The Ultimate Guide to Hertz [Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Program] [2023]

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 Vehicle Options — You can use your Hertz Gold Plus Rewards points on many different classes of vehicles, including Prestige and Adrenaline vehicles. Image Credit: Hertz

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.

Delta Medallion Status	Complimentary Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Status
Delta Gold Medallion status	Five Star status
Delta Platinum Medallion status	President’s Circle status
Delta Diamond Medallion status	President’s Circle 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.

Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status Level	Complimentary Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Status
Titanium Elite	Five Star status
Ambassador Elite	President’s Circle status

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 Platinum Card from American Express.

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).

Hertz benefits from the Platinum Card From American Express — The Amex Platinum Card offers benefits and discounts in the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards program. Image Credit: Hertz

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 Purchase Hertz Gold Plus Rewards points — You can purchase Hertz Gold Plus Rewards points for 20 cents each. Image Credit: Hertz

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.”

How To Use Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Points — Image Credit: Hertz

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:

Length of Rental	Standard Rewards Pricing in Points	AnyDay Rewards Pricing in Points
1 free rental day	750	1,500
1 free rental day (one-way)	1,500	3,000
1 free weekly rental	3,750	7,500

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 pick-up time – Gold member 50% penalty, Five Star member 25% penalty, President’s Circle no penalty
No show or cancel after pick-up 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 your 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/$1 spent at any Hertz location on top of the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards points you will earn:

Earn 3x points/$1 spent on your Hertz car rental with these cards:

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 shortlist 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:

United States (including Puerto Rico and St. Thomas USVI)
Canada
Australia
New Zealand
Brazil
United Kingdom
France
Germany
Norway
Denmark
Sweden
Finland
Ireland
Italy
Spain
Belgium
Luxembourg
The Netherlands

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.

Featured Image Credit: Chris Hassan

Frequently asked questions

Can I buy Hertz Gold Plus Rewards points?

Yes, you can purchase Hertz Gold Plus Rewards points for 20 cents each. Access the required forms through the website by selecting My Account>Rewards Account Activity>Purchase Points.

Where Can I Find My Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Number?

You can find your Hertz Gold Plus Rewards number through their website. Log in to your account and click on “My Account” in the upper right-hand side of the screen. Then select “Membership Information/T&C” or “Membership Information/Print My Card”. Then under “Terms and Conditions” select “Print My Card” from the menu. This will bring up a digital member card with your name and member number on it.

How Do I Add My Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Member Number To My Reservation?

As long as you are logged into your account, you member number will automatically be linked with your reservations.

Can I Still Earn Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Points On A Past Reservation?

Yes, as long as the reservation was completed while you were already a Hertz Gold Plus Rewards member and it hasn’t been more than 6 months since the rental was returned.

To request retroactive credit log into your account and click on “My Account” on the top right-hand side of the screen. Select “Use My Points” from the drop-down menu, then click on “Missing Points Request.” Only points earned in the following countries are eligible for retroactive credit: United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and St.Thomas /US Virgin Islands, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, and Brazil.

How Can I Get Hertz Gold Plus Rewards For Free?

Hertz Gold Plus Rewards program is free to all that sign up. Just go to Hertz.com to join.

Where Can I Find Members' Only Discounts?

Hertz offers some members’ only discounts to all Hertz Gold Plus Rewards members. Click here to access these discounts.

How Does Hertz Gold Canopy Work?

Hertz’s Gold Canopy service is available at select airports and can be a big time saver. The basic idea is that you get to skip the counter and go directly to your rental car. Your name will be on a large reservations board that indicates your car’s parking spot number. Just head straight to your car without having to check in first.

I Have Questions About My Membership. How Can I Contact Hertz?

For all questions about your Hertz Gold Plus Rewards membership, you can contact Hertz directly at 888-999-4900 (7 a.m.-9 p.m. CT M-F).

How Do I Add An Additional Driver To My Reservation?

