Difference between revisions of "Credit cards with elite car rental status"
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{{seo|description=Get free upgrades and extra points with the elite car rental status you can receive from your American Express, World MasterCard, and Visa Infinite cards.}} | {{seo|description=Get free upgrades and extra points with the elite car rental status you can receive from your American Express, World MasterCard, and Visa Infinite cards.}} | ||
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Just having the credit card is not enough. You’ll need to go online, or call the rental car company to request your elite status. | Just having the credit card is not enough. You’ll need to go online, or call the rental car company to request your elite status. | ||
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Delta Gold or better members also get free Hertz status. Use [//www.delta.com/us/en/skymiles/medallion-program/elite-benefits-partners this link]. | Delta Gold or better members also get free Hertz status. Use [//www.delta.com/us/en/skymiles/medallion-program/elite-benefits-partners this link]. | ||
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| + | {{Box|Free rental days with Avis}} | ||
| + | With the Amex Platinum, you'll earn a free weekend car rental (good for two days), if you complete two qualifying car rentals during the first half or second half of the year. To qualify, your paid rentals need to be at least two days long, booked with AWD A756900, and paid for with your Platinum card. You can earn one certificate every six months. | ||
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==== Some notes ==== | ==== Some notes ==== | ||
<ul class="simplelist"> | <ul class="simplelist"> | ||
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<li>The extra 2 or 4 hour grace periods from Hertz can be extremely valuable. Depending on how long you need your rental car, it could save you an entire day's rental. For example, if you pick up your rental at 1pm and need to be back to the airport the next day at 5pm, you only need to pay for one days rental, rather than two. This benefit is only available at locations in the United States.</li> | <li>The extra 2 or 4 hour grace periods from Hertz can be extremely valuable. Depending on how long you need your rental car, it could save you an entire day's rental. For example, if you pick up your rental at 1pm and need to be back to the airport the next day at 5pm, you only need to pay for one days rental, rather than two. This benefit is only available at locations in the United States.</li> | ||
<li>Mastercard doesn't have a website that summarizes their status benefits. You'll need to go to different pages to learn about and sign up for each of the programs. [//www.mastercard.com/en-ke/consumers/find-card-products/world-elite/travel/hertz-benefit.html Hertz]. [//www.avis.com/en/bridge/partner/mastercard/preferred-plus Avis Avis]. [http://partner.sixt.de/mcelite/how-to-book-sixt/sixt-cards/?L=1 Sixt].</li> | <li>Mastercard doesn't have a website that summarizes their status benefits. You'll need to go to different pages to learn about and sign up for each of the programs. [//www.mastercard.com/en-ke/consumers/find-card-products/world-elite/travel/hertz-benefit.html Hertz]. [//www.avis.com/en/bridge/partner/mastercard/preferred-plus Avis Avis]. [http://partner.sixt.de/mcelite/how-to-book-sixt/sixt-cards/?L=1 Sixt].</li> | ||
| − | < | + | <li>Several of the cards you might be interested in are World Elite Mastercards. So, there is a good chance that you’ll eventually wind up getting at least one of these cards.</li> |
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| − | Several of the cards you might be interested in are World Elite Mastercards. So, there is a good chance that you’ll eventually wind up getting at least one of these cards. | ||
<ul class="checklist"> | <ul class="checklist"> | ||
<li>{{Card|CitiPrestige|only}} and {{Card|CitiPremier|only}}.</li> | <li>{{Card|CitiPrestige|only}} and {{Card|CitiPremier|only}}.</li> | ||
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| − | In addition, the {{Card|Doublecash|only} doesn’t come standard as a World Elite card, but you can call in and convert it to the better World Elite version, for no extra charge. | + | In addition, the {{Card|Doublecash|only}} doesn’t come standard as a World Elite card, but you can call in and convert it to the better World Elite version, for no extra charge. |
| − | + | <li>The only Visa Infinite cards are the {{Card|SapphireReserve|only}}, {{Card|CrystalInfinite|only}}, {{Card|UBSInfinite|only}}, and the no longer available for new signups {{Card|Ritz|only}}.</li> | |
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| − | The only Visa Infinite cards are the {{Card|SapphireReserve|only}}, {{Card|CrystalInfinite|only}}, {{Card|UBSInfinite|only}}, and the no longer available for new signups {{Card|Ritz|only}}. | ||
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=== Other paths to automatic Hertz status === | === Other paths to automatic Hertz status === | ||
Revision as of 19:51, 30 January 2020
Car Rental Strategies, Credit Card Reference
One of the benefits of Mastercard World Elite, Amex Platinum and Visa Infinite credit cards is elite status with one or more car rental companies.
