The Ultimate Guide to Hertz [Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Program]

Key Takeaways

• Hertz Gold Plus Rewards is a free loyalty program that offers members benefits like mobile alerts for their car location, discounts, and points toward free rentals.
• At many locations, members can skip the counter and head straight to their car, which is a significant time saver.
• Points can be redeemed for free rental days and even luxury cars, with elite tiers (Five Star and President’s Circle) offering additional perks like guaranteed upgrades and extra points.

Hertz Gold Plus Rewards is Hertz’s loyalty program, which is like a frequent flyer program for rental cars. It’s free to join, and you can use it to earn free car rentals.

This guide explains what you need to know about earning and using points and making the most out of your Hertz Gold Plus Rewards membership.

Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Benefits

Joining the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards program is free and can offer some great benefits. You can earn 1 point per dollar and redeem your rewards for car rentals. Any type of car rental can be booked with rewards, including one-way rentals and luxury vehicles from the Prestige and Green collections.

The benefits you get when you join the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards program include:

• Free membership with no annual fee
• Counter-free pickup at select locations
• No point expiration as long as you have earned or redeemed points through rental activity within the previous 18 months
• Mobile alerts with your exact rental car and its location before you arrive
• Members-only cars with enhanced features from Hertz Ultimate Choice
• Drop and go car return with eReturn
• Free points transfer to a spouse or domestic partner who is also a Hertz Gold Plus Rewards member and permanently resides at the same address
• Pay no additional driver fee for a spouse or domestic partner in the U.S.
• Members’ only discounts

Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Status Levels

Five Star Status

In order to achieve Hertz Five Star status, you need to meet one of the following criteria in a 12 month period.

• 12 rentals
• $2,400 spent

Once you have achieved Five Star status you will enjoy the following benefits in addition to all of the standard Hertz Gold Plus Rewards benefits:

• One car-class upgrade to a full-size class vehicle (only at participating locations and subject to availability)
• 25% bonus on Gold Plus Rewards Points on all qualified rentals
• Expedited vehicle pick-up at over 1,000 locations worldwide
• Freedom to choose a different vehicle on the spot at no extra charge with Hertz Ultimate Choice

President’s Circle Status

You need to meet one of the following criteria in a 12-month period to achieve Hertz President’s Circle status:

• 20 or more rentals
• At least $4,000 spent

While this might sound like a status level that will offer great benefits, it’s largely the same as Five Star status. Some new benefits differentiate it more than in prior years:

• 24-hour advance reservation airport guarantee
• Guaranteed one-class upgrade
• 50% bonus on Gold Plus Rewards Points on all qualified rentals
• After each of your 30th and 40th rentals, a one-rental free upgrade to any available car on the lot
• After each of your 15th, 20th, and 40th rentals, a one-rental Hertz Valet terminal drive back at select airport locations

Bottom Line: Hertz offers 2 elite levels of membership: Five Star and President’s Circle. Status can be earned through the number of rentals, dollars spent, or through Delta Air Lines status.

How to Earn Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Elite Status Without Renting a Car

Earn Hertz Status Through Delta Air Lines Status

You can earn complimentary Hertz status based on your Delta Medallion status.

Hot Tip: If you hold the invitation-only Centurion^® Card from American Express, you will receive Hertz President’s Circle status.

Earn Hertz Status Through Hotel Status

If you are a member of Marriott Bonvoy and have Platinum Elite status, you are eligible for Hertz elite status. Click here to register for a status match. Your new status can take up to 5 days to become effective.

Hot Tip: If you have status with another car rental company you can often get an elite status match.

Earn Status and Benefits Through American Express Platinum Cards

If you have The Platinum Card^® from American Express, you might have seen the car rental privileges section offering complimentary memberships in Avis Preferred, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards, and National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive. This can be a little misleading as far as Hertz membership is concerned.

While the complimentary membership sounds nice, membership in Hertz Gold Plus Rewards is free to anyone, so the membership itself isn’t much of a perk. There are, however, some nice benefits you can receive by booking your Hertz rental using your Amex Platinum card.

Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Benefits Offered Through the Amex Platinum Card

The Amex Platinum card offers a few benefits to its members that could be useful when renting a car through Hertz.

These same benefits are also available through The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express.

• Hertz President’s Circle status
• Get a 10% bonus on Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Points earned through rentals
• Get a free car-class upgrade (based on availability)
• Enjoy a 4-hour grace period on rental returns in the U.S. This only applies to time and mileage charges, and won’t include any optional charges like car seats, navigation systems, or insurance.
• Get special rates only available for cardholders (at select locations worldwide).

