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Hertz sharply devalues its loyalty program with little warning to members
Aug. 09, 2022
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4 min read
Hertz sharply devalues its loyalty program with little warning to members
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In the fast-paced world of points and miles, the landscape is always shifting. Good deals can abruptly emerge — or expire — overnight.
Two days ago, on Aug. 7, Hertz sent a nondescript email to its loyalty members with a small blub mentioning an adjustment to Hertz Gold Plus Rewards points values. Some investigation shows that these changes are notably bad. You can count on your Hertz points being worth almost 30% less.
Let’s look at these latest changes to Hertz Gold Plus Rewards.
Hertz points are now worth significantly less
Hertz uses a fixed award chart with prices for various types of rentals. The value you’ll get for your points fluctuates depending on:
- Your rental car type.
- The length of your rental.
- Whether you’re renting one-way or round-trip.
- When you rent.
Quick math shows that many award prices have increased by around 27%. That’s a huge devaluation — and doubly annoying for anyone with a large stash of Hertz points, as Hertz provided a discreet warning of these changes on Sunday via email.
To better illustrate this change, we’ve made a quick comparison of the old and new prices for a single-day round-trip rental with Hertz.
| Rental type | New price (standard rewards) | Old price (standard rewards) | Price increase |
|---|---|---|---|
1 free rental day | 950 points. | 750 points. | About 27%. |
Specialty vehicle 1 free rental day | 1,900 points. | 1,500 points. | About 27%. |
Hertz Adrenaline Collection 1 free day | 2,787 points. | 2,200 points. | About 27%. |
Hertz Prestige Collection 1 free day | 3,167 points. | 2,500 points. | About 27%. |
That said, finding standard award space for a Hertz redemption is tough — many months don’t have a single redemption available at this level in some popular destinations. Because of this, many travelers may opt for an AnyDay award instead. These have also shot up in price, with a one-day round-trip rental going from 1,500 points per day to 1,900 points per day, also representing a 27% increase.
You can find Hertz’s current award chart here. And you can find the old award chart here (for the time being).
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Hertz partners with Delta Air Lines and other travel companies for points earning. So, instead of earning Hertz points for your rental, you can credit your earnings to a different program. In the past, we’ve advised against this strategy, as Hertz points have offered more average value than airline miles. However, this devaluation makes crediting miles to airlines a less objectionable idea.
Related: The complete guide to Hertz Gold Plus Rewards
Bottom line
Hertz has unexpectedly devalued its rewards by more than 20%, leaving loyal renters high and dry. It’s a disingenuous move when travel brands give hardly any warning for drastic changes like this.
If you’ve got a huge pile of rewards, be they hotel points, airline miles or rental car points, it’s a good idea not to sit on them for long. Loyalty programs sometimes take swift action to reduce the value you can receive from your rewards.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.