I just received a new free weekend coupon with expiration date of 6/30/2015. The one coupon I had with an expiration date of 1/15/2015 now has an expiration date of 1/30/2015.

Preferred benefits ?
 

There seem to be some differences between the North American program and the European program.

This is what the european websites have: https://secure.avis-europe.com/asset...enefits_UK.pdf
I called Avis customer service (Europe) and they told me benefits should apply worldwide.

Yet it seems that the N American program is not exactly the same - with the addition of "Avis First", a requirement for local residency (N America) and different qualification criteria...

D.

When this thing first came out, I did some research and found the European Avis already had an Preferred Plus. So, I am pretty sure this is not the upcoming one. The new one will involve point accumulation of some sort. A new system is probably needed and probably is the reason for the botched rollout.

In other words, the new system does not seem to be about synchronizing with European Avis. It seem more like "we try (to copy Hertz) harder". :p

I still did not get any official statement about this. What did the e-mail you got say?

Thanks.

I noticed that none of my rentals in 2015 are showing up on the Avis First website - are these still rewarding qualifying for Free Weekend Rewards? Or is this due to the transition to the new program? Or simply an IT bug?

My rental from last week does show on the Avis website, but doesn't yet show on the Avis First site.

Considerable coupon included with my receipts
 

Avis First member here for over three consecutive years. The loyalty program with Avis has never been much more than a slick letter with a personalized wallet card I've never bothered remedying where it landed. That said, I picked up a car this past Saturday night for a quick 2 day rental. Last night when the receipt printed a coupon for $50 off any future rental printed out as well. I've read it several times now and it doesn't have any limitations aside from the boilerplate exemption at unspecified Avis locations. No explanation was given other than a smile and have a good evening. Think Avis launched some redemption effort only to trip over their own feet by not mentioning it?

What is going on with the AVIS First program? I haven't received anything new on this since September. I noticed my coupon rentals were extended in to the spring, but not until redeemed them on weekends I didn't really want too. Also, I noticed my rentals for this year don't seem to be showing up on the AVIS First site.

Has anybody heard anything about the changes? Are they still moving ahead with them or are they keeping things the same?

Answer: Nothing, nothing at all, so far.....

I seem to remember in past years, it took a while for the first rental to come in and it resets the left-over counter from the year before???

I've only ever had coupons print at return when there was a service/other issue with the rental. Maybe the check-in person thought you were attractive and had it print one for you? :D

Feb 1st and still nothing from Avis.

Like majority of people, my 2015 rentals are not showing up on the avisfirst web site.

Supposedly they are doing some "year start" stuff to their system. I seem to remember this happened in the years past. This whole thing is just so poorly handled and you wonder if they care about AvisFirst and its members.

This year, by virtue of UA's new deal with Hertz, I am both Avis First and Hertz Presidents's Circle. I left Hertz several years ago because of what I thought was appalling customer service. Now I have clean slate to pick between the two of them. So far, Hertz is winning. What is really sad is that I want Avis to win. But their ineptitude and incompentance and slowness (particularly on busses at DEN and LAX compared to Hertz) is telling me its time to go back to Hertz.

This is what i got from AVIS customer service after about three other emails. I thought I read or heard somewhere that the programs remains "as is" for the next little while until they get things sorted out with the new program. I burned some rentals late in the year as well because of the dates and didn't notice until after they moved them out.

"Dear Mr. Snihur,

Thank you for contacting Avis Customer Service.

We apologize for any inconvenience. The rentals listed are in fact associated with your Wizard number. Unfortunately, there will be a delay in the update of your rental history via Avisfirst.com due to system update. Rental history should be available after February 11, 2015.


We appreciate your patience and apologize for any inconvenience. "

This is got to be the worst loyalty program changeover in the world. No communication, dates missed, rules changed without notice and even retroactively. Maybe they are doing this purposely so we can't plan the use of the coupons? They either hate their customers or are just incompetent.

