When your team is frequently on the road for business, car rentals become a necessary, albeit sometimes complicated, aspect of operations. Choosing the right rental car company and program can significantly impact your bottom line and employee satisfaction. Navigating the array of car rental options and reward programs can be overwhelming. Which companies offer the best value? Which loyalty programs truly benefit businesses? These are critical questions for operations managers and business owners aiming for efficient and cost-effective travel solutions.
This article delves into the top car rental reward programs specifically tailored for smaller to medium-sized businesses. From expedited services to point-based rewards and exclusive discounts, we’ve compiled a shortlist of programs designed to save your company money and streamline the car rental process for your traveling employees. If you’re seeking the absolute Best Business Rental Car Program to optimize your travel expenses and ensure hassle-free rentals, this guide is for you. Let’s explore the options.
1. Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Program
The Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Program is engineered to make the car rental experience faster and more rewarding for frequent renters. Signing up is free, offering immediate access to benefits that can save time and money. For every dollar spent on rentals, members earn one point, which can be redeemed for free rental days and various online rewards. This straightforward points system allows businesses to easily track and utilize their accumulated rewards.
One of the standout perks of Hertz Gold Plus Rewards is the ability to choose vehicles from Hertz’s diverse fleet. This ensures that business travelers have access to reliable and suitable vehicles for their needs. For companies already utilizing Hertz, enrolling in this program is a logical step to enhance their rental experience without any additional cost. It’s a practical upgrade that adds tangible value to every rental.
For businesses with substantial rental volume, the program offers opportunities to elevate to higher tiers like Hertz Five Star and President’s Circle. These elite statuses unlock even greater benefits, including bonus points, vehicle upgrades, and enhanced service, rewarding frequent business travel with increasingly valuable perks.
2. Avis Preferred Plus
The Avis Preferred Plus program focuses on providing expedited service and valuable rewards, catering to business travelers who value efficiency and convenience. For businesses already inclined to use Avis, this program offers a strong foundation of benefits. Members earn Avis points for every qualifying dollar spent, which can be redeemed for a wide range of rewards including future rentals, vehicle upgrades, and accessories. This flexibility in redemption options makes the program appealing to diverse business needs.
A key advantage of Avis Preferred Plus is the time-saving aspect. Members can bypass counter lines and proceed directly to their assigned vehicle, a significant benefit for busy business travelers. The entire rental process, from booking to management, is streamlined through the Avis website and mobile app, offering a user-friendly digital experience. The Avis App further empowers users to manage their rentals on-the-go, allowing for car selection, booking modifications, and rental extensions directly from their smartphones.
For companies seeking to maximize their benefits, Avis offers premium tiers like Avis President’s Club and Avis Chairman’s Club. These elite levels provide even more enhanced rewards and services, recognizing and rewarding consistent loyalty with increasingly valuable benefits.
3. Enterprise Plus
Enterprise Plus prioritizes simplicity in its rewards structure, making it easy for businesses to understand and benefit from their loyalty. The core principle is straightforward: dollars spent equate to points earned. This transparent system allows businesses to readily calculate and anticipate their reward accrual. A significant advantage of Enterprise Plus is that points do not expire as long as the membership remains active with at least one qualifying rental every three years. This long-term validity offers flexibility for businesses with varying travel frequencies.
Points earned through Enterprise Plus can be redeemed for free rental days on any available car, without blackout dates. This accessibility and lack of restrictions provide considerable value and flexibility for businesses needing rentals at any time. With a vast network of locations worldwide, Enterprise Plus offers widespread accessibility, ensuring that rewards can be utilized globally.
To further incentivize frequent rentals, Enterprise Plus features tiered status levels: Silver, Gold, and Platinum. These tiers offer bonus points on rentals, ranging from 10% to 20% more points, accelerating reward accumulation for businesses with higher rental volumes. This tiered system rewards increased usage with progressively greater benefits, encouraging continued loyalty.
4. Alamo Insiders
Alamo Insiders presents a straightforward value proposition for businesses that frequently rent from Alamo. Joining Alamo Insiders is free and provides an immediate benefit of 5% off base rates, along with the convenience of booking pay-later reservations. While the discount might appear modest compared to point-based systems, the direct savings on every rental can accumulate significantly over time, especially for businesses with frequent travel needs.
The simplicity of the Alamo Insiders program is a key advantage. It’s easy to join and the discount is automatically applied, reducing administrative overhead and ensuring consistent savings. For businesses that prioritize straightforward discounts and regularly utilize Alamo’s services, this program offers tangible and immediate financial benefits.
