Cupart

Checked the price to rent a car through Hertz in SFO in October to get an idea of what it would cost me.

So making a bog standard reservation with Hertz' own default applied discount "WOW" code the cheapest option came to USD 324. Not bad for 10 days IMO.

Using your discount through FB (different "discount" rates at different tiers, Gold in my case) the cost is USD 419 for the exact same vehicle and time frame...

Nice one FB ^

irishguy28

This has always been the case - and not only for Flying Blue CDPs (also for other airline mileage programmes) and not only for Hertz. If you want the miles, you do indeed have to pay a little(*) extra based on the rental company's absolute cheapest rates - even though it is indeed a little misleading to suggest that you are "getting a discount" when using airline CDPs.

(*) I always check the "airline" rate against the best available bare-bones rate, and decide if the miles are worth it (usually, they're not). However, I don't ever recall seeing a disparity as large as that. Sometimes - well, once, when renting a car in New Zealand during the Rugby World Cup - the airline rate was actually the cheapest available rate )

kevinflyaway

But there is another way

you can actually use a different discount code and still get the FB miles.

I always use the ANWB discount code, for which from all the rentals I did never got asked to show the card (which I actually don't have)....its 504224. Just before booking you can still say you want FB Miles earned and I always get mine credited without problems

It will give you mostly the cheapest rate possible. I do have to say that I found SFO more expensive for car rentals then what I'm used to.

irishguy28

Thanks for the tip!!!

blairvanhorn

I had the same experience recently in France - it had to do with the #1 Club Gold TOS having changed. Are you a #1 Gold Club member?

In my #1 Club Gold profile, I had declined the optional insurance (CDW, etc) as my credit card covers it. I was informed by Customer Service back in November that Hertz's best rates are usually the "pre-paid" offers (which I often use with my FB/Amex discount) and that these rates by default now include the CDW/TP supplementary insurance coverage. So by having checked in my profile that I "declined" all CDW/TP, the system was defaulting to much more expensive rates. I modified my Gold profile and accepted the CDW/TP by default and now have access once again to the lowest rates.

I am wondering if something similar is not happening in your case - where are you based?

Cupart

Thanks for the tip kevinflyaway ^

This is what makes me a novice Thanks for your input. Highly appreciated ^

Hi blairvanhorn,

I hardly ever rent cars at any location except when going to the US. Always go for the absolute cheapest option (with a renowned company) as long as it gets me safely from A to B and preferably back again This leaves me with always getting a pre-paid car as my dates are usually fixed (vacation) and don't want or need the flexibility to cancel in the last second!

So to answer your query: No I don't have the Hertz Gold number 1 club card. I remember FB G (and Plats?) were invited to join for free some time back but I declined as I never use it.

Now I know for sure that not take any discounts for granted before asking in here first.

Thanks all for your time replying ^^^

Mokshu

I booked last year with Hertz in Verona, and it was cheaper to use public fares (promo) than a corporate discount code. So I guess this happens quite a lot.

blairvanhorn

Yes. But the cheapest rates I have always gotten have been the pre-paid combined with my AF/Amex CDP.