Originally Posted by
twitch76
Here's my question for the Avis experts at FT: Do people opt-in and opt-out of the Preferred Points program on a transaction level? Or is it a global opt-out? (The Avis points seem to be fairly worthless... if it weren't for the Frequent Flyer Surcharge, I'd probably opt for SW points every time.)
As I thought I already explained:
The system for this works only if you book at avis.com, and is automatic. If you don't specify a travel partner program for earning, you earn Avis stuff (free weekend nights before, points now). If you specify a travel partner program, that overrides the Avis earnings and you earn the travel partner program instead. (This works at the Avis site because the Avis site can't remember you travel partner program; you have to enter it afresh for every rental reservation.)
The Avis program is not set up for you to book somewhere else if you have a Wizard number! Southwest needs to realize that! Southwest's site assumed that nobody had a Wizard number, and/or was set up back when Avis First (with occasional free weekend rental coupons) existed rather than the new Avis Preferred Plus (with the points program).
As far a I know, there's no opting out needed if you book at the Avis site. And opting out is global anyway. So the only way to control it on a per-rental basis is the "automatic override" method I just described above, but that requires booking at the Avis site.