Alt text: Business traveler driving a rental car in city traffic, illustrating the need for efficient car rental programs.
5. Budget Car Rental Fastbreak Program
The Budget Car Rental Fastbreak Program is designed to expedite the rental process, saving valuable time for business travelers. The primary benefit is the ability to skip the rental counter, allowing members to proceed directly to vehicle pickup by simply presenting a valid driver’s license. This time-saving feature is particularly valuable for travelers on tight schedules. Fastbreak also streamlines vehicle returns, further enhancing efficiency.
In addition to expedited service, Fastbreak members gain access to exclusive deals and discounts, providing opportunities to save money on rentals. While the program may not offer a points-based reward system as robust as some competitors, the combination of time savings and cost savings makes it a worthwhile option for businesses that frequently rent from Budget. For companies prioritizing budget-conscious travel and efficient processes, Fastbreak delivers practical benefits.
6. Fox Rewards
The Fox Rewards Program offers a points-based system with flexibility in reward redemption, providing options beyond just car rentals. Members earn four points for every dollar spent, accumulating rewards quickly. These points can be redeemed for “SuperCertificates,” which are essentially gift cards usable at a wide array of stores, restaurants, airlines, and hotels. This broad redemption network offers significant versatility, allowing businesses to utilize rewards in various ways.
For example, 2500 points can be exchanged for a $25 SuperCertificate to retailers like Bath & Body Works. Alternatively, points can be converted to “FoxBucks,” which are credits specifically for Fox car rentals. 1600 points can be redeemed for $20 in FoxBucks. This dual redemption system provides both direct rental savings and broader lifestyle rewards.
While the overall monetary value of rewards might vary compared to other programs, Fox Rewards stands out for its clear and easy-to-understand system. The defined point values and diverse redemption options make it appealing to businesses seeking flexible reward utilization. For companies that appreciate transparency and choice in their rewards, Fox Rewards offers a compelling program.
7. Thrifty Blue Chip Rewards
The Thrifty Blue Chip Rewards Program focuses on delivering immediate savings and streamlined services. Joining is free and unlocks a guaranteed 15% discount on every car rental. This consistent discount provides substantial savings over time, especially for businesses with regular rental needs.
Beyond the discount, Blue Chip Rewards offers several valuable benefits: counter bypass for faster pickup, expedited reservations and returns, free authorization for additional drivers, exclusive discounted rates, and priority counter service when needed. These perks collectively enhance the rental experience, making it more efficient and convenient for business travelers. The ease of sign-up and the immediate, tangible benefits make Thrifty Blue Chip Rewards an attractive option for businesses prioritizing cost savings and streamlined processes.
8. Sixt Loyalty Program
The SIXT Loyalty Program offers a tiered loyalty structure, rewarding increased rental frequency with progressively enhanced benefits. Gaining SIXT Club status provides access to the SIXT loyalty card, which streamlines rentals and offers cost advantages. The program features multiple card levels, with benefits increasing at each tier, incentivizing continued loyalty.
Starting with the free Express Card, members gain access to discounted rentals, free additional drivers, and complimentary car category upgrades. As rental frequency increases, members can advance to SIXT Gold or SIXT Platinum status, unlocking even more valuable perks. This tiered approach ensures that frequent renters receive increasingly significant rewards.
A unique advantage of the SIXT Loyalty Program is its status matching feature. SIXT will match the loyalty status held with other rental companies, allowing businesses to transfer their existing benefits and experience premium perks immediately when switching to SIXT. This status matching program is particularly beneficial for companies seeking to consolidate their rentals with a new provider without losing their earned benefits.
9. National Car Rental Emerald Club
The National Emerald Club is designed to optimize the car rental experience through a combination of rewards, vehicle choice, and expedited services. Members earn rental credits for each qualified rental, with seven credits culminating in a free rental day. This straightforward accrual system effectively provides a free rental for approximately every eight rentals, offering significant cost savings over time.
A signature benefit of Emerald Club is Emerald Aisle Access. This perk allows members to choose any car from the Emerald Aisle (typically midsize or above) while only paying the midsize rate. This effectively provides complimentary upgrades, ensuring access to a wider selection of vehicles without additional cost. Emerald Checkout further expedites the return process, minimizing delays for business travelers.
