Avis - Avis First - Does any EVER receive an automatic upgrade?

I've been Avis First for well over 6 months, and in that time - which represents about 20 rentals - I've never shown up at an airport with an upgraded vehicle. I reserve Intermediate and receive Intermediate.

The rental card in the vehicle says Avis First, so I know it's in their system.

Is the process supposed to be this difficult? (With Hertz there was nearly always an upgraded vehicle so I'm really wondering why I moved my allegiance...)

Edited to add: I'm not ranting, I'm really asking if there is something going on... As in, is this designed to reduced the number of upgrades / is something wrong with my profile / etc.?

Considering your reservations are for an Intermediate, it is surprising that you have never received an upgrade.

I hope that you are asking at the Preferred counter for an upgrade.

Avis can be stingy with upgrades at some locations. It's obviously not due to your profile if it says it on the rental card. Probably a function of time (do you show up on Tuesday/Wednesdays when they are low on vehicles) or the station (is it the same location or different ones)?

And are you sure you're getting Intermediates and not a full/other? Many cars that I'd consider intermediate (Camry, etc) are full size by Avis standards.

I guess it depends on locations a lot. I rent from both corporate and franchise locations. At corporate locations I always see previous Avis First members left their contract in the cars I get. I have seen full size class got upgraded to luxury class before, not sure if they negotiated.

I moved from Avis to National and couldn't be happier. You get to choose the car you want, granted some of the selections are minimal at certain places.

The only upgrades that Avis wanted to give me was a fullsize car to a stinkin Lincoln or Grand Marquis.

Yep, I go back and ask for an upgrade (usually). And yes I am sure of the vehicle type I'm receiving... (Boarding card lists both the "reserved" and "rented" groups)

Usually when I ask to switch cars there is no issue (and there has never been a supply issue), but twice I've been quoted a price to upgrade (resulting in me asking "isn't that a benefit I'm supposed to receive")

When I was AVIS First, I usually got upgrades from Intermediate to Full. Mostly to Malibus or other equally horrible cars.

I dont think AVIS really thinks of their "first" program as much of a loyalty program.

Once I was part of the PC program, upgrades became very automatic. CC obviously would be even better.

I've been Avis First for well over 6 months, and in that time - which represents about 20 rentals - I've never shown up at an airport with an upgraded vehicle. I reserve Intermediate and receive Intermediate.
The chances of an upgrade vary with location and class. It dpends a lot on how much they have of the next class up (since Aivs First only offers you a one-class upgrade, if they're low on that class and high on the one two classes up, that may not help you unless they're really nice at that location and double-upgrade you despite not needing to).

As such, I have no problem getting upgrades from Compact to Intermediate most of the time, and Economy to Compact basically all of the time, when First (even sometimes when only Preferred, but it's not a publsihed benefit for Preferreed any more).

Since I'm price-conscious and always booking on my own dime, I only tend to book either Economy or Compact, and thus don't have any personal experience with upgrades from higher car classes. However, in my many years of reading the Avis forum on FT, I've noticed that the number of compallints about no upgrades goes up the higher the car class booked, while I never hear complaints about people not getting upgraded from the lowest car classes. So I do think that higher car classes may be harder to upgrade, at least at certain stations...

From my experience, Intermediate to Full Size is usually an easy upgrade. Going from F or higher, it's more challenging.

I think it's really station dependent. I rented at AUS and got upgraded from a full size car to a standard SUV. I used to rent from Avis at PDX about 10-12x a year and last year I think I got 2 upgrades. I was told by the station manager that they do not recognize Avis First there. I switched to National and have been pretty happy.

I get consistently upgraded. Either from Intermediate to Luxury, or Intermediate to Full Size, or sometimes even a Mustang.

Generally I rent from the same 2 or 3 locations, and they've come to know me, so that might be part of it. But even before they really started to recognize me, I was still being treated well.

When I rent avis domestically I've received an upgrade nearly half the time I've rented.

One time in C-Springs I was upgraded from an intermediate to a Hummer (strange right?)

