JohnnyP

We do it for airline status... we do it for hotel status... does anyone do it for car rental status?

If I rent a car, say, Thursday-Friday then return it to National on Friday. And pick up another car five minutes later (separate reservation) for Friday-Sunday, does that count as two separate rentals?

peteropny

nope - consecutive rentals don't count as separate ones

wahooflyer

How much time must there be between two rentals at the same location for them to count separately?

dd992emo

It must be just 24 hours, because I've gotten credit for two rentals in CAE after returning on Thursday and renting again on Saturday.

bonzaiflyer

Yeppers, I've done the run. Was in PHX for 2 weeks solid. Returned the car on Saturday around 0900, walked over to Avis got a car, returned it on Sunday around 1000, walked over to National and got one for the balance of the trip. Counted as 2 rentals.

jkm, the stolen pifwafwi

the fact that 1 rental day gets you 1 credit and 5 doesn't get you two is annoying (it takes 8). otherwise most travelers would just extend their stay to 5 days from 4 and consider that a "run".

NCRBILL

I've made two reservations. I turned in the car after the first one, went inside the building, got a soda and went outside and got into the second reservation. Got credit for two rentals.

I've done this more times than not. You must make sure you have different reservations. Once they close out the contract, it's a new rental.

The secret is they MUST CLOSE OUT THE CONTRACT before you get the next car.

I also had a car that was in bad shape. I went in, had them give me another car. I asked them to close the contract, and open a new one listing the new car. No problem and I got the two rental credit.

I've never had to wait 24 hours to rent another car and get credit. Think about it, I've flown into LAX, did some business and then flown on into SFO on the same day. I was able to get the credit for each of these rentals also.

JohnnyP

What is the physical act of "closing out the contract"? Is printing out the receipt from the little hand-held printer at the "Return Cars Here" aisle enough?

Florida Flyer

Exactly. This happens every day. I know I've done it.

ashaboe

According to the EC T&C one is not supposed to get two rental credits for the example above. If you did then lucky you, but I really don't think it has anything to do with closing out a contract. Maybe you're just lucky ...

Most car rental companies make it a point not to close a contract for vehicle exchanges (I've been asked not to go to the "car return" area on the rare occassion that I need to exchange vehicles specifically to avoid the inadvertent closing out of the existing contract). Most locations would probably refuse closing out a contract on a vehicle exchange and opening a new one. Again you may have lucked out on the above example.

The T&C has always allowed the above. The only time when the example above should not yield two rental credits is when you make both rentals from the same location.

wahooflyer

I believe two rentals from nearby locations (i.e. pick up at LAX on Monday, return at ONT on Wednesday, then immediately pick up another car at ONT and return at LAX on Friday) are also considered "back to back" and do not give multiple rental credits.

cawhite

I'm glad I'm not the only one who does this. Helps with keeping "status" with two car companies

vegdude

I dont think "rental-credit run" will work. Here's my story:
I was burned by their "no consecutive rental" policy. I had 2 10+ days "consecutive" rentals due to the need to close out my expense report.
I noticed that I didn't get any credit for the 2nd rental, so I I emailed them.
I got the following reply from National:

> Thank you for your inquiry to our office. Please
> allow me a moment to
> explain.
>
> You returned a car <DATE> and earned
> credits. You also picked up a
> car on <Same DATE> at the same location under
> rental agreement #####. This is considered a consecutive rental.
> Consecutive rentals are
> not eligible for rental credits.

When I explained to them that it was done out of necessity and not for a "rental credit-run". I received the following reply:

>I am sorry for the inconvenience, this is our policy.

Lanoitan

Yep, you will not receive credit for 2 rentals of you rent a car on the same date that you returned one (I believe it is a calendar day, not a 24 hour period). This only applies if it is the same location. You would receive credit for 2 rentals if you returned to one location and rented in another on the same day.

dashark

Actually, you don't even have to return the first car before renting the second. I've flown to another city and left the car with a co-worker. Picked up another car in city2. Co-worker turns in car in city1 and I turn in car in city2 the same day. I get credit for both.

I've also nested rentals. Rent car in city1. Halfway through a trip of one week or longer, park at city1 airport and fly to city2 for a day trip. Rent car in city2, return car and fly back to city1. Pick up the car at the airport in city1 and return it a few days later. I get credit for both.