You must be enrolled in Hertz Gold Plus Rewards and use code CDP #211762 when making your reservation to take advantage of these benefits. Your Amex Platinum card must be used as payment for your reservation (or payment for taxes and fees on free rental redemptions).

How to Earn Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Points

Rent a Car

You will earn 1 point for every qualifying dollar spent on your qualifying Hertz rental anywhere in the world. In addition to earning points on the base price of your rental, you will also earn points on extra charges including:

• Hertz NeverLost^®
• SiriusXM^®
• Gas
• Insurance options
• Additional mileage charges
• Car seat charges

You won’t earn any points for toll charges that you are billed for.

Hot Tip: You may not be able to earn points or enjoy elite status if you make your car rental booking through a third party site (like Expedia, Orbitz, etc.) so be sure to book directly with Hertz if points and status are important to you.

Purchase Points

Purchasing points can occasionally be a good idea, but should only be done with a very specific redemption in mind. Hertz points are available for 20 cents each with a minimum 50-point purchase.

Hertz Gold Plus Rewards points are not worth 20 cents each, but a purchase could make sense if you just need a small number of points to make a redemption. You must have at least 500 rewards points in your account to purchase points, and you can’t purchase more than 10,000 rewards points in a single calendar year.

Log in to your account to purchase points. Click on “My Account” in the upper right-hand corner, then select “Rewards account activity” in the drop-down box. Select “Points Purchase” from the menu. You will see instructions on how to fill out the request form to fax in. It’s not an easy process to purchase points, so be sure it makes sense for your situation before proceeding.

How to Use Your Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Points

Rental Car Reservations

Use your Hertz Gold Plus Rewards on a reservation by logging into your account and selecting “rent a car” on the top left-hand side of the website. Fill out your destination, pick up and drop off dates and times, and choose the car type you want. Underneath the “car rental type” selection box, you will see where you can check the box that says “Use my Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Points.”

Hot Tip: For all rentals in North America using points, a 24-hour advanced reservation is required.

Once you hit “submit,” you will see a list of available cars and prices. However, you won’t be able to see any points yet. This can be confusing, but hang in there and continue with the booking process. Once you get to the “Review & Book” step, you will be able to see your options to use your points.

At the top of the page in a yellow outlined area, you will be able to see all of your options for using your Hertz Gold Plus Rewards points. Depending on how many points you have and the cost of the rental in points, you can choose to use points for 1, 2, 3 or more days. You will notice that the cash total will change depending on how much of the rental you plan to pay for with points.

Pay attention to the number of days you are renting. When searching for a 2-day rental, there is still an option to use 3 days’ worth of points, which would waste an entire days’ worth of points if you’re not careful.

In May 2019, Hertz massively increased the price of their awards and entirely removed weekend rental discounts. One-day rentals now start at 750 and can vary based on car type, location, and length of rental. For a full list of rental prices in points, click here. Otherwise, these are the basics:

Reward Cancellation Penalties

Hertz now has penalties that apply to all reward bookings:

• Cancel within 24 hours of booking: full points refund
• Cancel after 24 hours of booking up to pickup time: Gold member 50% penalty, Five Star member 25% penalty, President’s Circle no penalty
• No show or cancel after pickup time: no refund, all points forfeited

Taxes and Fees

Even if you are paying for your entire car rental with points, you will still be required to pay all taxes and fees. When you are considering which credit card to use to pay for the taxes and fees on an award rental (or for the entire rental if you aren’t using points), don’t forget to choose a card that earns multiple points per dollar on car rentals.

These cards will earn 2x points or miles at any Hertz location on top of the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards points you will earn:

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Welcome Offer

Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

75,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$1,500

Annual Fee

$95

APR

19.99% - 28.24% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred^® card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.

Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance. With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Travel portal
• 3x points on dining purchases, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services
• 2x points on all other travel worldwide

Cons

• $95 annual fee
• No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel^SM, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
• Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel^SM
• 10% anniversary points boost – each account anniversary you’ll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.99% - 28.24% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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Chase Ultimate Rewards

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

Welcome Offer

Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

75,000 miles

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$1,350

Annual Fee

$395

APR

Purchases: 19.99% - 29.24% (Variable)

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Excellent (740-840)

Why We Like This Card

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the premium Capital One travel rewards card on the block.

Points and miles fans will be surprised to see that the Capital One Venture X card packs quite the punch when it comes to bookings made through Capital One, all while offering the lowest annual fee among premium credit cards.

Depending on your travel goals and preferences, the Capital One Venture X card could very well end up being your go-to card in your wallet.

