Hertz Deposit Question for Visa - 2018 Edition
Jan 1, 2018, 12:27 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 7
Hertz Deposit Question for Visa - 2018 Edition
First, happy new year to the FlyerTalk Community!
I've visited other threads discussing the large fund hold Hertz is well known for, and found that Visa cards were privileged as they only hold the expected exact amount of the rental, not the amount plus $200.00 (USD). Unfortunately, all the posts discussing that are at minimum 2 years old, and some go back 8 or 9 years, and there was one that said this may no longer be the case. Of course, calling Hertz gets the usual "amount of rental plus $200.00" answer from the sales rep, but users here seem to imply that is (at least sometimes) not true. Has anyone had any recent (within the past 2 months) experience with a Visa card, Hertz rental, and checking their available credit/pending charges while the rental account is open and still in progress?
I know I'll get some people thinking "holds aren't an issue because they aren't an actual charge." Please understand I am a young renter, only just starting out in the credit world. I have a low limit card for building credit, so $200 plus a rental charge hold for a few hundred jumps me up very high close to my limit. Then of course I have to get a hotel, so I'm looking at close to maxed out just because of the ridiculous rental hold and then hotel hold. I do have USAA and AAA to get underage fees waived, thank goodness. Normally, I go with Enterprise or Alamo for low/no deposits, but the rates on Hertz are often so much cheaper when all is said and done and my discounts are plugged in. So, just wondering if I'd be safe to go with Hertz. I just really can't have a $200 hold + rental charge + hotel charge + hotel's hold all at once! :/
Thank you in advance!
I've visited other threads discussing the large fund hold Hertz is well known for, and found that Visa cards were privileged as they only hold the expected exact amount of the rental, not the amount plus $200.00 (USD). Unfortunately, all the posts discussing that are at minimum 2 years old, and some go back 8 or 9 years, and there was one that said this may no longer be the case. Of course, calling Hertz gets the usual "amount of rental plus $200.00" answer from the sales rep, but users here seem to imply that is (at least sometimes) not true. Has anyone had any recent (within the past 2 months) experience with a Visa card, Hertz rental, and checking their available credit/pending charges while the rental account is open and still in progress?
I know I'll get some people thinking "holds aren't an issue because they aren't an actual charge." Please understand I am a young renter, only just starting out in the credit world. I have a low limit card for building credit, so $200 plus a rental charge hold for a few hundred jumps me up very high close to my limit. Then of course I have to get a hotel, so I'm looking at close to maxed out just because of the ridiculous rental hold and then hotel hold. I do have USAA and AAA to get underage fees waived, thank goodness. Normally, I go with Enterprise or Alamo for low/no deposits, but the rates on Hertz are often so much cheaper when all is said and done and my discounts are plugged in. So, just wondering if I'd be safe to go with Hertz. I just really can't have a $200 hold + rental charge + hotel charge + hotel's hold all at once! :/
Thank you in advance!
Jan 1, 2018, 6:13 am
#2
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Los Angeles, CA,
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond, Hertz President Circle, Copaair Presidential, and Southwest A-List
Posts: 588
My experiences are recent. I can tell you that based on my rentals in the US, 100% of the time when I use the visa card, there has been no $200 hold. However, I was surprised when I was in Canada that they also held $200 CAD on top of my charge, even when using the Visa.
Other than the two times when I rented in Canada with a visa card, all my US rentals have been just the total rental price, and no additional $200 hold.
Hope this helps.
Other than the two times when I rented in Canada with a visa card, all my US rentals have been just the total rental price, and no additional $200 hold.
Hope this helps.
Jan 1, 2018, 8:17 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 7
My experiences are recent. I can tell you that based on my rentals in the US, 100% of the time when I use the visa card, there has been no $200 hold. However, I was surprised when I was in Canada that they also held $200 CAD on top of my charge, even when using the Visa.
Other than the two times when I rented in Canada with a visa card, all my US rentals have been just the total rental price, and no additional $200 hold.
