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Yup, they are. They claim it's because of the taxes they have to pay, but I'm highly skeptical. Basically, it's a $2 fee they can get away with, since renters can either (a) ignore it, since they're traveling on someone else's dime, or (b) pay it, if it's worth it to them, or (c) get #1 Awards points, which don't incur the fee.

It's not Hertz that's applying the charge. It's actually a surcharge that is from your frequent traveler program that is billed to you. In another words, your Southwest program is charging you for earning miles on a rental.

I recommend earning Hertz #1 points.

I use the 0.5RR credit if I have a short rental (1 day or two) and my total amt charged is very low. (lately less than $20 for two/3 day weekend rentals with heavy use of coupons^ )I figure the 0.5RR credit is worth about $10. (32 times 0.5 credit equals 16 credits for free RR ticket--may be worth $320). If I have a lengthy rental with moderate/high cost (like weekly or expensive weekdays), I would then do ZE1 pts. I did ZE1 pts with sub $20 rentals before I discovered that I could credit with RR credits. (I usually flew AA or UA & the 50/miles per day barely covered the cost so I didn't bother--credited to ZE1 pts). I joined SWA program & with the great coupons on FT, I will slowly but surely get a free RR ticket by crediting to SW.

They charge it because they can!
Most people are just billing their expenses anyway and $2 isn't going to make a difference.

They are only charging it for credit to US FF schemes though; others are ok

Dave

I vaguely remember that there used to be excise fees (i.e. U. S. government taxes) on frequent flyer miles awarded, and before the 50 cents per day / $2 max per rental b.s. Hertz just passed this fee through onto the rental receipt.

Yep. I found more information on it via Google.

In Hertz's case, that smallish excise tax didn't last long once it was implemented, as it was replaced with the current, much higher charge.

So I had my BMI FF# in the reservation and still was charged $1/day...the confirmation email clearly says:

A Frequent Flyer Surcharge of up to $1.00 per day up to a maximum of $5.25 per rental may apply when renters choose to take miles or credits from a U.S. Frequent Flyer program.

Should I call them up and ask since when BMI is a US FF program - BMI being one of the best miles-earning options with Hertz, has anyone had any experience with this?

Never ever had a charge for BMI on my bill (latest yesterday) which is for me the only way to go anyways as all US FFP are rubbish compared to 1700 BD miles

On closer inspection, that $1/day charge appears to be an "AIR CONDITION RECOVERY FEE", not FF surcharge, so all seems to be well

However in other news, as they say when I pull up my rental receipt on Hertz.com it shows a different CDP (I have several saved in my profile) than the one on the reservation and on my paper receipt (which is BMI WEB TXFER)...I think I might not automatically get the 200 miles, and I wonder if this glitch could be the reason why others don't always get the web booking bonus

I'll wait and see, and report here