As a Hertz Gold Plus Rewards member, your spouse, domestic partner, or co-worker is automatically considered an authorized user, so there is no need to add them to your reservation. If the person you would like to add is not a spouse, domestic partner or co-worker they will need to fill out an Additional Authorized Operator agreement at a Hertz location at an additional charge.

How Do I Sign Up For Hertz Gold Plus Rewards?

Joining Hertz Gold Plus Rewards is easy. Just click here to sign up online in minutes.

What Are Mobile Gold Alerts?

Mobile Gold alerts are emails sent to let you know what car you will be driving and where it is parked as soon as it’s ready. This service is only available at select locations in the United States.

When Will My Points Expire?

Your Hertz Gold Plus Rewards points will not expire as long as you have earned or redeemed points through rental activity within the previous 18 months.

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About Katie Seemann

Katie fell in love with travel during a semester abroad in college spent in Nottingham, England. During that time, she got to see Scotland, Ireland, London, and Amsterdam and knew she wanted to see more of the world. Fast forward to 2015 when Katie discovered the world of points and miles. She jumped in full force and hasn’t looked back. After starting her own blog, Zen Life and Travel, in 2016, she began freelance writing in 2017. In addition to being a contributor to Upgraded Points since 2018, she also writes for Forbes Advisor and has previously written for Million Mile Secrets.

Disclaimer: Any comments listed below are not from the bank advertiser, nor have they been reviewed or approved by them. No responsibility will be taken by the bank advertiser for these comments.

