MilesBuzz! - Hertz, Alamo, & National "Elite" membership Instantly

All three elite memberships, Hertz No.1 Club, Alamo Quick Silver, and National's Emerald Club, are available online with just a few clicks. For details:
http://misc.biztravel.com/content/specials/car.htm

Nice offer (I guess) but is there really any advantage to "elite" status on a car rental program? Their biggest selling point seems to be no waiting in line for your car but if you reserve over the internet you get that anyway...

With National, at least, you can put in the Emerald Club contract ID (5007125) for online booking and get usually about a 15% discount. The nice thing about this is that it applies in addition to any coupon discounts (like one day free on a 3-day weekend rental) that you might also want to enter and use. The double whammy saves a lot, which you'll need to offset all the high taxes and junk fees for rental cars.

Here's one good reason why you should NOT join these clubs:

(From the Hertz website)

It is Hertz' standard business practice to use, where we are legally permitted to do so, our customer data for mailings by Hertz, our affiliated companies and our unaffiliated business partners. Hertz' affiliates include its subsidiaries; its majority stockholder, Ford Motor Company; and other subsidiaries of Ford Motor Company. Information regarding Hertz' Privacy policy may be found in our Privacy Statement.

Originally posted by selfdestrc:
Nice offer (I guess) but is there really any advantage to "elite" status on a car rental program? Their biggest selling point seems to be no waiting in line for your car but if you reserve over the internet you get that anyway...

In the words of Hertz ... "Not Exactly"

I rent with Avis and Hertz usually, and reserving over the internet without a Preferred or #1 Club number respectively with either does not give the same level of service as with the membership. With both those companies, you proceed directly to the bus bypassing the counter at most major airports. You can no do that without the membership, which means they have your signature, drivers license, and credit card on a contract already.

Originally posted by johnpace:
Here's one good reason why you should NOT join these clubs:

(From the Hertz website)

It is Hertz' standard business practice to use, where we are legally permitted to do so, our customer data for mailings by Hertz, our affiliated companies and our unaffiliated business partners. Hertz' affiliates include its subsidiaries; its majority stockholder, Ford Motor Company; and other subsidiaries of Ford Motor Company. Information regarding Hertz' Privacy policy may be found in our Privacy Statement.

It's a real pain throwing out that junk mail http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

This also means that Hertz will send you some fairly good coupons from time to time ...

Nice link, trvl4free. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

I was once with another FTer, Scott the flier, when he was picking up his rig at National at SeaTac. He's an Emerald member. The deal is you can pick any car available in the Emerald Aisle at no extra charge even if your reservation is only for a crummy Dodge Escort or whatever. We all hopped in the car and were on our way in under a minute. That was a better experience than I've ever had at Hertz or Alamo on my own.

Thanks - I think the memberships are great! I use Hertz #1 Club Gold and it is one of the most seamless, fast ways to get a rental. In over 40 rentals in the past 7 months since I joined (for free on a promo), I have never not had my car ready, with the keys & contract inside. I've also never had an error and my most frequent rentals are DFW & LAX. Also, they're in every freakin' place I've ever been, LAX or South Bend, DFW or Greensboro.

As far as junk mail - no more than the usual crap that I get and toss in the shredder.



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Ken in Sacramento

That's right essxjay, the best thing about National is the quick in and out. Plus you can book online using the certs and get one day off for a Saturday night stay. And like you said any car, suv or truck is fair game at one low price. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif


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Cheers Scott

These are not "elite" orgrams...The Hertz #1 Club Gold is a great program, bypasses the counter and they have you car all prepped and running for you but it is not Hertz "elite" program. Hertz frequent renters earn "5 Star" status and then "Presidents Club" or some similar name which helps get upgraded cars, bonus points and other small perks.

NOTE:
What Hertz is offering ISN'T #1 Club Gold (no counter at all)

They are offering #1 Club Express, which is you have a special counter and you fill in the number on your res form and your info gets filled in.

See:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum79/HTML/000089.html

And yes, I belong to ALL of 'em! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by doc (edited 02-03-2001).]

The deal is you can pick any car available in the Emerald Aisle at no extra charge even if your reservation is only for a crummy Dodge Escort or whatever.
This is the really great part of the Aisle. You reserve at an intermediate size and select from the cars on the Aisle which are full size cars and, sometimes, SUVs, convertibles and pickups, depending on the season and whim of the location.

tvl4free:

Thanks! I added National to my cache of memberships. This will be useful for leisure rentals.

-David

I've been in National's Emerald Club for 3 years. I think I sometimes get better rates, but it has never saved me any time anywhere. I joined Hertz #1 Club last month and used it for the first time this week (at ISP). I showed my license and they handed me the key! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif Nothing to sign, no long list of questions about insurance. It was a time saver and I got to a meeting only 1 minute
late rather than 10 minutes late.

Now we'll see if my miles post without a follow-up! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum1/HTML/003679.html