For businesses with substantial rental volume, Emerald Club offers higher tiers: Executive Club Status and Executive Elite Status. Executive Elite members, achieved through 25 paid rentals or 85 paid rental days annually, receive even more enhanced benefits, including free rentals for every five credits earned, guaranteed vehicle availability with 24-hour notice, and even private airport delivery in some locations. The absence of annual fees and complex statements, combined with valuable rewards and service enhancements, makes National Emerald Club a strong contender for businesses seeking a comprehensive rental program.
10. Dollar Express Rewards
The Dollar Express Rewards program provides a range of extra benefits at no cost, focusing on convenience and potential cost savings. Members enjoy counter bypass for faster pickups, expedited reservations and returns, free authorized additional drivers, and priority counter service. These benefits streamline the rental process and enhance convenience for business travelers.
The program also offers the potential to earn free rental days, though the specific accrual and redemption details might vary. While Dollar Express Rewards may not be as feature-rich as some premium programs, it provides solid value for businesses that frequently rent from Dollar Car Rentals. The program’s ease of use and no-cost enrollment make it a practical choice for budget-conscious companies seeking straightforward benefits and streamlined rentals.
11. Zipcar For Business
Zipcar For Business presents a unique car rental model, offering on-demand access to vehicles parked conveniently near workplaces and residential areas. This program deviates from traditional rental car reward schemes, providing a membership-based service for short-term car access. It’s particularly suitable for businesses in urban environments or those needing cars for short trips and errands.
The Zipcar system operates as follows: businesses create a business account, book Zipcars as needed, and return the vehicle to its designated parking spot after use. Billing is typically based on a monthly plan with a set number of rentals included. This model can be more cost-effective and convenient than traditional rentals for specific use cases, particularly for short-duration needs within Zipcar’s service areas.
Zipcar For Business offers a different approach to corporate car access, focusing on short-term, localized needs. For businesses that require occasional car use within urban centers and value convenience and flexibility, Zipcar presents a compelling alternative to traditional rental car programs.
Best Credit Cards for Car Rental Deals
Beyond dedicated rental car programs, leveraging the right credit cards can unlock additional bonuses and discounts on car rentals. Many business travelers are unaware of the car rental benefits associated with certain credit cards. Using specific credit cards for rental transactions can provide valuable perks, enhancing savings and protection.
Two credit cards particularly stand out for their car rental benefits:
1. American Express Travel
The American Express Travel Card offers broad travel-related rewards, including valuable bonuses on car rentals. Using this card for car rentals can yield points, miles, or cashback, depending on the specific card and promotional offers. For businesses already utilizing American Express for travel expenses, leveraging their travel card for car rentals is a natural way to maximize rewards.
2. Chase Sapphire Reserve
The Chase Sapphire Reserve card is renowned for its comprehensive travel benefits, particularly in the realm of car rentals. Benefits include primary rental car insurance, which provides reimbursement for damage or theft, discounts with select rental car companies, lost luggage protection, and travel/emergency assistance services. The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers robust protection and savings, making it a top choice for frequent business travelers and car rentals.
Alt text: Scenic drive on a mountain highway in autumn, symbolizing travel flexibility and the potential benefits of status matching in car rental programs.
Want To Test Out Other Reward Programs? Try Status Matching
Status matching offers a strategic approach to exploring different car rental companies and their reward programs. Many rental companies offer status matching, where they match your existing elite status from a competitor to entice you to switch brands. This allows businesses to leverage their earned loyalty benefits across different rental providers, potentially unlocking better deals and services.
By utilizing status matching, businesses can test out various rental companies without starting from scratch in building loyalty. For instance, the Avis Status Match program considers status from Europcar, Hertz, Enterprise, SIXT, and National. Similarly, the Hertz Status Match program recognizes status from many of the same competitors. Contacting your preferred car rental companies to inquire about status matching opportunities can be a valuable strategy for maximizing benefits and exploring new options.
Conclusion
Equipped with knowledge of these leading car rental reward programs, businesses can make informed decisions to optimize their travel expenses and enhance the rental experience for their employees. Choosing the best business rental car program depends on specific company needs, travel frequency, and preferred rental companies. Evaluating factors like reward structures, program benefits, and company alignment with rental preferences is crucial for selecting the most advantageous program.
By strategically leveraging car rental reward programs and exploring options like status matching and travel credit card benefits, businesses can achieve significant cost savings and streamline their corporate travel processes. The right program not only saves money but also enhances efficiency and traveler satisfaction, contributing to smoother and more productive business trips.
