How to Maximize Rewards on Car rentals
When you rent a car, you actually have two options. You can either earn points with the Car Rental loyalty program or you can select the option of banking the points with another loyalty program. Personally, I do not rent a car often enough, and when I do rent a car, I tend to look for the best deal (price wise) out there, so I end up going with different car rental companies depending on which city I visit. Therefore, I just makes more sense for me to bank my points to another loyalty program instead.
Below is a list of car rental companies and suggested partner loyalty programs to bank your points to as a Canadian:
Avis has a Membership program or some of its top transfer partners for Canadians (full list here):
- Aeroplan (Air Canada)
- AAdvantage (American Airlines)
- Best Western Rewards (Best Western)
- Choice Privileges (Choice Hotels)
- Dividend Miles (US Airways)
- Executive Club – Avios (British Airways)
- IHG Rewards (Intercontinental Hotels Group)
- HHonors (Hilton Hotels)
- Hyatt Gold Passport (Hyatt Hotels and Resorts)
- Mileage Plan (Alaska Airlines)
- MileagePlus (United Airlines)
- Starwood Preferred Guests (Starwood Hotels and Resorts)
- Wyndham Rewards (Wyndham Hotels and Resorts)
Budget has a Frequent Renter program or some of its top transfer partners for Canadians (full list here):
- AAdvantage (American Airlines)
- Air Miles
- Best Western Rewards (Best Western)
- Choice Privileges (Choice Hotels)
- Dividend Miles (US Airways)
- Executive Club – Avios (British Airways)
- IHG Rewards (Intercontinental Hotels Group)
- HHonors (Hilton Hotels)
- Mileage Plan (Alaska Airlines)
- Wyndham Rewards (Wyndham Hotels and Resorts)
Hertz has the Gold Plus Rewards program or some of its top transfer partners for Canadians (full list here):
- Aeroplan (Air Canada)
- AAdvantage (American Airlines)
- Dividend Miles (US Airways)
- Executive Club – Avios (British Airways)
- IHG Rewards (Intercontinental Hotels Group)
- Marriott Rewards Program (Marriott)
- Mileage Plan (Alaska Airlines)
- MileagePlus (United Airlines)
- SkyMiles (Delta Air Lines)
National Car Rental has the Emerald Club Benefits program or some of its top transfer partners for Canadians (full list here):
- AAdvantage (American Airlines)
- Air Miles
- Bank of Montreal Rewards (Bank of Montreal)
- Dividend Miles (US Airways)
- HHonors (Hilton Hotels)
- Mileage Plan (Alaska Airlines)
- SkyMiles (Delta Air Lines)
- Wyndham Rewards (Wyndham Hotels and Resorts)
When you make your car reservation, just be sure to provide your loyalty account number of the program that you wish to bank your points towards so that you can earn the points of that particular program. Also watch for promotions that give you bonus points on a car rental.