79 comments

Afam-dfw May 12, 2018
Amex Centurion cards provide Platinum Hertz rewards rather than President Circle.
Reply
- Katie Seemann May 14, 2018
  Thanks – I just updated the post!
  Reply
  - Hertz September 13, 2020
    Platinum Hertz doesn’t exist anymore.
    Reply
    - Tor July 6, 2021
      Really? My account is still “Platinum”.
      Reply
  - Tommy June 30, 2022
    Capital One Venture cards are also officially providing Five Star Status to cardmembers. Confirmed by linking through Capital One card benefits to my Hertz Gold account account and was immediately upgraded and reflecting Five Star Status.
    Reply
K Johnson July 4, 2018
Thanks for the info. Two things: 1) Delta Silver doesn’t match to Hertz Five Star status (I just tried to match on Delta’s site and failed). 2) IHG Spire status matches to Five Star.
Reply
- Katie Seemann July 5, 2018
  Thanks for the info! The post has been updated.
  Reply
Larry July 16, 2018
The President’s Circle is actually GREAT at certain, generally large airports. They have Corvettes, Caddys, Mercedes and other nice cars there.
Reply
- Katie Seemann July 16, 2018
  That’s great to hear, Larry…sounds like some great car options.
  Reply
Marty October 12, 2018
Looks like they changed it so that Marriott Premiere Elite is only Five Star Club. You need the ambassador status on Marriott for Presidents Club.
Reply
- Kim Mortensen July 7, 2020
  I have lifetime Titanium Elite with Marriott and just noticed this gives me President level at Hertz. However, it’s not clear to me what one level upgrade means. What is their level below their highest level?
  Reply
  - Christine Krzyszton July 7, 2020
    Would the one-level upgrade be referring to a car upgrade?
    Reply
Uday October 13, 2018
I’ve had Five Star status for a few months due to the Marriott Elite match. Unfortunately for a large airport such as DEN, the car selection for this lot is disappointing. I feel that this level of status is quite diluted as most of the folks that are business travelers have this status. I’m now considering switching back to National to see if their Emerald Exec is any better.
Reply
Mike HNL October 16, 2018
Just chatted with Hertz regarding the expiration of my loyalty points and was told points do not expire for Gold members without any activity during a 24 month time frame.
Reply
- Katie Seemann October 17, 2018
  Hi Mike, Thanks for your comment. Unless this is a brand new policy, the Hertz rep you chatted with might have been misinformed. Their website states: “Points do not expire as long as you have a Hertz Gold Plus Rewards® rental activity in the prior 24 months. Rental activity means a Hertz Gold Plus Rewards® point was either earned or redeemed.”
  Reply
  - Omar S. March 15, 2019
    Actually, while Katie was correct through December 31, 2018, this policy provision has changed (I presume as of January 1, 2019).
    With regards to Expiring Points, the current Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Policy states: Quote “Points do not expire if you have a Hertz Gold Plus Rewards® rental activity in the prior 18 months. Activity means a Gold Plus Rewards® point was either earned or redeemed on a rental.” End Quote.
    So it is now 18 months. Not 24 months!
    Link https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/misc/index.jsp?targetPage=GPR_FAQs.jsp Scroll down to where it says “Expiring Points”.
    Reply
    - Katie Seemann March 17, 2019
      Hi Omar,
      Yes you are correct, it is now 18 months.
      Reply
Shanell November 10, 2018
Two questions…
1. When talking about a 12 month period for earning next tier status, is it per calendar year?
If so then I’ll be hitting 18 rentals this year 🙁
2. I’ll also be using some rewards this year, do they count towards a rental number to reach next tier?
I ask you, because I can’t get a straight answer from calling Hertz! Which is a shame after using them frequently this year.
Thank you in advance for any response.
– Shanell
Reply
- Jeff Brownson November 13, 2018
  Hi Shanell, here are your answers. Glad we can be helpful for you.
  1. The 12 month period is indeed a calendar year so it will reset in January.
  2. Unfortunately, rental days that you book with rewards points do not count towards your elite tier qualification. In order for a rental day to count for elite status, it must be a paid rental.
  I’m sorry these weren’t the answers you were looking for, but at least you know now and won’t have to call them again to try to find out.
  Reply
Judy Malin January 11, 2019
I am being told by Hertz that I am not earning reward points when I prepay for a reservation. I don’t see any mention of this in your article nor can I find it on their site. Can you verify this?
Reply
- Katie Seemann January 11, 2019
  Hi Judy,
  You should be able to earn Hertz points on all qualified rentals, even prepaid ones. According to Hertz:
  “Earn and redeem Hertz Gold Plus Rewards® points at participating locations in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas U.S. Virgin Islands, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Rentals in Switzerland will earn points, but members can’t redeem a reward there.”