Being an elite member of a car rental loyalty program is nice, but not exceedingly valuable. You get a decent chance of a one-class rental car upgrade and somewhat faster reward earning rate on your rentals. As a result, we would never recommend getting a credit card, just to get elite rental car status. However, there is a reasonable chance that you already have, or will wind up getting, at least one of the cards that has this benefit. And you might as well take advantage of their elite car rental status benefit.
Just having the credit card is not enough. You’ll need to go online, or call the rental car company to request your elite status.
Jump to:
What's available from each credit card
With the right combination of cards, you can get elite status in all three major US programs.
| Program | Visa Infinite | World Elite Mastercard | Amex Platinum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webpage | Webpage | ||
 |
Executive status | Special rates | Executive status |
 |
Preferred Plus status | Preferred Plus status | Special rates |
 |
2 hour grace period with CDP 2150933 | President's Circle status. | 4 hour grace period with CDP 211762 |
 |
Platinum' status | ||
 |
Special rates |
The United Club card provides automatic Hertz President's Circle status. You also get some level of Hertz premium status with any level of United status (including the fre Silver status you can get from Marriott elite status). Sign up with this link.
Delta Gold or better members also get free Hertz status. Use this link.
With the Amex Platinum, you'll earn a free weekend car rental (good for two days), if you complete two qualifying car rentals during the first half or second half of the year. To qualify, your paid rentals need to be at least two days long, booked with AWD A756900, and paid for with your Platinum card. You can earn one certificate every six months.
Some notes
- The extra 2 or 4 hour grace periods from Hertz can be extremely valuable. Depending on how long you need your rental car, it could save you an entire day's rental. For example, if you pick up your rental at 1pm and need to be back to the airport the next day at 5pm, you only need to pay for one days rental, rather than two. This benefit is only available at locations in the United States.
- Mastercard doesn't have a website that summarizes their status benefits. You'll need to go to different pages to learn about and sign up for each of the programs. Hertz. Avis Avis. Sixt.
- Several of the cards you might be interested in are World Elite Mastercards. So, there is a good chance that you’ll eventually wind up getting at least one of these cards.
- Citi Prestige Card and Citi Premier Card.
- American Airlines Platinum Card and American Airlines Executive Card.
- Hawaiian Airlines Credit Card.
- Virgin Atlantic Credit Card.
- Air France KLM Credit Card.
- Sak's Fifth Avenue Card
- Capital One Buy Power Card
- Priority Destinations World Elite
- The only Visa Infinite cards are the Sapphire Reserve Card, CNB Crystal Infinite Card, UBS Infinite Card, and the no longer available for new signups Ritz Carlton Credit Card.
In addition, the Citi Double Cash Card doesn’t come standard as a World Elite card, but you can call in and convert it to the better World Elite version, for no extra charge.
Other paths to automatic Hertz status
| United Club Credit Card |
The premium United Club Credit Card gives you automatic Hertz President's club access (not just their lower Five Star status). |
| United and Delta elite members |
Delta Medallion and United Premier elite members automatically get elite status in the Hertz Gold Plus program. That benefit is also available for people with the high-annual-fee United Club card. |
| Marriott Titanium and Ambassador elites |
Titanium members receive Five Star status, Ambassador members receive President's Circle status, by registering online. Previously, they needed to link their Marriott and United accounts to get United Silver status, and then use their United status to get elite status from Hertz. |
