real billionaires and otherwise very rich folk don’t care about National VIP. This program is primarily for those that work in purchasing and control or can influence large purchasing decisions. What has always surprised me is that at FBO’s the selection of cars is generally awful. Impalas and vans and non lux suv’s Like expeditions or Tahoe’s. My two data points of an Amex black holder requesting a specific vehicle were denied (one was National Exec and one was Hertz Platinum). The response was a flat out no unless it was requested two weeks in advance although they offered to let you go to a specific location and swap it yourself but these were NOT free upgrades. I should note these weren’t major airports, they are more willing to accommodate if it’s a major airport and they can send someone to the otherside of the airport to pick something up from commercial side. But again, when you are a “real” vip showing up in a jet it’s hard to get free upgrades for the same reason that someone living in a mansion is probably going to get higher prices from a plumber that might have to fix the same issue in a $100k house. I think that’s called trickle up economics.

I will also note that each time you roll up at an FBO regardless of status they have the car immediately pulled up next to the plane and that’s pretty VIP but I think each time the person doing that was an FBO employee, not rental car employee.