I'm Executive-level with National, and my profile on nationalcar.com is set so that a compact car is the default rental option. Usually it's just a few dollars less than a midsize, but for an upcoming 2-day trip, the price difference is pretty substantial.

If I rent a compact, do I have to go into the check-in area and rent a car like a non-Emerald Club member would?

Or can I just proceed as I usually do and pick a car on the lot (even just the regular Emerald Aisle section) and drive off?

Midsize and larger cars are marked as "Executive Eligible" on the car class selection screen online, but that's confusing; what if I just want a smaller car and don't care about using the Executive Aisle (which isn't much better than Emerald Aisle anyhow)?

Thanks.