Avis award program?
 

This seems like an incredibly stupid question (to me at least), but I'm going to ask it:

Does Avis actually have a rewards program? You know, where you earn points (not frequent flyer miles) for paid rentals, and then can redeem them for free rental days?

Hertz has #1 Awards (1 point per dollar, 5-600 points for free rental day), and National has Emerald Club (5-7 paid rentals for one free rental day), but I can't for the life of me find anything on the Avis website about an award program! And there's no sticky/FAQ here either.

:confused:

Avis has avisfirst (www.avisfirst.com) where you can get a free weekend rental coupons for every X rentals (I don't remember the number but the details are on the site). The biggest drawbacks of the system are:
1. You don't get credit toward free weekend coupons if you collect hotel/airline points/miles.
2. There are usually long blackout periods where one can't use the free coupons.
3. You need to have a Saturday night stay to be able to use the coupons.

Most people just elect for airline miles, that I know of, but everyone's case is unique.

Hmmm, you need 12 rentals (of 2 or more days) or 35 rental days in a calendar year to even begin to start earning the free rental days.

Wow - this program is wholly uncompetitive with Hertz/National.

And 50-75 airline miles per rental day (or 1-2 miles per dollar) depending on program is borderline worthless. Barely more than you get on a credit card.

Absolutely!

Much closer to "worthless" than just "borderline", especially since one must "buy" the miles by paying about a buck/day to have the "luxury" of earning US based airline miles. The only way this is worth it is if you can get bonus miles (like the current 3000-5000 AA miles per rental).

I still think that National has the best awards program.

Avis is good for those times when National is more expensive (they seem to have higher fees) and when Avis has large FF bonuses (e.g. Carlson or AAdvantage etc..)

There is a big company that is forcing a large portion of their employees to use this crappy agency. There program really sucks.

Don't ya hate it when your employer forces you to do something, especially when they're paying for it. I mean, the gall of them, to make you do something. You should be free to spend their money just any way you'd like, wouldn't ya think? :rolleyes:

If you knew the booking system we have to endure, you may feel differently. For example, we have relationships with 4 other agencies. With all of them, we are only allowed to book at the mid/compact size cars. With Avis, always end up with an econ box. As Executive with National, I can walk out and pick whatever is on the Emerald Lane. Here is another odd thing, I would be on site with a colleague and the booking system gives him National/Hertz. We were never able to figure that one out. So maybe I should not have pointed my finger at my company, it should be pointed at the booking system we use.

The first time I tried National, with my Executive status or whatever I got from Amex Platinum, the whole experience was an absolute disaster. Never again (unless the price is significantly lower than the others...)

That said, I guess the program is good if you make cheap rentals. Hertz works better for me because most of my rentals are in Manhattan where it's $80-120/day usually, so the points rack up more quickly (and a free rental is "worth" more).

The Executive Aisle experience also depends on location. I hear Manhattan isn't so great.

For myself, National has been fantastic for acquiring new rental cars for cheap. I can more often get brand new cars at National than at Avis, even with Avis CC status. Was able to drive the 2013 Altima and Buick Verano at National this past week alone!

Hello, I am new to this forum. I have only rented at National. The prices for the rental I am looking at are really high, so I am looking at Avis. I was almost ready to book when I say mileage cost.... is there unlimited miles option?
If not, which rental company will you recommend for unlimited miles?
It is a short rental (3 to 4 days) but miles will be approximately 550 to 650.
Thanks in advance!

Not really an "unlimited mileage" coupon that I'm aware of. Some AWDs do on certain routes, but that's a hit or miss that you will just have to try. Where are you picking up/dropping off? If it's not 1-way, it's almost always included with Avis.

Thank you for your response. It is a one way rental.
How about any other rental companies that provide unlimited mileage?
TIA

I rarely do 1-ways so I'm not sure of the best way to attack this. Try Expedia? I was able to get a 1-way there this weekend from Hertz for $40, when all the others wanted over $150.

Or if you're going A->B, maybe get 1 car A->A for the majority of the trip and then A->B for 1 day or a short lived/short mileage trip? I've even done A->A, A->B and B->B as 3 rentals were cheaper to keep the mileage down on the 1-way.

I absolutely agree with you. When I travel on the road, I'd hate to have an employer dictate which tra vendor to use. I'm so glad my employer doesn't tell me I can only eat at Chili's when what I really want is TGI Friday's....

Travelling for work is tough enough. If prices are comparable between vendors, I don't think it's unreasonable to allow the employee to select their preferred vendor.