Once again following up on my previous post (seems to be a trend in this thread, but my Sept post was the last until a couple days ago), I dug out the actual policy from Hertz after renting once at Avis and getting an absolute no fuss attitude ("Are you significant others? That's fine, it's automatic.") even though I have no status with them at all.

Anyway, the Hertz policy says "domestic partners" is okay. That should mean an SO that you're living with at the same address. So the people at PIT last fall were wrong with me. (No great loss, but I'll know now that it's automatic.) You don't even have to be Gold, just plain #1 Club will get you this benefit. (Easy enough usually to get Gold for free, but just in case.)

This doesn't help in the case of other types of additional drivers. In California there is no fee anyway. (This is why my CA rental was free, I guess.) Nevada can have a second driver for free (but more cost extra). NY is only $3 extra per day max of $35 per rental. And the AAA gets you that for free for either domestic partner or for anyone else if both drivers are AAA members. All these require signing up the second driver, though. If you can do the domestic partner thing under #1 Club, it is automatic, and they don't even have to come with you to pick up the car. (It's automatic even without #1 Club in CA, NV and NY.) USAA and AARP can also get you free additional drivers. Everything else costs $9/day max of $45/rental.

Oh, and all the freebies, automatic or not, require the drivers to be 25 or older. I suppose having any driver under 25 would still incur the nasty extra fees unless you have something else to get those waived.