Renting a car without joining the brand's loyalty program is one of travel's easiest wins to miss. A new roundup from The Points Guy compares the major U.S. rental programs for 2026, and the differences are bigger than most people realize — some quietly hand you discounts and skip-the-line access, while others offer almost nothing beyond faster pickup.
The clear value plays: Enterprise Plus earns 1 point per dollar with free days starting at just 400 points, no blackout dates and no restrictions on car type. That's the lowest entry point for a free day among the major programs. Avis Preferred starts at 700 points for a day on rentals up to $50 base rate, and Hertz Gold+ at 950 points, though Hertz's real draw is status: Five Star comes after just 3 rentals or $1,000 of spend in a year, unlocking upgrade perks and choice from a dedicated lot.
Status matching is where savvy travellers save the most. Avis Preferred Plus and President's Club, plus Hertz Five Star and President's Circle, can all be unlocked free through airline and hotel elite status — Aeroplan, Delta SkyMiles, United MileagePlus, American AAdvantage, JetBlue, Marriott Bonvoy and IHG all qualify at various tiers — or through select American Express, Chase, Capital One and Citi cards. If you hold airline status or a premium travel card, check before you rent; you may already have upgrades and faster pickup waiting.
National's Emerald Club works differently: one rental credit per qualifying rental, with free days costing 5 to 7 credits depending on tier. Its Emerald Aisle perk — pick any car on the lot and pay the midsize rate — remains one of the best everyday deals in the business, and mid-tier members get a separate Executive Area with better vehicles.
The laggards: Alamo Insiders is essentially a 5% discount code plus online check-in, with no points or status. Budget Fastbreak and Thrifty Blue Chip Rewards skip the line but offer no permanent earn currency, just occasional promo credits like Budget's current $25 offer after two rentals by the end of 2026. Dollar Express Rewards sits in between — 500 points for a weekend day, but with holiday blackouts.
Two caveats apply across the board. Free days cover the base rate only, so taxes and fees always come out of pocket — one example redemption at Atlanta airport returned just 1.86 cents per point once fees were added. And points expire faster than airline miles: Avis dies after five years or 12 months of inactivity, Hertz and Dollar after 24 months idle, Enterprise after three years without a rental.
Bottom line: if you rent a few times a year, pick one program and stick to it. Frequent renters should chase Enterprise or National for cheap free days, or leverage existing hotel and airline status for Hertz or Avis perks. Casual renters may get more from a good credit card's coverage and a plain discount code than from any loyalty scheme.