MIA
Platinum

Booked: Full-Size SUV
Received: Full-Size SUV (Ford Expedition in base trim)

Didn't like it for the price I had to pay - was offered a paid upgrade to an X5 (which was cheaper at the time I booked) or an Escalade). Declined both and walked to National where I had a considerably cheaper reservation.

ORD
Status: Platinum
Booked: X5
Received: Full Size SUV base model Expedition

They didn't have any X5 class I was told they had 5 trucks pick up cars that day to take to other locations. They originally offered me a 5 series with X drive but I said I needed a SUV so they gave me the Expedition. It would have been an $80 a day upgrade if I had to pay for it, looked like the only full size SUV they had on the lot.

The selection at ORD has been quite limited this winter, unfortunately. I was there last weekend also in an X5 and they only had a couple on the lot. They're supposed to be getting more cars in as spring comes in.

I have a couple more X5 reservations at ORD between now and the end of March. I need a winter vehicle and travel once or twice a month so I have been renting from trip to trip, it saves me on the airport transportation each way since I need the winter car anyway. When I booked the rates at Sixt were significantly better than everywhere else all winter.

Was this an outbound one-way? To where? They restricted which cars they're willing to give because of that?

No it was a local, they were willing to offer me what they had but they basically didn't have much at all on the lot. They said I could come back anytime during the rental to swap it if I wanted.

Absolutely horrible selection at ORD yesterday evening, Thursday, 2/6. Had an X5 reserved and the app showed me that I was due to receive an X5 with 50,000 miles. I didn't accept in the app because I wasn't going to drive a car that has 50,000 miles on it on a two week roadtrip. The woman at the desk was very, very nice but explains there was nothing she could do. She looked and looked and couldn't find an alternative. I told her I was basically willing to take anything that was new. She had nothing.

I asked her when they retire cars and suggested that this one was getting a little old. She told me that cars are retired at Sixt at 600 days and this particular X5 only had 23 more days of service on it. In the end, I cancelled at Sixt and reserved something on the spot at National (where the selection was also pretty terrible in Executive aisle but all the cars were almost brand new).

Location: San Diego/InterContinental
Status - Platinum (status match)
Reserved - CCAR (Nissan Versa or similar)
Received - PCAR (BMW 228 GRAN COUPE)

A 9 day rental. The location was pretty new and less than 10 mins from the airport. Not an airport location so no free shuttle. It was about $20 by Uber (each way). I chose this location because it was about $150 cheaper than the airport location. The FD agent was super friendly, proactive upgrade and no wait!

I find the hotel / dedicated locations so much better on upgrades than airport outstations. Great upgrade!

I was a bit worried about getting an upgrade here because it was not an airport location. I was previously told that these elite benefits were only valid at airport locations and not available at non-airport locations (by Hertz tho).

Your elite benefits are most definitely available at non airport locations, though even as a Diamond I have an embarrassingly low rate of proactively offered upgrades and an even more embarrassing amount of upsells.

Location: IAD
Status - Platinum (status match)
Reserved - BMW X3 (LFAR)
Received - BMW X5 (XFAR)

I’d be curious to hear how long ago your status match was. I am under the impression the complimentary / proactive upgrade period is limited.

August 2024

Location: SFO
Status: Diamond
Reserved: BMW 5 series
Received: BMW 840i coupe