  You might be renting from a non participating location or you could have spoken to a misinformed customer service rep. I would suggest calling and speaking to someone else who might be able to help you.
  Good Luck!
  Reply
  - Omar S. March 15, 2019
    If I may interject here… While you may be right in offering that there is nothing in Hertz’s Gold Plus Rewards policy that excludes “Prepaid” rentals from earning Gold Plus Reward points, my guess is it is in fact excluded due to the fact that the Gold Plus points rewards program is considered a “promotion” and as such, it is excluded as per clause # 3 under the Prepaid Terms and conditions (link: https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/customersupport/index.jsp?targetPage=faq.jsp&search=prepaid) which states: “Prepaid rates cannot be combined with any promotional offer, voucher or certificate.”
    Reply
    - Katie Seemann March 17, 2019
      Hi Omar,
      The Hertz Gold Plus Rewards program is not considered a promotional offer. That is referring to a rental made with a coupon code or a special discount.
      Reply
  - Larry Johnson September 15, 2019
    How do you qualify for Platinum
    Status?
    Reply
    - Katie Seemann September 16, 2019
      Hi Larry,
      Hertz Platinum is an invitation only status that doesn’t have specific parameters. However, if you hold the invitation-only Centurion Card from American Express you will receive Hertz Platinum status.
      Reply
      - Dave September 16, 2019
        Hi Katie,
        I’ve been Hertz Platinum since 2016. I received a heavy metallic card in the mail one day. Supposedly I was hand picked by the CEO of the company. We receive special treatment (ie. greeters at the airport, curbside pick-up and drop off, water, snacks, and prestige autos like Mercedes, Range Rover, BMW 530i’s, Audi, Cadillac incl. Escalade, and Corvette. I spend approx. $20k per year and rent a car 45 weeks every year. I don’t even own a car.
      - Katie Seemann September 17, 2019
        Hi Dave,
        Sounds like you are getting a lot of benefits from the invitation only Hertz Platinum status. Thanks for reading!
Mikkel January 24, 2019
To Judy: Users must select the option to earn Hertz points in their Hertz profile. You cannot earn airmiles and Hertz points on the same rental. This applies to pre-paid and on-site paid rentals. Maybe that is why you won’t be earning Hertz points on your next rental?
Reply
- Omar S. March 15, 2019
  Actually, Mikkel, while I agree that there is no way to enter the Frequent Flyer Miles number when making a reservation, this is because you need to enter a CDP number for your Frequent Flyer program. That is supposed to be typed into where the CDP # goes… Which, if you are using a corporate Discount Program Code (a CDP) you cannot enter 2 CDP codes… To get around that, log in to your Hertz account, then hover your mouse over “My Account” (top right corner of your screen). A drop-down menu will appear, from there select “Profile” which will take you to that page.
  Scroll down to #4 “Membership Details”… If your frequent flyer membership number is not in the space allotted for it, then click on the “Edit” on the “Membership Details” banner, enter your frequent flyer membership number, scroll down to the blue box and click on “Update”. Now, you are in for every future reservation you make.
  For previous rentals within the last 6 months, you can submit a request for “retroactive Credit” to your Frequent Flyer Club program by completing the retroactive form. I can tell you from personal experience that I have submitted requests for credits for 5 rentals I had made over the past 6 months and in almost every case, they replied the next day (otherwise I received a reply 2 days later) confirming receipt of my request and offering that I will receive the allotted 1250 points per rental (I am Platinum Medallion with Delta’s SkyMiles).
  To get to the retroactive form (mind you I only tried Delta’s link but it should apply to others), scroll down to the bottom of the Hertz.com page, under the “Partners” category, click on your “Air Partner” name, which will take you to the terms of that particular partner, scroll down to just below all the terms and you should find a link to a “Retroactive Credit Form”. Click on that… For this submission, you will select the Air partner name from the drop-down list (so there is no need to remember the Air partner’s CDP code; you will, however, you will need your frequent flyer account number, the date you picked up the rental, the rental record number and lastly, your name, mailing address, and email address.
  And just to confirm that this is allowed, I brought it up with a location customer service who called her supervisor and confirmed that it is so.
  Reply
Rob Mueting March 10, 2019
It appears I can get cheaper prices from third party web sites vs being a gold member. Is this correct or am I missing something
Reply
- Katie Seemann March 11, 2019
  Hi Rob,
  Yes, that’s possible. With so many third party sites out there, sometimes you may find a better deal. If the reservation you found is identical to the higher priced one on Hertz, they will price match. According to their website:
