I think we should have a list of car companies to discuss also.Alamo Avis Budget Hertz National dollar Thrifty.If I left anyone else I am sorry.

I rented from National at ORD for the first time over the holiday weekend. Compared to Alamo, they were an unorganized mess!

The shuttle bus driver dropped about 9 of us off in from of a parking lot of cars and said to grab anyone you like, regardless of what size car you reserved! I had reserved a full sized vehicle so this wasn't a free upgrade for me but I guess most folks had reserved smaller cars since they ran off the bus like it was some kind of "cash-grab" contest! Before I could get off the bus, half of them were already zooming towards the check out booth.

I wanted a nice big Buick or Oldsmobile but ended up with a stupid Chevy Blazer.

My friends primarily use Hertz and they say
they have had few problems with the company.
(I always remind them to get those miles whenever they rent!!! Even if it's only a few.)

I don't drive too much on trips (I've become
a master of Mass transit on four continents,
it's also a great way to meet people.) BUT
I like to add my name to the list of those
wanting separate entries for the car rental
firms: Alamo, Budget, Hertz, Avis, Dollar,
National and any other that has a program.
CATMAN

YES PLEASE.

Ditto for me, please--

Yes, me too, and don't forget Thrifty.

I agree, but if we're going to include Thrifty, shouldn't we also include Rent-A-Wreck?

Thrifty isn't that bad. Moreover they are offer doubling miles (1000 miles) for every two day or more rental picked up Sunday-Wed. For American airlines you can use any credit card (and no flight in conjunction is required), for other airlines an American Express card is required.

Eight people so far for a separate car rental
sections! I say that's a consensus!

And maybe it will get the car rental companies to take us more seriously before they start cutting mileage for rentals to
nothing! CATMAN

Thrifty too for sure. Our Thrifty locations here are great -- we are getting $14 (US) a day rentals and still getting our 500 points and the cars and service have been great. I am a Blue Chip member. AVIS and Budget and Hertz have never matched these low rates. In other locales I use the others, as well as Alamo. It all depends on location.

Thrifty is great and very convenient. I'm under 25 (yes, I'm probably the youngest one here by far at this forum) - and they only charge a $5 per day underage surcharge while the majors (Hertz, Avis, Alamo) charge me $15-20 per day. Also Thrifty has locations right at major Canadian airport terminals - no shuttle buses - but right on the property - literally I got off a plane once at 6:30am and was driving at 6:40am. The rates are great. And while everyone else is cutting ff credit, they are doubling it.

megamiles: ouch! you're so young. anyway, I checked with DL regarding earning SkyMiles with car rental. Effective 01 OCT (not much warning there), all car rental partners, with the exception of Dollar, will either give 50 SkyMiles per day of rental OR one mile per dollar on a corporate/government rentals or 2 miles per dollar on other rentals. Dollar will continue giving 500 miles per rental.
The same goes for CO with the exception of Dollar and Thrifty. These car companies will still give 500 miles per rental.

As for hotel partners, Thrifty is a partner of Hilton so they are your best for getting the most points. You can rent with National but again you only get 50 miles per day of car rental. However, you do get 500 HHonors points as compared to the other car rental companies which will only give you 250 HHonors points.