Free Guide To Hertz Car Rental Discounts

Understanding Hertz Loyalty Programs and Membership Options

Hertz offers several membership programs designed to provide discounts on car rentals. The primary program is the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards program, which is free to join. Members of this program earn points on every rental, which can be redeemed for future discounts or free rental days. The program tracks your rental history and preferences, allowing Hertz to offer personalized rate discounts based on your rental patterns.

The Gold Plus Rewards program has different membership tiers. Standard members start at the base level, while frequent renters can reach Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond status. Each tier provides increasing benefits. For example, Platinum members receive one free rental day for every 10 rentals, while Diamond members receive one free rental day for every 8 rentals. This means a person who rents a car 10 times per year could receive between one and two free rental days annually just from tier benefits.

To join Hertz Gold Plus Rewards, you need to provide basic information including your name, email address, and driver's license number. There are no membership fees. The program is available at all Hertz locations in the United States and many international locations. Members receive a membership number that they can use when making reservations online, by phone, or at rental counters.

Beyond the standard Gold Plus Rewards program, Hertz occasionally offers promotional membership tiers that provide additional perks. These may include complimentary upgrades, waived facility fees, or bonus point multipliers during specific promotional periods. These promotional memberships typically run for defined time periods and may have different terms than the standard program.

Practical Takeaway: Joining Hertz Gold Plus Rewards costs nothing and begins earning you points immediately on rentals. Even if you rent a car only a few times per year, the accumulated points can translate into meaningful savings or free rental days over time. Tracking your membership number and using it consistently ensures all your rentals contribute to your account.

Corporate and Business Discount Programs

Hertz provides corporate discount programs for businesses of various sizes. These programs offer negotiated rates that are typically lower than standard consumer rates. Many large corporations have established accounts with Hertz that provide employees with special rate codes for obtaining discounts on business rentals.

If your employer has a Hertz corporate account, you can usually access discounts by providing a corporate account number or rate code when making a reservation. This code may be available through your company's travel department or in an employee handbook. Corporate rates can range from 10% to 30% off standard rates, depending on the account terms and rental location. Some corporate accounts also waive certain fees that are normally charged to leisure renters.

Small businesses that do not have an existing Hertz account may still negotiate rates directly with Hertz. Companies that rent vehicles regularly can contact a Hertz corporate account representative to discuss establishing a business account. The discount offered typically depends on projected annual rental volume and the locations where rentals occur. A business that projects 20 rentals annually might receive a different rate structure than one projecting 200 rentals.

Self-employed individuals and small business owners can also benefit from Hertz's business programs. Some small business owners use Hertz's online portal to manage company car rentals, which provides centralized billing and reporting. This approach can simplify accounting and may provide access to volume-based discounts even for businesses with modest rental frequency.

Government agencies, non-profit organizations, and educational institutions often have special negotiated rates with Hertz. These rates are sometimes better than standard corporate rates. If your organization falls into one of these categories, contact your purchasing or procurement department to determine whether your organization already has an agreement with Hertz, or whether one could be established.

Practical Takeaway: Check with your employer's travel or human resources department to learn whether your company has a Hertz corporate account. If your business rents cars regularly, even a small business can negotiate a direct account with Hertz. Using the correct account number or rate code when booking is essential to receive the discounted rate.

Travel Website and Booking Platform Discounts

Major online travel agencies and booking platforms offer Hertz rental discounts that may differ from rates available through Hertz's own website. Platforms such as Kayak, Expedia, Costco Travel, AAA, and others negotiate rates with Hertz as part of their service offerings. These negotiated rates can sometimes be 15% to 25% lower than published rates on Hertz.com.

Kayak, one of the largest travel comparison sites, allows users to compare Hertz rates against other rental companies. The site displays prices from Hertz alongside competitors, and the rates shown are often negotiated rates lower than standard pricing. Users can filter results by price, pickup time, and other factors to find the best available rate.

Costco Travel, the travel booking service available to Costco members, offers pre-negotiated Hertz rates that are typically significantly lower than standard rates. A 2023 review of Costco Travel rates found that for many rental categories in major cities, Costco Travel rates were 20% to 30% below comparable rates on other booking platforms. The exact savings vary by location and season.

AAA members receive discounts through the AAA website when booking Hertz rentals. These discounts typically range from 5% to 10% off standard rates, though the exact discount varies by location and rental dates. AAA members can access a special rate code through the AAA website to use when making Hertz reservations.

Credit card companies also negotiate discount rates with Hertz. Some premium credit cards offer special Hertz discounts for cardholders. For example, certain American Express cards provide discounted rates or complimentary upgrades at Hertz. Check your credit card benefits guide to determine whether your card offers Hertz discounts.

Practical Takeaway: Before booking directly through Hertz, spend 10 minutes checking rates on Kayak, Expedia, and Costco Travel (if you have a membership). The same rental car on the same dates may be priced 15% to 25% lower through these platforms. Compare the total price, not just the daily rate, as booking platforms may calculate taxes and fees differently.

Seasonal Promotions and Advance Booking Discounts

Hertz runs seasonal promotions throughout the year that offer additional savings beyond standard rates. These promotions typically include discount codes or special rates for specific travel periods. Winter months often feature promotions to encourage travel, while summer months may have family vacation promotions.

Hertz occasionally offers percentage-off promotions, such as "15% off weekly rentals" or "20% off airport locations." These promotions typically run for defined periods, often 4 to 8 weeks. To access these promotions, you need to enter a promotional code when making your reservation. Promotional codes are usually available on the Hertz website, through email newsletters, or on promotional partner websites.

Advance booking discounts reward customers who reserve rental cars further ahead of their travel dates. Reservations made 7 or more days in advance often receive lower rates than same-day or last-minute bookings. The discount for advance bookings can range from 5% to 15%, depending on the location and time of year. This incentive encourages customers to plan ahead and helps Hertz manage its fleet inventory more effectively.

Bundle promotions occasionally combine Hertz car rentals with hotel bookings or flight bookings at reduced rates. Travel websites like Expedia frequently offer bundled discounts where the car rental portion is discounted when booked as part of a larger travel package. These bundle discounts can sometimes exceed the savings available from booking the car rental alone.

Weekend and weekday promotions vary seasonally. During slow travel periods, Hertz may offer better weekend rates to encourage leisure travel. During peak business travel seasons, weekday rates may be lower to fill inventory. Checking rates for different day combinations can reveal significant price variations for the same rental duration.

Practical Takeaway: Sign up for the Hertz email newsletter to receive promotional codes before they expire. Book your rental at least 7 days in advance when possible to access advance booking discounts. For travel during slower seasons (early spring, late fall, winter), check whether promotional codes are available that could reduce your rate by 10% to 20%.