Hertz has launched the ‘free to go pass‘, the pass costs $99 per year and claims to save up to $100+ per rental. It offers the following benefits:
- 10% guaranteed discount
- Free home delivery
- Free additional driver (for renters older than 25)
- Free cancellations
- Convienient refueling (fixed rate of $2/gal)
- Free young renter (for renters younger than 25)
- $250 in bonus credits when you sign up
Contents
$250 In Credits
In addition they are offering $250 in bonus credits when you sign up:
- $100 in hotels credit (redeemable on hertzplushotels.com)
- $100 in event credit (this is two $50 codes. These can be redeemed on hertz.thetixfix.com)
- $50 in dining credit (this is a restaurant.com eGiftcard)
These credits will be valid until December 30th, 2020. The restaurant.com gift card is basically worthless. I did a couple of searches on the hotel site and it seems to be similarly priced to other sites, but I’d recommend doing your own research to confirm that (they do offer test bookings without a code). Similar with the event credit.
Our Verdict
Hertz has filed for bankruptcy, I guess this is a way of trying to raise some money. Not really sure how that works with giving out $200 in what seems to be usable credits. Personally I’ll pass on this as the upside is relatively low and I do think there is some risk there. I don’t really have any use of the hotel or event credit either at the moment.
Hat tip to reader Mass Roadtrip
Can We Increase the $2/gallon fee? Ans: Yes. Should the national gas price averages increase the benefit price will be adjusted accordingly.– From their FAQ. Who is surprised?
Its not a fee, its the cost of the fuel.
I need to make a 4000 mile round trip drive in a few days and I don’t turn 25 for 3 more weeks (sucks to suck huh) so I bought it. $100 to have the $216 young renter fee waived alone was worth it, though I can’t say I’ll ever really use this again and definitely will not renew. 10% off codes for rental agencies are a dime a dozen on the internet and gas where I am is typically cheaper than $2/gal.
Join AAA might be cheaper option if under age renter fee waived is the only benefit you are after.
AAA, USAA, or and possible corporate affiliations could’ve all waived the underage fees.
Do they give you a CDP to use as part of this or (unlikely) can you stack with others?
Thanks both of you, I wound up refunding and enrolling with AAA for the classic membership, I really should’ve known about and registered earlier! But I’ve only been driving for a year. CDP waived the underage fee like you guys mentioned.
“Hertz has launched the ‘free to go pass‘, the pass costs $99 per year and claims to save $100+ per rental. It offers the following benefits:”
^this is ambiguous and reads more like “it [by their claim] saves 100+ per rental” rather than the original quote of
you can save 100+from the graphic. WhileYou canin their original meaning implies you can also save a lot less in many cases, and much less than $100+.I’d say Doc needs a qualifier somewhere in there such as “can”, “up to”, etc.
Done
Why is restaurant.com gift card worthless
There are so few options any more and many restaurants wont accept them anymore even if it appears on the website. Also, the $50 is not really: Here is $50 – it is buying a coupon to spend $30 and save $5 for example. Sounds better than it is.
It’s basically a coupon with minimum spend. You can always get these cheap
I always wondered by how much the probability of getting spit in your food increases when you present your restaurant.com coupon before ordering. I’d guess it goes from 1% to about 50%. Don’t screw with people serving your food.
As for this Hertz promo – looks worthless for me personally.
I think the rental car market is a big opportunity for improvement, but this deal just isn’t it.
10% guaranteed discount – what about AAA or Amex or other discounts that I already use?
Free home delivery – local shops have to actually be willing to do this (not always useful at Enterprise, easier to just get an uber)
Free additional driver (for renters older than 25) – spouse is already free and coworkers are already free if you set up a business account
Free cancellations – when did cancellations start not being free?
Convienient refueling (fixed rate of $2/gal) – good deal, but going to need to buy a lot of gas to make up $100 here
Free young renter (for renters younger than 25) – doubtful that <25 are going to spend $100 on potential car rentals
$250 in bonus credits when you sign up – nothing to do with car rentals
This may be worth it if young renters need to rent a car for >4 days (young renter fee is often $25/day or higher)
Of course, provided that the rental ends up being cheaper than other potential forms of transit
It’s like buying a ticket for the Titanic, knowing it’s going to sink.
Yup, it’s a gamble. As far as the Hertz benefits, it’s a pass. Might be able to come out on top with the $200 credit (I don’t count Restaurant.com, which is essentially a restrictive coupon), for a hotel (minus opportunity cost) and if there are events again before the end of the year. Most likely codes as travel too.
Although free cancellation on a prepaid trip would make portal tracking way easier for a non-committed booking…
If you want to light $99 on fire I’d rather you just sent it to me.
what’s your address?
Interesting idea and I am (was- back in the day when we still traveled) a Hertz loyalist. The 10% discount is likely off of base prices, which is not a hard thing to get for most of us who are decent at travel. I don’t rent from home, but I would buy this in a heartbeat if it included curbside pickup from the departure doors at even some airports in the US. The gas is a pretty nice offer, too.
Definitely considering this, but I also don’t have any trips planned for the foreseeable future. Sorry Hertz :*(
For those looking for a good deal on used cars, Hertz is selling off a lot of 2017-2020 model vehicles at great discounts on their website. It might be worth looking into 🙂
Thanks Hertz spokesperson. Like every other time this has been posted, the discounts haven’t changed from the usual discounts they offer on those cars. Real buyers know to wait or negotiate further. This is the tip of the iceberg
its a tired, low option inventory. but maybe someone really wants a clapped out ford sedan
Did not see any good discounts there. Near the top of a KBB value and the kind of car I am looking for should not be bought as a used rental, anyway. Gimme a low-mileage Camaro with one previous owner, preferably a church lady.