 

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 10x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars purchased through Capital One Travel
• 5x miles per $1 on flights and vacation rentals purchased through Capital One Travel
• 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases

Cons

• $395 annual fee (rates & fees)
• Does not offer bonus categories for flights or hotel purchases made directly with the airline or hotel group, the preferred booking method for those looking to earn elite status

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
• Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
• Enjoy access to 1,300+ lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
• Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
• Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck^®

Financial Snapshot

• APR: Purchases: 19.99% - 29.24% (Variable)
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

 

Earn 3x points on your Hertz car rental with these cards:

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

Welcome Offer

Earn 100,000 bonus points + $500 Chase Travel promo credit after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Get more than $2,700 in annual value with Sapphire Reserve.

100,000 points + $500 Chase Travel credit

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$2,000

Annual Fee

$795

APR

20.24% - 28.74% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Excellent

Why We Like This Card

If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® is one of the best options.

The card combines elite travel benefits and perks like worldwide airport lounge access, with excellent point earning and redemption options. Plus, it offers top-notch travel insurance protections to cover you at home or on the road.

Don’t forget the more than $2,000 in annual credits, which can offset the annual fee!

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 8x points on all Chase Travel purchases
• 5x points on Lyft rides
• 4x points on flights and hotels booked directly

Cons

• $795 annual fee

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 100,000 bonus points + $500 Chase Travel℠ promo credit after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• Get more than $2,700 in annual value with Sapphire Reserve.
• Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠, including The Edit℠ and 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct. Plus, earn 3x points on dining worldwide & 1x points on all other purchases
• $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority Pass™ Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge^® by The Club with two guests. Plus, up to $120 towards Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck^® every 4 years
• Get up to $150 in statement credits every six months for a maximum of $300 annually for dining at restaurants that are part of Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and more.
• Get complimentary Apple TV+, the exclusive streaming home of Apple Originals. Plus Apple Music - all the music you love, across all your devices. Subscriptions run through 6/22/27 - a value of $250 annually
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 20.24% - 28.74% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Ink Business Preferred card is hard to beat, with a huge welcome bonus offer and 3x points per $1 on the first $150,000 in so many business categories.

Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card

The Ink Business Preferred card is hard to beat, with a huge welcome bonus offer and 3x points per $1 on the first $150,000 in so many business categories.

Welcome Offer

Earn 90k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

90,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$1,800

Annual Fee

$95

APR

20.24% - 26.24% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card is a powerhouse for earning lots of points from your business purchases, especially for business owners that spend regularly on ads.

Plus the card offers flexible redemption options, including access to Chase airline and hotel transfer partners where you can achieve outsized value.

Business owners will also love the protections the card provides like excellent cell phone insurance, rental car insurance, purchase protection, and more.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 3x Ultimate Rewards points per $1 on up to $150,000 in combined purchases on internet, cable and phone services, shipping expenses, travel, and ads purchased with search engines or social media sites
• Cell phone protection
• Purchase protection

Cons

• No elite travel benefits like airport lounge access

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 90k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
• Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
• Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases
• With Zero Liability you won’t be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
• Redeem points for cash back, gift cards, travel and more – your points don’t expire as long as your account is open
• Points are worth more when you redeem for travel through Chase Travel^SM
• Purchase Protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 20.24% - 26.24% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: $0

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

Standard Rewards vs. AnyDay Rewards

Standard Rewards cost fewer points than AnyDay Rewards but are subject to blackout dates. If you want to rent during times like holidays, local events, or during a high demand season, you might have to use AnyDay Rewards, which don’t have blackout dates. Blackout dates vary by location.

Hot Tip: The credit card you use to pay for your rental must be included in your profile in order to receive Hertz Gold Plus Rewards benefits.

Cash + Points

Hertz now offers Cash + Points rentals. Search for your rental to see available offers.

Where Can I Use My Points?

While Hertz has locations worldwide, there is a short list of countries where you can redeem rewards. There are many other countries where you can earn Hertz Gold Plus Rewards points, but these are the only ones in which you can use those points for car rentals: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, and United States (including Puerto Rico and St. Thomas USVI).

Transfer Your Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Points

Transfer Points to Your Spouse

You can transfer your Hertz Gold Plus Rewards points to your spouse or domestic partner for free as long as you meet the following criteria:

• Your spouse or partner must be a Hertz Gold Plus Rewards member
• They must permanently reside at the same address

There is no limit on the number of points you can transfer to your spouse.

Final Thoughts

The Hertz Gold Plus Rewards program is free to join and offers many benefits.

Whether you are an infrequent renter or a seasoned traveler, you will enjoy benefits like being able to skip the counter to go directly to your car and not having to pay extra to add your spouse or domestic partner as a second driver. You can use your points for free car rental days, or transfer them to hotel, airline, and train partners. And while elite status is available, this is a good program even for infrequent car renters as many of the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards benefits are offered to all members.