When I make a reservation, I enter a flight number and arrival time. But it takes some time to get baggage and get to the car rental area. Plus the flight may be late (or early, ha ha). I'm guessing that the contract records the time I actually leave the Hertz facility and that is the start time?

I ask because on an upcoming rental the difference could result in an extra hour's charge if the rental is based on scheduled arrival time.

When the contract is printed at the gate (at most major Hertz airport locations in the U.S. & Canada). I can't speak for other countries or locations that don't do this since all my rentals are at major airports. Before this was done, it was a crapshoot. Sometimes the time I made the reservation for, sometimes they'd post date the time by up to a few hours from the time of the reservation, sometimes it was when it was recorded at the gate (even though I already had the contract from the car or from the office).

It'll usually say on your rental record (just not the pre-print ones, because they usually manually update the time later on). If you're not sure, just ask them to reprint your rental contract before you leave so that the timestamp is correct (or even the next day).

In all cases where the contract is either printed at the exit gate, or checked at the gate, it is the time you go through that gate which counts as the start time.

If there is no gate, then it is the time that you are given the contract and keys. So the only ones to watch are where, as is the case at some European airports, there is a Gold Desk and they have pre-printed the contract and they simply hand it to you, as the time then will be what you put in your reservation. If there is a significant difference you make need to ask them to amend it on their system. When you return the car, it will be time that was on their system that will be used to calculate how long you had the car.

By the way, I always put a collection time of later than the flight arrival time - I usually add my best estimate of how long it will take, allowing for baggage collection etc, as sometimes they will pull your name off the Gold Board if you are say more than 2 hrs after what you put on your reservation.

I did our pre-paid booking, selected the time for 90 minutes after landing (Las Vegas), and when I entered the flight details it asked for, I only noticed it added an extra cost to my booking as it changed my start rental time to the plane landing time, not the time I give it!
Cancelled booking and booked again without Flight details....

So I did exactly this for my flight coming in to DEN and it (so far) shows the desired number of days. I'll keep an eye on the res and make sure I get the time of check out of car. I haven't rented at DEN in years but I suspect that since its a relatively new facility they print the contract at the gate.

Very strange this. I've not experienced it yet, but will keep a sharp eye out as my return flight from SFO almost always leaves 2 1/2 hours after the inbound. So I'm tight on 24 hr timeslots.

For us Brits, it will take a good 90 mins to get through customs, immigration, baggage, then shuttle, etc etc....
I put in the time I want to rent and got my pre-paid cost... put in flight details and clicked the button to go next page, I clicked 'buy' before reading that an extra hour had been added on, as it started my rental time at the time the plane lands when entering my flight number!
smart system, and easy extra money for Hertz

I've never seen the system do this to my reservations.

And anyway, StuartUK, the rental actually starts when the car is checked out of the gate, and not at whatever time the reservation says.

You are right, 90 minutes is a good average from time of landing to actually sitting in your rental car at most US airports (and that's the good and efficient ones!).

I did notice that issue when I first made an airport booking, but a quick email got them to change it to 2 hours after (as that is what it was originally booked for) and a refund of the 2 extra hours they charged me for (and they gave me some points too).

For some reason now, even if I enter the flight information it doesn't change the time.

The time changed once for me recently (maybe a month ago?) but that was the first/only time the time changed automatically for me... I always dbl check my reservation before I leave to make sure everything is in check

The exit gate staff are usually good at putting your time out when you go through the gate if you ask nicely and explain you'll be tight on the return. Otherwise, the desk clerk may just assign your booking time. Check before you go through the gate and don't be afraid to ask.