Here’s How You Can Skip the Long Car Rental Lines for Free
The last thing you want after a flight is to see a long line of people waiting to rent a car — or worse, to be told that there are no more cars available that will suit you.
A while back, I booked a car with Hertz from Orlando International Airport (MCO) for a weekend getaway in Disney world. When we arrived at the airport rental car pick-up area, I was immediately grateful that we didn’t have to wait in incredibly long lines, thanks to our complimentary membership to Hertz’s Gold Plus Rewards program. I spoke to people near the front of some lines who said they’d waited close to two hours to (hopefully) pick up their cars.
Related: Save Money on Your Next Trip: Use These Tips to Never Pay Full Price for a Rental Car
Concerns when renting a car
The longest lines, lasting one to two hours, are for low-cost car rental companies like Dollar Rent A Car and Sixt. However, most airport car rental companies have long lines, including the one I chose, Hertz.
We usually rent cars from Hertz because we get a four hour grace period with The Platinum Card® from American Express (registration required). Another big benefit, however, is that there’s no line to pick up your rental car, and you don’t need any specific credit card to qualify.
Related: Can’t find a rental car? Here are 7 tips that might help
How to skip the queue
To skip the counter, join Hertz Free Gold Plus Rewards Program and pick up your car at one of the many Gold Choice lane locations. At the main pick-up locations, a sign will direct you to a specific parking lot or lane (Gold, President’s Circle, or Five Star). You can also use the Hertz app to check in and skip the line.
Related: How can you redeem points and miles for car rentals?
Occasionally I get the dreaded “watch counter” message when the credit card on my account has expired or something similar. Luckily, though, the counter in the garage usually has a much shorter wait time than the main queue inside.
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The keys will be inside the car, so all you need to do is show the gatekeeper your ID when you leave the garage. They will usually print out your rental agreement for you there and you are good to go.
You can choose your own car
Another benefit of choosing a car in an aisle is being able to look at the cars and choose one of the newer, nicer cars in the line.
On the Orlando trip mentioned earlier, the first car we considered had a terrible smell and had over 30,000 miles on it. However, just two cars away, we saw a newer option with only a few thousand miles on it.
Even if the Hertz location you’re using doesn’t have a dedicated driveway, you can still enjoy shorter check-in lines simply by being a Gold Plus Rewards member. That’s how I saved an hour picking up my rental car in Honolulu a few years ago, even though the location didn’t have a dedicated driveway in the rental car lot.
Join the car rental rewards program
Most car rental companies, such as Enterprise And EvaluateThere are similar programs. To increase your chances of skipping the line, be sure to join the membership programs of the car companies you rent from and enter all the necessary information in advance.
Related: How to Use AutoSlash to Save Money on Car Rentals
TPG has a complete guide on car rental rewards programincludes information on how to register and the benefits you will enjoy as a member.
Credit cards that offer elite status for car rentals
There are a handful of credit cards that can help you skip the long lines at the car rental counter with automatic elite status. You must register to enjoy this benefit, so if you have one of these cards, be sure to complete the registration before your next rental.
*Upon enrollment, which can be accessed via the Capital One website or mobile app, eligible cardholders will remain at the upgraded status level until December 31, 2024. Please note, enrollment through the regular Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment process (e.g. at Hertz.com) will not automatically identify cardholders as eligible for the program and cardholders will not be automatically upgraded to the applicable status level. Additional terms apply.
Tips for renting a car without queuing
Be careful if you rent through a third-party site. You may not always be able to add your car rental membership number, which can lead to long lines to pick up your car. Sure, you may save a few bucks, but you need to weigh that against the time you may have to wait in line to pick up your car.
For these reasons, it often makes more sense to rent directly, even if it costs a little more. Make sure you sign up for the relevant car rental program, complete your profile, and double-check that your car rental membership number is included with your booking.
Related: The Complete Guide to Elite Car Rental Matches
If you need something special, like a child safety seat, you may have to line up with a rental car company regardless of your situation. For that and other reasons, it can be a good idea to travel with your child’s car seat.
Last line
Joining a car rental rewards program can save you time, lead to free car rentals, and increase your chances of having a car when you’re ready to start your trip.
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