My last trip, to Tampa I was upgraded from an intermediate to a Brand New Mustang GT (cool cars!).

One time in C-Springs I was upgraded from an intermediate to a Hummer (strange right?)
I've had multiple cases where I've been offered an upgrade from a compact to something giant and gas-guzzling. I'd rather have no upgrade than something like that, given that I have to pay for my own gas. I guess someone who's on a business trip where their gas is reimbursed anyway might look at it differently, though. (But to me it seemed like they were trying to "unload" a model that nobody wants on me, rather than "truly upgrading" me!)

An upgrade to a mini-SUV from even a compact can be common in some more-rural stations, such as JAC (Jackson Hole, Wyoming, the only commercial airport in the US located inside a national park!), because of the expectations of road conditions there (at least at some times of the year, but whatever vehicles they choose because of road conditions in winter are there to be rented in the summer too!).

Perhaps not the correct thread for this, so moderators feel free to split and merge to the proper thread if need be, but while I know this thread is in regards to vehicle upgrades with Avis First, has anyone received an automatic complimentary upgrade to Avis First?

I signed up on Tuesday for the Avis Preferred program and made my first rental ever through Avis on Wednesday. On Thursday, I logged in and saw that my account was showing as upgraded to Avis First, so I wrote the online chat agent who confirmed that my account is a First account, but the Avis First website does not recognize my account as such, and when I picked up a second reservation yesterday, it still noted Preferred (will this automatically update or do you have to call in to have all current reservations refreshed?). Certainly not expecting something for nothing, but a little confused :confused:.

I rent weekly from the same location and have been doing so for well over a 18 months. I usually reserve a compact or intermediate and leave with no less than a full size class or premium class vehicle every time. In most cases my make and model preferences have been waiting without needing to go to the Preferred counter at all. But this unfortunately can be attributed to the relationships I've developed with several members of the Avis Preferred staff rather than Avis First status. These individuals normally work daytime during the week and the generous and appreciative attitude they exhibit is not shared by those attending that counter during any other shifts. On one occasion a member of what I affectionately refer to as the JV squad was unrelenting about a double upgrade request in the absence of any vehicles one class above my reservation. Not that it was one of my best moments, but she eventually granted the double upgrade after I commented that the double upgrade vehicle was available, not her personal vehicle, impacted her life in no negative manner to let me drive it, and digging in her heels would imply the company motto might be more appropriately changed to "We try harder to do the minimum it takes to prevent a cancellation." I'm not particularly proud of that but that particular agent and I are now very friendly and she even apologized for being difficult with a discretionary coupon the staff keep on hand to apologize for hiccups in the process. So as the old adage goes, ultimately it's all about relationships.

I get consistently upgraded. Either from Intermediate to Luxury, or Intermediate to Full Size, or sometimes even a Mustang.

Generally I rent from the same 2 or 3 locations, and they've come to know me, so that might be part of it. But even before they really started to recognize me, I was still being treated well.

I pretty much always get upgraded from Intermediate or Full Size to the small SUV or Mustang/Camaro.

I always book Economy. My personal car is a Corolla and I hate driving big cars.
I've always been upgraded. Sometimes only into my comfort zone of Compact. But more than half the time into some boring boats that my Grandpa would love. The last car was a Mustang. When I saw it sitting in my numbered spot, I was thinking "how cool". It was kinda cool to have it for a few days, but my Corolla handles much better than this "sports" car.

Yeah, at 6'4" I have difficulty even with Intermediate, which is a policy requirement at work. The "free" upgrades actually mean something in terms of value to me... ;)

So my lack of upgrades is clearly atypical... :(

Have been renting Avis for well over 7 years. About 20 times a year. Most times get upgrades. At some locations they tell me what they have and ask what I want. I don't like the very big cars but have selected speciality cars and convertibles and only been charged my rate for an intermediate. While I get
Lots of upgrades I do find service levels vary. Yvr get AWSOME service. Yyz the service is very poor.

