Avis Preferred Select & Go Questions
Nov 23, 2019, 1:57 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 46
Avis Preferred Select & Go Questions
I have been renting with National and enjoy their Emerald Aisle program. You pay for a midsize. You can then select any car in the Aisle. There are a combination of midsized cars and typically upgraded cars (generally larger cars or small SUV's, occasionally pickups, sometimes minivans). As an example, in Boston this week, I paid for a midsize but drove a Nissan Rogue.
I am now with a new company that has pretty good rates through Avis. I just did an Avis Preferred profile and see they have a Select & Go option. How does that work? Is it similar to the National program where I can select a larger vehicle for the same price?
I am now with a new company that has pretty good rates through Avis. I just did an Avis Preferred profile and see they have a Select & Go option. How does that work? Is it similar to the National program where I can select a larger vehicle for the same price?
Nov 23, 2019, 2:51 pm
#2
Company Representative - AutoSlash and HotelSlash
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: autoslash.com | hotelslash.com
Posts: 5,657
Avis Select & Go is not nearly as good as National's Emerald Aisle or even Hertz Ultimate Choice. Basically the way it works is that they pre-assign you a vehicle and then you can use their mobile app to choose from alternate vehicles. The problem is that what the app usually serves up as alternates is extremely limited and/or unappealing, so it's definitely a YMMV situation, but on the whole, it's a huge step down from National or Hertz. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. 
Nov 24, 2019, 7:20 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,932
Avis Select & Go is not nearly as good as National's Emerald Aisle or even Hertz Ultimate Choice. Basically the way it works is that they pre-assign you a vehicle and then you can use their mobile app to choose from alternate vehicles. The problem is that what the app usually serves up as alternates is extremely limited and/or unappealing, so it's definitely a YMMV situation, but on the whole, it's a huge step down from National or Hertz. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.
According to this thread from a couple years ago:
AVIS Preferred Select & Go
you could just show up and select from any Exchange cars in the Select & Go row. No need to select ahead of time (on an app or otherwise). Are you saying that the app is now the only way to use Select & Go?
I like to examine the car I'm selecting, so to me having to select only on an app would be a step down from being able to inspect all the cars in the Select & Go row and pick the one that works best for me.
Nov 24, 2019, 10:28 pm
#4
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: SFO/DTW
Programs: DL PM 0.5MM, Hyatt Globalist, HHonors Gold, SPG Plat, Marriott Gold, Avis PC, National EE, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,988
Did this change or did you give incomplete information?
According to this thread from a couple years ago:
AVIS Preferred Select & Go
you could just show up and select from any Exchange cars in the Select & Go row. No need to select ahead of time (on an app or otherwise). Are you saying that the app is now the only way to use Select & Go?
I like to examine the car I'm selecting, so to me having to select only on an app would be a step down from being able to inspect all the cars in the Select & Go row and pick the one that works best for me.
According to this thread from a couple years ago:
AVIS Preferred Select & Go
you could just show up and select from any Exchange cars in the Select & Go row. No need to select ahead of time (on an app or otherwise). Are you saying that the app is now the only way to use Select & Go?
I like to examine the car I'm selecting, so to me having to select only on an app would be a step down from being able to inspect all the cars in the Select & Go row and pick the one that works best for me.
Nov 24, 2019, 11:37 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: AS MVPG, DL KM, Bee Six, Bonvoy Plat, Avis PC, Natl Exec, Greyhound Road Rewards Z"L
Posts: 16,660
It's like the first incarnation of Gold Choice with Hertz. Only several spots with generally mediocre cars.
-J.
-J.
Nov 25, 2019, 8:07 am
#6
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: Southwest A-List; Alaska MVPG; Hilton Diamond; Avis PreferredPlus; Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite
Posts: 914
I feel as though there may be some upgrades to this coming down the road. I haven’t saved them, but MCI has been emailing me about enhancements to Select -and-Go. I’m not flying out of there in a while, so I didn’t really pay attention to them,
Nov 25, 2019, 9:55 am
#7
Moderator: Avis and Rental Cars
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 8,031
I've seen more and more locations skipping the S&G option (either the aisle is empty, or just has upgrades in it) as Avis is relying on folks to use the app to pick a vehicle. Makes more sense to not have to move the cars to a specific row, just update the info in the system.
Nov 25, 2019, 9:57 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: AS MVPG, DL KM, Bee Six, Bonvoy Plat, Avis PC, Natl Exec, Greyhound Road Rewards Z"L
Posts: 16,660
I've seen more and more locations skipping the S&G option (either the aisle is empty, or just has upgrades in it) as Avis is relying on folks to use the app to pick a vehicle. Makes more sense to not have to move the cars to a specific row, just update the info in the system.
Clearly Hertz and National saw value in the physical aisle. National has some issues with it especially when inventory is low, more so than Hertz it seems.
-J.
Jul 5, 2023, 2:03 pm
#9
Join Date: Jul 2023
Posts: 2
Avis Preferred at LAX
Hi guys,
Going to LA in a couple of weeks and wondered if Avis has a nice Select and Go section there. Has someone already experienced their fleet in 2023?
Going to LA in a couple of weeks and wondered if Avis has a nice Select and Go section there. Has someone already experienced their fleet in 2023?
Jul 7, 2023, 6:14 pm
#10
Join Date: Apr 2023
Location: YUL
Posts: 41
Anyone experienced that it appears to be really rare to have pickup on site in Canadian Airport?
Jul 8, 2023, 8:32 pm
#11
Moderator: Avis and Rental Cars
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 8,031
Avis no longer has S&G. They've replaced it with picking a car through the app (which is hit or miss). Some sits still have signage but it's not actually a thing anymore.
Jul 17, 2023, 12:12 pm
#12
Join Date: Jul 2023
Posts: 2
Really? So they don't maintain sections anymore dedicated for S&G? Can you then pick any car you want within the group or how does that work now and do you have good experiences with that?
Jul 21, 2023, 5:52 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: DL DM 2MM, Marriott LT Titanium, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 15,165
I can't find anything on the website any more about select & go so seems this is correct. Also had a rental at an airport that used to be select and go and I was assigned a car ahead of time with some mediocre alternate selections in the app. Its really sub-par by a significant amount compared to the competition that lets you pick a car from the lot. Don't know why Avis rejected this idea.
Jul 30, 2023, 7:09 pm
#14
Moderator: Avis and Rental Cars
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 8,031
Moderator's Note - Closing this thread as Select & Go is gone from Avis.