Easiest way into PC?
Jul 23, 2009 | 3:25 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 88
Easiest way into PC?
I apologize for asking, if this comes off as looking for a shortcut into what many have earned, but short of renting dozens of times, what is the easiest way to upgrade a Preferred account to President's Club? I have a few rentals coming up next month, and likely a handful more over the following months, so if it's simply a matter of paying a fee, it might be worth it for the upgrades, etc.
I've also seen the Continental offer, but as I have an existing Preferred membership with my license, address, etc., would they allow me to create an entirely new Preferred profile solely for the PC status with the same license #?
Many thanks for any suggestions...
I've also seen the Continental offer, but as I have an existing Preferred membership with my license, address, etc., would they allow me to create an entirely new Preferred profile solely for the PC status with the same license #?
Many thanks for any suggestions...
Jul 23, 2009 | 3:33 pm
#2
Moderator: Avis and Rental Cars
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 8,070
The easiest way that I know of is the CO Presidential Plus MasterCard. You can upgrade your current account to PC with that card, no need for a new one. So that should work for you. It's expensive, however ($400ish per year?).
And the membership is by invitation only; you cannot get PC status by "renting dozens of times". That's for Avis First, but it doesn't get you much, either.
And the membership is by invitation only; you cannot get PC status by "renting dozens of times". That's for Avis First, but it doesn't get you much, either.
Jul 24, 2009 | 2:07 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 88
Ouch - I guess there's no real reward in loyalty, then, as I haven't heard the greatest things about Avis First. I have no intention of signing up for another credit card (I already have three and like to keep it at that), so for now I created an entirely new Avis profile using the link from the CO Presidential Plus page, but as of yet it just lists me as a preferred member. No problems in signing up, at least; if at some point it updates the page to say that I'm PC, I'll just cancel all of my reservations on the old profile and make them again on the new one.
Jul 24, 2009 | 11:15 pm
#4
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 3
I too signed up through the link w/o the CC (gasp!) and after about a week it did change over from 'preferred' to 'preferred president's club'. I'm hoping it will stick around for a while, though I read on another website that they can/do cross-check with the credit issuer to find out if it's legit. That was from 2008, not sure if they still do it or how often.
Jul 25, 2009 | 7:40 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 88
Thanks for the heads-up - that would be a pain, certainly. Please let the board know - and PM me if possible - if they do end up yanking your membership, and I'll be sure to do the same. Have you had any rentals yet where you were dealt with as a PC at the counter?
Jul 30, 2009 | 11:00 pm
#6
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: *G, KLM Plat, Avis PC, SPG Plt, Hyt Plt
Posts: 242
I too signed up through the link w/o the CC (gasp!) and after about a week it did change over from 'preferred' to 'preferred president's club'. I'm hoping it will stick around for a while, though I read on another website that they can/do cross-check with the credit issuer to find out if it's legit. That was from 2008, not sure if they still do it or how often.
A friend of mine got the Pres Club at Avis without the credit card but mentioned to me that it got dumped two months later. (He enjoyed it while he had it)
Jul 31, 2009 | 2:04 am
#7
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: SoCal
Programs: AA EP, OZ Diamond, WS Plat, Avis CHM, Hertz PC, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 917
That's what I heard too - with the fake certificate saga we all saw a few months ago, our AvisBudget rep told us their risk/security folks are starting to clamp down on these things and closing fradulent PCI accounts and noting people's accounts. Similar to the Chairman's audit that was done a earlier this year. Yikes.
Jul 31, 2009 | 8:06 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 88
I personally have the Continental Presidential Plus card (got it for 300 back in December) and the accompanying Avis status which has been great for upgrades, and rentals at sold out locations.
A friend of mine got the Pres Club at Avis without the credit card but mentioned to me that it got dumped two months later. (He enjoyed it while he had it)
A friend of mine got the Pres Club at Avis without the credit card but mentioned to me that it got dumped two months later. (He enjoyed it while he had it)
Question: when you say your friend got dumped, do you mean that he was just put back to regular preferred, or did they axe his whole account? I don't care if they just boot me from PC, but it would be a major pain if I get put on some sort of Avis blacklist.
Jul 31, 2009 | 9:47 am
#9
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Parsippany, NJ
Posts: 4
Dletts
It's only fair to warn everyone that if you enroll in the Avis President's Club fraudulently, as some of you have admitted doing, we now have the ability to easily identify you and will begin placing you in our "do not rent" database. And, depending on circumstances, we reserve the right to prosecute.
Dennis Letts
Director of Corporate Security
Avis Budget Group
6 Sylvan Way
Parsippany, New Jersey 07054
Tel: 973-496-6494
email address: [email protected]
Dennis Letts
Director of Corporate Security
Avis Budget Group
6 Sylvan Way
Parsippany, New Jersey 07054
Tel: 973-496-6494
email address: [email protected]
Jul 31, 2009 | 3:31 pm
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 88
Fair enough, and I've canceled my reservations on that account and rebooked with Hertz, for what it's worth. But that puts me back to my original question: how _do_ you join PC? I haven't seen any offer to buy one's way in, other than through the Continental credit card.
Last edited by cjdesmond; Jul 31, 2009 at 3:38 pm
Aug 1, 2009 | 7:29 am
#12
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SYR
Programs: US/AA-Platinum, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Gold, AVIS-Presidents Club, National-Executive Elite
Posts: 2,755
But, simply put, its by invitation only, and has to do with medium to large businesses and corporate contracts. The size of your contract determines the number of PC and CHM accounts they give you. It has nothing to do with the number of rentals you rent in a year.
If you want to "buy in", get the darn credit card.
Aug 1, 2009 | 9:46 am
#13
Moderator: Avis and Rental Cars
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 8,070
Dennis Letts
Director of Corporate Security
Avis Budget Group
6 Sylvan Way
Parsippany, New Jersey 07054
Tel: 973-496-6494
email address: [email protected]
Director of Corporate Security
Avis Budget Group
6 Sylvan Way
Parsippany, New Jersey 07054
Tel: 973-496-6494
email address: [email protected]
they are as a corporation.
Aug 1, 2009 | 3:50 pm
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 88
Anyone else find it s#!tty that Avis will have someone on here warn of abusing their system, but they won't have a rep help answer questions, resolve issues or anything positive from a renter's standpoint, as many other companies do on FT? Just goes to show how they are as a corporation.
they are as a corporation.
Aug 2, 2009 | 5:11 pm
#15
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SYR
Programs: US/AA-Platinum, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Gold, AVIS-Presidents Club, National-Executive Elite
Posts: 2,755
I didn't expect to get much sympathy, but I have to agree: if a rep had responded within several days of my first question, I could have avoided being blacklisted, as was my explicit intent. I guess I just have to use Hertz from now on, which is a pain for me and several thousand dollars of lost business for Avis.
Your threat will gain you no sympathy here, and i'm quite sure Avis considers you an acceptable loss.