I always book Economy. My personal car is a Corolla and I hate driving big cars.
I always book Economy (class code A) when it's signfiacntly lower than Compact (class code B), but often they're either the same or extremely close, in which case I rent Compact.

On my last two Compact rentals (one at BUF, one at HSV) I got upgraded to a Corolla, which is Intermediate at Avis (class code C). (And, btw, that has been as just Preferred, not First! Though a third station, LBB, stopped upgrading me once I was dropped from First to Preferred earlier this year.)

Rented at GSO last week - requested a standard, was given a premium, specifically a 2012 Ford Taurus Limited w/ about 6k on the clock and just about every optional extra known to man (other than satnav). Sirius was active for the whole rental. Given the 100+ degree days, the air conditioned seats were a welcome perk.

Rented at GSO last week - requested a standard, was given a premium, specifically a 2012 Ford Taurus Limited w/ about 6k on the clock and just about every optional extra known to man (other than satnav). Sirius was active for the whole rental. Given the 100+ degree days, the air conditioned seats were a welcome perk.

2012 or 2013? The Taurus underwent a minor refresh in 2013 and by the mileage/Satellite, sounds like you might have had a 2013...

I get an upgrade every single time, normally to the best car on the lot or one right under it if a large location :)

2012 or 2013? The Taurus underwent a minor refresh in 2013 and by the mileage/Satellite, sounds like you might have had a 2013...
You may be right, although I could have sworn the agent at GSO said it was a '12. I know there's a subtle difference in the Limited's grille, but visually the '12 and the '13 sheet metal are very similar.

All that said, I'm a fan of the new Taurus - nice ride, excellent handling for a car its size, and well appointed (at least, the ones I've rented), including backup cam and blind spot monitoring system. It always requires a bit of adjustment for me, since I'm used to my Fiesta, but it's a welcome change.

You may be right, although I could have sworn the agent at GSO said it was a '12. I know there's a subtle difference in the Limited's grille, but visually the '12 and the '13 sheet metal are very similar.

All that said, I'm a fan of the new Taurus - nice ride, excellent handling for a car its size, and well appointed (at least, the ones I've rented), including backup cam and blind spot monitoring system. It always requires a bit of adjustment for me, since I'm used to my Fiesta, but it's a welcome change.

The '13 receives the digital MyFordTouch gauges, whereas the '12 retains the analog ones. That's the surest sign of different model years. :)

The '13 receives the digital MyFordTouch gauges, whereas the '12 retains the analog ones. That's the surest sign of different model years. :)
Well, it definitely had MyFordTouch, so I guess it was a '13. Huh.

Well, it definitely had MyFordTouch, so I guess it was a '13. Huh.

I meant the driver's gauges/instrument cluster, not the MFT on the center stack. :)

I am Avis First and have been for the past 3 years (70 rentals per year, but only 3-4 "qualifying rentals" - almost all are one day rentals). I regularly get upgrades at my regular locations where I rent every week (Houston Hobby Airport & Tampa Airport). Typically I get at least two car classes upgrade in both locations. Last time in Tampa, booked an intermediate car and received a Chevrolet Camaro (brand new with 37 miles on it), unfortunately only got to drive it 19 miles and had it less than 7 hours. In Houston booked an intermediate car and received a Toyota Venza. However in my most recent rental experienced my first Downgrade, in Shreveport where I rented and paid for an Intermediate Car and received a Subcompact (Hyundai Accent)... I guess sometimes you win and other times you lose...

I'm Avis First and 90% of the time I get an upgrade. I think it makes a bigger difference if you rent from the same location. For example, I rent at ORD almost every week and always choose intermediate. I've been given a wide range; Ford Escape, Chevy Traverse, Chevy Suburban, Impala, Ford Mustang, Mazda 6, etc. A few of my co-workers have even received Infinitis and BMWs and we have the same status and rent the same car class

At other locations when I rent intermediate I usally receive cars like a Ford Fusion, Chevy Malibu, etc. I think Avis looks at loyalty to specific locations more than anything.