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Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
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Hertz Gold+: How to earn and redeem points for free car rentals, discounts and more
Featured image by LUKE SHARRETT/BLOOMBERG/GETTY IMAGES
Andrew Kunesh is TPG's Points & Miles editor. He has been active in the points and miles space since 2014, using them to travel far and wide around the world. He is originally from Chicago but moved to New York City after graduating from DePaul University. His work is featured on Credit Karma, UpgradedPoints, ValuePenguin and various other travel and finance publications. He currently holds Delta Diamond Medallion and Marriott Titanium status, and 20+ credit cards that each have a special place in Andrew's wallet.
Summer Hull has been covering (and using) travel tips, rewards credit cards and loyalty programs for over a decade. She has flown close to a million miles, often on points and miles and with her family in tow.
also contributed to this story
March 9, 2026 • 10 min read
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Quick summary
Hertz Gold+ is a free loyalty program offering perks like a free additional driver and member-only rates at over 160 countries worldwide.
Members earn points primarily by renting cars, with elite status tiers granting bonus points and added benefits such as upgrades and wider vehicle selection.
Points can be redeemed for free rentals, but redemption value varies between standard and peak awards, with peak dates now covering more than half the year at many locations.
Elite status can be achieved through frequent rentals or spending, and select travel partnerships and memberships may offer complimentary status or discounts.
What to consider
Hertz points expire after 12 months of inactivity and are forfeited after five years if not redeemed.
Standard award availability varies by location and date, with peak dates significantly limiting lower-cost redemptions.
One-way rentals and specialty vehicles require twice as many points as standard round-trip rentals.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed guide to maximizing Hertz Gold+ points, including how to navigate peak dates, elite status perks and tips for booking the best value redemptions.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Hertz is one of the largest rental car companies in the world, with locations in over 160 countries across six continents.
Its loyalty program, Hertz Gold+, is free to join and rewards its members with instant perks, such as a free additional driver and member-only rates.
Here's what to know about joining Hertz Gold+, including how you can earn points, unlock a higher elite status tier and redeem your rewards for free car rentals.
How to earn Hertz Gold+ points
TUPUNGATO/GETTY IMAGES
Unfortunately, renting cars is the only real way to earn Hertz Gold+ points. Gold members earn 1 Hertz point per dollar spent on the base fare for rentals (excluding taxes and fees). Those with Hertz elite status earn bonus points based on their status level:
Five Star: 25% bonus for a total of 1.25 points per dollar spent
President’s Circle: 50% bonus for a total of 1.5 points per dollar spent
It is worth noting that Hertz points expire after just 12 months without earning or redemption activity. And even if you keep your points from expiring after 12 months, any points that stay in your account for over five years without being redeemed will be forfeited.
How to redeem Hertz Gold+ points
Things get tricky when redeeming Hertz Gold+ points.
Hertz has two redemption levels: standard and peak. Standard awards are priced significantly lower but are restricted to specific dates that vary by Hertz location. Meanwhile, peak rewards can be redeemed without blackout dates but cost twice as many points.
I recommend redeeming points for standard rewards whenever possible. Peak rentals are generally a bad value unless your rental is extremely expensive. However, if you travel during popular time frames, don't be shocked to see peak prices. You can use this calculator on Hertz's website to see peak dates for the location you're planning to rent from.
With that in mind, here's a quick overview of the Hertz award chart and how you can maximize redemptions.
The below chart offers a look at pricing for compact through premium rentals within the U.S. It includes most rentals (minus high-end luxury cars).
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You can rent "specialty" cars for double the points. These rentals include vehicles like SUVs within the U.S. and start at 1,900 points per day.
Even more specialized vehicles, such as a Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 or a Porsche, may be available under the "adrenaline" and "prestige" vehicle price tiers. However, based on our spot checks, availability for vehicles in these categories is not very good, so your mileage may vary on whether you can grab one with your points. You can view the award chart for these redemptions by heading to this page and scrolling down.
Using AutoSlash is quick and easy. ANDREW KUNESH/THE POINTS GUY
Hertz also offers discounts on one-week rentals booked with points. Weekly round-trip standard rentals within the U.S. start at 4,750 points, which comes out to roughly 675 points per day. This is a significant discount compared to booking seven one-day rentals, making it a potentially good use of points for a longer trip.
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Finally, one-way rentals — where you return your vehicle to a different Hertz location — cost twice as much as a round-trip rental. This means a one-day, one-way standard rental within the U.S. will cost 1,900 points.
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How to book standard awards with Hertz
So, when can you book standard awards? There’s no easy answer. Unfortunately, each Hertz location has a different set of standard award dates, and some offer more than others.
You can view the list of peak dates by heading tothis pageand entering your pickup location.
