Hertz and MileagePlus are offering a discount plus bonus miles when you rent a car through October 31. Not that discounts are uncommon; few people pay “rack rate” for their car rentals, anyway. There are simply too many sources for discounts. But this deal should be particularly good for United frequent flyers.
Hertz And United: The Terms And Conditions
Pretty self-explanatory. Book with Hertz through Halloween and you’ll get treats, not tricks. Note that savings are up to 40%, so you’re not guaranteed the full amount off of list. You’ll earn the extra miles if you book a mid-size car or larger. Also, elite members and MileagePlus credit card holders may be eligible to earn extra miles. And that’s about it. Don’t forget to use the CDP 62455 and PC 305023 when booking.
Car Rental Hints
I’m amazed at how many people will pay thousands of dollars for airfare and hotels but choose the cheapest car rental automatically. In my experience, rental car companies are not all the same, even though consumers often treat them as commodities. The difference between Stinky Car Rental and a top tier player may only be a few dollars per day. It’s worth it to pay the extra cash just to avoid the hassles that come with the deep-discount rentals. Personally, I have had good experiences with National.
You never need to pay list price for a car rental. You can search for coupons yourself or use a service like AutoSlash to do the searching for you.
Finally, your credit card can help you out with the process. First, check the card’s terms and conditions to see what insurance you receive (Check your own auto policy, as well.). Your card may also offer you status in a rental car company’s elite program. Join it. It’s almost always free, and you’ll likely get to avoid waiting at the rental car counter and may get other benefits.
The Bottom Line
Be sure to use a promotion when booking a rental car. If it’s not the one above, it should be something else. But don’t neglect your rental car experience. The few dollars you save on the price could end up costing you in time and hassle.
Cover photo from Creative Commons
