Jul 1, 2015, 8:19 am
Last edit by: 4aks
Links to new program info:
http://www.avis.com/car-rental/content/avisPref-Program.ac?pageName=avisPref-Points
avis.com/car-rental/content/avisPref-Program.ac?pageName=avisPref-Points
https://www.avis.com/car-rental/html/global/en/terms/US/PrefMbrGlobalTermsMiddle.pdf
avis.com/car-rental/html/global/en/terms/US/PrefMbrGlobalTermsMiddle.pdf
Calendar year 2015 rentals count towards status (12 rentals = preferred plus; 25 rentals = PC )
Rentals begun July 1st earn points
Redemption of points is unknown and dynamic
Data points:
July 2015 - 3 day Minivan rental, adding GPS ($9.99/day) requires 316 points. Adding Sirius (6.99/day) was 200 points
July 2015 - 4 day full size mid week - adding GPS ($9.99/day) requires 332 points
July 2015 - 1 day (full size?) in Seattle - 2400 points for one free day
Aug 2015 - weekend day at SAN, intermediate - 600 points (vs $18 base cost)
Sep 2015 - Weekday, Boston Back Bay, 1d6h rental - 4600 points (vs. $85 full size)
Oct 2015 - weekend day at SAN, intermediate - 600 points / jumped to 1330 points all month, many vehicle types
Nov 2015 - weekend day ORD - 950 points
Nov 2015 - Weekend day IAH - 1800 points (1 day)
Nov 2015 - weekend SAN - 950 pts, many vehicle types
Nov 2015 - weekend SAN - 1330 pts, many vehicle types (points devalued the closer to the rental period)
http://www.avis.com/car-rental/content/avisPref-Program.ac?pageName=avisPref-Points
avis.com/car-rental/content/avisPref-Program.ac?pageName=avisPref-Points
https://www.avis.com/car-rental/html/global/en/terms/US/PrefMbrGlobalTermsMiddle.pdf
avis.com/car-rental/html/global/en/terms/US/PrefMbrGlobalTermsMiddle.pdf
Calendar year 2015 rentals count towards status (12 rentals = preferred plus; 25 rentals = PC )
Rentals begun July 1st earn points
Redemption of points is unknown and dynamic
Data points:
July 2015 - 3 day Minivan rental, adding GPS ($9.99/day) requires 316 points. Adding Sirius (6.99/day) was 200 points
July 2015 - 4 day full size mid week - adding GPS ($9.99/day) requires 332 points
July 2015 - 1 day (full size?) in Seattle - 2400 points for one free day
Aug 2015 - weekend day at SAN, intermediate - 600 points (vs $18 base cost)
Sep 2015 - Weekday, Boston Back Bay, 1d6h rental - 4600 points (vs. $85 full size)
Oct 2015 - weekend day at SAN, intermediate - 600 points / jumped to 1330 points all month, many vehicle types
Nov 2015 - weekend day ORD - 950 points
Nov 2015 - Weekend day IAH - 1800 points (1 day)
Nov 2015 - weekend SAN - 950 pts, many vehicle types
Nov 2015 - weekend SAN - 1330 pts, many vehicle types (points devalued the closer to the rental period)
Changes to Avis First Program
Aug 13, 2015 | 9:37 am
#226
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: SAN
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, American Air, National Car
Posts: 1,134
in SAN, I got 600 per weekend day on an intermediate 2 weeks from now
Aug 17, 2015 | 9:12 pm
#227
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 272
Another data point:
ORD on a random Nov. weekend: 950pts per day (not covering tax)
ORD on a random Nov. weekend: 950pts per day (not covering tax)
Aug 18, 2015 | 8:40 am
#228
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: IAH
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP, SPG Plat100, Hyatt Diamond, Avis PC, Hertz PC
Posts: 129
For me, the website now shows how many points I need for various bookings.
It's still buggy though, as I've gotten some to say you need 0 points for this booking (not sure if that means I have enough points to redeem, or I can't rent this vehicle on points).
It's still buggy though, as I've gotten some to say you need 0 points for this booking (not sure if that means I have enough points to redeem, or I can't rent this vehicle on points).
Aug 18, 2015 | 10:31 pm
#229
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 11,695
Just did a test booking. The interesting thing is that even though the amount was zeroed out, all the percentage based taxes are still there. With other coupons, they would remove all the % based taxes. So, if this is not a bug with the site, here is another way we have been enhanced 
Aug 19, 2015 | 10:25 pm
#230
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: MR LT Titanium, AA LT PLT, UA SLV, Avis PreferredPlus, HH Gold, Hertz PC, National Executive, etc.
