Booking Rental Cars With Points and Miles: Complete Guide

Travel rewards enthusiasts know that maximizing points and miles extends beyond just flights and hotels. Car rentals represent another excellent opportunity to stretch your rewards currency and reduce out-of-pocket expenses. With the right strategies and knowledge of various loyalty programs, you can significantly cut your rental car costs while enjoying the flexibility of ground transportation.

Understanding Car Rental Rewards Programs

Most major rental car companies operate their own loyalty programs that allow members to earn and redeem points for free rental days. These programs typically offer multiple tiers with increasing benefits as you achieve higher status levels.

Major Rental Car Loyalty Programs

• Hertz Gold Plus Rewards: Earn points for rentals and redeem for free rental days
• Enterprise Plus: Point-based system with flexible redemption options
• Avis Preferred: Earn points and enjoy expedited service
• Budget FastBreak: Streamlined rental process with earning opportunities
• National Emerald Club: Executive-level benefits with point accumulation

Point Earning Rates

Point earning rates vary significantly across programs. Generally, you can expect to earn between 500-1,000 points per rental day, with premium car categories often offering bonus point multipliers. Elite status members typically enjoy enhanced earning rates, sometimes doubling or tripling standard point accumulation.

Using Credit Card Points for Car Rentals

Many credit card rewards programs offer excellent value when redeeming points for car rentals through their travel portals. This approach often provides more flexibility than rental car loyalty programs since you're not tied to a specific brand.

Popular Credit Card Travel Portals

• Chase Ultimate Rewards: 1.25-1.5 cents per point value depending on card tier
• American Express Membership Rewards: Variable redemption rates through travel portal
• Citi ThankYou Points: Competitive rates for car rental bookings
• Capital One Miles: Flat 1 cent per mile value across all travel purchases

Maximizing Credit Card Portal Value

To maximize value when using credit card portals, compare the portal price with direct booking rates. Sometimes the portal offers competitive cash prices even before applying points, effectively increasing your redemption value. Additionally, many portals offer periodic promotions that can boost your redemption rate or provide bonus points for car rental bookings.

Airline Miles for Car Rentals

Several airline loyalty programs allow direct redemption of miles for car rentals, though the value proposition varies considerably. This option works best when you have excess miles in programs where you struggle to find good flight redemption opportunities.

Airline Car Rental Partnerships

Most major airlines maintain partnerships with rental car companies, allowing you to earn miles on rentals and sometimes redeem miles for car rentals. These partnerships often include benefits like:

• Discounted rental rates for loyalty program members
• Bonus miles for rentals during promotional periods
• Elite status recognition and upgrades
• Expedited rental processes

Hotel Points for Car Rentals

Several hotel loyalty programs offer car rental redemption options, though availability and value can be limited. This strategy works best when you have accumulated significant point balances and struggle to find valuable hotel redemption opportunities.

Hotel Program Car Rental Options

Programs like Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors occasionally offer car rental redemption through their travel portals. While not always the most valuable use of hotel points, these options provide additional flexibility for travelers with large point balances.

Strategies for Maximum Value

Compare Redemption Values

Before redeeming points or miles, calculate the cents-per-point value you're receiving. Compare this against your typical redemption value for that currency. If the car rental redemption offers less value than your usual redemptions, consider paying cash and preserving points for higher-value uses.

Stack Benefits and Discounts

Look for opportunities to combine point redemptions with other discounts. Many rental companies offer corporate discounts, AAA rates, or promotional codes that can be applied even when using points. Additionally, consider booking through shopping portals that offer cashback or additional points for car rental purchases.

Consider Partial Point Redemptions

Some programs allow partial point redemptions, where you can use points to cover part of the rental cost and pay the remainder in cash. This strategy can be valuable when you don't have enough points for a full redemption but want to reduce your out-of-pocket expense.

Booking Tips and Best Practices

Book Early for Better Availability

Point and mile inventory for car rentals can be limited, especially during peak travel periods. Book as early as possible to ensure availability and secure the best selection of vehicles and pickup locations.

Understand Cancellation Policies

Review cancellation and modification policies carefully when booking with points. Some programs offer more flexible cancellation terms than others, and understanding these policies can save you from losing points if your plans change.

Monitor for Promotions

Keep an eye out for limited-time promotions that can enhance your redemption value. Many programs periodically offer bonus point transfers, discounted redemption rates, or additional benefits for car rental bookings.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

When booking rental cars with points and miles, be aware of potential drawbacks. Some point redemptions may not include all fees and taxes, leading to unexpected charges at pickup. Additionally, vehicles booked through third-party portals may not be eligible for loyalty program benefits or elite upgrades.

Always read the fine print regarding insurance coverage, as some point bookings may have different coverage terms than paid reservations. Consider purchasing additional insurance if needed to ensure adequate protection.

Conclusion

Booking rental cars with points and miles can provide significant savings and enhance your travel experience. By understanding the various program options, comparing redemption values, and implementing strategic booking practices, you can maximize the value of your rewards currencies. Remember that the best redemption strategy depends on your specific travel patterns, point balances, and program preferences. With careful planning and smart redemption choices, you can enjoy substantial savings on rental car expenses while preserving your points and miles for other valuable travel opportunities.