Good Bye to Hertz and Thrifty etc - Avis & Budget Only for QFF

[AdMEL]

Not having a car, I don't have any auto club memberships though which kinda puts a limitation on that

Dave

Dave, I don't own a car and thought the same, but I recently obtained a personal membership from RACV for $26 a year which gives me all the discount benefits. I did this to save an additonal 5% (over $100) on a 3 week Hertz rental in the US. Not sure whether it is worth it just for domestic rentals. Hertz does give AAA members a 4% discount and significantly reduced excess for Australian rentals - $1,650 excess instead of $3,300 and no Single Vehicle Accident Excess (usually an additional $2,200 on top of standard excess).

 

[AdMEL]

Although this is annoying, the small number of points earned on car rentals (unless there is a bonus offer) is just a bonus for me, which has virtually no bearing on who I rent cars from. I don't own a car and the key criteria for me are cost and which car I want to drive.

 

[straitman]

Although this is annoying, the small number of points earned on car rentals (unless there is a bonus offer) is just a bonus for me, which has virtually no bearing on who I rent cars from. I don't own a car and the key criteria for me are cost and which car I want to drive.

I have to agree with AdMel that for the average low time renter, such as me, that the points are a bonus and not a major driver of who to rent from.

 

[oz_mark]

Although this is annoying, the small number of points earned on car rentals (unless there is a bonus offer) is just a bonus for me, which has virtually no bearing on who I rent cars from. I don't own a car and the key criteria for me are cost and which car I want to drive.

Indeed. I am basically driven by price, and points are just used as a tie breaker. Whether they go to Qantas or Velocity is neither here nor there to me.

 

[JohnK]

I just changed a couple of bookings across to Avis for next month, the 1000 points bonus is not bad, miss the 1000 points a day you used to get many years ago

Not likely to happen anytime soon with Qantas but VS does offer 1,000 miles per day if you split your rentals.

Scratching my head now... so who would be best to credit Hertz towards? no bmi, no qf... and don't they surcharge for AA?

If you want to pay the exhorbitant rates that Hertz charges then look at advice above.

500 points if its corporate, if its longer term try priority club, 150 points per day.

I don't use corporate rates. although I use corporrate AWD's/CDP's but I have gotten 1,000 VS miles for every rental.

I have to agree with AdMel that for the average low time renter, such as me, that the points are a bonus and not a major driver of who to rent from.

For someone like me Avis seems to be the cheapest and I get 1,000 VS miles for each rental. Without giving away too many details it is possible to earn 2,000 VS miles for a 2 day cheap rental with Avis or 3,000 miles for a 3 day cheap rental with Avis.

 

[Joshua]

Something I might have to take another look at. I had often found Hertz to be cheaper for me, using various vouchers but car rentals can be a frustrating thing to compare ime. Besides, I'm quite fond of their mini coopers now too... everyone seems to have astra convertibles at least, though only good if with other people.

The VS thing sounds interesting. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Dave Noble]

If you want to pay the exhorbitant rates that Hertz charges then look at advice above.

The $35.33 a day at weekends ($106 for 3 days) that I end up paying for a statesman is so exhorbitant. Even without the upgrade , $35.33 for a falcon xr6 is hardly exhorbitant. During week, the rates paid are pretty decent and that is without using any private discount codes

 

[markis10]

I don't use corporate rates. although I use corporate AWD's/CDP's but I have gotten 1,000 VS miles for every rental.
.

I got 500 (+ 100 for gold) with my last Hertz rental credited to VS, it was using the QF CDP.

 

[markis10]

The $35.33 a day at weekends ($106 for 3 days) that I end up paying for a statesman is so exhorbitant. Even without the upgrade , $35.33 for a falcon xr6 is hardly exhorbitant. During week, the rates paid are pretty decent and that is without using any private discount codes

I agree with Dave that Hertz is hardly exhorbitant, its is a case by case basis (I rent 50-100 times a year), a recent ROK-BNE rental last week Hertz were cheaper by $300 for instance, however for this year Avis has beat Hertz 50% of the time in DRW while Hertz kills Avis in Cairns and TSV.

 

[oz_mark]

If you want to pay the exhorbitant rates that Hertz charges then look at advice above.

[...]

For someone like me Avis seems to be the cheapest and I get 1,000 VS miles for each rental. Without giving away too many details it is possible to earn 2,000 VS miles for a 2 day cheap rental with Avis or 3,000 miles for a 3 day cheap rental with Avis.