Posts: 31,670
That's 32 rental days to get a single day in your cheapest scenario.
Your second scenario, still off-peak rental, is 60 days. I can rent 4 days/week, every week, for an entire year, and earn 3 rental days.
Peak periods I get what, 1 day, maybe 2? Frankly, that's insulting.
EDIT:Just checked my status - "You are 0 rentals away from even more rewards." So I've got that going for me. Which is nice.
EDIT #2: My first attempt - "You would need 0 Avis Preferred Points for a free day or 0 Avis Preferred Points for your entire rental. " Also nice.
Last edited by CPRich; Aug 19, 2015 at 10:44 pm
Aug 26, 2015 | 11:53 am
#231
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 3
Just tried reserving a minivan in Oakland for about 4 days during the week prior to Christmas. Total was going to be $240 and Avis wants 4300 points for 1 free day which equates to about $60. In other words, after spending $4300 in rentals I would get a whopping $60 in free rentals. What a deal! 
Aug 31, 2015 | 8:43 am
#232
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 1
New points system, is it good or bad?
New points system seems very vague. I just spoke with an Avis representative who told me I needed 1800 points for a one day rental. Now I read here that you can get a 4 day minivan rental for 300 points. How does that work. Why can't Avis give us a chart that says exactly what the points are worth. If I need 1800 for a one day rental then this NEW program is a joke!,
Aug 31, 2015 | 7:34 pm
#233
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 11,695
New points system seems very vague. I just spoke with an Avis representative who told me I needed 1800 points for a one day rental. Now I read here that you can get a 4 day minivan rental for 300 points. How does that work. Why can't Avis give us a chart that says exactly what the points are worth. If I need 1800 for a one day rental then this NEW program is a joke!,
If you read the Wiki a little carefully (and I just edited to make it more obvious), the 300ish points were to ADD GPS, not the base rental....and I think the point required is PER DAY.
It is made worse by Avis keeping the percentage based taxes even though the rental is free and any % of 0 should be 0.
Sep 4, 2015 | 5:37 pm
#234
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: LAX/BOS/HKG/AMS/SFO...hmm, I need a life.
Programs: United1K, AA ExPlAAt, DL MM/Gold, Hilton Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 13,316
Folks this thing is a joke. I left Hertz for other reasons but that program is light years better than this thing. I jut looked at a weekend day in BOS and was quoted 1800 points...really?
The best thing we can do is NOT spend them! I am racking em up pretty quick and these points are a liability on their books (albeit a small one) and they will NEED to get them off if they start building. As Avis Rep likes to say: Pricing is dynamic and when they want you to get rid of your points they will lower requirements to get some bleed down.
I am SO disappointed in this program. The folks who implemented it did so much damage to the Avis brand. It is accepted that FT programs will get worse over time but to lead with a ridiculously worthless (or near) program is just a marketing blunder. I will rack up a ton of points and start to spend with Enterprise until/unless they make this a viable program to entice business. This does the opposite.
The best thing we can do is NOT spend them! I am racking em up pretty quick and these points are a liability on their books (albeit a small one) and they will NEED to get them off if they start building. As Avis Rep likes to say: Pricing is dynamic and when they want you to get rid of your points they will lower requirements to get some bleed down.
I am SO disappointed in this program. The folks who implemented it did so much damage to the Avis brand. It is accepted that FT programs will get worse over time but to lead with a ridiculously worthless (or near) program is just a marketing blunder. I will rack up a ton of points and start to spend with Enterprise until/unless they make this a viable program to entice business. This does the opposite.
Sep 4, 2015 | 6:19 pm
#235
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 11,695
The best thing we can do is NOT spend them! I am racking em up pretty quick and these points are a liability on their books (albeit a small one) and they will NEED to get them off if they start building. As Avis Rep likes to say: Pricing is dynamic and when they want you to get rid of your points they will lower requirements to get some bleed down.
Expiration of Avis Preferred Points: Points are valid for sixty (60) months from when they were earned. In the event that the Avis Preferred member fails to exercise any redemption of earned points within such sixty (60) month period, the points are deemed forfeited and surrendered back to Avis and shall have no value to the Avis Preferred Member and will be removed from any of the Member’s accounts.
