Targeted: Get complimentary Hertz President’s Circle membership with Amex cards

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 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.

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