Mar 29, 2017, 6:02 am
Last edit by: FlyinHawaiian
Questions regarding specific locations (eg, "I am Renting From XXX; What Might I Get?") may be moved to specific/dedicated threads for that location. All major airport codes may be searched using FlyerTalk's search engine; otherwise, words in " " quotation marks will bypass the character limit filter.
Overview of Service and List of Existing and Future Airport Locations: https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/produ...ate_choice.jsp
Am I Eligible? Is My Vehicle Eligible?
Q. Who can use Ultimate Choice?
Any member of the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards program is eligible to use Ultimate Choice. The areas you can select from depend on your status in the program (President's Circle, Five Star, or Gold).
Q. What is the minimum booking class to be eligible to freely select cars from Ultimate Choice?
A. You can book anything other than an Economy (A), Compact (B), or Manager's Special (EXAR) vehicle, and be eligible for Ultimate Choice.
Q. What if I book a lower class such as Economy or Compact or Manager's Special?
A. You will be assigned a car from that class (or higher, as a complimentary upgrade) in a marked space.
Q. What happens if I book a Economy or Compact but pick a higher-class car from Ultimate Choice?
A. You will likely be asked to pay the midsize rental rate by the gate agent.
Q. What if I book a Fullsize car but find a lower class car in Ultimate Choice that I like better?
A. You may chose to take it, but you will pay the originally-booked Fullsize rate.
Q. What if I book a Adrenaline/Electric/Hybrid/Luxury/Prestige car or a Minivan/Truck/SUV?
A. You will be assigned a car from that class in a marked space. You can either accept it or chose a car from Ultimate Choice.
Q. Can I use Ultimate Choice for one-way rentals?
A. Yes.
Q. Can I use Ultimate Choice for award rentals?
A. Yes, provided the reservation is for a mid-size car or higher.
Overview of Service and List of Existing and Future Airport Locations: https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/produ...ate_choice.jsp
Am I Eligible? Is My Vehicle Eligible?
Q. Who can use Ultimate Choice?
Any member of the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards program is eligible to use Ultimate Choice. The areas you can select from depend on your status in the program (President's Circle, Five Star, or Gold).
Q. What is the minimum booking class to be eligible to freely select cars from Ultimate Choice?
A. You can book anything other than an Economy (A), Compact (B), or Manager's Special (EXAR) vehicle, and be eligible for Ultimate Choice.
Q. What if I book a lower class such as Economy or Compact or Manager's Special?
A. You will be assigned a car from that class (or higher, as a complimentary upgrade) in a marked space.
Q. What happens if I book a Economy or Compact but pick a higher-class car from Ultimate Choice?
A. You will likely be asked to pay the midsize rental rate by the gate agent.
Q. What if I book a Fullsize car but find a lower class car in Ultimate Choice that I like better?
A. You may chose to take it, but you will pay the originally-booked Fullsize rate.
Q. What if I book a Adrenaline/Electric/Hybrid/Luxury/Prestige car or a Minivan/Truck/SUV?
A. You will be assigned a car from that class in a marked space. You can either accept it or chose a car from Ultimate Choice.
Q. Can I use Ultimate Choice for one-way rentals?
A. Yes.
Q. Can I use Ultimate Choice for award rentals?
A. Yes, provided the reservation is for a mid-size car or higher.
Questions/Discussion About Hertz Ultimate Choice Service
Nov 21, 2016, 4:48 pm
#31
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM, Marriott Gold, Hertz PC, National Exec
Posts: 6,736
Several posts in this thread reference the requirement to have a mid-size vehicle reserved to take advantage of the Ultimate Choice President's Circle benefit. I don't see that a mid-size vehicle class exists. There is Intermediate, Standard and Full-Size but no mid-size and that's even in the sticky in the Hertz forum. So I have an Intermediate reserved, does that count as mid-sized? I'm flying into FLL and while on business trips I really don't care about the car I get (which is good since Hertz cars have degraded for me over the past several years), but this is a long personal trip with drives between the Keys and I'd like the nicest car I can get. Should I change my reservation to full-size now?
Nov 22, 2016, 10:04 am
#32
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: 23,194
Several posts in this thread reference the requirement to have a mid-size vehicle reserved to take advantage of the Ultimate Choice President's Circle benefit. I don't see that a mid-size vehicle class exists. There is Intermediate, Standard and Full-Size but no mid-size and that's even in the sticky in the Hertz forum. So I have an Intermediate reserved, does that count as mid-sized? I'm flying into FLL and while on business trips I really don't care about the car I get (which is good since Hertz cars have degraded for me over the past several years), but this is a long personal trip with drives between the Keys and I'd like the nicest car I can get. Should I change my reservation to full-size now?
Nov 30, 2016, 9:17 am
#33
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: MSN
Programs: Delta DM, Bonvoy LT Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,987
So NeverLost navigation right? If it's a car that has a built-in nav that's not extra? Although every time I've had one with built-in nav they seem to have disabled it. And those kind of upgrades stopped a while ago.
