Thrifty - Blue Chip Membership Results in Higher Rental Cost

I checked on a Jeep Wrangler for our Hawaii trip using the Thrifty website and code 2150, resulting in a $240 base rate quote. I thought great and then signed up for the Blue Chip program. Big mistake, now the Wrangler is $298 base rate. I have emailed Thrifty to see if I can rent without using my Blue Chip membership or if they can drop me from the program but no reply so far. Has anyone else found that signing up for Blue Chip raises their rental rate?

Thank You

Nope, doesn't affect the rate at all.

Are you sure you got the code in there the second time around?

Or perhaps in the short delay between your first rate quote and the time you spent signing up for the Blue Chip program, the price went up.

There is no penalty to change or cancel the reservation, so you might try clearing your browser cache and cookies (just in case) and starting from scratch. Try booking another reservation with your Blue Chip number and ensuring you get the promo code entered and see if you can secure the lower rate. If that doesn't work, then clear your cache and cookies again and book without a Blue Chip number. If you *can* get the rate that way, then book it and either just do it without your BC number or call and have your BC number added to the reservation.

(Either way, if you book a new reservation, be sure to cancel the old ones to avoid confusion.)

I've NEVER seen this be the case, however. I'd expect it has something to do with the promo code not being carried through when you re-attempted the booking.

You didn't happen to have them input a corporate code to your BC profile, did you?

Yes I put in a Corporate Code. I bet that is it as only the Wrangler went up. All the other vehicles that I don't want are far cheaper after signing up for Blue Chip. So I will just make a new reservation without the Blue Chip code and be happy.

Yes I put in a Corporate Code. I bet that is it as only the Wrangler went up. All the other vehicles that I don't want are far cheaper after signing up for Blue Chip. So I will just make a new reservation without the Blue Chip code and be happy.

The website doesn't make it easy to not use your corporate code when there is one saved in your Blue Chip profile. Even if you don't actually enter the CD#, it still loads it.

You can still check non-corporate rates, though, by proceeding to the vehicle class selection screen (the first one you see after inputting your dates and times, assuming you've selected "Show All Vehicles") and then looking for a button above the list of cars that says "See Standard rates." Click that, and the list of rates will change to the normal retail rates. (You can flip back to your corporate rates by clicking "See Corporate rates.")

This way, you'll still get express Blue Chip service, the Blue Chip satisfaction guarantee (one free rental day if you're not satisfied), and your Blue Chip Rewards credits (unless you chose to get airline miles).

Alternatively, you can book the reservation without your Blue Chip number and then call and have it added. Sometimes it won't show up in the location's computers as a Blue Chip rental if you do it that way, though.

I had a reservation from Thrify in LAS for 5 days in early Jan using the Wildcar promotion since I needed a larger car & was hoping to get at least a full-size. I was fairly happy with the price of $173 taxes incl. since everyone else seemed to be higher some considerably.
I then decided to join the Blue chip program since I've rented from them before & wanted to save time @ the Vegas airport. I got the # then realized I didn't want to have to print out 2 things(the confirmation & the Blue Chip #). I looked on the website & tried to find where I could add it on but to no avail. I called the 1-800 number & talked to a rep to get it added & was told no problem. They re-emailed me the confirmation(it was the same #)& the overall price was $10 higher.
When I called back I was told that this "NEW" reservation was subject to the modified tax structure & there was nothing they could do. I pointed out that I had the same confirmation # so how could it be NEW. I also pointed out that in reality I was being charged $10 more to be a Blue Chip Member because NOTHING else had changed. I wasn't being rude just making sure he knew I wasn't real happy when he hung up on me.
I immediately called back & asked to talk to a manager & told her what had happened(I usually write down who I'm talking to but failed to before I was hung up on). She also gave me the spiel about nothing they could do since it was a "NEW" reservation. I even went so far as to explain that I was hoping to get at least a full-size using the Wild-Car promotion since I would have my family(wife & 2 grown daughters & doing an overnighter to Grand Canyon)& if she would at least give me that I would be happy. Again I was told this could not be done(who in any kind of authority can't at least do that?). I told her I didn't agree with her & that even though I had been happy with the original price I would be looking elsewhere & if I could find anything close to the new rate I would be cancelling out of principal. She didn't seem to care at all.
I've since booked with another company & gotten the rate down to $128 all taxes incl. for a full-size for 5 days. I saved $55 by doing a little homework when if they had just given me the original price or the option I gave her(like anybody with some authority can't do that)I would have been happy with my original reservation.
I've learned from this experience that with a little homework you CAN save some money & that Thrifty has probably the worst promotional codes in the industry.

