National - Where Emerald Club isn't available...

I'm new here, so be gentle.

At the airports where Emerald Club selection isn't available (Counter Service instead), do they ever offer this service on an informal or friendly basis when possible?

In other words, if I politely asked, would they let me select the car I wanted?

They don't have an aisle per se, but usually they have several cars you can choose from. However, depends on how large their inventory is and how busy they are.

I rent almost exlcusively at counter locations, and I've found like drzoidberg said that there's always a choice of cars. Say I reserve a midsize, my counter location would pull some keys and offer me a Sentra, PT, Rondo, etc. Some smaller suburban locations I've been to will actually let you pick a car from the lot.

I'm new here, so be gentle.

At the airports where Emerald Club selection isn't available (Counter Service instead), do they ever offer this service on an informal or friendly basis when possible?

In other words, if I politely asked, would they let me select the car I wanted?

Welcome to FT

This usually happens at smaller airports, such as SYR (as opposed to say DEN) and you still get better treatment.

Bob H

Welcome to FT

This usually happens at smaller airports, such as SYR (as opposed to say DEN) and you still get better treatment.

Bob H

Treatment is a hit or miss (although, more hit than miss). Some smaller locations are very busy - as in overbooked or running short sometimes depending on the business events. So, they may or may not offer you exactly what you had expected. However, almost in every such instance, they usually try to give better cars (or choices) to EC members than others. If I frequent a location, they usually recognize me after some time and know exactly what I want, and will upgrade me to that for free even when I always book Compact. Couple of times they have said that "Oh, we have Sat radio, but its an SUV and it will be $12 more per day". But its because the people who know me are not working then.

However, pretty much everyone else is an EC member now.

A little OT, but we reserved a car at the Disney Car Care Center last month. We are Exec, and reserved a midsize. I called for a van pickup at my disney Hotel, when we arrived at the location, the driver said, Mrs. XXXXX, the manager is waiting for you with the keys to your car. He pointed me to a brand new 2010 Chevy Impala. We had a great rental. We didn't even have to go inside to the counter. Great service for a non-EA location.