  “Found a lower rate on a Hertz car rental online? We’ll match it and give you 10% off of that rate when we verify your claim.”
  You can submit a claim here: https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/rental-car-deals/best-rate
  Reply
trvl4fs March 20, 2019
Looks like you now need Titanium Elite from Bonvoy or higher to match.
Reply
- Katie Seemann March 21, 2019
  Hi trvl4fs,
  Yes, looks like it changed again. We updated the post – thanks!
  Reply
Bob March 31, 2019
I have enjoyed going to the Gold section in many major airports. I’ve been reserving full size cars. Am I missing out on a discount though? Can I reserve a vehicle in a cheaper Group (say Compact) and still go to the Gold section to choose a car at such airports?
Reply
- Katie Seemann April 3, 2019
  Hi Bob,
  If you have at least Five Star status with Hertz then you are eligible for a one car-class upgrade to a full-size class vehicle. Keep in mind that the upgrade is only available at participating locations and is subject to availability, so I might suggest only booking a cheaper group if you are comfortable with the fact that you could still end up in the cheaper car.
  Reply
  - clif July 22, 2019
    Katie, I think you misunderstood Bob’s question. I believe that Bob is asking about the airports with Ultimate Choice, where you can pick any car you want within the appropriate section. That benefit DOES require that you rent at least a standard or intermediate (and I can’t recall which). There is a (usually small) cost benefit because you do not have to pay the higher cost to rent a full-size car to take advantage of that feature.
    Reply
    - Stephen Au July 23, 2019
      Hey Clif,
      Thanks for your feedback. You need to rent a mid-size car in order to qualify for Ultimate Choice. Yes, you may pay a cheaper price and end up with a better car than you paid for, but most people just want to book the cheapest car available, which is often an economy/compact car as opposed to a mid-size car. Thanks again for reading!
      Reply
Kristine Tomzik April 2, 2019
I am having the worst experience trying to rent a car from you.
I am renting a car for one day, April 6, 2019, in Boston, MA at one of the hotel counters in the back bay region of the city.
First, I was told the Marriott located at 40 Dalton Street, Boston, MA, 20115 was not open on Saturday. When we called the location, they confirmed the site was indeed open on Saturday.
Second, I called back to make my one-day car rental at the Westin Copley Center location at 10 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 20155.
Third, when I got the reservation, it had the rental pick-up time listed as 4/6/2019 at 9 am and the drop off time as 4/6/2019 at 9 am. When I called the reservation desk to have the time adjusted, the reservation agent said I could only have the car until 3:30 pm which does me absolutely no good as I need the car until 9 pm and the location stated they have a late drop-off.
Fourth, when I asked to speak to a supervisor because the agent did not understand what I was saying. He asked me again why I wanted to speak with the supervisor. I told him the same reason as when I was initially asked to speak to a supervisor. I was put on hold forever and the supervisor never did come to the phone.
Fifth, as a President’s Circle member, I am appalled by the lack of customer service. If this is how Hertz is going to treat its loyalty members, then I may have to find another car rental company.
I would like a personal response. My telephone number is XXX-XXX-XXXX.
Thank you,
Reply
- Erin Miller April 2, 2019
  Hi Kristine, please be advised that *we are not Hertz.*
  We are Upgraded Points, a website publishing content on points and miles as well as other travel related articles. The piece you commented on here is simply a guide to Hertz’s Gold Plus Rewards Program.
  We’re sorry to hear you’re having issues and suggest possibly reaching out to them on a social media platform like Twitter or Facebook. For some reason, it seems these large companies (especially airlines) respond to issues presented on those platforms quicker and more effectively than anywhere else…
  Again, sorry to hear you’re having issues but to be clear, we are not Hertz. (We have also removed your phone number from your comment for your own privacy.)
  Reply
Erik May 10, 2019
Have they changed how you redeem your points? I’m trying to book a car using my points. I have 2,800 points but they are only letting me use 600 points for a $30 discount… This is a huge difference from before…
Reply
- Katie Seemann May 11, 2019
  Hi Erik,
  No, the way you can redeem points has not changed. I tried a dummy booking to test it out and I had lots of options to use my points. If you are still having trouble, you might want to try calling Hertz.
  Reply
patrick Smith May 28, 2019
Hi!
I am planning a trip to Scotland this summer. As a President’s Circle member, will I receive the guaranteed complimentary upgrade? Could stand to save a significant amount of money on the booking if I get this.
Renting from EDI both ways, FYI.
Bonus question: do you have experience declining insurance and using the primary coverage from the Chase Sapphire Preferred? The agents seem pretty pushy, but want to make sure I’m covered by my CSP if I decline all levels of insurance from Hertz when in Scotland.