Hope this helps.
Other than the two times when I rented in Canada with a visa card, all my US rentals have been just the total rental price, and no additional $200 hold.
Hope this helps.
Jan 1, 2018, 12:38 pm
#5
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Los Angeles, CA,
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond, Hertz President Circle, Copaair Presidential, and Southwest A-List
Posts: 588
I can assure you that if it's indeed a visa, either debit or credit, and the rental is in the US, there will be no additional $200 hold.
Jan 1, 2018, 8:41 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 7
These replies are fantastic - my confidence is soaring! 
rune87, would appreciate you checking back in on how the USAA rental goes especially. Have heard some bad things about Hertz and USAA elsewhere on the internet.
rune87, would appreciate you checking back in on how the USAA rental goes especially. Have heard some bad things about Hertz and USAA elsewhere on the internet.
Last edited by FlyinHawaiian; Jan 2, 2018 at 4:12 am Reason: consecutive posts merged
Jan 1, 2018, 11:59 pm
#7
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Los Angeles, California
Programs: IHG Diamond Elite, Hilton Diamond, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 3,531
I am currently on the last week of a three week rental. There is no hold using a Visa card other than the actual charges when you pick up your vehicle. That's even dropped off my Visa account now. I also used MasterCard on a few rentals within the last two months and each time, even if it was for one day, they hold an additional $200.
Jan 2, 2018, 8:18 am
#9
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Los Angeles, CA,
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond, Hertz President Circle, Copaair Presidential, and Southwest A-List
Posts: 588
As I alluded to in post number 2, I did experience a $200 CAD hold on top of the actual charges, even when I used my visa card. Whereas there was never any hold on my US rentals on either my debit or credit visa cards.
Jan 5, 2018, 7:40 am
#11
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Canada
Programs: National EE, Enterprise Platinum, Hertz President's Circle, NEXUS
Posts: 106
Jan 5, 2018, 10:08 pm
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 7
See, to me, that's absolutely ridiculous... no car will be rolling in empty and needing $450 of gas, and it's highly unlikely you'd extend your reservation up to it being that much extra... I've heard people arguing, attempting to justify the large deposit by "Well, they are letting you drive off with a $30,000 car for a tiny fractional percentage of the price..." True, but totaling or even being involved in a fender bender in said car will result in damage that far exceeds $450. That's what insurance is for, on credit cards, personal policies, or purchased from the car company. It's just ridiculous.
Guess I'll never use Hertz if I ever rent outside of USA.
Guess I'll never use Hertz if I ever rent outside of USA.
Jan 5, 2018, 11:54 pm
#14
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Canada
Programs: National EE, Enterprise Platinum, Hertz President's Circle, NEXUS
Posts: 106
See, to me, that's absolutely ridiculous... no car will be rolling in empty and needing $450 of gas, and it's highly unlikely you'd extend your reservation up to it being that much extra... I've heard people arguing, attempting to justify the large deposit by "Well, they are letting you drive off with a $30,000 car for a tiny fractional percentage of the price..." True, but totaling or even being involved in a fender bender in said car will result in damage that far exceeds $450. That's what insurance is for, on credit cards, personal policies, or purchased from the car company. It's just ridiculous.
Guess I'll never use Hertz if I ever rent outside of USA.
Guess I'll never use Hertz if I ever rent outside of USA.
Even if I accepted the overpriced LDW, they're still gonna charge me the $450 deposit.
It is 100% ridiculous.
Jan 6, 2018, 1:38 am
#15
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: London
Posts: 1,546
"Guess I'll never use Hertz if I ever rent outside of USA."
It's the US that is different. Expect a hold on your card, in every country (except US) and with any rental company. USD200 is low, it can be a four figure number on high value cars in Europe.
It's the US that is different. Expect a hold on your card, in every country (except US) and with any rental company. USD200 is low, it can be a four figure number on high value cars in Europe.