I have deleted the email they sent back in the fall about the changeover. I also have nothing posted to that Avis First site of 2015 activity.

Should we be changing our earning preference back to miles or something until they figure it out?

What are the details of the new program anyway? Like I said, I lost the email and forgot.

I've always really been happy with Avis over the years (except at ORD where they s*ck) but this is kind of bizarre...

I only got 1 e-mail about the initial expiration date change. I have not gotten anything after that. Some members seemed to have gotten updates.

Supposedly they are re-working the new program after it did not test well but I think maybe they are just having IT problems. Of course, there are no details.

I did hear that the new program lets you redeem the points for merchandise like GPS devices but it will take A LOT OF points to get rental cars for free. When was the last time any enhancement from these companies worked out for the customers?

Supposedly business as usual and the terms of Avis First remains the same until mid year. Someone said they said "after 2/11". Well, 2/14 is after 2/11 but so is 12/31 :( My activities are stuck on December.

The bottom line is you just can't trust what this company does - whether it is having a car there for you or at least communicating to its better customers.

My 2015 Avis rentals have started posting to my Avis First account.

Did it show any coupons issued and what was the "Rentals to Next Rewards" number? Mine is negative.

(After lapsing from First for a year or two:) I qualified for Avis First with a rental that ended on Dec 27. This week I received my package welcoming me to Avis First. It contained only the same old mentions about free weekend coupons for every 4 qualifying rentals (ie, not counting any rentals that earn any partner currency), with no mention of any changes relative to how it's been the last few years.

It said I had to register my Avis First membership at the Avis First site to get my two free weekend day coupons. (I had just registered at the Avis First site a few days earlier, but after that mailer from Avis First would have already been sent.)

And your point is? :D They don't tell you anything in advance - they probably don't know and definitely don't care.

By the way, has anyone gotten any coupons based on 2015 rentals?

Thanks.

They did tell us something in advance. (That's how this whole thread got started!) It just turned out not to be the case.

Whether they'll ever tell us anything else in advance (given how badly that advance announcement worked out), that's a separate question.

Well, this thread started in September after they already retroactively changed the terms of the free weekend coupons to expire on 1/15/2015.

They also seem to have a problem with their e-mail communication. The only e-mail I got was in October informing us the change. I never got the subsequent "delay implementation" e-mail although some members here have.

Looks like the "coupon machine" ran and issued a weekend coupon for me over the weekend good until 8/31. No e-mail yet.

I just got an email this morning for a coupon expiring 8/31 as well.

Same here. Received one this morning also with an 8/31 expiration.

Seriously...this is the most confusing implementation of a program ever.

The funny thing is that we are back to where we were before July last year. Hopefully they are better next time round. Be warned though that the new program will most likely be a huge devaluation for those who like the weekend coupons.

I am the lucky one just received an email saying I did not have enough rentals to maintain my AVIS First, its funny because I did not even know I was Avis First, I never received any coupons or extras and certainly did not get any upgrades unless my catagory was sold out.....
0-0= nothing which is what I had before LOL

Then who put that into your profile??? :confused: :confused: :confused:

Look:

The plot thickens :cool:

Was poking around in my Avis First account looking for any deals for a rental I needed this weekend. Found a free weekend coupon expiring 2/28/15! I have no idea where it came from, except maybe from a rental I made a month ago. Regardless, it was perfect timing; applied it a noon, picked up the car at 1 pm.

I had called in late January about the First program, as I was starting to travel again but my rentals weren't posting. The agent that I called confirmed that I still had First status, and that Avis was in the middle of "updating our systems". She confirmed that once the updates were completed, rentals would post, certificates would be issued, and assured me that I still had First status.

Earlier this week, I received a "so sorry, you're not First anymore" email. Questions to their customer email simply tell me I didn't qualify last year, and didn't address the fact that had well over 4 qualifying rentals while my status was shown as, and confirmed by CS, Avis First.