Thanks!
Pat
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- Katie Seemann June 5, 2019
  Hi Pat,
  Yes, as a President’s Circle member, your upgrade should be guaranteed. I have always declined the coverage from the rental agency to use my Chase Sapphire Reserve and have never had a problem. For more information on exactly what’s covered with the CSP take a peek at this post: Chase Sapphire Preferred Car Rental Insurance and Benefits
  Reply
traveller June 21, 2019
I’m President’s Circle. I usually pick up cars at O’Hare but sometimes do other locations in the US. I was told at one neighborhood location that the max upgrade is to full size regardless of my status, they said I would need to reserve at the airport to be able to upgrade to an SUV with a full size rental. Something to consider. I like the advice that you should reserve one car class below your target upgrade class but be prepared to get what you reserved. Sometimes the full or even premiums are even cheaper than the standards, or just a few dollars more, so I almost always reserve them. O’Hare has an awesome selection of vehicles for President’s Circle, lots of premiums and SUVs, pick any car from the area but I think you might need a full size rental to do that, not sure.
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- Katie Seemann June 24, 2019
  Hi,
  Thanks for the info! It’s definitely frustrating that there is so much discrepancy with upgrades.
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Eamonn Kelly July 9, 2019
Can I hire a car in Dubrovnik with my Hertz Gold Membership?
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- Jarrod West July 9, 2019
  Hi Eamonn,
  You sure can, Hertz has a location at the Dubrovnik airport. Here is the link: https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/location/croatia/dubrovnik/DBVT50#
  Reply
Eduardo September 17, 2019
Katie – if I buy points as described in your article, will this count as activity to keep my current points from expiring? Thanks.
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- Katie Seemann September 18, 2019
  Hi Eduardo,
  Unfortunately, no — buying Hertz points will not reset the clock on your points’ expiration date. According to Hertz:
  “Points do not expire if you have a Hertz Gold Plus Rewards® rental activity in the prior 18 months. Activity means a Gold Plus Rewards® point was either earned or redeemed on a rental.”
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Andrew Finglas September 26, 2019
Although Hertz has offices in Ireland in several cities and it shows above in your info that you can accrue points through rental there, in my experience the locations are all franchise ones (I have had differing experiences at Dublin airport) where points do not accrue as these places do not participate. Also, the population of Ireland is so small and the accident rate so high for visitors, that almost all credit card coverages (e.g. my AmEx Platinum Card) stipulate that they do not apply in the Republic of Ireland, and you have to buy local coverage. We usually use the automatic extra coverage AmEx sells at a nominal rate (it kicks in automatically upon an AmEx rental charge), but after travelling we have to call ourselves (and not to AmEx but to the insurer they use) and request a credit as that coverage, too, does not take effect in the RoI (and AmEx is unable to tell from the charge that the rental was in the RoI). Very cumbersome and time consuming. It does overall diminish the value of the AmEx Platinum card.
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- Katie Seemann September 26, 2019
  Hi Andrew,
  Yes, there can occasionally be a location that doesn’t honor the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards program. We’ve updated the article so it’s a little more clear. Thanks for reading!
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  - Sarah February 22, 2023
    I’m late to the party, but thought I would share:
    There are also US Hertz franchise locations. The franchise decides whether or not to participate in the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards program – so if the franchise doesn’t participate, you won’t accrue points for the rental.
    Unfortunately there’s no way to know if a location is a franchise or not when renting through hertz.com (as per their policy).
    Hope that information helps someone!
    Reply
allison October 6, 2019
