Targeted: Get complimentary Hertz President's Circle membership with Amex cards
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Several TPG staffers awoke this morning to discover an offer from Hertz for a complimentary promotion to its top-level elite status.
Here's what you need to know.
You'll receive a complimentary upgrade to President's Circle, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards top-tier program, when you register and complete a $250 rental using an eligible American Express Card by New Year's Eve. You'll get six months of elite status, but note that the upgrade will take 48 hours. This promotion appears to be targeted, as you need a unique code to register, so make sure to check your email. Note that the offer is for mid-size car classes and higher. I received this offer on the American Express® Green Card, which recently got a much-needed refresh on bonus categories as well as annual statement credits.
The information for the Amex Green Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
The Hertz Gold Plus Rewards program is free to join, and after enrollment, you'll have entry-level Gold status. You'll earn 1X for every dollar you spend on rentals and accessories — excluding taxes, fees and surcharges. Joining the program also allows you to skip the counter both for picking up your car and dropping off your vehicle.
The first level of elite status is Five Star, which requires 12 car rentals or spending $2,400 in a calendar year. President's Circle offers confirmed one-car-class upgrades, 1.5 points per dollar spent and valet service at participating locations (up to four times per year).
President's Circle requires 20 car rentals (or spending $4,000 or more) in a calendar year, so completing a $250 rental seems like a much easier way to achieve elite status, which you'll keep for six months.
If you take advantage of the offer, note that Hertz devalued its Gold Plus Rewards program in May without notice, with a new award chart for rentals in the U.S. While some rentals within the United States now cost around 11% more (like a one-day rental rising from 675 points to 750 points), discounted weekend awards have vanished entirely and select specialty vehicle redemptions now cost over 70% more, as TPG's Darren Murph reported earlier this summer.
And that wasn't the end of the bad news, either. The car company also changed the window for points expiration from 24 months to 18 months earlier this year without prior notice.
TPG featured card
at Bilt's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 1X | Choose to earn up to 1X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee |
| 2X | Earn 2X points + the option to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases |
Pros
- Choice to earn up to 1 Bilt Point per dollar spent on rent and mortgage payments
- Elevated everyday earnings with both Bilt Points and the option to earn Bilt Cash
- $400 Bilt Travel Portal hotel credit per year (up to $200 biannually)
- $200 Bilt Cash annually
- Priority Pass membership
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Moderate annual fee
- Designed primarily for members seeking a premium, all-in-one card
- Earn points on housing with no transaction fee
- Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
- 2X points on everyday spend
- $400 Bilt Travel Hotel credit. Applied twice a year, as $200 statement credits, for qualifying Bilt Travel Portal hotel bookings.
- $200 Bilt Cash (awarded annually). At the end of each calendar year, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
- Welcome bonus (subject to approval): 50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 90 days + $300 of Bilt Cash.
- Priority Pass ($469/year value). See Guide to Benefits.
- Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.