis Preferred Plus status.
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Avis President's Club is available to those who earn 100,000 American Airlines Loyalty Points, hold United Premier Platinum or Premier 1K status, or hold United Airlines Global Services status. Primary cardmembers of the United Club℠ Card (see rates and fees), the United Presidential Plus℠ Card, the United Club Business℠ Card and the United Presidential Plus Business Card (no longer available to new applicants) are also eligible for instant President's Club status.
The information for the United Presidential Plus Card, United Club Business Card and United Presidential Plus Business Card 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: Visa Infinite: Everything you need to know, from rental car perks to lounge access
Enterprise rental car elite status
The Enterprise Plus program works similarly to Avis Preferred. Anyone can join as a base member and begin earning points for qualifying rentals (you earn 1 point per dollar spent as a basic member). You can then redeem these points for free rental days.
The program also has three elite status levels with additional benefits:
| Qualifications | Free to join | Six qualifying rentals | 12 qualifying rentals or 40 days | 24 qualifying rentals or 85 days |
| Point accrual bonus | 10% | 15% | 20% | |
| Free car upgrades | One per year | Two per year | Four per year |
While the benefits are limited, elite status with Enterprise can help you get free rentals faster.
Related: Common rental car mistakes — and how to avoid them
Hertz rental car elite status
The Hertz loyalty program is called Hertz Gold Plus Rewards. Like Enterprise's and Avis' programs, it's free to join. Basic members enjoy designated aisles where they can choose any car at some Hertz locations and the ability to transfer points to a spouse or domestic partner.
If you reach the elite status tiers, you'll earn more points per dollar spent and have access to more vehicle choices and free upgrades.
| Qualifications | Free to join | 10 rentals or $2,000 | 15 rentals or $3,000 |
| Point accrual | 1 point per dollar spent | 1.25 points per dollar spent | 1.5 points per dollar spent |
| Upgrades | As available | Guaranteed | |
| Ultimate Choice aisle | Gold aisle | Five Star aisle | President's Circle aisle |
| No second-driver fees | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dedicated customer service line | ✓ |
As with Avis, Hertz provides elite status for some frequent flyers. Delta Air Lines Diamond and Platinum Medallion members can enjoy complimentary President's Circle status, while Silver and Gold Medallion members receive complimentary Five Star status. All Medallion members are also eligible to earn bonus SkyMiles when renting with Hertz — with details provided on Delta's website. Link your accounts to begin enjoying complimentary elite status with Hertz.
The Platinum Card from American Express and The Business Platinum Card from American Express offer complimentary Hertz Gold Plus Rewards President's Circle status. (Enrollment is required.)
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card also offers Hertz Gold Plus Rewards President's Circle status (enrollment is required).*
*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: How you can redeem points and miles for car rentals
National rental car elite status
National's loyalty program is known as National Emerald Club and offers two elite status tiers.
As with the other programs, the basic membership tier is free to join and allows you to skip the counter and select any car in the Emerald Aisle when you rent a midsize or above. The Emerald Aisle is one of the best ways to get on the road faster. You'll also earn rental credits that you can redeem toward free rental days, airline miles or hotel rewards.
Renters who reach the elite status tiers can enjoy additional perks:
| Qualifications | Free to join | 12 paid rentals or 40 rental days in a calendar year | 25 paid rentals or 85 rental days in a calendar year |
| Free day accrual rate | One free day every seven credits | One free day every six credits | One free day every five credits, in any car class with no blackout dates |
| Car selection (in the U.S. and Canada) | Choose any car (midsize and above) in the Emerald Aisle and pay only the midsize rate | Choose any car (full-size and above) in the Executive Area and pay only the midsize rate | Choose any car (full-size and above) in the Executive Area and pay only the midsize rate |
| No second-driver fees | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Guaranteed upgrades when you reserve a full-size through a luxury car (in the U.S. and Canada) | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Upgrades at participating European locations, based on availability | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Guaranteed vehicle (in the U.S. and Canada) | Up to full-size with 24-hour notice |
National also has an invitation-only tier called VIP, though the criteria for reaching it are somewhat mysterious.
The Platinum Card from American Express, The Business Platinum Card from American Express and the Chase Sapphire Reserve offer complimentary National Emerald Club Executive status (enrollment is required).
Related: VIP treatment: Your guide to invitation-only airline and hotel elite status
Sixt rental car elite status
The German rental car company Sixt has grown significantly in the U.S. since entering the market in 2011. The Sixt loyalty program offers many of the same benefits listed above, including the ability to skip the line and collect points or miles for your rental.
There are also three elite status tiers, including one invitation-only tier. Here are the details of each:
| Qualifications | Free to join | Three rentals | 10 rentals | By invitation only |
| Upgrades | Upon availability | Guaranteed | ||
| Discount | Up to 10% | Up to 15% | Up to 20% | |
| No second-driver fees in the U.S. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Exclusive counter and parking | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Lounge access | ✓ |
Earning elite status with credit cards
You don't have to be a frequent renter to earn rental car elite status. As we mentioned above, you can reach status at some rental companies simply by holding the right credit card or status with a partner program. Be sure to enroll in these benefits to avoid leaving free perks and discounts on the table.
Don't forget that many credit cards — including the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) and the United℠ Explorer Card (see rates and fees) — offer primary rental car insurance, which can save you money (and stress). Many credit cards offer bonus points for rental car purchases, and you can use online shopping portals like Rakuten to earn even more points at rental car companies.
Related: Best gas credit cards
Using a status match
Another way to snag rental car elite status is by matching your status from another program. You may have heard of airline and hotel status matches, which let you bypass elite qualification requirements if you hold status with a competitor. The idea is simple: If you earn status in one program (or, in some cases, get it automatically through a credit card), a status match allows you to get a similar elite tier with other programs. (Generally, you'll only be able to keep the "free" status for the first year; beyond that, you'll have to meet the usual qualification requirements.)
Some car rental agencies offer this, too. Some will match the status only at competitors, while others match the status at airlines and hotels as well. Here are some examples, with links to their status match request forms:
You can also check StatusMatcher's rental car status match page to see how you might be able to earn rental car status more easily.
Related: The complete guide to car rental elite status matches
Bottom line
Rental car elite status may not be as glamorous as airline and hotel elite status, but it can nevertheless be rewarding. With long lines at many rental counters, elite status can not only help ensure your reservation is honored but also allow you to head straight to your assigned vehicle at many airports. It can also help you earn points — and thus, free rental days — faster.
If you're hitting the road this summer, don't miss our post on how to save money on rental cars, particularly by using AutoSlash.
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