Hello and thanks for the helpful information in this site. I recently got an email from Hertz saying that I had to electronically accept the new terms and conditions for gold service or my account will be suspended as of October 11, 2019. I did call but got confusing response to question. I did search online and found something from hertz website that listed the October 11, 2019 terms and conditions for HertzGold and it said at the top that you must either electronically accept the t and cs by October 11th, rent a car by October 11th, or make a reservation using the rewards number by October 11th. So if I rent a car or set up a rental before October 11th I will be effectively accepting the terms and conditions? I have not rented as much this last year but have been GOLD since the early 90s and this year got FiveStar through IHG Spire Elite. I was glad I found out that the points will expire if no activity in 18 months because earlier this year I had asked if you didn’t rent often for awhile if your Gold status would drop or you would lose your points and they said no. That must have been before these new rules. I asked if I get status match of Five Star through IHG and I don’t rent a lot, do I just go down to Gold again and they said yes. So if you don’t rent for18 months your points will expire (like airline points) but do you lose your Gold status? I also wanted to find out about cancellations of paid reservations. I had two reservations this year that I set up but then got a ride to the airport instead. The first I called our local edition Hertz to tell them the night before (just to make sure they knew). The second was at our local airport and I tried to tell them I didn’t need a car but stood in line for a bit then left. I could see that my car was already set up and waiting (it was on the board behind the agent) and I didn’t want to make them hold it when I didn’t need it. Do you get penalized now for not showing up (or cancelling within a certain timeframe) for a paid reservation? I see that there are all kinds of rules and charges now for returning early and not letting them know, returning late and not letting them know. I see also that you are penalized points if you set up a reservation and then decide not to use it. Did it really say that you have 24 hours from making the reservation not 24 hours before the reservation begins? Yikes. I guess you have to be sure! Thanks again for your helpful website.
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Shane November 13, 2019
Is it possible to transfer Chase Sapphire points into Hertz points to cover a car rental?
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- Jarrod West November 13, 2019
  Hi Shane,
  You cannot transfer Chase Ultimate Reward points into Hertz points. But you can book your car rental through the Chase travel portal and then use your Ultimate Reward points to cover the cost.
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Leonard November 16, 2019
I have Hertz platinum status with my centurion card. It is worth the $2,500 membership fee to keep it. When Amex increases the cost to $5,000 next year, I will drop the card and lose my Platinum status, it was the only reason to keep the centurion card. Disappointed, the service is wonderful, by the time the year is over, I will have rented 22 cars from Hertz. Looking for a way to keep the membership and not give Amex 5K.
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Nicola November 17, 2019
Hello everyone,
I’m trying to reach the president’s circle membership with Hertz.
I don’t have enough rentals this year, but I’m close to the $4,000 spent.
Does Hertz consider the money spent in insurance (i.e. LDW) in the $4,000?
Where can I find the amount spent during the current year in order to verify how much is missing to reach the $4,000?
I haven’t found this information in their mobile app nor in their web site.
Thank you.
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- Katie Seemann November 25, 2019
  Hi Nicola,
  The Hertz website is slightly unclear about whether or not extra insurance would count towards the $4,000 minimum. Their verbiage is “$4,000 car rental spend excluding taxes and fees” which isn’t really clear. I would suggest contacting Hertz directly.
  As far as seeing how much you have spent year to date, if you don’t see it in your account online, I would also suggest contacting Hertz directly to see if they can calculate your total.
  Good luck!
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Derek January 16, 2020
Hello, does anyone know if I have to pay with my AMEX Platinum card to get that CDP discount? I have used other forms of payment in the past without issue, but I thought I would ask this group for a definitive answer to see if I am risking having my reservation canceled by Hertz. I would like to pay with my Sapphire Reserve to get the Primary Insurance benefit, but the Platinum card’s CDP discount is usually the best rate compared to any other CDP that I can find at the time. I also don’t care about the upgrade benefit that comes with the Platinum card, just the discount. Thank you for your insight!
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- Jarrod West January 16, 2020
  Hi Derek,
  Yes, you must play for the car rental with your Platinum card in order to receive the discount.
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  - Lacey February 19, 2022
    I have had no problems using my Amex corporate code and then paying with Chase Sapphire. I have done this three times now.
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Jason Edler March 7, 2020
Do you have any experience with using FoundersCard to get Five Star or President’s Circle status? This article says that it’s an option: https://creditcarrots.com/hertz-gold-plus-rewards-review/
I’m wondering if the upgrades are actually good.
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- Christopher March 16, 2021