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Peak dates vary widely — they may cover a holiday weekend or span an entire season. Unfortunately, Hertz has steadily expanded its peak dates so that they now account for more than half of the year at most locations, as you’ll notice in the example above. This makes it harder to take advantage of standard award redemptions.
In cities with more than one Hertz location, it’s best to check multiple locations to see which off-peak dates work best with your travel schedule.
Other things to know about Hertz Gold+ points
Hertz eliminated cancellation fees for award rentals. That means if you book a car with points and cancel your reservation before your scheduled pickup time, the points will be refunded to your account without any penalty.
Hertz also updated its points transfer feature. Previously, you could transfer points to your spouse or domestic partner’s account, with no limit on the number of points or transfers. Now, you can transfer points to any family member’s account who has had activity in the last 12 months. You can only do this once per calendar year.
How to use your points on a Hertz reservation
The actual process of using your Hertz points for a booking is a bit involved and requires the following steps:
Log in to your Hertz Gold+ account.
On the upper-right-hand section of the website, under your name, select "Use My Points."
On the page that loads, click "Book With Points."
Then, run your search like normal. Unfortunately, the points price will not display.
Select your desired vehicle on the final booking page. If the car is eligible for using points, there will be an option to "Pay With Hertz Rewards Points" for anywhere from one day to the length of your rental.
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Hertz Gold+ Rewards elite status
Hertz offers three status tiers: the entry-level Gold tier, plus the two Five Star and President’s Circle elite tiers. You earn status based on how often you rent cars with Hertz or how much you spend with Hertz.
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Hertz Gold status
Hertz Gold status is free and open to anyone 21 years and up who joins. Being a Hertz Gold member is very beneficial, as it allows for free additional driver status for a spouse or domestic partner in the U.S. It also makes it possible to skip the line at many locations so you can go straight to picking up your car in the lot.
Hertz Five Star status
To reach the Hertz Five Star elite status tier, you must complete three Hertz rentals or spend $1,000 on rental cars in a given calendar year. Hertz Five Star elite members receive several benefits. The most notable of these benefits include:
Space-available upgrades: You’re eligible for a one-class car upgrade if the Hertz location you’re renting from has cars in stock.
Bonus points: You’ll earn 25% more points on all rentals, totaling 1.25 points per dollar spent.
Wider Ultimate Choice availability: When renting from a Hertz location with an Ultimate Choice lot, Hertz Five Star members have access to a wider range of cars.
Hertz President’s Circle status
You’ll earn President’s Circle status after completing 15 Hertz rentals or spending $3,000 on rental cars in a single calendar year. These benefits are significantly more valuable than Five Star.
This is Hertz’s top-tier status level and includes an upgraded set of perks, such as:
Guaranteed upgrades: You’re eligible for a guaranteed one-class car upgrade. In practice, the upgrade depends on whether the Hertz location you’re renting from has an upgraded car in stock.
Bonus points: You’ll earn 50% more points on all rentals for 1.5 points per dollar spent.
Widest Ultimate Choice availability: If renting from a Hertz location with an Ultimate Choice lot, you’ll have access to a wider range of cars than a standard or Five Star member.
Dedicated Hertz Gold+ phone line: You can access a dedicated Hertz phone number for President’s Circle members.
Get Hertz status and savings with these partnerships
Hertz has several travel partnerships that let you earn rewards, discounts and elite status.
Free Hertz status for Delta Medallion elite members
If you have Delta Air Lines elite status, you may be eligible for a free status match to Hertz Gold+. Silver and Gold Medallion members can match to Five Star status, while Platinum and Diamond Medallion members can match to top-tier President’s Circle status.
One of the many perks of the American Express Platinum Card® is that it provides complimentary Hertz President’s Circle status to cardholders (enrollment required). Additionally, cardholders receive a four-hour grace period on rental returns at select U.S. locations.
Upon enrollment, accessible through the Capital One website or mobile app, eligible cardholders will remain at that status level through the duration of the offer. Please note, enrolling through the normal Hertz Gold+ enrollment process (e.g., at hertz.com) will not automatically detect a cardholder as being eligible for the program and cardholders will not be automatically upgraded to the applicable status tier. Additional terms apply.
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Take advantage of Hertz perks with a AAA membership
AAA members have access to a corporate code that gives up to 20% off rentals, waives the fee for young renters ages 20 to 24, offers the complimentary use of a car seat and provides a discount on prepaid fuel, among other minor benefits.
The Hertz Gold+ loyalty program is valuable, even if you only plan to rent a car once per year. Not only can you save money on rentals with member-only rates, but you can also skip the lines at the counter and go straight to your vehicle. Plus, if you earn enough Hertz Gold+ points, you can redeem them for future rentals.
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
