I had a last minute flight to Auckland, New Zealand which arrived at close to midnight. On arrival at the airport, I headed to the Car Rental counters to find every car in Auckland was already out on
loan. I explained I was not thrilled especially as I was a member of the Car Rental Company’s Club. As soon as I said this, the woman behind the counter looked more closely at my booking, confirmed my membership and moments later I was driving out of the airport in a shiny new hire car.
Being a member of a Car Rental Company Club will help you:
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avoid form filling every time you rent,
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avoid being over sold- as in my case
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skip lines
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have your frequent flyer points automatically transmitted to your airline and
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can get upgraded (though that is never guaranted)
Best of all, its usually free to be a member. Note you do not always get the best rates as a member -even when the company offers you a member’s discount. I have often made my booking and then added the number afterwards!
The major clubs are
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Alamo: Insiders
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AVIS: Preferred
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Budget: FastBreak
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Dollar: Express
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Enterprise: Plus
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Europcar: Privilege
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Hertz: Gold
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Sixt: MySixt
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Thrifty: Blue Chip
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Need some new logos there! If you’re at most airports and have prebooked your car, membership of the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards will allow you to go straight to your car (your name will be on a Gold members board). Your vehicle and insurance preferences are already noted in your profile and you just need to show your licence at the exit gate to verify you are the correct renter.
Good tip but your story would have more impact if it included the name of rental company that you used.
I stopped being active in the Enterprise club a few years ago because they still made me stand in line at the counter and do the walk around to get me car. While this doesn’t take long it does if the people in front of you at the counter are first time renters, etc. we only go as fast as the slowest person. Has this changed recently. I prefer Hertz and Avis for places I go.
DaninSTL, I find Thrifty can be very slow for members. Tim, it was Hertz in Auckland.
I don’t prefer membership of a club cause many times I have found that they charged membership fee after every 6 months completion and also they didn’t give me special treatment as I am a member of that club