I had a reservation from Thrify in LAS for 5 days in early Jan using the Wildcar promotion since I needed a larger car & was hoping to get at least a full-size. I was fairly happy with the price of $173 taxes incl. since everyone else seemed to be higher some considerably.
I then decided to join the Blue chip program since I've rented from them before & wanted to save time @ the Vegas airport. I got the # then realized I didn't want to have to print out 2 things(the confirmation & the Blue Chip #). I looked on the website & tried to find where I could add it on but to no avail. I called the 1-800 number & talked to a rep to get it added & was told no problem. They re-emailed me the confirmation(it was the same #)& the overall price was $10 higher.
When I called back I was told that this "NEW" reservation was subject to the modified tax structure & there was nothing they could do. I pointed out that I had the same confirmation # so how could it be NEW. I also pointed out that in reality I was being charged $10 more to be a Blue Chip Member because NOTHING else had changed. I wasn't being rude just making sure he knew I wasn't real happy when he hung up on me.
I immediately called back & asked to talk to a manager & told her what had happened(I usually write down who I'm talking to but failed to before I was hung up on). She also gave me the spiel about nothing they could do since it was a "NEW" reservation. I even went so far as to explain that I was hoping to get at least a full-size using the Wild-Car promotion since I would have my family(wife & 2 grown daughters & doing an overnighter to Grand Canyon)& if she would at least give me that I would be happy. Again I was told this could not be done(who in any kind of authority can't at least do that?). I told her I didn't agree with her & that even though I had been happy with the original price I would be looking elsewhere & if I could find anything close to the new rate I would be cancelling out of principal. She didn't seem to care at all.
I've since booked with another company & gotten the rate down to $128 all taxes incl. for a full-size for 5 days. I saved $55 by doing a little homework when if they had just given me the original price or the option I gave her(like anybody with some authority can't do that)I would have been happy with my original reservation.
I've learned from this experience that with a little homework you CAN save some money & that Thrifty has probably the worst promotional codes in the industry.
Did you look at the itemized breakdown of charges when you pull up your reservation?

You should be able to see if the base rate stayed the same (it should have) and then compare the other fees to see what changed. If it is indeed due to a modified tax structure, then you would have been charged $10 more when you arrived at the rental counter anyway. Rental agencies guarantee the base rate, but because taxes are subject to change, the estimated total you receive when you rent a car is just that--estimated--and can change at any time.

I reiterate: there is NO additional fee for Blue Chip renters. I make reservations all the time (both test reservations and real ones) for me and many others with Blue Chip numbers, and not ONCE have I EVER seen a difference in rate with a Blue Chip number--the only exception being if the Blue Chip profile has a corporate discount number saved in it.

As for asking the reservations agent to guarantee you a fullsize car when you booked the Wild Car: yes, that is indeed something she would not be authorized to do. The Wild Car is determined each day by the manager on duty at the specific location. Not only is it not the reservations agent's place to dictate how a location should handle a customer and/or override the local manager's decision, she really would have no way of inputting it in the system (normal phone agents can't override the reservation system's rates and assigned car classes, though supervisors do have some ability to do that) other than to put in a subject-to-availability request in the reservation's notes. (You'd need to speak with someone at the location itself for that--try calling 702-739-9507.)

All that said, if you are sure there was a mistake made, your best bet is to call someone with a little bit more access and authority to look into the matter, not the normal reservations line. Call 1-877-283-0898 and then push option 2 and then 0. Ask for the On-Rent Desk or Help Desk, and you should reach someone who can look into the reservation's events and see what happened and what changed.

I actually asked twice if it was a moot point & I would be charged the new tax structure on arrival. She did not answer either time. It was the first question I asked, I then asked again near the end of the 30 min conversation. It was 30 min of my life I won't get back.
BTW this is a great forum. I've learned a lot already.
BTW I never said there was additional fees to be a Blue Chip member it's just that this was the bottom line, I had the # added and the cost went up. I realize the difference was all taxes. If she had told me when I asked(twice)if I would be charged this new tax structure regardless upon arrival it would have been a short conversation & I would have been happy.

BTW I never said there was additional fees to be a Blue Chip member it's just that this was the bottom line, I had the # added and the cost went up. I realize the difference was all taxes. If she had told me when I asked(twice)if I would be charged this new tax structure regardless upon arrival it would have been a short conversation & I would have been happy.

Ah, sorry--you're right. I guess I was letting the thread title interfere with my thought process. :)