Rental Car Loyalty Programs Ranked: Which Is Best for Business Travelers?
When you travel for work, speed and predictability matter as much as price. The right rental strategy eliminates friction and puts you on the road faster.
• Use your corporate discount code for 10 to 30 percent savings
• Join every loyalty program for express pickup
• National Emerald Aisle lets you choose any car
• Keep all receipts organized for expense reporting
Compare car rental prices now and see how much you can save.
National Emerald Club: Best for Choice
National's Emerald Aisle is the gold standard for business travelers. At Executive and above tiers, you bypass the counter entirely, walk to the Emerald Aisle, and choose any car in the midsize-and-above section — regardless of what you booked. Want the SUV instead of the sedan? Take it. No upgrade fee. This "choose your own car" model is unmatched.
Hertz Gold Plus: Best for Speed
Hertz assigns your car before you arrive and displays your name on a board in the lot. Walk directly to your assigned spot, check the car, and drive away. No counter, no lines, no choosing. It is the fastest pickup process in the industry — ideal when you land and need to get moving immediately.
Avis Preferred: Best for Consistency
Avis sends your rental agreement to your phone and assigns your car and parking spot before you arrive. Similar to Hertz in speed, with the added benefit of a strong corporate rate program that many large companies use. If your employer has an Avis corporate code, the combination of corporate rates plus Preferred status is hard to beat.
Enterprise Plus: Best for Points Value
Enterprise's points program gives you one free rental day for roughly every 5-6 paid rental days, which is a better earn rate than most competitors. They also have the largest fleet and most locations in the US, including many neighborhood locations beyond airports.
The Strategy: Join All of Them
Loyalty programs are free to join. Sign up for all four, then book based on price, location, and availability. Use whichever gives you the best deal for each specific trip. True loyalty to one brand only makes sense if your company mandates it or if you rent frequently enough to reach upper tier status.
Search live deals at your airport and find the best rate for your trip.