Interesting. My rentals tend to be either Avis or Hertz, as on any given rental, either could be cheaper. Thrifty on occassion, but for me, they tend to be more expensive.

 

[awilcockson]

Bugger, all my work rentals have to be through Hertz, and the QFF point were a nice little bonus.

 

[Flashback]

Interesting. My rentals tend to be either Avis or Hertz, as on any given rental, either could be cheaper. Thrifty on occassion, but for me, they tend to be more expensive.

Agree. IME, and postings I've seen on here tend to correlate with it also ; Thrifty in NZ tends to be the better value rental provider.

 

[openseat]

Interesting move.

Our corporate rate with Hertz specifically denies any points to QFF - which is moot now. I used to be able to get a good lot of points to bmi, but that ended last year and now I get a smattering of AA points for each rental - I think that I may go back to the Hertz awards.

I didn't realise Avis gave such generous rewards to VS. Does Avis allow a status match?

 

[markis10]

Interesting move.

Our corporate rate with Hertz specifically denies any points to QFF - which is moot now. I used to be able to get a good lot of points to bmi, but that ended last year and now I get a smattering of AA points for each rental - I think that I may go back to the Hertz awards.

I didn't realise Avis gave such generous rewards to VS. Does Avis allow a status match?

Hertz credit to VS exactly the same, as I mentioned just watch the corporate rates as both credit as only 500 + 100 points if your gold. I had not realised it was that generous for non corp rates until JohnK pointed it out, an upcoming three day trip to DRW just became a hire car run, luckily Hertz and Avis are close together downtown, 3000 points is 3000 points - for a little hassle. And it avoids the airport getting to much of that dam concession fee.

 

[brett-au]

Can someone remind me of the hertz rewards program? Or post a link?

Ta

 

[markis10]

Website says 1 point per $ but I think here we get 3 point per $, free day rentals start at 5500 points for a group A for 1 day.

 

[Dave Noble]

Website says 1 point per $ but I think here we get 3 point per $, free day rentals start at 5500 points for a group A for 1 day.

I think it is much higher than that. I think that 1 per $ is USA , but USA has much lower redemption rates. I think its about 10 per $ iirc

 

[markis10]

I think it is much higher than that. I think that 1 per $ is USA , but USA has much lower redemption rates. I think its about 10 per $ iirc

Looking at my statement it shows quite a few two day rental earning between 165 to 250 points, its not 10 points based on that!

Edit: its 5 points on ex tax time and KM charges:

https://www.hertz.com.au/rentacar/customersupport/index.jsp?targetPage=faqsView.jsp&CategoryID=215

 

[docjames]

docjames, Dave already answered this above - Hertz and Thrifty both now allow you to earn Velocity points. Hertz has been doing so for at least a couple of months.

Not listed when i looked on the velocity website two seconds before I posted. :idea:

Velocity - Europcar

 

[JohnK]

I got 500 (+ 100 for gold) with my last Hertz rental credited to VS, it was using the QF CDP.

That is very interesting. The CDP I used for Hertz was the VS CDP and earned 1,000 VS miles each time.

I agree with Dave that Hertz is hardly exhorbitant, its is a case by case basis (I rent 50-100 times a year), a recent ROK-BNE rental last week Hertz were cheaper by $300 for instance, however for this year Avis has beat Hertz 50% of the time in DRW while Hertz kills Avis in Cairns and TSV.

I hired a car in ROK a couple of weeks ago and looked at both Avis and Hertz for months in advance. Avis remained ~$48/day and Hertz was ~$60/day to start with and then ended up at some ridiculous rate.

Looking at hiring a car again in BNE in middle of September from Downtown BNE locations and Avis is currently showing ~$42/day whilst Hertz is showing ~$58/day for first day and ~$115+ for second day. :shock:

Interesting. My rentals tend to be either Avis or Hertz, as on any given rental, either could be cheaper. Thrifty on occassion, but for me, they tend to be more expensive.

I do not bother with Thrifty or Budget anymore. It is either Avis or Hertz for the VS miles and I value each 1,000 VS miles at ~$15 which is based on ~$500 one-way airfare SYD-HKG for 22,000 VS miles and ~$123 in taxes. I am sure the 1,000 VS miles are worth a lot more if redeeming say a SYD-LHR award or even a SYD-HKG award in premium economy for 27,500 VS miles.

Where is that Amex 20% transfer promotion when you need it?