  I used the elite Avis status from Founders to status match Hertz Presidents circle. Very smooth and quick.
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Svy May 2, 2020
Did you check to ensure that Hertz still let you to exchange points to miles when this post was updated? I am no longer able to locate that option on the hertz website today.
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- Jarrod West May 4, 2020
  Hi Svy,
  Yes, the option to transfer your points should still be available. If it is not appearing as an option for you I recommend you call the Hertz Rewards Desk at 1-888-999-4900. Thanks for reading!
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Linda May 13, 2020
Hertz is no longer allowing transfers to partners – from equine flyer programs etc. This has been confirmed to me by Hertz on Facebook messenger .
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- Katie Seemann May 13, 2020
  Hi Linda,
  Thanks for your comment. We’ll be sure to check that out and get this post updated!
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Jeffrey Roberts May 23, 2020
I just realized my Hertz Points are no longer able to be exchanged to an airline or hotel partner, only to be used by auto rental activity. When was this benefit removed?
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- Jarrod West May 25, 2020
  Hi Jeffrey,
  Have you contacted Hertz about this issue? According to their FAQ page, it states that transfer to airline and hotel partners are still allowed.
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Ana September 25, 2020
Points transfer to airlines is not possible because Hertz is in bankruptcy.
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Doreen Quimby March 9, 2021
I have two Hertz Certificate Credits that expired during the lock down. Can they still be redeemed?
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- Jarrod West March 9, 2021
  Hi Doreen,
  We do not represent Hertz, but if the certificates have expired then it is unlikely that they will be able to be redeemed. It might be worth trying to contact Hertz to see if they would be willing to reinstate them for you.
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Ken Seido April 30, 2021
I have a ton of points with Hertz and every location and date that I try and use points i get “There are no rewards currently available (based on your pick-up date, location or points total”
It’s as if they’ve shut the point process down.
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Robert September 6, 2021
This is one of several frequent traveler websites that refers to obtaining Hertz 5 Star status if you’re IHG Spire Elite. I used to have that status via this route, but although I’m still IHG Spire, I now see I’m just plain Hertz Gold. The IHG webpage that references this small perk no longer offers a link that enabled you to link up Hertz and IHG accounts. https://www.ihg.com/content/us/en/deals/partner-offers/hertz_earnapp Anyone know if this benefit, small as it is, bit the dust during Covid? And if it’s still in existence, how do I sign up?
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- Jarrod West September 7, 2021
  Hi Robert,
  If you message Hertz showing them your proof of IHG Spire status they should automatically upgrade you to 5 Star status.
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Andrea Fitterer September 19, 2021
Spoke with a rep on Friday because I had points expire and apparently the 18 month rule is being enforced regardless of the COVID situation. It’s really frustrating.
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Richard Pagan May 4, 2022
Hi Katie, great article which inspired me to sign up. But it turns out you have omitted an important aspect: if you book your Hertz car through a third party (in my case Expedia), Hertz doesn’t want to know. The Expedia booking site has no facility to add your Gold Plus number when making the booking (only possible for airline loyalty programs) so I called up Hertz to add it retroactively. They point blank refused. So no points, no benefits (free additional driver), no straight-through check-in, and I can’t see it in GP my account. (Hopefully the unrelated on-line check-in facility addresses the check-in point but we’ll see.)
When I (eventually) got through to the rather unfriendly Hertz customer rep, she told me that this was made clear in the T&Cs I had agreed to. So I re-read them and it really isn’t – other than the requirement to include your GPN at time of reservation which as noted is not possible. What is your take on this? Thanks.
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- Katie Seemann May 10, 2022
  Hi Richard,
  It’s common for when you book a car or hotel through a third party like Expedia that you won’t earn points or get any elite status benefits. If you have a flexible cancellation policy maybe you can cancel your Expedia booking and book directly through Hertz. I’ll add something to this post to make it clear to future readers – thanks for the note!
  Reply
Sonnng October 25, 2022
You automatically get President Circle status if you have the Capital One Venture X card.
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