Dec 9, 2016, 12:04 am
#34
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs: AA PLT, AS 75K, DL DM, HY Globalist, HH Diamond, MC/RZ/SW Platinum, AB/UA Silver, WN CP
Posts: 1,122
Where are folks seeing the requirement that PC members reserve intermediate or higher to use UC? The language on the site just says you'll go to your designated elite area upon arrival. Thanks.
Dec 9, 2016, 10:06 am
#36
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs: AA PLT, AS 75K, DL DM, HY Globalist, HH Diamond, MC/RZ/SW Platinum, AB/UA Silver, WN CP
Posts: 1,122
Dec 9, 2016, 10:42 am
#37
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Programs: AA, BA, Accor, Honors Diamond, IHG Diamond Elite and lots more....
Posts: 2,971
I'll find out in a week or so.
PC member having booked a luxury car. I am trusting that I will still get a Chrysler 300.
Will not be a happy bunny if I don't.
PC member having booked a luxury car. I am trusting that I will still get a Chrysler 300.
Will not be a happy bunny if I don't.
Dec 10, 2016, 9:27 am
#38
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: MSN
Programs: Delta DM, Bonvoy LT Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,987
If it doesn't say it's different for 5*/PC members, why would you say it is? From that information one can infer if you don't book the minimum size required, you are not going to get the benefit. Period. If you book smaller, you will (maybe) get your one car class upgrade. That's the only logical conclusion. Don't read a benefit into something when the posted rules are pretty clear.
Dec 10, 2016, 9:41 am
#39
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs: AA PLT, AS 75K, DL DM, HY Globalist, HH Diamond, MC/RZ/SW Platinum, AB/UA Silver, WN CP
Posts: 1,122
If it doesn't say it's different for 5*/PC members, why would you say it is? From that information one can infer if you don't book the minimum size required, you are not going to get the benefit. Period. If you book smaller, you will (maybe) get your one car class upgrade. That's the only logical conclusion. Don't read a benefit into something when the posted rules are pretty clear.
Dec 15, 2016, 4:16 am
#40
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: World
Posts: 1,647
In November I rented from a cheaper than midsize car category (Eco, Manager's Special, etc.) and was still directed to select a car from the President's Circle section based on my PC status.
Is it no longer necessary to rent at least a midsize vehicle to get access to increased vehicle choice? Was this just a mistake on the part of the staff?
Is it no longer necessary to rent at least a midsize vehicle to get access to increased vehicle choice? Was this just a mistake on the part of the staff?
Dec 16, 2016, 7:37 am
#41
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 1,351
Yes. I booked the car with my app minutes before arriving to the lot (flight cancellation, drove instead). I received no message directing me to the PC aisle (there was no time for the system to catch up). Since I had booked B I did not go to the PC aisle directly but to the booth, where they saw I was PC and directed me to that aisle.
I wouldn't take that as a general policy.
I wouldn't take that as a general policy.
Dec 20, 2016, 10:44 am
#42
Company Representative - AutoSlash and HotelSlash
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: autoslash.com | hotelslash.com
Posts: 5,666
2. What car size did you reserve?
In theory:
PC members booking midsize-fullsize cars will be directed to the PC area.
Gold/5* members booking midsize-fullsize cars will be directed to the Gold/5* area.
Anyone booking compacts will be directed to the compact area. (Non Golds booking midsizes and fullsizes will be directed by the counter agent to the midsize or fullsize areas, respectively, but those of course won't show on the board.)
Anyone booking premium or higher (including vans and SUVs) will be given a specific stall.
(Unclear what happens if you book an economy. I'm guessing those people are directed to the compact area.)
That's the understanding we have here in this thread so far. If you can confirm your status and what you booked, though, it will help us refine how this works.
Dec 21, 2016, 7:13 am
#43
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: World
Posts: 1,647
I am PC and on my last rental I booked a "manager's special" - cheaper than compact / midsize - and was directed to the PC area.
The manager's special rate is frequently the best rate for the locations I visit so I'm hoping I'll be able to continue using this rate without losing access the PC area.
The manager's special rate is frequently the best rate for the locations I visit so I'm hoping I'll be able to continue using this rate without losing access the PC area.
Dec 21, 2016, 8:09 am
#44
Company Representative - AutoSlash and HotelSlash
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: autoslash.com | hotelslash.com
Posts: 5,666
I am PC and on my last rental I booked a "manager's special" - cheaper than compact / midsize - and was directed to the PC area.
The manager's special rate is frequently the best rate for the locations I visit so I'm hoping I'll be able to continue using this rate without losing access the PC area.
The manager's special rate is frequently the best rate for the locations I visit so I'm hoping I'll be able to continue using this rate without losing access the PC area.
Last edited by AutoSlash; Dec 21, 2016 at 12:29 pm
Dec 21, 2016, 12:19 pm
#45
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM, Marriott Gold, Hertz PC, National Exec
Posts: 6,736
Haha, good for you and thanks for the info! I have a feeling that since the "Manager's Special" (vehicle class XXAR) is in a gray area, they don't really have a defined procedure to handle it, and since you're PC anyway, they just kind of bump you up. Technically it is a Compact or up anyway, so given that you're PC you might as well get to choose anyway.