National - No Rental Credits on consecutive rentals

I noticed that my free day balance hasn't been growing for the last 3 months and was really surprised because National always seems to post the days so quickly.
I have been renting continually for 3 months straight, returning the cars every 3 weeks to get the receipt for my expense reports and taking another car out the same day (sometimes keeping the same car).

In addition to the continual rental, I would fly home for the weekend and rent another car rather than leaving my car at the airport and playing for parking.

I reviewed my history online and discovered that most of my continual rentals did not receive any credits towards free rentals.

Customer Service explained to me that consecutive rentals do not receive rental credits.

This year: 100+ nights on about 15 rentals.

I was a little pissed at myself that I didn't notice it before as I rented 300 days last year...who knows how many nights I missed out on due to this policy.

I rent from National due to the Emerald program but I am now going to start throwing a Hertz rental between my 3 week rentals.

I reviewed my history online and discovered that most of my continual rentals did not receive any credits towards free rentals.

Customer Service explained to me that consecutive rentals do not receive rental credits.

I don't believe that this is really correct - it is if you do 2 consecutive 1 day rentals - you'd only get 1 credit and not 2.

You should get credit for the entire time that you have a rental out (eg I believe it's 2 credits a week - perhaps no credit for the second rental though). Are you using some corporate code that could exclude credits? (I know that some corporate codes exclude frequent flyer miles and possibly credits).

Hopefully Ritz - who does something similar to you will be by and give us his experience.

I have had it happen also. If you return car one and immediately pick up car two... no credit on car two.

I believe this is a known issue with National. I had to do the same thing OP did. I was doing monthly rentals. Month one Hertz, month two National and so on...

I have had it happen also. If you return car one and immediately pick up car two... no credit on car two.

I believe this is a known issue with National. I had to do the same thing OP did. I was doing monthly rentals. Month one Hertz, month two National and so on...

I usually get all my credits when I do back to back monthly rentals. All other consecutive rentals I do not.

Do you have more than 1 National location nearby? This is a known issue with National, and I'm not sure why they have this rule - it makes no sense to me. Also, I believe you won't just be missing rental credits - the days on the subsequent rental(s) won't count towards Elite status either.

After learning this lesson the hard way last year, I just flip my rentals between different locations - renting 1 week from the airport, then returning to my local National office, and re-renting from there for 2 weeks (maximum my credit card will cover), returning to the airport and repeating the cycle (always keep airport rentals to 1 week or less due to their sky high fees and extra taxes). You could just block 1 rental day from the airport or another location in between rentals rather than spending an entire week or month renting from another company.

For example, here is my typical monthly cycle:

Week 1 - p/u @ FLL or PBI, returning FXE
Week 2+3 - pickup FXE, return FLL or PBI
Week 4 - p/up @ FLL or PBI, returning FXE
wash, rinse, repeat

Do you have more than 1 National location nearby? This is a known issue with National, and I'm not sure why they have this rule - it makes no sense to me. Also, I believe you won't just be missing rental credits - the days on the subsequent rental(s) won't count towards Elite status either.

After learning this lesson the hard way last year, I just flip my rentals between different locations - renting 1 week from the airport, then returning to my local National office, and re-renting from there for 2 weeks (maximum my credit card will cover), returning to the airport and repeating the cycle (always keep airport rentals to 1 week or less due to their sky high fees and extra taxes). You could just block 1 rental day from the airport or another location in between rentals rather than spending an entire week or month renting from another company.

For example, here is my typical monthly cycle:

Week 1 - p/u @ FLL or PBI, returning FXE
Week 2+3 - pickup FXE, return FLL or PBI
Week 4 - p/up @ FLL or PBI, returning FXE
wash, rinse, repeat

Or do this daily, which is a pain but you can ensure you reach the level you want. 2 trips I'm at 11 rentals now, 13 to go.

I don't believe that this is really correct - it is if you do 2 consecutive 1 day rentals - you'd only get 1 credit and not 2.

You should get credit for the entire time that you have a rental out (eg I believe it's 2 credits a week - perhaps no credit for the second rental though). Are you using some corporate code that could exclude credits? (I know that some corporate codes exclude frequent flyer miles and possibly credits).

Hopefully Ritz - who does something similar to you will be by and give us his experience.

Sorry I've been MIA for the last few days on this (traveling with limited net access). I just got peteropny's message to weigh in. Unfortunately, its not the best news for the OP.

While I have indeed had a vehicle out every single day for close to 8 years now - I've always opted in for airline miles. Never rental credits. I do earn 1600 AA miles every 30 days, and they do post like clockwork. I spoke with my, eh-hmm, "VIP" contact (lol) with National and they did confirm that back-to-back rentals from the same location do not count past the first rental - for rental credits. They do, in fact, count for partner earnings (airline, hotel, etc) though. So perhaps the OP might switch their earning preference.

Also, my rep informed me that the OP may wish to reach out to Executive Elite CS and they should manually be able to grant the EE status based on rental history. Apparently, status should not be an issue at all (unless the OP is using a "non-qualifying" Contract ID) - which might also limit earning any partner miles/points as well.

Hope this helps. :)

The only way to get rental credits on consecutive rentals is to drop off before midnight and pick up just after midnight. I've done this numerous times and it has worked every time so far.

The only way to get rental credits on consecutive rentals is to drop off before midnight and pick up just after midnight. I've done this numerous times and it has worked every time so far.

This is a very interesting strategy. Thanks.