Adding mileage number after rental with Dollar
Jun 10, 2007, 3:35 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2007
Programs: delta, Continental, Southwest
Posts: 1
Adding mileage number after rental with Dollar
I recently rented a car from Dollar in Reno, Nv. I did not have my Southwest FF number available, and was told I could add it when I brought the car back. When I brought it back, the attendant with the hand held computer in the return lot told me I would have to go inside the airport to the counter. When I approached the counter, the line was at least 10 deep, as several airlines had obviously recently landed. Getting in that line would have made me unable to make my flight and clear security. My question is, can i still get my mileage credit added to the rental? I am a membe of Dollars Fast Lane program, also.
Jun 11, 2007, 11:47 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,195
Well, maybe. A couple of avenues I'd try:
-Try the online form at https://www.dollar.com/customer_assistance/ff_help.aspx (look at the right-hand column). If that URL doesn't work, navigate to "Customer Assistance" from the home page, then "Frequent Flyer Help Desk," then "Frequent Flyer Help Desk Request Form."
-Call Customer Service. Their number is 800.800.5252. If they're not terribly responsive, see if you can get a better response by talking to someone at the Dollar Express desk (Fast Lane was renamed Dollar Express) at 866.776.6667--they may be a bit more likely to be helpful (always wanna keep the VIP customers happy...).
Here's the issue: when you put in frequent flyer miles on a rental contract, Dollar bills you a 50-cent-per-day, up to $2.00, "frequent flyer surcharge" (sort of passing on the cost of buying the miles from the airlines and giving them to you). Once you've returned the car and the charges are finalized and accounting posts the contract, Dollar can't really add on the surcharges--and without the surcharge, you don't get miles.
However, depending on the location that you rented from and their computer system, things may be different, and things might be able to be handled differently in the centralized computer system at the corporate office. They may be able to add on the surcharge to your rental and just bill your credit card, or they may give you the miles without even charging you. I'm assuming they can give you the miles without any problem, since they have an entire online form set up for it.
One other note: When Fast Lane was converted to Dollar Express, Dollar Express received its own rewards program. With Dollar Express Rewards, each rental day earns you one credit, and excluding bonus credit promotions, sixteen credits can be redeemed for one free rental day. However, with Dollar Express, you can earn either Dollar Express Rewards credits OR airline miles--not both. If you book with your Dollar Express number, you will receive whichever one you put in your profile--rewards credits or airline miles. I'm not sure if you booked with your Fast Lane/Express member number or not, but if you did, you may have either already received WN miles (yes, I know that they are technically Rapid Rewards credits, but to prevent confusion with Dollar Express Rewards credits, I'll keep referring to them as airline miles), or you have already earned Dollar Express Rewards credits (the default, unless you tell them differently). If you did, perhaps you can convince the Dollar Express desk to cancel your credits and give you the miles instead (unless you decide you want Dollar Express Rewards--you can go back 60 days and apply all Dollar rentals within that timeframe towards the Rewards program).
If you did not book with your Fast Lane/Express number, then you probably received neither and should be able to get the miles through either the form or by calling.
For future reference, I'd encourage you to check with the Dollar Express desk (see the number above) to see if you need to do anything special to convert your Fast Lane membership to a Dollar Express membership (I'm not entirely sure what the difference is on the back end). I would then make sure that your Dollar Express membership includes your WN Rapid Rewards number, and that way, as long as you book with your Express member ID, you're sure to get your WN credits every time you rent.
Failing that, next time I'd call before the contract is closed (just call the number at the top of your rental agreement). The phone representative should be able to add your WN number right over the phone, and then everything will be set up properly for your return.
Hope this helps!
-Try the online form at https://www.dollar.com/customer_assistance/ff_help.aspx (look at the right-hand column). If that URL doesn't work, navigate to "Customer Assistance" from the home page, then "Frequent Flyer Help Desk," then "Frequent Flyer Help Desk Request Form."
-Call Customer Service. Their number is 800.800.5252. If they're not terribly responsive, see if you can get a better response by talking to someone at the Dollar Express desk (Fast Lane was renamed Dollar Express) at 866.776.6667--they may be a bit more likely to be helpful (always wanna keep the VIP customers happy...).
Here's the issue: when you put in frequent flyer miles on a rental contract, Dollar bills you a 50-cent-per-day, up to $2.00, "frequent flyer surcharge" (sort of passing on the cost of buying the miles from the airlines and giving them to you). Once you've returned the car and the charges are finalized and accounting posts the contract, Dollar can't really add on the surcharges--and without the surcharge, you don't get miles.
However, depending on the location that you rented from and their computer system, things may be different, and things might be able to be handled differently in the centralized computer system at the corporate office. They may be able to add on the surcharge to your rental and just bill your credit card, or they may give you the miles without even charging you. I'm assuming they can give you the miles without any problem, since they have an entire online form set up for it.
One other note: When Fast Lane was converted to Dollar Express, Dollar Express received its own rewards program. With Dollar Express Rewards, each rental day earns you one credit, and excluding bonus credit promotions, sixteen credits can be redeemed for one free rental day. However, with Dollar Express, you can earn either Dollar Express Rewards credits OR airline miles--not both. If you book with your Dollar Express number, you will receive whichever one you put in your profile--rewards credits or airline miles. I'm not sure if you booked with your Fast Lane/Express member number or not, but if you did, you may have either already received WN miles (yes, I know that they are technically Rapid Rewards credits, but to prevent confusion with Dollar Express Rewards credits, I'll keep referring to them as airline miles), or you have already earned Dollar Express Rewards credits (the default, unless you tell them differently). If you did, perhaps you can convince the Dollar Express desk to cancel your credits and give you the miles instead (unless you decide you want Dollar Express Rewards--you can go back 60 days and apply all Dollar rentals within that timeframe towards the Rewards program).
If you did not book with your Fast Lane/Express number, then you probably received neither and should be able to get the miles through either the form or by calling.
For future reference, I'd encourage you to check with the Dollar Express desk (see the number above) to see if you need to do anything special to convert your Fast Lane membership to a Dollar Express membership (I'm not entirely sure what the difference is on the back end). I would then make sure that your Dollar Express membership includes your WN Rapid Rewards number, and that way, as long as you book with your Express member ID, you're sure to get your WN credits every time you rent.
Failing that, next time I'd call before the contract is closed (just call the number at the top of your rental agreement). The phone representative should be able to add your WN number right over the phone, and then everything will be set up properly for your return.
Hope this helps!