Hertz reservation with AMEX Platinum
Jul 5, 2011, 3:47 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2008
Programs: Hilton Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 224
Hertz reservation with AMEX Platinum
I have an existing reservation with Hertz that I made on 6/14. I received an email and confirmation # with rate, taxes, etc. Today, when logging into my account, I looked at my existing reservation and my base rate increased. I called Hertz to find out how that could happen, and they told me that the AMEX Platinum CDP code is a contracted rate (whatever that means) and it could change.
That seems quite strange how my existing reservation which is confirmed can just change daily....
Has anyone else had this experience?
That seems quite strange how my existing reservation which is confirmed can just change daily....
Has anyone else had this experience?
Jul 5, 2011, 4:54 pm
#2
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Programs: QFF NB, Velocity Silver, Hertz 5*, Avis Preferred, Thrifty Blue Chip (Oz), Europcar Privilege Exec.
Posts: 378
A contracted rate is a rate agreed between Hertz and in this case, Amex. The rate does not fluctuate based on demand, so even when demand is high and prices are high, you get the benefit of a negotiated rate, which usually will be lower. Contracted rates often have other benefits, like insurance.
All Hertz contracted rates are subject to change (your original reservation confirmation will state this), which occurs when the contract is renogtiated, but this isn't very often (usually only once a year). It sounds like the new rate applied from July 1.
All Hertz contracted rates are subject to change (your original reservation confirmation will state this), which occurs when the contract is renogtiated, but this isn't very often (usually only once a year). It sounds like the new rate applied from July 1.
Jul 5, 2011, 8:39 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2008
Programs: Hilton Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 224
A contracted rate is a rate agreed between Hertz and in this case, Amex. The rate does not fluctuate based on demand, so even when demand is high and prices are high, you get the benefit of a negotiated rate, which usually will be lower. Contracted rates often have other benefits, like insurance.
All Hertz contracted rates are subject to change (your original reservation confirmation will state this), which occurs when the contract is renogtiated, but this isn't very often (usually only once a year). It sounds like the new rate applied from July 1.
All Hertz contracted rates are subject to change (your original reservation confirmation will state this), which occurs when the contract is renogtiated, but this isn't very often (usually only once a year). It sounds like the new rate applied from July 1.
Aug 22, 2011, 4:18 pm
#4
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA - AA ExecPlat
Posts: 38
Just happened to me, BUT I received an email with my plat rate of $300 for the rental...when I checked online today to add my flight -- it was over $1,000!! It changed in less than TWO days, the DAY before I am supposed to pick up the vehicle.
Called Hertz Reservations and they were singularly UNHELPFUL. Suggested I just talk to the station when I arrive, but warned me that it would be up to the station to accept the previously stated rate. Huh?
I MIGHT understand if I had booked under some obscure CDP with a bizarre contract rate...but this is AMEX PLAT
Called Hertz Reservations and they were singularly UNHELPFUL. Suggested I just talk to the station when I arrive, but warned me that it would be up to the station to accept the previously stated rate. Huh?
I MIGHT understand if I had booked under some obscure CDP with a bizarre contract rate...but this is AMEX PLAT
Aug 22, 2011, 6:48 pm
#6
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA - AA ExecPlat
Posts: 38
Yup, I have the confirmation from two months ago when I made the original reservation and the email they sent out on Saturday. Both show the original rate.
I am hopeful that the Hertz "station manager" does the right thing, but am beside myself that I even need to go groveling. The fact that Hertz cannot change this in advance is irritating, and their cavalier attitude is disappointing.
Changing the price two days in advance puts me at an extreme hardship in terms of making other arrangements if the Hertz station manager decides to act like the nim***s in reservations.
For the last 30 years, I have been a loyal Hertz renter with lots of dollars spent, President's club, etc. I happily paid a premium to Hertz because I felt that they respected how valuable time, lack of frustration and CERTAINTY was to the business traveler.
So much for advance planning, eh?
I am hopeful that the Hertz "station manager" does the right thing, but am beside myself that I even need to go groveling. The fact that Hertz cannot change this in advance is irritating, and their cavalier attitude is disappointing.
Changing the price two days in advance puts me at an extreme hardship in terms of making other arrangements if the Hertz station manager decides to act like the nim***s in reservations.
For the last 30 years, I have been a loyal Hertz renter with lots of dollars spent, President's club, etc. I happily paid a premium to Hertz because I felt that they respected how valuable time, lack of frustration and CERTAINTY was to the business traveler.
So much for advance planning, eh?
Aug 22, 2011, 10:25 pm
#7
In memoriam
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: Danville, CA
Programs: AA EXP - UA *G MM - HH Diamond - Hertz PC
Posts: 3,242
Had a similar situation at our local HLE. Had the original confirmation on my Blackberry, at the time of pickup showed it to the agent, the original rate was honored. Took all of an extra 5 minutes at check in. No muss, no fuss.