Do does failure to qualify become retroactive to the beginning of the year, and certificates "earned" with the status retroactively revoked?

Having been recently comped at Hertz based on UA status, this greatly reduces my inclination to rent with Avis.

Worst loyalty program ever!
 

I'm not sure if this belongs here or if it is related to the old program but here is my experience.

I have been traveling for work for about 15 years. I was a Hertz guy for a long time and earned and used some free Hertz vouchers. I never liked Hertz that much because they seemed to lie about charges and overcharge me on occasion - adding a tank of gas to a car returned full and such.

Several years ago my company switched to National. I really liked National. I could always pick my car which was usually one with activated Sirius radio. I earned top status and it was easy to follow. I earned a bunch of free days that I used to take free rentals for a week at a time. I also earned the one two free days and could use those for a weekend or a couple days at a time. I liked the cars and the program and always had free rentals when I wanted them.

About a year ago my company was acquired and my new employer uses Avis. I was comped to President's club but really couldn't understand what it meant - I guess nothing. I think I can choose my car but I have to refuse the one that is preassigned. It seems like too much trouble so I just take the one they assign. It NEVER has sirius radio. It sometimes does not have bluetooth. I could not make head nor tails of the "awards" which seemed to only include weekend rentals for free. They would be no use for a week of vacation with my family. So I got word - by following flyertalk - that the program would be "enhanced" last year. I will not go into that mess as it is well documented. I had some vague idea that I was supposed to do something at some point or I would never earn even the weekend vouchers. I called the customer service line a few months ago to see how to sign up for avis first, which I guess is different than Avis Wizard club OR Avis preferred??? After some consultation, the two guys I spoke with assured me that if I was Presidents club I would automatically be Avis first. I guess they were as confused as I was because it appears I was not earning anything for the past year. I decided to check on my Avis first account today and I had to sign up for it first!! My account shows a series of 4 day rentals going back to last fall but none of them earned any rewards! The welcome message said they start me off with a free weekend and then I earn them every four rentals but my account show 0 weekend vouchers so they started me out with nothing?!?

Oh how I wish I could go back to National. WHy does ANYONE with a choice rent from Avis?

It seems a lot of people got caught up with the "must activate before you are" rule with AvisFirst. So, rentals before the activation do not count.

The company seems to be in a state of flux right now when it comes to the program. The whole episode since last summer has been crazy. We are back to where we were but everyone is wondering how they will roll out the new program this year.

The new program is supposed to be point based but I was told you will need A LOT of points for free rental days by someone who had a preview of the new program. Of course, the official line was the new program was not received positively during the preview so they are reworking it. (My suspicion is that the IT is not ready. When is the last time Avis did something for us?)

Many complain the free weekend does not work for them. For me, it works very well. So, I know the new program will be a huge negative for me - those of us on corporate contracts pay very low rates and a dollar based system will mean we accumulate a lot slowly. Others might like it though.

Got a coupon as well valid 2/27-8/31, interestingly, I just tried to apply it to a full size rental over the web and it said it wasn't an eligible rental, but they were able to apply it over the phone. Never had that happen before.

The T&C of the coupon exclude full size cars. I have had experiences where it works on the phone but the rental location cannot process it (e.g. applying a $50 coupon on a $45 before tax rental) so hopefully you don't run into that.

If your rental is earning points in any other program or does not meet the minimum rental period it will not count towards Avis First free weekend rentals

TW

New to Avis as my company just shifted from Hertz. I was given President status or whatever it's called but cannot log into the Avis First site - says that I do not qualify.

Will I need to complete the minimum qualifying rentals before access is granted? I guess I had thought that since President's is technically a higher level (from what i've been told by our travel desk) than First, I'd be able to log in.

Any help/thoughts are appreciated.

TIA

Any updates on the new program? I haven't heard anything.

Avis is a pretty large company. Should be able to afford a few professional PR/CS personnel. I'd assume they have put out a form letter at some point with an update.