Originally Posted by
AmericanAirlinesSF
Hi all,
I’m a Presidents Club member renting in Europe for the first time this September (Paris CDG, Terminal 2, Tuesday morning pickup). I’m currently booked into an Automatic Intermediate SUV (Renault Symbioz or similar).
A few questions I’d love insight on:- Benefits/Upgrades: What can I realistically expect from Presidents Club at CDG? One of the next classes up is a BMW X3, which would be a fantastic upgrade if it’s possible.
- Car Selection/App: Am I correct in assuming the Avis app “Select Your Car” feature isn’t available in Europe?
- Advance Outreach: Is it worth asking the U.S. Presidents Club line to contact the CDG location ahead of time, or is that unlikely to help?
- Support: How useful has the U.S. Presidents Club line been if issues come up while renting in Europe?
- Tips/Advice: Any other advice for renting in France/Europe in general or strategies that work well at CDG specifically?
Apologies for all the questions, but any experiences, tips, or insights from fellow Presidents Club members renting in Europe would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance!
I rented from CDG in April (apologies to
PUCCI GALORE for not reaching out in advance, though I certainly will next time) and had booked my car a couple of days before departure. Having booked a compact automatic (Peugeot 2008 or similar), they upgraded me to a PHEV estate sedan which worked out really nicely. I think reaching out in advance would be overkill, and I didn't require any support so can't speak to that.
Originally Posted by
GW McLintock
Status: PC
Location: CDG
Booked: compact automatic
Assigned & received: 2024 DS 9 E-TENSE 4x4 360 PHEV
I don't know how reliable it'll be in a few years but otherwise I gotta hand it to China, this was a pretty sweet ride. The massaging seats ("cat paw") was nice this morning on the drive back from Reims.
I had made a speculative booking the week prior and was assigned a 2024 BMX X2 sDrive20i M Sport (group L), though I never picked it up as I canceled my flight. Both of these are decent upgrades from what I booked. Keep in mind they do a relatively thorough damage inspection upon arrival; it turned out I (or someone) had curbed one of the wheels, but my rate included the LDW so I was never charged for it.
Unless you need the space of a SUV, I would encourage you to book the smallest vehicle feasible. Roads are generally narrow and street parking can be tight. There were several instances where I could not fit into parking spaces because I had such a huge car. I would 100% rent it again
but this is just something to keep in mind. I was very glad not to have an SUV. Gas is also incredibly expensive and I was beyond grateful for the plug-in hybrid.
-J.