Aug 29, 2011, 8:48 am
#9
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: New York, NY, USA
Programs: BAGold; AA3MMPlat; UA1MMGold; FBGold; MarriottAmb; AccorPlat; HHGold; ICPlatAmb; HyattDiscoverist
Posts: 4,378
Sep 2, 2011, 7:09 am
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,194
How many of Hertz's rates are flat rates (same rate regardless of location, demand, etc.) versus percentage-off rates?
Among the usable-by-retail-customer rates, it seems like most Hertz CDPs offer a percentage off, although the percentage doesn't seem to be consistent, necessitating trying a gazillion different CDPs to find the one that offers the best rate.
The small business CDPs also seem to be a percentage off (at least it's certainly not a flat rate), but even though they claim "up to 20% off," I've seen rates less than half using a small-business CDP a friend signed up for.
I actually have yet to find a flat-rate CDP, but I haven't messed with some of the codes published on FT and other places that are for companies I don't work for ("State of FL," etc.--those kind). Are those typically flat-rate accounts, or do even large corporations get a percentage off? Does Hertz offer a choice between a flat-rate and a percentage-off discount when negotiating with companies?
Most of my experience is with Dollar and Thrifty, which offers either percentage-off promo codes (5-10% at the most) or flat-rate CD numbers (i.e. Dollar's BJ5013 CD number, the BJ's Wholesale Club discount, which is a flat-rate account).
The BJ's one in particular seems odd to offer as a flat rate. Flat rates make sense for corporations that want to be able to plan for rental cars to be a consistent expense. They may be willing to pay more than retail rate in some cases (and less than retail rate in other cases, of course) for the benefit of always knowing exactly how much to budget for rental car expenses. But offering a flat-rate plan to retail customers seems odd. If and when the local retail rate is less than the BJ's flat rate, the retail customer will just book without the BJ's code, making it useless. And when the BJ's rate is lower (sometimes significantly so) than the local retail rate, there's a reason the retail rate is so high--demand is high and supply is dwindling, in which case it seems against Dollar's interest to offer the BJ's rate.
On the other hand, at least Dollar's options are transparent--either you're using a promo code that's a consistent 5 or 10% off the retail rate (although sometimes retail rates are loaded that are non-discountable, in which case adding the promo code can actually cause the rate to go up), or you're using a CD number that is a flat rate. With Hertz, you never know how much a given CDP is going to take off, so you have to try them all. I find that searching for rates with Dollar (and Thrifty) is a lot less cumbersome, although with enough work, you can get Hertz rates down into the neighborhood of Dollar and Thrifty rates (and sometimes beat the total price with creative use of PC codes).
Among the usable-by-retail-customer rates, it seems like most Hertz CDPs offer a percentage off, although the percentage doesn't seem to be consistent, necessitating trying a gazillion different CDPs to find the one that offers the best rate.
The small business CDPs also seem to be a percentage off (at least it's certainly not a flat rate), but even though they claim "up to 20% off," I've seen rates less than half using a small-business CDP a friend signed up for.
I actually have yet to find a flat-rate CDP, but I haven't messed with some of the codes published on FT and other places that are for companies I don't work for ("State of FL," etc.--those kind). Are those typically flat-rate accounts, or do even large corporations get a percentage off? Does Hertz offer a choice between a flat-rate and a percentage-off discount when negotiating with companies?
Most of my experience is with Dollar and Thrifty, which offers either percentage-off promo codes (5-10% at the most) or flat-rate CD numbers (i.e. Dollar's BJ5013 CD number, the BJ's Wholesale Club discount, which is a flat-rate account).
The BJ's one in particular seems odd to offer as a flat rate. Flat rates make sense for corporations that want to be able to plan for rental cars to be a consistent expense. They may be willing to pay more than retail rate in some cases (and less than retail rate in other cases, of course) for the benefit of always knowing exactly how much to budget for rental car expenses. But offering a flat-rate plan to retail customers seems odd. If and when the local retail rate is less than the BJ's flat rate, the retail customer will just book without the BJ's code, making it useless. And when the BJ's rate is lower (sometimes significantly so) than the local retail rate, there's a reason the retail rate is so high--demand is high and supply is dwindling, in which case it seems against Dollar's interest to offer the BJ's rate.
On the other hand, at least Dollar's options are transparent--either you're using a promo code that's a consistent 5 or 10% off the retail rate (although sometimes retail rates are loaded that are non-discountable, in which case adding the promo code can actually cause the rate to go up), or you're using a CD number that is a flat rate. With Hertz, you never know how much a given CDP is going to take off, so you have to try them all. I find that searching for rates with Dollar (and Thrifty) is a lot less cumbersome, although with enough work, you can get Hertz rates down into the neighborhood of Dollar and Thrifty rates (and sometimes beat the total price with creative use of PC codes).