Cancellation for Inactivity: Avis Preferred Points earned or otherwise obtained by an Avis Preferred Member will be forfeited without notice if the Avis Preferred member becomes Inactive. An Avis Preferred Member is considered “Inactive” if during a 12-month period: (a) the Avis Preferred Member has not completed an eligible rental at a participating Avis location; (b) the Avis Preferred Member has not earned or redeemed any Avis Preferred Points, or (c) the Avis Preferred Member’s account has been
cancelled.
Remember, this is a program offered to people who are mostly on rates that cannot earn miles (i.e. captive business travellers on corporate contracts). So, Avis probably cares less about what we will do - as most of us can't really do much.
Cancellation for Inactivity: Avis Preferred Points earned or otherwise obtained by an Avis Preferred Member will be forfeited without notice if the Avis Preferred member becomes Inactive. An Avis Preferred Member is considered “Inactive” if during a 12-month period: (a) the Avis Preferred Member has not completed an eligible rental at a participating Avis location; (b) the Avis Preferred Member has not earned or redeemed any Avis Preferred Points, or (c) the Avis Preferred Member’s account has been
cancelled.
Sep 12, 2015 | 5:58 pm
#236
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ORD, MKE
Programs: Bonvoy LT Gold, Hilton Silver, Hyatt Discoverist, Hertz PC, National EE
Posts: 710
Value of Avis vs Hertz points
Was looking at a weekend one-way rental (CLT-RDU) in a couple of weeks. The cash price was $34 (pre-tax & fees, which username suggests aren't covered by points), plus 30 cents/mile (don't know if points include one-way miles). Avis wants 4,300 points for that rental, Hertz only 1100 points, miles included. Wow.
Sep 13, 2015 | 8:44 am
#237
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 11,695
Was looking at a weekend one-way rental (CLT-RDU) in a couple of weeks. The cash price was $34 (pre-tax & fees, which username suggests aren't covered by points), plus 30 cents/mile (don't know if points include one-way miles). Avis wants 4,300 points for that rental, Hertz only 1100 points, miles included. Wow.
The tax thing probably should be addressed by Avis. It almost seems to be random and illegal to be charging those % based taxes if the pre-tax rental amount is 0 (and any % of 0 is 0). It might also be a system glitch?
Sep 13, 2015 | 12:36 pm
#238
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: SEA town
Programs: Alaska MM 100k, HHonors-ZERO, IHG AMB-Dia, MR LT Ti
Posts: 686
Great, so free rentals with Avis DO NOT include unlimited miles?
One other data point-
Phoenix (PHX Airport) was $31 for a mid-size car on weekend, Avis wanted 3400 points for one day. Wow talk about a bargain.
One other data point-
Phoenix (PHX Airport) was $31 for a mid-size car on weekend, Avis wanted 3400 points for one day. Wow talk about a bargain.
Sep 13, 2015 | 7:11 pm
#239
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: XNA, TUL
Programs: Avis First, AA plebian :(
Posts: 196
Mileage seems to be the same as whatever the AWD you use would normally be. Points seem to just reduce the time and mileage charges in the same way a gift card, coupon, or other instrument would, to the point of the taxes and fees not being reduced for days that are paid with points, with the caveat that you don't get 7 days for the price of 5 when renting weekly like you would when paying cash.
That, I find terribly annoying.
That, I find terribly annoying.
Sep 22, 2015 | 1:23 pm
#240
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ORD, MKE
Programs: Bonvoy LT Gold, Hilton Silver, Hyatt Discoverist, Hertz PC, National EE
Posts: 710
Seems that everyone often include the typical surcharges (facilities, license, etc) and other add-ons for “free" rentals, and the tax is added to that. Even the old Avis 1st "free” weekend deals could still have surcharges and thus taxes; if there were no surcharges there were no taxes.
Mileage seems to be the same as whatever the AWD you use would normally be. Points seem to just reduce the time and mileage charges in the same way a gift card, coupon, or other instrument would, to the point of the taxes and fees not being reduced for days that are paid with points, with the caveat that you don't get 7 days for the price of 5 when renting weekly like you would when paying cash.
Hertz does offer a weekly rental on points that is less than 5x the daily points rental and is good for 5-7 days. Aside from being more transparent, it is clear Hertz points are worth a lot more than Avis points. Even National’s 1 free day/7 rentals (or 6 or 5 depending on status) looks like a better reward than Avis points.